With the York Packs 283 



father, as it joined on to the Kirby Hall property, which 

 had also originally belonged to Fountains Abbey. 



Amongst the maxims of Sir Charles Slingsby was one, 

 in contrast to the dictum of a blown fox lying down as 

 soon as he could, viz., that a fox who had never been 

 pushed fast at any time in the run, even though he might 

 be tired, never lay down until he had got well inside a 

 covert, and in many cases, if the covert was small, went 

 straight through it. In a long, slow run, on coming to a 

 small plantation, he would often gallop round to the far- 

 side with the hounds, so as to pick up the line, without 

 wasting time in working it out through the wood. If the 

 fox was still inside no harm was done, but if he had gone 

 through, many valuable minutes were often saved. He 

 would also say that it was folly to stop a single hound in 

 the middle of a run that had recovered the scent when a 

 check had occurred, though the body of the pack might be 

 in the next field or further. On the contrary, let him 

 alone to make the most of it, taking care to keep him in 

 view, for the hounds being altogether and in the open, they 

 are very quickly got forward without danger of any being 

 left behind. They pick the scent up, too, so quickly under 

 such conditions, for they put their noses down on reaching 

 their comrade, knowing that he is hunting on the line. It 

 is quite a different thing when one or two hounds get away 

 after a fox from a covert. It takes time for the others to 

 get out, even if they are aware that the fox is away, though 

 even then the stopping the leading hounds may be carried 

 to an extreme ; and if there are enough to carry on the run 

 by themselves, much valuable time is lost if they are 

 whipped off" until the others join them. Stephen Goodall, 

 who hunted the Bramham Moor and the Vale of White 



