284 The Course, the Camp, the Chase 



Horse, perhaps carried this to an extreme, as so long as he 

 could see the fox himself, or had a hound or two that could 

 own the line, he would gallop on, blowing his horn con- 

 tinuously and loudly till he had got the pack together. 

 Still he showed marvellous sport, killed an immense number 

 of foxes after rattling gallops, and his hounds never needed 

 a Whip. They used to fly from all parts of a wood the 

 moment they heard his horn. Though his method was 

 very unscientific, it was an extremely killing one, and was 

 certainly not criticised by the hard-riding division. The 

 Bramham Moor are fortunate in having had for some years 

 one of the finest huntsmen of the day in Tom Smith. It 

 is a very cunning fox that is able to escape him on a good 

 scenting day, and he shows extremely good sport under the 

 adverse conditions of a very large field, whenever they meet 

 within easy reach of Leeds and Harrogate. 



York is an excellent hunting centre, for besides its own 

 proper pack — the York and Ainsty — the Bramham Moor 

 and Lord Middleton's both meet once a week within easy 

 reach of the city. The latter pack also rejoice in a liunts- 

 man, who well deserves the fame that he has acquired. 

 To kill, as he has done, considerably over eighty brace of 

 foxes in a season, argues the highest talent in the 

 " managing director " of the pack. How quick he is 

 in reading signs the following anecdote may possibly show: — 

 A year or two ago several foxes were picked up that were 

 being poisoned, and as everyone in the neighbourhood was 

 known to be friendly to tliem. Will Grant was completely 

 puzzled as to the author of their destruction. One morning, 

 when exercising the pack, he suddenly got a clue. After 

 kennelling the hounds he rode over to the farmer and told 

 him that at last he had found out who had laid the poison. 



