■>^ 
 
 
 V :if 
 
 f 
 
 y - 
 

Hark Away 
 
 SKETCHES OF HUNTING, COACHING, FISHING, 
 ETC., ETC. 
 
 BY 
 
 FEED. FEILD WHITEHURST 
 
 (A VETERAN), 
 AUTUOE OF " TALLYIIO," etc. 
 
 ' Be foul or fair, or rain or shine. 
 The joys I have possessed, in spite of fate, are mine; 
 Not Jove himself upon the past has power, 
 "What has been — has been— and I have had my hour." 
 
 Horace. 
 
 LONDON: 
 TINSLEY BROTHERS, 8 CATHERINE STREET, STRAND 
 
 18 7 9. 
 
 [All ri'jhts restrved.'l 
 
COLSTON AND SuN, PKINTKKS, EDINBUKGH. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 I. A GOODLY GATHERING, 
 
 11. THE COACHING CLUB, . 
 
 III. DOWN THE ROAD, 
 
 IV. THE FOUR-IN-HAND CLUB, 
 V. THE COACHING CLUB, , 
 
 VI. NOW AND THEN, 
 VII. SOCIETY IN THE SADDLE, 
 VIIT. A PLEASANT TIME AT PENZANCE, 
 
 IX. WITH THE DEVON AND SOMERSET STAGHOUNDS. 
 
 X. HUNTING THE WILD STAG IN DEVON AND SOMERSET, 
 XI. WITH THE DEVON AND SOMERSET STAGHOUNDS 
 XII. THE ROYAL BUCKHOUNDS, 
 
 XIII. HUNTING IN DEVON AND SOMERSET, 
 
 XIV. HUNTING IN DEVON AND SOMERSET, 
 XV. BEFORE THE FROST, . 
 
 XVI. BEFORE THE FROST, . 
 XVII. HUNTING AT BRIGHTON, 
 XVIII. THE SOUTHDOWN FOXHOUNDS, 
 XIX. A ROUGH TIME AT RUGBY, 
 XX. THE ROYAL BUCKHOUNDS, 
 
 PAGE 
 1 
 
 8 
 
 16 
 
 24 
 
 31 
 
 36 
 
 46 
 
 52 
 
 63 
 
 72 
 
 84 
 
 90 
 
 95 
 
 103 
 
 110 
 
 121 
 
 134 
 
 143 
 
 151 
 
 158 
 
 3>^ 
 
IV 
 
 Co7ifcnts. 
 
 CHAPTER 
 
 XXI. THE E^:SEX FOXHOUNDS, 
 
 XXII. THE SURREY STAGHOUNDS, 
 
 XXIII. FROST BOUND,. 
 
 XXIV. FROST BOUND STILL, 
 
 XXV, THAWING. 
 
 XXVI. FROZEN OUT STILL, 
 
 XXVII. STILL FROZEN OUT, 
 
 XXVIII. NIL DESPERANDUM, 
 
 XXIX. A TEASER WITH THE TEDWORTH 
 
 XXX. A WEEK WITH THE SOUTHDOWN, 
 
 XXXI. THE BRIGHTON HARRIERS, 
 
 XXXII. RUNNING RED DEER, . 
 
 XXXIII. THE ROYAL BUCKHOUNDS, . 
 
 XXXIV. OUR MODERN STAGE-COACHES, 
 XXXV. THE CLOSE OF THE HUNTING SEASON 
 
 XXXVI. THE MEET OF THE FOUR-IN-HAND, 
 XXXVII. THE COACHING CLUB, . 
 XXXVIII. A RECOLLECTION OF THE ORLEANS CLUB, 
 XXXIX. RIDERS IN THE ROW, 
 
 PAGE 
 
 166 
 
 173 
 
 180 
 
 189 
 
 196 
 
 206 
 
 216 
 
 223 
 
 231 
 
 241 
 
 248 
 
 255 
 
 268 
 
 275 
 
 282 
 
 294 
 
 299 
 
 305 
 
 310 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 " Be foul or fair, or rain or shine, 
 The joys I have possessed, in spite of fate, are mine ; 
 Not Jove himself upon the past has power, 
 What has been — has been — and I have had my hour.'' 
 
 Horace. 
 
 RE favourable reception that was ac- 
 corded to TaUyJio,* has induced me 
 to again reprint sketches of hunting, 
 shooting, coaching, fishing, etc., which appeared 
 during the seasons 1878-9 in the columns of the 
 Daily Telegraph, and the oldest of sporting 
 papers, BelVs Life in London, by permission 
 of the respective proprietors. 
 
 At no time during my recollection has the 
 manliest of all our national sports — hunting — 
 been more popular. The revival of coaching, 
 
 * 1" ally ho, Tinsley Brotaers, 8 Catherine Street, W.C. 
 
vi P^'cfacc. 
 
 which had for a long period almost entirely suc- 
 cumbed to the iron horse and its hard lines, is 
 now a very noticeable and agreeable fact. 
 Whilst the prophecies of the croakers of the 
 period, that the breed of horses would decline 
 and their value greatly decrease, by the intro- 
 duction of steam as a motive power, is visibly 
 contradicted, if any one will take the trouble to 
 visit Hyde Park during the season, and observe 
 the brilliant equipages and magnificent horses 
 that draw them ; as well as the beautiful nags 
 which riders in the Eow exhibit when taking 
 their accustomed exercise in that fashionable 
 resort. 
 
 There have been from time to time feeble 
 attempts to decry all field sports ; fortunately, 
 without success, and it will be a sorry day 
 for Old England when her sons and daughters 
 cease to take part and interest in them. 
 
 The popularity of the amusements alluded to 
 would seem to justify the endeavour to chronicle 
 some of the particulars, so that those who from 
 age or other causes are unable to enjoy their 
 favourite pastimes, may at least, by perusal of 
 these sketches, learn how the world wags now- 
 a-days. 
 
Preface. vii 
 
 Over half a century's experience must be my 
 justification for speaking to a certain extent 
 judge-matically, to use an American phrase, of 
 sports in which, for that long period, I have taken 
 an active part, and of which I have as keen a 
 sense of enjoyment as at any period of my life ; 
 and though, to use words of Shakespeare, — 
 
 " The wine of life is drawn, and the mere lees 
 Is left, this vault to brag of," 
 
 1 yet hope to hear the cheery note of the 
 huntsman's horn and the welcome cry of " Gone 
 away ; gone away ! " on many occasions, when 
 seated on a clever nag at the cover-side, and 
 after a rattling gallop over a good line of 
 country, to be there, or thereabouts, when 
 the cry of " Who-hoop ! who-hoop!" makes the 
 welkin ring. 
 
HARK A WA V. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 A GOODLY GATHEKING. 
 
 pIONGST the Dumerous meetings which 
 are held in London at this season of the 
 year, there is not one more practical, or 
 more entitled to consideration and re- 
 spect, than the annual assembly of masters of hounds, 
 huntsmen, and whips that takes place at the Sub- 
 scription Rooms at Albert Gate, which are kindly 
 placed at the disposal of the committee by Messrs. 
 Tattersall, on the occasion of the annual meeting of 
 the Hunt Servants' Benefit Society. Amidst the 
 bustle and excitement of an eventful week, time is 
 yet found for this benevolent object. 
 
 The day between the Derby and Oaks being a 
 comparatively leisure time, the opportunity is seized, 
 as an advantageous moment for such a gathering 
 by reason of the great number of M. F. H. and 
 
2 Hark Away. 
 
 persons interested in hunting who visit London for 
 the purpose of attending the races. It is only 
 necessary to enumerate some of the many present 
 on this occasion, in order to show the interest that 
 is taken in the welfare of the class of servants for 
 whose benefit this society has been established by 
 their masters and those who ride with the various 
 packs in the kingdom. Amongst the earliest 
 arrivals I observed his Grace the Duke of Grafton, 
 the Marquis of Worcester, Lord Galway, Lord Rad- 
 nor, Mr. George Lane Fox, Master of the Bramham- 
 moor Fox Hounds; Sir W. W. Wynn, Mr. W. E. 
 Oakley, Master of the Atherstone; Mr. J. Anstruther 
 Thompson, Honorary Secretary of the Society ; and 
 Mr. W. N. Hey sham, who, though figuring only as 
 Honorary Auditor, is, in fact, the main-spring of 
 this excellent institution. Shortly after the assembly 
 was augmented by the following distinguished 
 members of the society, and staunch supporters of 
 the noble sport : — the Earl of Zetland, the Marquis 
 of Waterford, Lord Willoughby de Broke, Master of 
 the AVarwickshire ; Viscount Valentia, of the Bices- 
 ter and Wardenhill Hounds ; Sir Reginald Graham, 
 of the N. F. H., or New Forest Hounds ; the Hon. 
 Francis Scott, Mr. T. F. Boughey, Master of the 
 Albrighton Hounds, accompanied by Mrs. Boughey, 
 who was present for a few moments, thus evincing 
 the great interest she takes in the society, of which 
 she is one of the principal benefactors ; Mr Anthony 
 Hamond, of the West Norfolk; Mr. T. C. Gorst, Mr. 
 C. W. Wicksted, Master of the Ludlow Hounds ; 
 'Mr. W. W. Tailby, Mr. Walter Long, of the Humble- 
 don; Mr. G. Fenwick, of the Tynedale; Colonel 
 
A Goodly Gat/iermg. 3 
 
 Calvert, of the Crawley and Horsham Hounds ; Mr. 
 P. A. Carnegie, of the Forfarshire ; Mr. E. St. John, 
 Major Be thune, Captain Fox, of Girsby; Mr. Fred- 
 erick Heysham, an octogenarian, who can hold his 
 own across country, notwithstanding he is so heavily 
 handicapped with age; Captain Haramond, Sir 
 Claude de Crespigny, Mr. R. R. Wyndham, i\Ir. Harry 
 D. Bayly, Mr. W. Mortimer, Colonel Ingram, Mr. H. 
 W. Alfrey, Mr. R. Arkwright, llr. W. Sumner Smith, 
 etc. ; v/hilst representing the hunt servants are Mr. 
 Frank Goodall, the Royal Huntsman, and one of the 
 executive committee; John Treadwell, huntsman 
 of the Old Berkshire; and John West, of the Vine, 
 and some forty or more huntsmen, whips, and sub- 
 scribers to the society. 
 
 Before the commencement of the business of the 
 day there was time to look around these noble 
 rooms. First to attract my attention was the por- 
 trait of a distinguished supporter of the Turf, Lord 
 George Bentinck, and on the opposite side of the 
 doorway that of John Scott, with portraits of the 
 members of the Jockey Club, admirably executed by 
 W. H. Tuck & Co. of Regent Street. These are the 
 sole, but most appropriate ornaments affixed to the 
 walls of the Subscription Room. But, on this occa- 
 sion, two pictures were- specially exhibited, the first 
 being the portrait of John Chaworth Musters, late 
 Master of the South Notts and the Quorn, repre- 
 senting a cub-hunting scene in the Old Deer Park at 
 Annesley, painted by Mr. S. Carter, whose picture of 
 "Little Foxes" is so well known. The portrait of 
 Mr. Musters is strikingly good, whilst that of his 
 favourite horse and eight couples of the most famous 
 
4 Hark Azvay. 
 
 liounds of the pack cannot be spoken of in too high 
 terms of praise. The heads of five of these noble 
 animals are painted in a life-like style that I have 
 never seen surpassed. This picture was, however, 
 rejected by the Royal Academy — a fact that is to me 
 wholly inexplicable. I am ignorant of such matters, 
 and can therefore only suppose that those whose 
 province it is to decide upon the merits of the 
 various pictures submitted for their approval are 
 not acquainted with such minor details as horses 
 and hounds. Fortunately it is to be engraved and 
 published by Messrs. Graves & Co., when an oppor- 
 tunity will be afforded to the public of judging of 
 the merits of this work of art, and I shall be strangely 
 surprised if the opinion I have ventured to express 
 is not thoroughly in accordance with that of all 
 persons competent to speak upon such subjects. 
 The second picture to which attention was directed 
 was an admirable portrait of George Castleman, the 
 huntsman of the Atherstone, on Mr. Oakley's well- 
 known horse Carlist, — painted by Mr. Lucas Lucas, 
 of Rugby, a rising artist in his particular line — which 
 is a picture of very great merit, the likeness both of 
 Castleman and the favourite nag he is riding being 
 excellent ; and the approval which this picture re- 
 ceived at the hands of so many competent judges 
 cannot fail to be a great encouragement to the 
 artist, whose intention, I believe, is to make animals 
 his particular study. 
 
 But time advances, so to business. This society, 
 of which his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales is 
 patron, was founded so recently as the year 1852. 
 Almost every master of hounds in the kingdom is an 
 
A Goodly Gathe^Hng. 5 
 
 honorary member ; whilst out of 430 hunt servants 
 in the United Kingdom over 300 are already enrolled 
 as benefit members. This number would have been 
 still further increased had not many been precluded 
 from joining the society by reason of their age dis- 
 quahfying them for membership, the line being 
 drawn at fifty-five years. Several ladies are also to 
 be found amongst the list of honorary members, and 
 have lent the most valuable aid to the society in 
 obtaining subscriptions from their friends. The 
 greatest benefactors to the institution are the 
 Dowager - Marchioness of Westminster and her 
 daughter, Lady Theodora Guest, the Marchioness 
 of Drogheda, the Countess of Yarborough, Mrs. 
 Boughey, and Mrs. G. Bowers Edwards, whose 
 sketches in *' Punch " are so well known to many. 
 The society is presided over by the Duke of Buc- 
 cleuch, who always receives a large amount of 
 support. The trustees are the Earl of Maccles- 
 field, Sir Watkin Wynn, and Mr. George Lane Fox, 
 also members of the executive committee, who are 
 very regular in their attendance. It is little wonder, 
 then, that under such auspices so rapid an advance 
 has been made. 
 
 Up to the present time no great demands have 
 been urged on the funds of the society beyond pay- 
 ments for sickness and accident, but the time is 
 approaching when some of the benefit members will 
 become entitled to annuities, therefore every oppor- 
 tunity should be seized to increase the funded pro- 
 perty, which, though it now reaches £14,000, falls 
 short of the required amount by the sum of £6000 
 No legacy has as yet been received by the society, 
 
6 Hark Away. 
 
 and there are many members of the different hunts 
 who at present have not subscribed to the funds, 
 and who, no doubt, only require theh' attention to be 
 called to the matter to be found ready and willing to 
 add their names to the numerous list of subscribers 
 to this most meritorious institution, having for its 
 object a provision for a class of men who are more 
 especially liable to accident, and subject to many of 
 the ills that flesh is heir to in consequence of ex- 
 posure, early and late, to the weather. In the 
 absence of the president, the Uuke of Grafton took 
 the chair ; and, Mr. J. Anstruther Thompson having 
 read the annual report of the society, it was adopted 
 nemine contradicente. The usual routine being fol- 
 lowed, and the retiring members of the executive 
 committee, Robert Arkwright, Esq., Wm. Mortimer, 
 Esq., and Mr. Erank Gillard, having been re-elected, 
 the Hon. Francis Scott, in an elaborate speech on 
 the benefits of the institution, took the opportunity 
 of thanking the Press in general for the liberal 
 support it has at all times afforded to the move- 
 ment; and a vote of thanks having been passed 
 by acclamation to Messrs Tattersall for so kindly 
 allowing the use of the room for the purpose of 
 the meeting — which was responded to by Mr. 
 Edmund Tattersall, on behalf of himself and his 
 partner, Mr. Pain — the meeting was dissolved, but 
 not before a cordial vote of thanks was passed to 
 his Grace the Duke of Grafton for so kindly taking 
 the chair in the absence of the Duke of Buccleuch. 
 
 After the meeting was over, the hunt servants 
 dined together, the entertainment being provided 
 by a voluntary subscription on the part of a few 
 
A Goodly Gathering, 7 
 
 of the honorary members — an event which is looked 
 forward to by those attending with considerable 
 pleasure, affording, as it does, an opportunity for 
 members of the craft of meeting together and having 
 a chat over matters of interest connected with their 
 avocation. It is to be hoped, in the interest of the 
 servants who may be hereafter engaged, that the 
 different masters of hounds will make it a sine qua 
 non that each one shall become a member of the 
 Hunt Servants' Benefit Society, which has for its 
 object a suitable provision against sickness and old 
 age, whilst in case of death, the widows, orphans, 
 or other relations are entitled to an allowance. The 
 society now comprises about 1850 honorary and 
 300 benefit members, and it is greatly to be desired 
 that every lady or gentleman who is in the habit of 
 riding to hounds will assist so beneficial a project, 
 as some slight return for the sport that is afforded 
 them by the exertions of so excellent a class of 
 servants as the huntsmen and whips belonging 
 to the different packs throughout the kingdom. 
 Already the society is in a flourishing state, and, 
 as nothing succeeds like success, I trust that on 
 the occasion of the next annual meeting there 
 will be a still larger number of subscribers and a 
 great addition to the funds of this excellent 
 society. 
 
CHAPTEK 11. 
 
 THE COACHING CLUB. 
 
 jlMONGST the many pleasing little diver- 
 sions that are patronised by the ingenious 
 youths of modern times, there is not one 
 in my humble opinion that affords greater 
 amusement or a better return for money outlayed 
 than that of coaching a well-appointed team. That 
 many hold the same opinion as myself is evident 
 from the fact that, in addition to the old and cele- 
 brated Four-in-Hand Club, which has been in exist- 
 ence for at least a century, and which, by the way, 
 at the present time has its full complement of 
 members, the more modern institution known as the 
 Coaching Club boasts of no smaller number than 
 120, including sundry veterans of the road, as well 
 as a host of younger performers on the bench. 
 
 From the admirable picture published by Messrs. W. 
 H. Tuck & Co., which contains the portraits of seventy- 
 three members of this popular assembly, I find 
 amongst the older and distinguished coachmen the 
 Duke of Beaufort, the Earl of Harrington, Mr. Charles 
 Hale, Colonel F. Aikman, Mr. Coupland of the Quorn, 
 Mr. James Foster, Major Stapylton, and Mr. Yate 
 
The Coaching Club, 9 
 
 Hunt. The younger artists are represented by such 
 well-known men as the Marquis of AVorcester, who 
 is equally at home on the bench of a well-appointed 
 drag, and as skilful in handhng four resolute horses, 
 as he is in playing the role of huntsman, and going 
 the pace across the big fields, stout fences, and stone 
 walls of Wiltshire, in pursuit of the wily fox, at the 
 tail of one of the finest packs of hounds in the 
 kingdom ; Lord Carington, a first-rate performer 
 across country, whose nerve and judgment cause 
 him to be equally clever in handling the ribbons and 
 tooling a team of highly-bred horses, as he is at top- 
 ping a stiff flight of posts and rails, going a burster 
 at a bullfinch, or having a shy at a brawling brook, 
 when riding in a rattling run with the Quorn or the 
 Cottesmore ; Viscount Cole, who performs in artistic 
 style on his well-appointed coach, handling his 
 admirable lot of nags right well; Captain Whitmore, 
 whose handsome, well matched, and bloodlike lot of 
 greys are the admiration of all observers ; Sir Henry 
 Tufton, whose equally matched — or I might say 
 matchless — set of very dark brown or black horses, in • 
 variably attracts a large share of attention ; Captain 
 Wombwell, who not only handles his horses well and 
 looks altogether a workman, but is " all there " when 
 it is necessary to exhibit coolness and determination, 
 without which a man has no business to attempt to 
 drive four horses. 
 
 Talking of coolness brings back to mind an old 
 friend, the neatest and most gentlemanly of men, 
 with an amount of self-possession that enabled him 
 to do things that would never have been tolerated 
 in any other man not equally endowed with impu- 
 
lo Hark Away. 
 
 clence. Arriving in town on the night of the Cale- 
 donian Ball, he rushed off to his tailor and asked for 
 a fancy dress, but was assured with profound regret 
 that the establishment contained no garment fitted 
 for the occasion. " What's that ? " he said, pointing 
 to a Hussar uniform ; " why, it's exactly the thing." 
 " Oh ! no, sir," said the horrified tailor ; " I could 
 not possibly let you have another gentleman's 
 uniform ; it would never do, sir. I should get into 
 no end of disgrace and trouble." " Nonsense ; I am 
 going to take it, and will see you through the 
 business, so hold your tongue, and get out of the 
 way." Arriving at Willis's Rooms, his splendid 
 figure, setting off the handsome dress to the greatest 
 advantage, soon attracted attention. Some officers 
 of the distinguished regiment, whose uniform he had 
 so improperly adopted, hastened to strip this daAv of 
 his borrowed plumes. " Pray, sir," said the irate 
 colonel of the 1000th Hussars, " where did you get 
 that uniform from, sir ? " " Oh, from Nathan's," was 
 the prompt reply ; " where did you get yours % " 
 
 Yesterday being fixed for the second meeting of 
 the Club, an opportunity was given to those who 
 took the trouble to put in an appearance at the 
 Magazine at mid-day, to observe for themselves the 
 style of the different coaches and the quality of the 
 steeds, whilst criticising the artists who exhibited 
 their proficiency in handling the ribbons on this 
 occasion. 
 
 A well-appointed four-in-hand is always a pleasant 
 sight ; but a gathering such as this can only be seen 
 on special occasions, and in no other place in the 
 world save London. It is an easy thing to obtain a 
 
The Coaclmig Chib. 1 1 
 
 coach ; you have nothing to do but to visit Barker, 
 Hollands, or Hooper, and you will quickly be pro- 
 vided with what you require. Not so easy is it to 
 put together a team of handsome, w^ell-matched, 
 temperate, and high-stepping animals. It will take 
 some time, and no small sum of money, to procure 
 four nags such as you will be proud to exhibit at a 
 gathering like that of the Coaching Club. Little, 
 if anything, short of 1200 guineas will be about the 
 figure for an average lot of handsome and useful 
 horses ; but if you desire anything superlative, you 
 will have to open your purse-strings still wider. A 
 foreigner of distinction went the other day to a 
 dealer, asking for a pair of steppers, and, wishing 
 to make it understood that he required a perfect 
 match, he threw down a pair of exquisite kid 
 gloves, saying, " you understand me, they must 
 be comme ga, and I do not care what money I 
 shall pay for them." " What did you do for that 
 particular customer ? " I inquired of the dealer. 
 " \Yell," he said, " I picked up two very nice- 
 looking horses for £250, and sold them to him for 
 £600." ''Not a bad deal," was my remark. 
 
 At length the happy medium in regard to weather 
 has been attained, there was enough and yet not 
 too much sun. Not the intense heat which was 
 experienced a few days back at the meeting of the 
 Four-in-Hand Club, when it was simply tropical. 
 Consequent upon the pleasant state of the atmo- 
 sphere there was a large attendance of spectators, 
 not so numerous as I have seen on former occasions, 
 but yet sufficient both in quantity and quality to 
 make this the gayest assembly of the season. The 
 
12 Ha^^k Away. 
 
 Park, owing to tlie contimied rains, was seen to the 
 greatest advantage, the luxuriant fohage, emerald 
 green lawns, and beds of choice flowers were in a 
 state of perfection. As the Magazine was approached 
 it became evident that great interest was felt in 
 the day's proceedings, and nothing could exceed 
 the gaiety of the scene. 
 
 First to attract my attention was the admirably- 
 appointed coach of Mr. Arthur Byass, whose four 
 noble chesnuts trotted past me in grand style as I 
 was hastening to the meeting; and adhering to the 
 opinion I expressed when I saw them start from the 
 Orleans Club last season, I say,'as I did then, *' that 
 the meed of praise must be awarded to him for 
 quality and style." His wheelers are patterns of 
 coach-horses, and the leaders — especially a young 
 horse with capital action — are equally good, making 
 as complete a team as could be desired. Next I 
 observed Mr. Deichmann's excellent team of bays, 
 admirably matched, in capital condition, with short 
 square-cut tails, which made them look business like 
 and useful. After which I was struck with the turn- 
 out of Major Stapylton, which was first-rate in every 
 respect, the horses being handsome, stylish animals, 
 with good action, and driven in capital form. 
 
 On arriving at the Magazine I found several 
 coaches had arrived, whilst beneath the shade of a 
 luxuriant elm was Her Koyal Highness the Duchess 
 of Teck and her children, and many ladies and 
 gentlemen of distinction. In quick succession the 
 drags arrived and took up their places, Colonel 
 Armytage being busily employed in making arrange- 
 ments with Inspector Frazer to ensure a good start. 
 
The Coaching Chtb. 13 
 
 Then trotted up Mr. Coupland with an extremely 
 useful team, notably a bay wheeler on the near side, 
 and shortly after, Lord Carington, by whose side 
 sat his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Some 
 little delay occurred, it being hoped that her Royal 
 Highness the Princess of Wales would honour the 
 gathering with her presence. Nor was this expecta- 
 tion without warrant, for shortly before the start her 
 Royal Highness, accompanied by her eldest daughter, 
 drew up at a spot which permitted of her seeing the 
 noble procession of coaches, as well as being seen by 
 the larger number of persons attracted by the 
 animated proceedings. With little loss of time and 
 in admirable order, Colonel Armytage started the 
 teams. Lord Carington, accompanied by the Prince 
 of Wales, heading the procession, followed by Sir 
 Thomas Peyton, Mr. T. Wood, of the Grenadier 
 Guards ; Mr. Sandeman, Mr. Arthur Flower, Captain 
 Trotter, Major Jary, Mr. J. Mitchell, Colonel Ferguson, 
 Mr. Henry Brassey, Mr. Deichmann, Mr. Arthur Byass, 
 Mr. Coupland, Major Stapylton, Mr. Edward Darell, 
 Captain Foster, Captain Dunbar, Mr. Slingsby Bethell, 
 Mr. Walter H. Long, the coach of the 8th Hussars, 
 Mr. Banbury, Mr. Sidney Hankey, Mr. J. A. Craven, 
 and Captain Ashton — twenty-five in all. 
 
 There were many absentees, but nevertheless I 
 do not recollect seeing a better display of coaches. 
 It appears to me that the various teams improve 
 year by year, and greater efforts are made by the 
 members to maintain the reputation of the Club, and, 
 judging from those I saw on this occasion, their 
 endeavours have been thoroughly successful. Wit- 
 ness the turn-out of Sir Thomas Peyton, Captain 
 
14 Hark Away. 
 
 Trotter, or Mr. T. Wood. Trotting along at a very 
 moderate pace, ample opportmiity was given for a 
 critical examination, as they journeyed along the 
 banks of the Serpentine, turning at the corner and 
 proceeding past the Barracks, and on to the Queen's 
 Gate, where a considerable number fell out, returning 
 through the Park, amongst whom was the Prince 
 of Wales. The rest journeyed onwards to Orleans 
 House, which was the rendezvous of the day, where 
 luncheon was provided for a large number of 
 members of the Coaching Club and their friends, 
 who had an opportunity of wandering through the 
 delightful grounds of this fashionable Club, where 
 
 " Half in a blush of clustering roses lost, 
 Dewdropping coolness to the shade retires ; 
 There, on the verdant turf or flowery bed, 
 By gelid founts and careless rills to muse ; 
 Whilst tyrant heat, dispreading through the sky, 
 With rapid sway his burning influence darts 
 On man and beast, and herb and tepid stream." 
 
 Certainly a most desirable spot to spend a sultry 
 afternoon. 
 
 Returning through the Park, the appearance was 
 brilliant in the extreme. Equipages of every de- 
 scription were to be seen. Her Royal Highness the 
 Princess of Wales in a beautifully appointed Victoria ; 
 and a host of lords and ladies of high degree ; 
 pedestrians innumerable listening to the band, and 
 some few equestrians, amongst the number one who, 
 it is to be hoped, will be prevented by his friends 
 from taking horse exercise for the future, his per- 
 formance being irregular and, to an extent, original. 
 
The Coaching Club. 
 
 15 
 
 as he sat on Lis horse's neck, and would have come 
 to grief had it not been for the kindly care of Con- 
 stable XX, who prevailed upon him to retire. Added 
 to which, the liveliness of the scene was greatly 
 enhanced by the presence of a number of the coaches 
 that had retired from the procession, and an oppor- 
 tunity was afforded to the critically inclined of 
 witnessing the skill of the drivers who passed 
 through the crowded thoroughfares without difficulty. 
 Favoured by the weather, this meeting must be con- 
 sidered an entire success, and the excellence of the 
 various turns-out, as well as the good coachmanship 
 of the members of this distinguished Club, admitted 
 by all. 
 

 CHAPTER III. 
 
 DOWN THE ROAD. 
 
 ICCADILLY is, to my mind, the grandest 
 thoroughfare in the universe, not so much 
 by reason of its architectural features, 
 which, to speak truthfully, are somewhat 
 incongruous, as from the fact of its being the high- 
 way along which " the world " travels when bent 
 either on business or pleasure. In what city will 
 you see such palatial abodes, such comfortable clubs, 
 such splendid equipages — whitlier will you bend 
 your steps in order to find so many stalwart men 
 or such numbers of graceful women, " that are lovely, 
 gentle, kind, and full of every hope and every joy," 
 as may be met with during a short walk along this 
 delightful and fashionable promenade, on a bright 
 sunshiny morning in the spring time of the year ? 
 
 But here we are at the White Horse Cellar, the 
 hour 10 A.M., and there stands the Rocket, a fast and 
 well-appointed four-horse stage coach, about to start 
 for Portsmouth, traversing the distance, some 77 
 miles, in eight hours, and journeying through a 
 lovely and picturesque part of the country, at a 
 rapid and exhilarating rate. The proprietor of this 
 workmanlike turn-out is Captain Hargreaves, with 
 
Down the Road, 1 7 
 
 whom is associated Mr. Wormald, and having as a 
 professional attendant Edwin Fownes, who is well 
 known to all coaching men as being a good per- 
 former on the bench. 
 
 Now, if you are desirous of having a ride on the 
 Kocket you must take your place, as punctuality is 
 the order of the day. If you have been thoughtful, 
 and thus have had the good fortune to secure the 
 box-seat, that object of env}' to all passengers, you 
 will find yourself in the society of a cheery and 
 agreeable companion, whilst travelling with the 
 gallant Captain at a slapping space through Putney, 
 Kingston- vale; on by Esher, Cobham, Ripley, Guild- 
 ford, and Godalming ; drawing up at the Angel for 
 luncheon, for which purpose thirty minutes are al- 
 lowed. Then, having passed a highly satisfactory 
 half-hour under the shelter of the wings of the 
 Angel, you are away again, over Hind Head Hill 
 (familiarly known as the " Devil's Punchbowl "), 
 stopping for a few minutes at the summit in order 
 to note the beautiful piece of wild scenery that is 
 spread before you, as well as to let the nags have 
 a breather after rising this exceedingly steep ascent. 
 Then off once more, passing through Liphook, Peters- 
 field, Horndean, Waterloo, and Cosham, drawing up at 
 the George at Portsmouth punctual to the moment. 
 Throughout the whole journey the scenery is beauti- 
 ful, and in parts wild and rugged, and the trip on a 
 fine day is thoroughly enjoyable. The coach is ad- 
 mirably horsed throughout, and driven in first-rate 
 style by Captain Hargreaves, who greatly delights 
 in the amusement which this costly venture affords 
 him. The Rocket leaves the White Horse Cellar on 
 
1 8 Hark Away. 
 
 Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays, at ten A.M., 
 returning on the alternate days, from the George 
 Hotel at the same hom\ 
 
 After this, if you feel disposed to try another ven- 
 ture, you will learn on inquiry of Messrs. Banks, who 
 are in charge of the booking office at the Cellars, and 
 from whom you are sure to receive every attention 
 and civiHty, that at eleven o'clock on each week day 
 the Guildford coach leaves on its downward journey, 
 returning from the Angel at Guildford at four o'clock, 
 and arriving in Piccadilly at seven sharp. This coach 
 traverses part of the road over which the Rocket 
 travels, and those w^ho do not care to go so great a 
 distance as Portsmouth will find it a very satisfac- 
 tory ride. The proprietors are Sir Henry de Bathe, 
 Mr. Walter Shoolbred, and Mr. Luxmoore, and it will 
 be found, if tried, that it is an admirably-appointed 
 turn-out, capitally horsed, and thoroughly well 
 coached. To-day it is driven by Sir Henry de Bathe, 
 a very workmanlike performer, w^ho lays hold of his 
 reins and starts his t^am steadily and well, after the 
 manner of an artist. A full load has the Guildford 
 this morning, and there seems every probability that 
 they will have an enjoyable ride. Of the capabilities 
 of Mr. Luxmoore it is unnecessary to speak after 
 his many years' artistic performance on the bench ; 
 wdiilst of Mr. Shoolbred it may be said that he is an 
 excellent coachman, who looks altogether like busi- 
 ness. The good-looking horses step and go well 
 together, and travel at a fast speed. No pains or 
 trouble have been spared to ensure the comfort of 
 the passengers, and it is an excellent specimen of the 
 stage-coach of modern times. 
 
Dow7i the Road. 19 
 
 By this time the horn of the Rapid is heard in the 
 distance, and in a few minutes it pulls up at the 
 Cellars, having performed its journey from West 
 AVickham, through Beckenham, Penge, Sydenham, 
 Dulwich, and Kennington, arriving in Piccadilly 
 about eleven A.M., returning in the course of the 
 afternoon. The proprietors of the Rapid are Lord 
 Arthur Somerset and Mr. C. A. R. Hoare, with James 
 Selby as professional coachman. This, as might be 
 expected, is an excellent turn-out, capitally horsed, 
 and appears to load well, the route traversed being 
 pleasant throughout. 
 
 The Windsor coach is announced to leave the 
 Cellar at half-past ten A.M., passing along Piccadilly, 
 over Kew Green, to the Greyhound at Richmond, 
 thence crossing the Thames, calling at the Orleans 
 Club at Twickenham, thence through Teddington, 
 Bushey Park, Hampton, and Staines, arriving at the 
 Castle Hotel at Windsor at 1.40 P.M. This a lovely 
 ride at this period of the year. The owners of the 
 Windsor coach — which, by-the-bye, is painted the 
 colour of the Royal ^lail — are Mr. W. Bailey, Colonel 
 Greenall, and Mr. Spicer, of the 1st Life Guards. 
 Under such auspices, and with such a capital road, 
 the Windsor is bound to be a success. 
 
 Viscount Castlereagh has the Dorking coach, which 
 traverses Clapham, Balham, Tooting, Merton, Ewell, 
 Epsom, Leatherhead, and Mickleham. This is also 
 an extremely pretty ride, and, as the Dorking was 
 well patronised during the past season, it doubt- 
 less will be this, and must be looked upon as a pro- 
 fitable investment. 
 
 The Tantivy, Watford coach, leaves the Cellar 
 
20 Hark Away. 
 
 three days a-week, -ander the mauagement of Mr. 
 Fred. Sedgwick, who, I believe, worked it during 
 last season. 
 
 The Orleans Club coach works between the Town 
 House in King Street and Twickenham every day, 
 and is driven by Captain Wombwell, who is in part- 
 nership with Sir John Astley and Mr. Boulter. It is 
 naturally the most pleasurable mode of communica- 
 tion between the London and country establishments 
 of this fashionable Club. 
 
 On June 1, Captain Carleton Blyth will start the 
 Blenheim, travelling three days a-week to Oxford, 
 retm-ning on alternate days, the route being via 
 Brentford, Hounslow, Longford, Colnbrook, Slough, 
 and Salt Hill, halting at Skindle's well-known hotel, 
 at Maidenhead, for luncheon, and then proceeding by 
 way of Henley-on-Thames, Nettlebed, Gangsdown- 
 hill, Benson, Stilhngford, and Iffley, arriving at the 
 Clarendon Hotel, Oxford, at 6.30, thus performing 
 the journey in six hours and a-half, including stop- 
 pages, through a magnificent line of country, going 
 along the valley of the Thames, and passing en route 
 through the counties of Middlesex, Bucks, Berks, and 
 Oxon. Captain Blyth has secured an excellent lot of 
 horses, and this caoch will be worked in first-rate 
 style^ and will doubtless be one of the most popular 
 on the road, during the boating season more especi- 
 ally. 
 
 Thus far I have told of the prospects of the stage 
 coaches starting from the Metropolis ; but the move- 
 ment is not confined to London, as Colonel A. P. 
 Somerset will again run the "Hirondelle" from 
 Enfield to Hitchin and back three days every week. 
 
Dozu7i the Road. 2 1 
 
 This beautifully appointed coach is turned out like a 
 private carriage, and the horses are stylish, high-bred 
 animals, mostly chesnuts, which is Colonel Somerset's 
 favourite colour, and fit for park work, being high- 
 priced, sound, and valuable. The ride through 
 Hatfield Park, and the quiet country roads, is very 
 pleasant, and a trip on the Hirondelle will give any 
 amateur coachman an idea how the thing is done if 
 he watches the way in which the driver handles the 
 ribbons. In Derbyshire, Mr. C. Wright runs a coach 
 between Matlock, Bakewell, and Buxton — a very 
 workmanlike turnout. From Scarborough to Brid- 
 lington Quay a coach will be started by Mr. George 
 Lowther, which will commence running in the month 
 of July. From Devizes to Bristol, Mr. Fuller, of 
 Neston Park, will Avork a fast coach three days in the 
 week, whilst the Earl of Aylesford will run over the 
 ground between Coventry and Birmingham. It is 
 not considered probable that the Brighton coach will 
 be put on the road this season. What the reason of 
 its discontinuance is, I am not aware ; but I believe 
 that it was not well supported during last year, which 
 is somewhat surprising, as it was turned out in first- 
 rate style and admirably horsed; whilst the journey 
 was performed with great regularity, and the line of 
 road was pleasant to pass along. On the whole, 
 therefore, the revival of stage coaches seems to 
 maintain its ground, and certainly the spirited 
 individuals who embark in these adventures are ftdly 
 entitled to the thanks of the public, enabling them at 
 a small cost to visit some of the pleasantest spots in 
 England. It is scarcely to be expected that coaching 
 in these days will lead to profitable results, except in 
 
2 2 Hark Away, 
 
 some special cases, as it is an expensive and risky 
 business at all times ; and in these days the price of 
 horses has been so greatly enhanced, owing to the 
 demand for every description, that, upon looking 
 back to the time when " Nimrod " w^ote his well- 
 known book, "The Chase, the Turf, and the Road," 
 now exactly fifty years since, I find the price is more 
 than doubled, as I read '' that the average price of 
 horses for fast coaches may be £25. Fancy teams 
 and those working out of London may be rated 
 higher — say £30; but taking a hundred miles of 
 ground, well horsed, the former is about the mark." 
 "When the Brighton coach horses were sent to the 
 hammer at the close of the season, they realised an 
 average exceeding £80 per horse at that dull period 
 of the year, w^hen the demand for carriage-horses is 
 usually somewhat slack. It would appear that, in 
 respect to coaches, the preference is given to Messrs. 
 Holland & Holland, of Oxford Street, as I find that 
 out of thirteen now on the road, or about to be 
 started, eleven have been supplied by that noted 
 firm ; and I must say that I think there is much wis- 
 dom on the part of the proprietors in their selection, 
 as there is a style and finish about them, as well as a 
 business-like appearance, that adds greatly to the 
 efi'ect of the turn-out. 
 
 A somewhat amusing scene is to be witnessed 
 every morning between the hours of 10.0 and 11.30, 
 at Hatchett's, at one time the starting-point of all 
 the West of England coaches, and now the centre of 
 despatch for those of the present day. Numerous 
 are the lookers-on when the day is fine, and many 
 a veteran of the road may be observed critically 
 
Dow7i the Road, 23 
 
 inspecting the different teams, and drawing com- 
 parisons with well-remembered coaches of days 
 long past, such as the Quicksilver Mail, that ran 
 to Devonport ; the Blenheim, to Oxford, etc. There 
 I observe Colonel Tyrwhitt, a well-known and ex- 
 perienced whip ; Dr. Hurman, looking thoroughly 
 " down the road " whilst he watches the start of the 
 different drags; Mr. Boulter, emerging from St. 
 James's Street, a well-blown horn giving note of 
 his approach. Then, as representing the profession, 
 there is Harry Ward, whose fifty years' experience 
 makes him a formidable judge of ''what's what" 
 in coaching ; and if any tyro in the art of driving 
 can pass with his approval, you may depend upon 
 it he is not far behind the mark. But I miss the 
 man with the many-bladed knives, who was always 
 present in olden times. Why you should have been 
 looked upon as a likely customer for such a weapon, 
 when you were going an ordinary journey, I know 
 not; but certain it is that you invariably had the op- 
 portunity, if you desired, to possess one. Neither did 
 I observe the boy with the oranges, who made a 
 point of offeiing his refreshing wares to the travellers 
 with a considerable amount of pertinacity. No ; the 
 class of passengers of the present day do not indulge 
 in such vulgar luxuries; that lady in the well-cut 
 ulster, tightly-fitting gloves, and neat boots — which 
 you cannot fail to observe as she mounts the ladder 
 to take her seat on the box — would be absolutely 
 horrified should such a suggestion be made. How- 
 ever, whilst I am chatting, the last coach has started 
 on its journey. 
 
C H A P T E E I Y. 
 
 THE FOUR-IN-HAXD CLUB. 
 
 We may roam through the world like a child at a feast, 
 Who but sips of a sweet and flies off to the rest : 
 
 And when pleasure begins to grow dull in the East, 
 We may order our wdngs and be off to the West. 
 
 jlOT a bad suggestion this by any means, 
 and in a measure applicable to the pre- 
 sent time, for beyond doubt every one is 
 ^ heartily weary of the East and all things 
 appertaining thereto ; and as this is a red-letter day 
 in the calendar of the fashionable world, by all 
 means let us order our wings, or a hansom cab in 
 the absence of those aerial appendages, and straight- 
 way be off to the West, in order to witness the 
 grandest exhibition of the season, namely, the 
 gathering of the members of the Four-in-Hand Club, 
 who assembled yesterday at the Magazine in Hyde 
 Park, at the horn- of noon. My first recollections of 
 this aristocratic amusement dates back beyond half-a- 
 century : to the time when the " B. D. C." — or Benson 
 Driving Club — ^used to hold its rendezvous at the 
 Black Dog, at Bedfont, a short distance beyond 
 Hounslow Heath. In its palmiest days this noted 
 Club could never boast of more than forty members. 
 
The Four -m- Hand Chtb. 25 
 
 Then, for a while, a change came o'er the sphit of 
 the times; coaching fell to a discount, and steam 
 rose considerably above par. So matters remained 
 for a number of years, and a well-appointed coach 
 was a rarity, a few only of the old school remaining 
 faithful to their colours, conspicuous amongst whom 
 was Sir Henry Peyton, who never failed to appear 
 in Hyde Park as regularly as the season came round ; 
 but even his well-appointed coach and workmanlike 
 team of greys failed to attract much attention. 
 Four-in-hands were considered as belonging to the 
 things of the past, and coaching found no favour 
 with the young '-Rapids" of the period. But the 
 good time came again. Drags were no longer rari- 
 ties, and the fashion of diiving a well-appointed 
 team revived; until we find it to-day enjoying a 
 greater amount of favour and exciting far more in- 
 terest than ever it did during any time in my re- 
 collection. 
 
 At no period in the history of coaching, 
 which dates back as nearly as possible 100 years, 
 could an exhibition of such splendidly appointed 
 turn-outs have been seen as that which assembles 
 on the banks of the Serpentine at the present time. 
 With the most popular nobleman in England, the 
 Duke of Beaufort, at the head of the movement, it 
 has now reached a point that dims and outshadows 
 the glories of the past. Associated with this first- 
 class whip, most genial of gentlemen, and thorough 
 sportsman, are the Duke of Sutherland, the Marquis 
 of Londonderry, the Earl of Sefton, the Earl of 
 Macclesfield, Lord Londesborough, Lord Wenlock, 
 and Lord Aveland, forming the committee of the 
 
26 Ha7'k Away, 
 
 Club ; whilst amongst the members, numbering 
 somewhere about fifty in all, the following are 
 staunch supporters of this fashionable pastime. The 
 Marquis of Worcester, who follows closely in the 
 footsteps of his father, being equally good on the 
 bench as he is with the horn ; Lord Arthur Somer- 
 set, a first-class coachman ; the Marquis of Water- 
 ford, who, though he does not go the pace like the 
 Marquis of olden times, is an equally good coach- 
 man as that celebrated performer, even if he is a 
 little more steady and subdued ; Count Miinster, 
 who sets an example to all foreigners of distinction 
 by the style in which he coaches his magnificent 
 team of chesnuts ; Lord Macduff, who handles the 
 ribbons in good form; Lord Cole, an artist of the 
 first water, who coaches his team right well ; Lord 
 Abingdon, Lord Poltimore, the Earl of Bective, Lord 
 Charles Beresford, the Marquis of Blandford, the 
 Earl of Craven, Viscount Helmsley, Lord Muncaster, 
 Lord Tredegar, Sir George Wombwell, Mr. Henry 
 Chaplin, Captain J. Anstruther Thompson, the well- 
 known welter weight and most popular M. F. H. ; 
 Colonel Tyrwhitt, one of the most able judges that 
 ever sat on the bench — of a four-in-hand; Colonel 
 Dickson, Sir Henry Tufton. Sir John Lister Kaye, 
 Colonel Ewart, Sir Henry Meysey-Thompson, who is 
 to be seen in the first flight of those hailing from 
 Melton during the hunting season ; Colonel Owen 
 Williams, whose turn-out is always of the first 
 order; Colonel Chaplin, Captain Percival, Sir T. 
 Peyton, Captain Whitmore, Mr. A. Hope, Sir Law- 
 rence Palk, Mr. W. E. Oakley, the Hon. L. Agar- 
 Ellis, Colonel Stracey Clitheroe, well known " down 
 
The Four-in-Ha7id Chib. 27 
 
 the road ; " Mr. W. G. Craves, Mr. H. R. Hughes, Sir 
 Roger Palmer, Mr. C. Birch-Reynardson, Sir M. Shaw 
 Stewart, Captain H. Wombwell, Mr. J. L. Bald^an, 
 Mr. F. YilKers, and Mr. H. W. Eaton. Arriving in 
 the park half-an-hour before the appointed hour of 
 meeting, the prospect could not be said to be en- 
 couraging. Two ladies on horseback braving the 
 elements were to be seen in the ride; the blooming 
 rhododendrons hung down their heads as if they 
 were thoroughly ashamed of having made their 
 debut in such weather ; whilst the flock of sheep who 
 are engaged to do the truly rural part of the 
 business in Hyde Park at this season of the year, 
 though somewhat dingy in respect to the condition 
 of their wool, yet looked fully equal to the dismal 
 occasion. 
 
 I have seen a good deal of weather in my time ; 
 but a more uncomfortable and unpleasant arrange- 
 ment of the elements than that existing on this 
 occasion I cannot call to mind. Consequently there 
 was a limited attendance of spectators to witness the 
 sight, and it was not until the time appointed for 
 the meeting was close at hand that matters assumed 
 a more cheerful aspect. First to appear on the 
 scene and to take up his position at the Magazine 
 was the Marquis of Worcester, looking thorouglily 
 business-like ; followed by the Marquis of Waterford 
 with a first-rate team, and succeeded by his Grace 
 the Duke of Beaufort, and Lord Arthur Somerset 
 coaching the drag of the Blues, who took up their 
 positions at the head of the assembled coaches. 
 Then followed in succession the various members of 
 the Club, who, having fallen into line, wxre ready to 
 
2 8 Hark Away. 
 
 follow their leaders when the signal was given. At 
 12.25 the start was effected in the following 
 order : — 
 
 First, the Duke of Beaufort, heading the pro- 
 cession as president of the Club ; followed in rotation 
 by Colonel Ewart, Count Miinster, Mr. H. W. Eaton, 
 the Marquis of Worcester, Lord Abingdon, Sir 
 Thomas Peyton, Lord Arthur Somerset ; the drag of 
 the 1st Life Guards, the Marquis of Waterford, the 
 Orleans Club coach, driven by Captain Wombwell ; 
 Lord Aveland, the secretary of the Club, who was 
 honoured with the company of his Serene Highness 
 the Duke of Teck ; General Dickson, Viscount 
 Castlereagh, Captain AVhitmore, Lord Tredegar, Mr. 
 Adrian Hope, Lord Sefton, Mr. W. A. Oakley, the 
 Hon. F. Villers, Lord Macduff, Sir Henry Tufton, 
 Lord Londesborough, Lord Bective, Sir Henry 
 IMe^^sey - Thompson, and Captain J. Anstruther 
 Thompson — twenty-five in all. 
 
 A grander display of coaches, finer horses or 
 better coachmanship, it has never been my good 
 fortune to witness. To speak in praise of the teams 
 coached by the Duke of Beaufort, the Marquis of 
 Worcester, or Lord Arthur Somerset, is merely to 
 reiterate a remark that is patent to every one who 
 has any knowledge of the art of driving. Not to 
 notice such turn-outs as those of the Marquis of 
 Waterford, Lord Castlereagh, Mr. W. A. Oakley, 
 Lord Macduff, and, notably, the admirably matched 
 and excellent team of dark-brown horses ^ of Sir 
 Henry Tufton, would be to proclaim one's ignorance; 
 not to recollect that Sir Thomas Peyton adheres to 
 the colour which the late Sir Henry invariably chose 
 
The Four-in-Hand Club, 29 
 
 in the days of yore, would be to show that your 
 memory was defective ; not to notice the skill and 
 perfection of the art of driving of Lord Londes- 
 borough, would be evidence of your incapacity to 
 speak upon the subject ; whilst the audacity of 
 making individual selections where all are excellent, 
 betokens a hardihood that is only excusable on the 
 score of senility. Of all the twenty-five coaches 
 appearing on the scene this day, no less a number 
 than seventeen have been turned out by Messrs. 
 Holland & Holland; three by the well-known firm 
 of Barker ; and the remainder by Peters, Hooper & 
 Ivall. More perfect specimens of coaches, I may safely 
 assert, have never been turned out by any makers than 
 those that were exhibited on this occasion. With 
 regard to the teams, a marked superiority is notice- 
 able, as far more than average excellence was visible 
 when compared with those 1 have seen in former 
 years. Leaving the Park at 12.25 P.M., the numbers 
 diminished after passing the Marble Arch, only nine 
 in all pursuing their course to Alexandra Park, which 
 was the rendezvous on this occasion. The weather 
 having fortunately cleared up, a pleasant drive of one 
 hour and five minutes landed the members and their 
 visitors at their destination. Those who were not 
 deterred by the unfortunate state of the weather 
 were the Duke of Beaufort, Lord Arthur Somerset, 
 Lord Tredegar, Sir Henry Tufton, Lord Castlereagh, 
 Lord Av eland. Lord Bective, Lord Londesborough, 
 and Captain Anstruther Thompson, who, with their 
 numerous guests, amounting to between fifty and 
 sixty amongst whom were many ladies, sat down to 
 an excellent luncheon, in a handsome and elegantly 
 
30 Hark Away. 
 
 decorated tent, supplied with all things suitable for 
 the occasion, by Messrs. Bertram & Roberts ; after 
 which the numerous visitors resumed their seats on 
 their respective coaches, to witness the parade of 
 horses, and observe the qualifications of the numer- 
 ous competitors for the various prizes which were 
 offered for competition. 
 
 Looking back on the parade of the coaches 
 belonging to the Four-in-Hand Club, as shown at the 
 gathering on the banks of the Serpentine yesterday, 
 I come to the conclusion that this thoroughly 
 excellent display, which is eminently characteristic 
 of the taste for healthy amusements on the part of 
 the aristocracy of England, is greatly to be com- 
 mended. It is not simply a selfish enjoyment of a 
 pleasure Avhich is not within the reach of the 
 multitude, for the sight of the magnificent equipages, 
 the wonderous collection of splendid horses, and the 
 skill of the coachmen affords a vast amount of 
 amusement to the assembled spectators. But, 
 beyond this, it has a bearing on the tastes, and 
 inculcates wholesome and manly ideas in the breasts 
 of the rising generation, which is all to the good. 
 Money spent in such a rational amusement is not 
 only productive of pleasure to those who are in the 
 position to indulge in such an expenditure, but it has 
 a tendency to encourage trade and manufactures, as 
 well as affording employment to a vast number of 
 people, who benefit by this sensible expenditm-e of 
 capital. 
 
CHAPTER V. 
 
 THE COACHING CLUB. 
 
 UNT quos curriciilo pulverem Olympicum 
 collegisse juvat" was, if I remember 
 rightly, a remark made by Horace 
 when speaking of the athletes of 
 ancient clays. I am not conversant myself with 
 the locaKty in which the youth of the period to 
 which the poet refers were wont to take the dust ; 
 but if it in any way resembled Hyde Park, the 
 rendezvous of our modern Jehus when desirous of 
 exhibiting their skill in the guidance of chariots 
 and horses, I am prepared to admit that it must 
 have been a tolerably nice place. This was the 
 idea that flashed across my mind as I made my 
 way towards the Magazine, in order to witness 
 the gathering together of the members of the 
 Coaching Club, who, I was informed, intended to 
 assemble in full force on the banks of the Serpentine. 
 A bright morning gave promise of a fair day, and as 
 I journeyed towards Park Place, in order to take the 
 seat which Major Furnivall had kindly placed at my 
 disposal, it was evident from the number of carriages 
 moving in the direction of the Park that this annual 
 exhibition of coaches had lost none of its interest. 
 
32 Hark Away, 
 
 Arriving at Apsley House, I found the road and foot- 
 ways leading to the Magazine hned with spectators ; 
 but there was no crowd such as I have seen on 
 former occasions to prevent our driving straight up 
 to the trysting-place. The diminution in the num- 
 ber of spectators was traceable to the fact of there 
 being less publicity given of the gathering, and 
 not to any want of interest on the part of the 
 public. 
 
 Some complaints having arisen on former occasions 
 from the overcrowding of the Park caused a certain 
 amount of reticence as to the announcement of the 
 proceedings, in order to obviate the inconvenience 
 complained of. But if there were fewer in numbers, 
 the quality of those present on this occasion fully 
 made up for the deficiency. I never remember to 
 have seen a better display of equipages, or a greater 
 number of well-mounted horsewomen, than were as- 
 sembled all doubtless relying upon the fair promise 
 of the morning. Fatal delusion ! — for, as the ap- 
 pointed hour approached, a heavy storm broke over 
 Hyde Park, and a perfect deluge of rain descended, 
 marring the pleasure of the spectator, and interfering 
 with the success of the meeting. 
 
 In order to see the procession of coaches to the 
 greatest advantage, I had taken up a position near 
 Apsley House, which commanded a full view of the 
 road leading from the Magazine. A slight delay, 
 caused doubtless by the untoward state of the 
 weather, took place in the start; but at a quarter 
 to one o'clock the procession, which consisted of 
 thirty admirably-appointed coaches, moved on. 
 His Koyal Highness the Prince of Wales did not 
 
The Coaching Chib. 33 
 
 accompany the members of the Coaching Ckib to 
 Alexandra Park, which was their destination on this 
 occasion — as, I beheve, was his intention. The Crown 
 Prince of Germany, however, took his seat by the 
 side of Count Miinster, whose beautifully appointed 
 coach and magnificent team of highly-bred chesnuts 
 were the admiration of all beholders. His Eoyal 
 Highness the Duke of Teck, seated by the side of 
 Captain H. Wombwell, was tooled along in first-rate 
 style by that excellent performer. Seated by the 
 side of his sod, Lord Arthur Somerset, was his Grace 
 the Duke of Beaufort ; his well-known team and the 
 excellence of the whole turn-out attracting the usual 
 amount of attention. Then followed Lord Carington 
 who handled his team of browns in a workmanlike 
 form ; Sir Talbot Constable, with his four chesnuts ; 
 Sir Henry Tufton, with his four admirably matched 
 brown horses ; Colonel Murray, with an excellent 
 team of greys ; Lord Bective, handling four capital 
 horses in excellent form; Mr. Mitchell, of Belfast, 
 with a team of very useful bays ; Captain Trotter, 
 with a good-looking team of browns ; Mr. W. Long, 
 with a very smart team ; Mr. Carter Wood, with a 
 handsome lot of roans ; Mr. Banbury, with four ex- 
 tremely lively thorough-breds ; and last, but not 
 least. Colonel Arthur P. Somerset, with his neatly 
 appointed coach and splendid team of chesnuts. 
 These were all that I could take special note of 
 in the ^limited time w^hich was available, as they 
 followed in quick succession ; but it may be said 
 of one and all that they were an exceedingly good 
 lot of coaches, thoroughly well horsed, and driven in 
 capital form; and I could not fail to remark that on 
 
 C 
 
34 Ha7^k Away. 
 
 the whole they were superior to those of last year in 
 every respect. 
 
 On arriving at the Marble Arch, a large number 
 of carriages were drawn up to witness their exit 
 from the Park. Her Royal Highness the Princess 
 of Wales, accompanied by the Crown Princess of 
 Germany, honoured the members of the club with 
 their presence. After leaving the Park, no less than 
 twenty coaches quitted the ranks, the remaining ten 
 journeying at a rapid rate in the direction of Alex- 
 andra Park, which was reached at a quarter to two 
 o'clock, and where they were drawn up in front of 
 the large tent provided for the accommodation of the 
 members and their guests, numbering in all about 
 eighty ; amongst whom there were many ladies, 
 who were not to be baulked of so pleasurable an 
 excursion by such a tnfle as a shower of rain. 
 
 The lowering douds and occasional showers inter- 
 fered again with the comfort of the visitors, and the 
 beautiful grounds of the Palace were not seen to 
 advantage. However, Messrs. Bertram and Roberts 
 were equal to the occasion, and a capital luncheon 
 was laid out in excellent style. At the close of the 
 entertainment, his Grace the Duke of Beaufort 
 proposed the health of the Queen, which was the 
 only toast given, and the company then adjourned 
 to the coaches to witness the show of horses which 
 were being paraded before the judges, this being 
 the opening day of the exhibition of hunters, hacks, 
 carriage-horses, and ponies, of which there were a 
 considerable number. At four o'clock symptoms of 
 departure were shown, and the yellow coach of 
 Captain Hargreave was the first to be drawn out, and 
 
The Coaching Chtb, 35 
 
 the horses being put to, they moved off in capital 
 style. Next followed Captain Wombwell's team, 
 after which Mr. Long started his good-looking lot, 
 followed by Captain Trotter, who handled his hand- 
 some brown horses in a workmanlike style. Next in 
 the order of departure was Lord Bective, whose well- 
 appointed coach was worked on the return journey 
 by Colonel Chaplin, after which Mr. Banbury made 
 a start, but, whether owing to the freshness of the 
 high-spirited animals he was driving, or want of 
 skill on the part of the grooms, the move was not 
 a success, as the steeds danced wildly about, scatter- 
 ing the spectators on all sides ; but at length they 
 settled down, and, though sundry persons were 
 frightened, fortunately no one was damaged, and 
 the team trotted away at a rattling pace. Next 
 in the order of departure was the admirably ap- 
 pointed coach of the Guards' Club, driven by Cap- 
 tain Wood, followed by Mr. Mitchell. Then Lord 
 Arthur Somerset mounted the box and moved off 
 his coach with a full load of passengers in grand 
 style, followed by Colonel Arthur P. Somerset, who 
 is a very first-class performer, tooling his team of 
 handsome horses in fine order. Had it not been 
 such disastrous weather, this would, I think, have 
 been one of the most successful gatherings of the 
 Coaching Club ; but, notwithstanding all drawbacks, 
 I think the meeting on the whole was highly 
 satisfactory. 
 
CHAPTEE VL 
 
 NOW AND THEN. 
 
 HEN — youth's gay fancy threw o'er life its 
 glowing hue, in the merry days when we 
 were young, and affected as a matter of 
 course the fashionable quarters of the 
 metropolis in pursuit of a little pleasureable excite- 
 ment. 
 
 Some four decades since, Her Most Gracious 
 Majesty was in her teens, His Royal Highness the 
 Field Marshal Commanding-in-Chief a stripling, the 
 Prime Minister a rising politician and a successful 
 author, the Lord President of the Council a light- 
 hearted schoolboy, Louis Napoleon a lodger in King 
 Street, Elizabeth Vassal (Lady Holland) the most 
 charming of hostesses, Count D'Orsay the glass of 
 fashion and the mould of form, and the pleasant est 
 of companions to boot, Lord Alvanley the wit of the 
 period, Lord Brudenell the beau sahreur of the army, 
 Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence and Sir George Womb- 
 well " the twin inseparables," the Marquis of Water- 
 ford the evil spirit of the Haymarket, " Honest Tom 
 Duncombe " the most indebted, and " Handsome 
 Jack Spalding " the most extravagant man in Lon- 
 don — at least in the opinion of his stepfather, Lord 
 
Now and Then. 37 
 
 Brougham, Madame Vestris the cynosure of every 
 eye, and Mrs. Nesbitt a lovely and fascmating girl. 
 These were some of the well-remembered person- 
 ages of the period that were recalled to my mind 
 as I strolled along Hyde Park on a brilliant spring 
 morning during the present season ; and, as I drew 
 a mental comparison of those frequenting this place 
 of fashionable resort now with the habitues who 
 were conspicuous then, I was fain to exclaim with 
 the minstrel of yore, " Old times are changed, old 
 manners gone ! " Not only, forsooth, are the times 
 and manners changed, but a wondrous transformation 
 has taken place in the scene itself. In those days 
 it was a dull, dreary, down-trodden piece of common 
 land, with here and there a dismal, stunted, sooty 
 liliac bush, suggestive of cats and back gardens, 
 such as may still be found in some of the dingiest 
 quarters of the metropolis, made gay and cheerful 
 only by the presence of those frequenting it. Now 
 it is a beautiful and trimly-kept demesne, with ver- 
 dant lawns, luxuriant blossoming shrubs, and rich 
 parterres of choice and lovely flowers, displayed in 
 most excellent taste, around which, in due season, 
 are to be seen assembled the elite of the fashionable 
 world, listening to the enchanting strains of the 
 Coldstream band. But, though the Park itself is so 
 greatly changed and so vastly improved, it must 
 not for a moment be supposed that the present fre- 
 quenters surpass in beauty, elegance, or style those 
 of their predecessors in the world of fashion who 
 have, like well -graced actors, left the stage to the 
 undisputed possession of their successors. No ; for 
 does not memory vividly recall the strangely-beau- 
 
2,S Hark Away, 
 
 tiful form and lovely features of the Lady Mary 
 Blank — a graceful, elegant, and accomplished horse- 
 woman, of whom, at a most respectful distance, I 
 was a humble, though not faint-hearted, admirer? 
 It is said that everything comes to him who waits ; 
 and the truth of the proverb was not belied in this 
 instance — for it happened all these years ago that, 
 on a lovely summer's afternoon, when the Park was 
 crowded to excess, in the very acme of the season, 
 a little cloud,, at first no bigger than a man's hand, 
 gathered by degrees, and suddenly burst on the 
 heads of the astonished multitude. Then ensued a 
 scene of wild disorder and dismay. The hoods of 
 carriages were hastily closed, and parasols put up 
 in vain ; for down came the rain in torrents, with the 
 accompaniment of vivid flashes of lightning and loud 
 and terrific peals of thunder. Sauve qui pent was 
 the order of the day, and a veritable stampede 
 ensued. 
 
 Having been one of the first to take flight, I was 
 rapidly making my way in the direction of Park 
 Lane, when my attention was arrested by the sound 
 of a horse galloping at full speed ; whilst, through 
 the blinding rain and hurly-burly of the storm, I 
 beheld the object of my distant adoration at the 
 mercy of her terrified steed, which she was utterly 
 powerless to control. At the moment the excited 
 animal overtook me, a more than usually vivid flash 
 of lightning caused him to pause for an instant in 
 his wild career, and laying a firm hold of the reins, 
 I was enabled to rescue the ladye faire from her 
 perilous position, and convey her in safety to the 
 friendly shelter of the adjacent lodge. 
 
Now and The7i. 39 
 
 But enough of olden times, for the Park to-day is 
 crowded, the hour one P.M., and there are many ot 
 the elite of the fashionable world assembled, both on 
 foot and horseback, to enjoy the soft breezes and 
 pleasant simshine of this brilliant May morning. 
 Observe, for an instant, that lovely yoimg girl on 
 the noble brown horse, resting for a while after a 
 brisk gallop np and down the Row. Note her beauti- 
 ful complexion, somewhat heightened by the ex- 
 hilarating exercise, her elegant figure shown to the 
 greatest advantage by a well-cut and closely-fitting 
 dark blue habit, adorned with a *' buttonhole " of the 
 choicest description, as she bends gracefully over the 
 neck of the favoured steed, patting him gently with 
 her delicate and neatly-gloved hand, in order to 
 mark approval of his behaviour. It may be fancy 
 only, yet I cannot but think that a feeling somewhat 
 akin to jealousy is passing through the mind of the 
 young cavalier who has reined up his good-looking 
 bright bay horse, and taken his place by her side, as 
 he watches the tender caresses she so prodigally 
 bestows on her high-mettled favourite. Well, faint 
 heart, be it remembered, never won fair lady ; so 
 courage, mon ami, your turn may come some day, if 
 you are as docile and tractable as that noble animal. 
 This, be it observed, is only a specimen of one of the 
 many who may be seen taking their daily exercise 
 in Hyde Park, admirably equipped, and superbly 
 mounted on horses, the cost of which may be 
 estimated at from £150 to £400 each, according to 
 the style and manners they exhibit. 
 
 Then see the lady of a riper age, mounted on a 
 clever hunter-like animal, taking a constitutional, 
 
40 Hark Away. 
 
 followed by a steady-looking and well-mounted 
 groom, whose vocation when he is at home evidently 
 is to act as second horseman to his master, the 
 member for Mudlandshire, who is attending to the 
 duties of the day in a committee room of the House 
 of Commons. Cantering along on a clever-looking 
 dark chesnut horse, in brilliant condition, having 
 superb action, is the neatest and best-appointed 
 horsewoman in London, who would be dangerous — 
 in more senses than one — should you attempt to 
 follow her, especially in a forty minutes' burst over 
 the open, across a stiff country, when the hounds 
 are going the pace, and there is a yawner in the 
 way. 
 
 But whilst critically observing the throng of riders 
 in the Row, the long line of spectators comfortably 
 seated in arm chairs, a fashion copied of later years 
 from our friends in the Champs Elysees, must claim 
 attention for a while. 
 
 Where else in your wanderings through the world 
 have you ever seen so many handsome, beautifully 
 dressed, and fashionable people assembled together 
 as you see to-day, adding, by their presence, to the 
 brilliant aspect of the unrivalled gathering in this 
 noble promenade of Hyde Park? 
 
 Nor must the array of elegant equipages drawn 
 up, on the opposite side, be passed over without a 
 word. There the occupants may be seen leisurely 
 bowing graceful recognitions to their many friends 
 and acquaintances passing in order of review before 
 them, a somewhat severe ordeal, I should imagine, to 
 undergo at their hands. Then, until the appointed 
 hour dedicated to luncheon arrives, an ever-varying 
 
Now and Then, 41 
 
 stream of more or less well-mounted people flows 
 uninterruptedly up and down the ride, the Houses of 
 Lords and Commons and the liberal professions being 
 adequately represented. Now it is a group of well- 
 appointed ladies, followed at a proper distance by 
 their natty grooms, chatting together in pleasant con- 
 verse as to things in general and fashion in particular, 
 that arrests attention. Next two well-known mem- 
 bers of the Lower House, who, taking their daily 
 allowance of exercise, are evidently endeavouring to 
 solve some knotty question of the day. And a good- 
 looking and exceedingly popular M. F. H. pulls up 
 his grand stepping hack, and chats over the rails 
 with a heavy dragoon well known in Northampton- 
 shire — an exceedingly good man across country, and 
 very prominent in the charge of the 300, which takes 
 place whenever the meet of the Pytchley is fixed at 
 that popular cover, " Crick " by name. An officer of 
 the Blues in uniform adds by his presence to the 
 colouring of the picture, relieving the tedium insepar- 
 able from the arduous duties of the day by joining 
 the fashionable throng for awhile and enjoying the 
 lively society of two or three evidently agreeable 
 companions. 
 
 Last, but not least, amongst the later arrivals is a 
 tall, well-dressed, aristocratic youth, as perfect in 
 respect to dress as Poole or Smalpage can make him, 
 mounted on a very light bay horse, with exceedingly 
 high and good action, such an animal as Sheward 
 would provide for you in consideration of some six or 
 seven hundred guineas; and as he glances around 
 the assembled equestrians, it is perfectly evident that 
 he is quite conscious of being " all there." 
 
42 Hark Away. 
 
 And thus the time passes pleasantly away until the 
 neighbouring clocks strike the hour of two, when the 
 multitude disperse for a while, in order to take rest 
 and refreshment to fit them for the remaining plea- 
 sures of the day. During an experience extending 
 over half a century, I have never witnessed a 
 larger attendance at this fashionable resort. Doubt- 
 less society has undergone a considerable change, and 
 is no longer so aristocratic or exclusive as it was in 
 days of yore. But, nevertheless, there is abundant 
 evidence of there being no decrease in the wealth of 
 the country, or signs of degeneracy amongst the 
 many who make up the total of the fashionable 
 world of the present day. After some hours of 
 refreshment and repose, I once more bend my steps 
 in the direction of Apsley House, and, re-entering • 
 the Park, the hour being somewhere about five 
 o'clock, I find that an unusual state of excitement 
 exists. 
 
 Whichever way the eye turns, whether in the 
 direction of the Marble Arch, the banks of the Ser- 
 pentine, or the road passing the Knightsbridge 
 Barracks, the pathways are crowded with pedes- 
 trians, and the roadways thronged with carriages of 
 every shape and kind. The aristocratic barouche, 
 filled with the youthful members of a noble family ; 
 the country-built heavy landau, dating many years 
 back, containing two elderly ladies, once as pretty 
 and as much admired as that handsome girl seated 
 by the side of her father in the well-appointed 
 phaeton ; or that smiling face that may be observed 
 within the shelter of a brougham, drawn by two 
 compact, clever, short-tailed brown horses, who is 
 
Now and Then, 43 
 
 listening to the account whicli her mother is giving 
 of how people used to flock to this particular spot 
 when she was a girl — snch a gathering as this 
 evidently denotes some event of more than ordinary 
 import ; and, after policeman A 1 has considerately 
 placed a youthful bride and bridegroom — beyond 
 doubt fresh from the provinces — in an advantageous 
 position, he has time to answer my inquiry as to the 
 cause of the gathering together of so great a number 
 of eager but decorous and quietly disposed specta- 
 tors. He courteously informs me that they are await- 
 ing the advent of Her Majesty, who will pass through 
 the Park shortly en route for Windsor via the Great 
 Western Railway. Then, whilst awaiting the arrival 
 of Royalty, I have time to look around, and I notice an 
 admirably turned-out drag, drawn by four clipping 
 dark-brown horses, a well-matched and excellent 
 team, handled in proper style as it is worked through 
 the crowd, going in the direction of Knightsbridge. 
 Next, my particular attention is riveted on a Vic- 
 toria, drawn by an exceedingly neat little bay horse 
 in splendid condition, the whole turn-out being per- 
 fect in every respect, with servants of a class that are 
 only found attending on persons of distinction and 
 fashion, and you know at a glance that the fault- 
 lessly-dressed occupant of that stylish turn-out is one 
 of the leaders of society of the first order. 
 
 Amidst the different vehicles assembled here I fail 
 to observe either the cab, with its diminutive " tiger," 
 or the Tilbury, with its upstanding, hogmaned, high- 
 actioned horse. Now a cab by Barker, with an 
 animal such as Lord Cardigan used to drive, or a 
 Tilbury resembling that with which Jack Spalding 
 
44 Hark Away. 
 
 once dazzled the eyes of all beholders, though no 
 longer fashionable, raust not be looked upon simply 
 as " one-horse affairs," to use an American phrase, 
 being, in my opinion, infinitely preferable to a 
 brougliam, a style of vehicle which so many of the 
 young men of the present day delight in. But if 
 you do aspire to own either of these carriages, you 
 must remember that there is no medium ; it must be a 
 turn-out perfect in every respect, put together regard- 
 less of cost. Above all your horse must be handsome 
 in appearance, handy but resolute in harness, going 
 well up to the bit, but not pulling an ounce, and 
 stepping in unmistakable style. It must be under- 
 stood in driving such an animal that he must not be 
 used indiscreetly, lest you come to gi'ief, as I did on 
 one occasion, by taking liberties with a new purchase, 
 which, after half-an-hour's sharp going, began to 
 click his shoes together and show evident signs of 
 " shutting up." Complaining to the dealer of whom 
 I had purchased him, he explained that he thought 
 I wanted a horse for the park, not for work. I took 
 the rebuke in good spirit, and did not do it again ; 
 but it recalled to mind the story of Hoby, the cele- 
 brated bootmaker, who, in answer to the complaint 
 of a customer, who said that the last pair of Welling- 
 tons that were made for him did not wear satis- 
 factorily, replied, after inspecting them carefully, 
 '• Good heavens ! sir, you have been walking in 
 them." 
 
 At length an omnibus, loaded with luggage and 
 servants in the Royal livery, followed shortly after 
 by two of the Royal carriages, containing members of 
 the household, betokened the speedy approach of 
 
Now a7id Then. 
 
 45 
 
 the Sovereign. A few minutes only elapsed before 
 the Queen, accompanied by the Crown Princess of 
 Germany and the Princess Beatrice, preceded by two 
 equerries, and escorted by some half-dozen only of 
 the 2d Life Guards, passed quietly along in an open 
 carriage, without the slightest noise or confusion, 
 amidst the respectful salutations of this large gather- 
 ing of her subjects — a far more imposing acknow- 
 ledgment of the estimation in which this Royal lady 
 is held than ever could be evinced by the noisest 
 plaudits of the fickle mob who are usually attendants 
 on the movement of crowned heads. 
 
CHAPTEE VIL 
 
 SOCIETY IN THE SADDLE. 
 
 ^OW walks the 
 deg:rees, just 
 
 sun and broadens by 
 o'er the verge of day," 
 ride into Hyde Park in order to 
 view the aristocratic assemblage which 
 the Row — weather permitting — at 
 The effect of the continued 
 
 as I 
 
 seen m 
 
 is to be 
 
 this period of the season. 
 
 downpour of rain has been to bring the foliage of the 
 
 fine old elms to a state of great perfection ; whilst 
 
 the emerald green of the closely-shaven lawns, the 
 
 luxuriant shrubs, and tastefully-arranged beds of rare 
 
 and lovely flowers, just raising their drooping heads 
 
 after the tropical storms that have prevailed of late, 
 
 make up a brilliant picture when seen on a summer 
 
 evening at sunset. 
 
 Then it is that the cream of London society takes 
 its pleasure in the Park, differing essentially from the 
 set which frequents it during the noontide heat. 
 There goes the Prince of Wales on his well-known 
 brown horse, chatting pleasantly with Lord Car- 
 ington, and gracefully acknowledging the numerous, 
 but not intrusive, salutations of those who are 
 honoured with his acquaintance as he rides leisurely 
 up and down the Row. Next I see the Marquis of 
 
Society in the Saddle, 47 
 
 Hartington taking a gentle canter, doubtless endea- 
 vouring to dispel the ennui attendant on his absorb- 
 ing political duties. Then there is Mr. Robert Lowe, 
 who has discarded his perambulator and mounted the 
 high horse instead, not a matchless steed by any 
 means, seeming, in my opinion, somewhat dull and 
 depressed, the result, possibly, of the storms and 
 tempests which have so filled " the Liberal air " 
 during the last few months. Here is Lord Calthorpe 
 on his beautiful black-brown cob, allowed to be the 
 very handsomest in London. Mr. Henry Chaplin, 
 mounted on his big and handsome grey, appears to 
 me as he canters along quietly by himself to be medi- 
 tating on matters political, possibly turning over in 
 his mind the proceedings in Parliament, with a view 
 before the close of the session of delivering one of 
 those trenchant speeches that delight the sturdy 
 farmers of Lincolnshire and Rutlandshire, who like 
 to hear this popular and respected member speak of 
 spades as spades, when he gives a vigorous and 
 telling dig into the Radical substratum of Westmin- 
 ster. Sir George Wombwell ridas quietly by on 
 Sunbeam, the winner of sundry prizes, a clever hack 
 and handsome animal. Next comes that graceful rider 
 Mrs. Sloane Stanley, at all times the neatest and best 
 appointed horsewoman to be found in the Row, or at 
 the meet of any of the c^ack packs in the kingdom, 
 riding her handsome and blooming chesnut, a fitting 
 steed to carry so faultless a performer. Colonel Far- 
 quharson is on his eccentric-coloured cob — Colonel 
 Learmonth on his marvellously neat bay horse, con- 
 sidered by a very good judge to be as fine as a 
 specimen of a park hack as is to be met with 
 
48 Hark Away, 
 
 throughout the metropohs. Lady Charles Kerr rides 
 her dark-brown pony, which it is said her lady- 
 ship alone can manage, being thoroughly able 
 to control his wicked, Avilful ways, and having both 
 hands and heart, as you may see, when she drives 
 her clever-looking ponies. Yonder goes Lord Aling- 
 ton, accompanied by his children mounted upon 
 marvellously good ponies, the boy, apparently eight 
 or nine years of age, thoroughly at home in the 
 saddle, showing abundant promise of good horse- 
 manship in the future. Cantering by us now is 
 Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild on his handsome 
 and clever-stepping chesnut, accompanied by Miss 
 Alice de Rothschild, equally well mounted. Then 
 appears a distinguished foreigner, whose handsome 
 horse impatiently champs the bit, pawing the 
 ambient air, and caracoling in a fashion highly 
 suggestive of sawdust and the haute ecole rather 
 than a comfortable evening's ride in Rotten Row : 
 Mr. Cyril Flower, one of the most genial men in 
 society, rides a very handsome nag, which, if I 
 mistake not, is a mare called Emerald, once the 
 property of Lord Spencer. And now, there pass 
 us Captain Digby Wingfield, riding a magnificent 
 dark-bay horse, a style of animal not very readily 
 picked up ; and Captain and the Hon. Mrs. Candy, 
 as familiar to us in the Row as in the hunting- 
 field, where, at a respectful distance, I have fre- 
 quently followed them over the pleasant pastures 
 of Leicestershire, not without fear of coming to 
 grief through such a piece of presumption, as they 
 are hard, very hard, when riding to the Quorn in 
 a twenty-five minutes' burst at a racing pace. 
 
Society in the Saddle. 49 
 
 Then, attended by several cavaliers, comes Mrs. 
 Langtry, the cynosure of every eye, mounted on a 
 very handsome chesnut, the well-cut habit showing 
 her gi-aceful figure to the greatest advantage ; and 
 it is evident from the style she exhibits and the 
 management of her steed that she is to the manner 
 born a horsewoman of no mean pretensions. By 
 her side rides Colonel Vivian, on a superb golden 
 chesnut of unequalled symmetry, in brilliant condi- 
 tion, with beautiful action — the most perfect specimen 
 of a park horse I have seen for many a long day ; 
 and the conclusion I come to is that the horse and 
 his rider are thoroughly well matched, and will take 
 a deal of beating. Messrs. Murietta, on their well- 
 known and excellent polo ponies, are followed by 
 Mr. Arthur Byass, with Mrs. Byass, mounted on her 
 extremely good-looking dark-brown nag, which she 
 sits gracefull}^ and rides with judgment ; by Mr. 
 Coupland, whose quiet manner and unpretending 
 style of horsemanship would be likely to bring to 
 gi'ief any tyro who might select him as a pilot across 
 the big fields and tall fences of his " country," as he 
 would find him a difficult and deceitful man to follow 
 in a splitting burst with his noble pack of hounds ; by 
 Mr. Leopold de Rothschild, on a good-looking nag; 
 Lord Charles Kerr, Lady Gladys Herbert, and two 
 men riding long-tailed horses, each the counterpart 
 of the other — Corsican brothers, in fact — who take 
 their pleasure somewhat sadly during their solemn 
 and silent evening ride. Here is the well-known 
 form of Mr. Mackenzie Grieves, admirably mounted, 
 exchanging the pleasures of Paris for the more sober 
 delights of London life for a while. Then, moving 
 
 D 
 
50 Hark Azuay. 
 
 steadily along, come the Earl of Cork, the once 
 popular Master of the Buckhounds ; Mr. Dresden, 
 riding his neat white-legged bay horse, an admir- 
 able stepper ; Mr. George Rice, for so many years 
 known as one of the neatest horsemen in the world ; 
 Lord Worcester, taking a steady constitutional in 
 the Park, in order to keep in condition for his 
 arduous work in the ensuing hunting season ; Earl 
 Granville accompanied by his youthful daughter, 
 Colonel Chaplin, the Earl of March, Mr. Adrian 
 Hope, Mr. Roger Eykyn, Lord Rocksavage, and 
 Mr. Quallitt, all passing in quick succession. Mr. 
 George Cox rides his beautiful dark chesnut mare 
 specked with silver hairs, a perfect hack with 
 grand action and wonderful temper, for which any 
 amount of money has been vainly offered. Mr. 
 Behrens's handsome chesnut is, if I mistake not, 
 one of the many forming the large stud which 
 visits Melton every season ; and I remember Mr. 
 Lubbock at the best meets of the Quorn, the Cottes- 
 more, or the Bel voir, going in the first flight on one 
 of the handsome nags in his excellent stud. 
 
 The preponderance of chesnut horses over others 
 is somewhat remarkable, nearly all the handsomest 
 and best that appear in the Row being of that colour. 
 What more delightful place than Hyde Park for a 
 quiet evening ride ? especially for those who do not 
 care to frequent the more fashionable and crowded 
 parts, and prefer the quiet ride by Kensington 
 Gardens, where they can indulge in a pleasant 
 canter, away from the throng of equestrians who 
 affect the Row. Observe that aristocratic, middle- 
 aged man on the compact, high-stepping, snaffle- 
 
Society in the Saddle. 5 1 
 
 bridle, bay horse, worth any amount of money to 
 a welter weight, quietly enjoying an evening ride 
 with his daughter, a lovely specimen of a fair English 
 girl, who has seen but eighteen summers at most ; 
 note her graceful and elegant figure, her smiling 
 face, bright blue eyes, and neatly-braided light- 
 brown hair, then tell me in what other clime you 
 can match — 
 
 "The faultless form, shaped by the hand of Harm on j : 
 The cheek, where the live crimson through the native 
 
 white soft shooting, 
 O'er the face diffuses bloom, and every nameless grace ; 
 The parted lip, like the red rose-bud moist with morn- 
 ing dew, breathing delight ! " 
 
 The evening wanes, and many are on the move ; 
 but who is this fresh comer, this fair woman, accom- 
 panied by a child on a small pony, mounted upon a 
 superb chesnut horse in brilliant condition, who 
 handles her high-spirited and impetuous steed in 
 so masterly a manner % Surely here we have the 
 graceful form, elegant seat, light hand, and brave 
 heart that witched the world with her horsemanship 
 in the merry days when I used to visit " The Hay- 
 cock" at Wansford, and go the pace with the Fitz- 
 william? If so, then Time has dealt gently with 
 her, and no one, even now, can surpass her in style, 
 or hope to rival her faultless taste in dress or 
 equipage. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 jpgjp— 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 KOltpl^^^&f^i^ 
 
 S :' ^^p^^J^^" ' 
 
 -=^i^3|a^g 
 
 p«^ 
 
 jjP«"^i^^ 
 
 ^*^te^^^^^r^*-^-i^ 
 
 ^ 
 
 s^ 
 
 ^^S 
 
 
 ^K 
 
 
 i ii^t hS 
 
 ^W^^ 
 
 ^s 
 
 
 ^m 
 
 ^3 
 
 
 jBJ 
 
 s 
 
 ^m 
 
 CHAPTER YIIL 
 
 A PLEASANT TIME AT PENZANCE. 
 
 HEN whitebait attain the proportions of 
 sprats, and cucumbers are bawled through 
 the streets two for three-halfpence, it may 
 be fairly concluded "that the London 
 season has drawn to a close. When one's bosom 
 friend has thrown up his well-chosen teams of bays 
 and greys and has ceased those pleasant little 
 journe^^s which terminated at the Orleans Club or the 
 Star and Garter, as the case might be ; when she 
 who adores thee has left for Homburg, in order to 
 recruit her health after the campaign of the year — 
 in order to prepare for a state that may be better or 
 worse, according to circumstances — it behoves a man 
 to seek for fresh fields of relaxation, and to add to his 
 experience by entering into any novel pursuits that 
 present themselves. 
 
 In some such wise it came to pass that I spent an 
 extremely pleasant time in the vicinity of Penzance. 
 Now Treneglos, where I sojourned for a while, is 
 situate on high ground, within easy distance of the 
 shore, commanding a lovely view of St. Michael's 
 Mount, a group of grey granite rocks, on the summit 
 of which is placed the weather-stained castle, the 
 
A Pleasant Time at Penzance, 53 
 
 abode of Sir John St. Aubyn. Unapproachable at 
 times, by reason of the heavy waves that roll in from 
 the Atlantic, is this island home. On the other side 
 the town of Penzance is seen, nearly surrounded by 
 the steep hills that form the background. Just be- 
 neath me is the village church of Gulval, almost 
 buried amidst a group of tall trees, with its beautifully- 
 kept churchyard, full of blossoming shrubs, around 
 which are the few cottages whereof this little village 
 consists, some half-hidden by the clustering roses, 
 giant geraniums, blue hydrangeas, luxuriant passion 
 flowers, or tall, blossoming myrtles, and hedged in 
 with fuchsias, the growth of years. 
 
 Seated beneath the porch, on the morning following 
 my arrival, I am aroused by the tramp of horses and 
 the baying of hounds. It is the huntsman of the 
 Western Foxhounds, accompanied by his whip and 
 twenty-two couples of foxhounds, who, hearing of 
 my arrival, desired to pay me a complimentary visit. 
 A pretty sight at all times is a pack of hounds, and, 
 seen on the village green, with Thompson and his 
 assistants in their scarlet coats pointing out the 
 favourites, and bidding them step forth to show their 
 perfections, it is indeed a pleasing picture that at- 
 tracts the special admiration of a sportsman. 
 
 It is proposed that I should drive to Prussia Cove, 
 and we start on a lovely morning, going by way of 
 Marazion, a little village close to the shore, where 
 "just a trace of silver sand marks where the water 
 meets the land," and after a pleasant hour's ride we 
 reach that rocky inlet. There we sit lazily watching 
 the fishermen collecting their lobster pots, or catch- 
 ing wrass from the rocks, and listening to the music, 
 
54 Hark Away, 
 
 monotonous it may be, of the waves, as they break 
 upon the rugged shore. 
 
 The following day I am induced to venture on 
 a voyage on board the good ship " Don Quixote," a 
 yawl of repute, being of a burden of eight tons, and 
 warranted a seaworthy craft, that could go the pace 
 before the wind. I admit that no sooner was the 
 anchor weighed than I wished I had not been so 
 venturesome, and began to feel certain qualms — not 
 of conscience — as we bounded over the white-topped 
 waves, and scudded along with " a flowing sheet " 
 — vide Dibdin. Soon, however, these discomforting 
 symptons vanish by the aid of a flask of cognac, 
 Avhich the filial solicitude of him who has assumed 
 the command of this little craft has provided against 
 possible contingencies. Then I begin — albeit no 
 sailor — to take a delight in going at a big wave, and 
 surmounting it, in much the same fashion as I should 
 go at a tall fence, or a stiff" flight of post and rails, in 
 the Shires. There is always a certain amount of 
 pleasure, by the way, in getting over a difficulty. 
 
 A suggestion is next morning made that I should 
 go deep-sea fishing. I like the fancy, and am soon 
 borne over the bosom of the deep blue sea to a spot 
 where we anchor in thirteen fathoms, and cast our 
 baits upon the waters. Scarcely can our lines have 
 touched the ground, ere a tug is felt, and up comes 
 a sea bream of four pounds weight, followed by an- 
 other and another of the same description, occasion- 
 ally two at a time. Next we pull up two or three 
 horse-mackerel, and then follows an exciting inci- 
 dent. The line being taut, it is evident that we 
 have hold of one of the monsters of the deep, at 
 
A Pleasant Time at Penzance. 55 
 
 least so we imagine by his struggles, and finally we 
 haul in a handsome specimen of the whiting-pollack, 
 weighing some six or seven pounds. Having filled a 
 large-sized basket with many denizens of the deep, 
 we heave up our anchor and scud swiftly to the 
 harbour of Penzance. After this it was suggested 
 that I should embark on board one of the Newlyn 
 fishing boats, and pass the night in attempting to 
 ensnare the pilchard. Now, touching this fish, which 
 greatly resembles the herring, I had read in some 
 musty old tome which spoke of Cornish folk, " They 
 make likewise a gainful trade of those little fishes 
 they call pilchards, which are seen upon the coast in 
 great swarms from July to November. These they 
 catch, garbage, salt, smoak, barrel, press, and so 
 send them in great numbers to France, Spain, and 
 Italy, where they are a welcome commodity, and are 
 named ' Fumados.' " 
 
 As in those ancient days, so at the present time is 
 this important trade carried on by Messrs. Bolitho, 
 the bankers, merchants, seine owners, tanners, land- 
 owners, farmers, tin smelters, and I know not what 
 beside, of Penzance. By all means let me for once 
 " go catch the pilchard." Leaving Penzance at four 
 o'clock, the yawl, of which I have spoken before, 
 bears me over the rippling waves to the fleet of boats 
 preparing for the night's work. After a few tacks 
 we make the harbour of Newlyn, one of the greatest 
 fishing villages in Cornwall, and I am put alongside 
 the craft on which I am to gain my experience. 
 8oon our complement of men is complete. Four 
 sturdy fishermen form the crew, who earn a hard 
 wage, often at the risk of their lives, on this rugged 
 
56 Hark Away, 
 
 and rock-bound coast, who would be well content did 
 their average earnings amount to the modest sum of 
 £1 a-week. 
 
 A hearty welcome is given me when I step on 
 board the 14-ton boat, in which they pursue their 
 calling. One by one the boats slip their moorings, 
 the red sail is hoisted, and we move over the rolling 
 surface of the sea, and select a spot in which to 
 cast our nets. The place chosen is within a mile or 
 two of St. Michael's Mount, and there we await the 
 propitious moment for casting the drift net over — 
 an hour dependent on the state of the tide. 
 
 The lovely day is followed by a still more lovely 
 and tranquil eve. Tea and bread and butter are 
 offered to and accepted by me gratefully. Strange 
 did it appear to me that these hardy fishermen, who 
 spend weeks on the wild and dangerous shores of 
 Ireland or Scotland when fishing for herrings, should 
 be content with such plain fare. 
 
 During the whole of the long night not a pipe was 
 smoked, not a drop — except that beverage which it 
 is said will cheer and not inebriate — was drunk. Not 
 an angry word, not a coarse expression, not an oath 
 was uttered. We conversed of Brunei and the Albert 
 Bridge, and of the ways of John Wesley, until it was 
 time to shoot the net, which extended 780 yards, and 
 was of the depth of ten yards. This done, a sail was 
 hoisted to steady the boat, and we drifted, not idly, 
 as it proved, on the bosom of the deep. Then the 
 galley fire is lighted, and alternately the men take 
 rest. 
 
 To me it is a novel position, and though " rock'd 
 in the cradle of the deep " I knew not sleep. The 
 
A Pleasant Time at Penzance. 57 
 
 full moon is beaming, the boat rises and falls with 
 the incoming tide, the austere rocks of St. Michael's 
 Mount frown upon us, and " screams the wild sea 
 mew " as it hovers o'er us, an anxious watcher of our 
 success, hoping, no doubt, to clutch some of the 
 silvery fish that may escape from our net. Then 
 ever and anon the porpoises rise and blow as they 
 reach the surface — a not unlucky omen; for where 
 the carcase is the vulture will be, and the fact of 
 their presence denotes the movement of a shoal of 
 pilchards. 
 
 At length the hour arrives for proving the net, 
 and we haul in a few fathoms. The result is highly 
 satisfactory, many pilchards are entangled in the net, 
 and the size is pronounced good. The simple way 
 in which the fishes are caught surprises me. They 
 straightway run their heads into the meshes of the 
 net, and the more they struggle the faster they are 
 held, and they cannot move backwards by reason of 
 their gills being held fast. Then we let go the net 
 again, and patiently bide our time. 
 
 The moon sinks behind the hill, and the bay is 
 seen studded with the lights of the large fleet of 
 boats occupied in the same way as ourselves. At 
 this hour the night was beautiful, the stars shone 
 brilliantly, the lights of the town of Penzance 
 twinkled in the far-off distance. When a heavy 
 bank of clouds rose from beyond the high hills and 
 moved seawards, darkness spread over us. Weird- 
 looking bhds hovered close over our boat, doubtless 
 scenting the pilchards which were lying on the deck. 
 From one boat lying about half-a-mile beyond us 
 voices are heard — the occupants of that craft were 
 
58 Hai^k Away, 
 
 singing a hymn. It is always a hymn that is heard 
 in Cornwall. Children when playing sing hymns, 
 servants go about the house singing hymns, even the 
 revellers in the public-house roar out hymns. Not a 
 note of secular music is to be heard, for though the 
 lower orders of Cornish folk are very musical, yet 
 they seldom rise beyond Wesley, though Moody and 
 Sankey's productions hold now-a-days a conspicuous 
 place in their rqiertoire — " Hold the Fort" and " Safe 
 in the arms of Jesus " being the most popular. 
 
 Now the boat which has been lying beyond us has 
 hauled in her net, and moves slowly on towards 
 Newlyn. " What luck ? " we ask. '' About one thou- 
 sand five hundred," is the reply. Our captain trims the 
 lamp, awakens the sleepers, and we commence hauling 
 in the net. At every foot we find a pilchard. In they 
 come by the hundred, and are released from the net 
 and thrown into the well, glittering like diamonds as 
 they flounder at the bottom of the boat. For three- 
 quarters of an hour we continue to haul in the net. 
 The men are up to their knees in fish. We can no 
 longer afford time to extract the pilchards, so we 
 haul in the net, delaying that operation until we are 
 sailing homewards. 
 
 At length our task is over, the sail is hoisted, and 
 we glide along in the darkness. The stars have 
 paled, and the morning is lowering. It is necessary 
 to keep a sharp look-out, for many other boats are 
 returning ; but our captain is accustomed to the 
 work, and it is not long before we are safely moored 
 at Newlyn. Lights begin to twinkle in the fisher- 
 men's houses, and business will begin at dayhght. 
 Our catch was considered very good, we had hauled 
 
A Pleasant Time at Pe^tzance. 59 
 
 in between four thousand and five thousand fine 
 pilchards. These, I was surprised to hear, would 
 only fetch 10s. per thousand, and eventually I 
 heard them cried in the village of Gulval, " Seven 
 a penny, fresh pilchards." 
 
 Then I step into the dingy, to me a somewhat 
 difficult operation, for the night as it advanced had 
 become darker still. This done, I was pulled towards 
 the shore, and the captain suggested that I should 
 get on his back, that he might carry me through the 
 water and place me on dry land. To this proposi- 
 tion I dissented. This fine old man was verging on 
 seventy years of age, and I refused for a while, 
 saying that I weighed fifteen stone. " I can carry 
 ye, man," was the reply. So I played the part, for 
 once, of the Old Man of the Sea, whilst Sinbad 
 trudged through the water until the shore was 
 reached. Now, to get up on his back was a not too 
 easy task for a man who is, to say the least, past his 
 'premiere jeunesse ; in fact, not to put too fine a point 
 upon it, there was not much diff'erence between 
 Sinbad and the Old Man in respect to age. But to 
 get off was an equally difficult operation, and I was 
 within an ace of pulling him backwards into the sea. 
 Fortunately that misfortune did not occur, and we 
 shook hands and parted, mutually pleased with the 
 result of our night's pilchard fishing. 
 
 There is an old song which says, ''It is always 
 the darkest the hour before day," and so I found 
 it, as I blundered amongst \h.Q big boulders in my 
 endeavour to reach the high road. Then day began 
 to break, and by degrees I found my way, and, after 
 an hour's walk, reached Gulval as the clock struck 
 
6o Hark Away, 
 
 six. From what I gathered in conversation with 
 my companions, it appears that some one makes a 
 large profit by the sale of fish, and it is not the 
 fisherman. He risks his life, the owner, the boat 
 and nets, and the result of the sale of mackerel, 
 for instance is, that they realise one halfpenny each 
 on an average. Who makes the extra profit of six- 
 pence or eightpence is not very clear, but I have 
 been told that a system exists of withholding fish 
 and feeding the market, Avhich leads to the loss of 
 hundreds of tons, which are allowed to spoil rather 
 than the price should be lowered. I believe I should 
 have little difiiculty in proving this fact, and I think 
 that those who wantonly waste the food of their 
 fellow-creatures should smart for it. 
 
 On the following day I am offered a ride to 
 Helston by a gentleman who attends the market 
 in this quiet and secluded borough, which is situ- 
 ated ten miles from any railway. As we pass along, 
 following for many miles the coast-line, the view is 
 lovely. I observe as we go that nearly all the 
 mines are, to use the expression of the country, 
 " knocked " — that is to say, abandoned ; and I am 
 told that there are very few indeed at work through- 
 out West Cornwall, and that 10,000 of the sturdy 
 miners have migrated or emigrated within the last 
 two or three years, and that it no longer pays to 
 raise tin. Oh, what a falling off is here since 
 " Michael," a Cornish poet, writing of his country- 
 men many long years ago, said — 
 
 " 'Twere needless to recount their wondrous store, 
 Vast wealth, and fair provision for the poor ; 
 In fish and tin they know no rival shore." 
 
A Pleasant Time at Penza^ice, 6 1 
 
 Alas ! it is said that Messrs. Bolitlio can now pur- 
 chase ore from AustraHa, dehvered at their smelting 
 works in Penzance, at a lower price than it can be 
 raised and sold at a profit from the mines hard by. 
 
 I roam through the town, and find it in a state 
 of excitement. No fewer than ten omnibuses are 
 standing in a row, just arrived from Camborne, 
 Ruan, Redruth, and other towns lying a few miles 
 distant, bringing many passengers, some to sell 
 butter, eggs, and poultry, others to buy the different 
 commodities that are exhibited for sale in the stalls 
 in the street and the market house, amongst which I 
 noticed carrots and crockery-ware, highlow boots, 
 sticks of tripe, gigantic gone-to-seed cucumbers, 
 sturdy sticks of rhubarb, colossal vegetable mar- 
 rows, lollypops, limpets, periwinkles, pilchards, con- 
 ger eels, butter, cheese, and meat. After which I 
 dine at the Star, where an excellent dinner is pro- 
 vided by the clever hostess of this capital inn, and 
 I am supposed to be visiting the borough with a 
 view to represent it in the next Parliament. I may 
 — but we shall see ; at any rate, I allowed the in- 
 ference to remain uncontradicted. It gives one an 
 idea of the solvency of one's appearance to be sup- 
 posed to be in a condition to contest a Cornish 
 borough. 
 
 Of Penzance, as a place of residence for invalids 
 during the winter months, I think there is much to 
 be said. It is a clean, well-built town ; it has excel- 
 lent hotels — the Queen for one ; lodgings of superior 
 description are obtainable at an extremely moderate 
 cost. There are excellent shops of all descriptions ; 
 a clever medical man, possibly more, but I can speak 
 
62 Hark Away. 
 
 with certainty of one ; delightful drives, capital 
 carriages, civil drivers, first-rate sailing boats, 
 with skilful and trustworthy boatmen ; and, above 
 all, there is an extremely mild climate. In Regent 
 Terrace I saw a house covered closely, up as far as 
 the first-floor windows, with a magnificent helio- 
 trope of many years' growth — a tree, in fact — whilst 
 throughout the town giant geraniums, from 15 feet 
 to 20 feet high, splendid myrtles, marguerites, lilies, 
 magnolias, passion flowers, ferns, blue hydrangeas, 
 eunonyma live all the winter through, in a condi- 
 tion that I have never seen equalled in any part of 
 England. A strong competition now exists between 
 the Great Western Railway and the South-Western, 
 and Penzance has already felt the difierence, as the 
 journey has been shortened considerably, and there 
 is no doubt that the time occupied in travelling 
 between Paddington and Penzance will be still 
 further reduced, the one thing wanted in the case 
 of invalid travellers. 
 
CHAPTER IX. 
 
 TVITH THE DEVOX AND SOMERSET STAGHOUNDS. 
 
 jPROUSE ye, then, my merry, merry men ; 
 this is om- opening day," were the words 
 of a popular chorus that came across my 
 mind as I jumped from my bed at the 
 call of the " neat-handed Phillis " who I had desired 
 to awaken me at the ghastly hour of six, that I 
 might, by rising at that early period of the morning, 
 be in readiness for a sixteen-mile ride to cover, the 
 occasion being the first meet of the season of the 
 celebrated pack of staghounds that hunt the wild 
 red deer over the heather-clad hills in the vicinity of 
 Exmoor, and across the tracks of wild uncultivated 
 land which are still happily to be found in the most 
 beautiful of all counties in England, viz., Devon and 
 Somerset. 
 
 Tired with the pleasures of London, I determined 
 to make my way to Dulverton, and to commence the 
 season with a few days' hunting in this lovely 
 " country," the only place in England where the red 
 deer is to be found in its wild and natural state, and 
 which affords an opportunity of seeing these noble 
 and majestic animals amidst the wild and beauti- 
 ful scenery where they delight to roam. Having 
 pleasant recollections of my former visit, and of the 
 
64 Hark Away, 
 
 comforts experienced when residing at the Lion 
 Hotel, 1 wrote to Mr. King, the proprietor of this 
 pleasant hostelry, to secnre rooms, and to engage 
 horses for a few days at the commencement of the 
 season, that I might enjoy to the fullest extent that 
 which is to me the grandest sport it has ever been 
 my good fortune to fall in with during a somewhat 
 lengthened experience of hunting in many of the best 
 counties in England. Differing entirely from fox- 
 hunting, yet it has a pleasure peculiarly its own, and 
 to me nothing is more enjoyable than riding full tilt 
 through the purple heather, startling the black game 
 from their lairs as I gallop, as near as circumstances 
 will permit to the tail of tlie hounds when pursuing 
 a " warrantable stag " over hill and dale, across 
 rippling rills, along emerald green valleys and 
 densely wooded " combes," at a rattling pace, on 
 a brilliant morning in the month of August — a some- 
 what early period for the enjoyment of the noble and 
 unique pastime of hunting the wild red deer, it would 
 appear to the uninitiated, when the corn is still 
 standing, whilst the thermometer marks a high 
 degree of summer heat, the heather in full bloom, 
 and the foliage in its fullest luxuriance. But when 
 mounting the Quantock Hills, and revelling in the 
 fresh breezes that come across the waters of the 
 Bristol Channel, you come to the conclusion that it is 
 one of the most enjoyable pleasures you have ever 
 experienced, supposing you to have a taste for pic- 
 turesque scenery, combined with an ardent love of 
 the pleasures of the chase. 
 
 The pleasantest route from the metropolis is that 
 traversed by the trains of the South-Western Eail- 
 
Hunting the Wild Stag. 65 
 
 ■way, which runs through GilUnghara, Sherborne, 
 Temple Combe, Yeovil, and Tannton, changing at 
 the latter place, and journeying by the Devon and 
 Somerset line to Dulverton, which is reached some- 
 where about six hours after leaving Waterloo. 
 Arriving at seven o'clock on the 12th August, I find 
 every one preparing for the pleasures of the annual 
 gathering of the inhabitants of Devon and Somerset, 
 w^ho make the opening day of the popular sport of 
 these counties an occasion for enjoying a view of the 
 lovely country, witnessing the hunting of the stag, 
 and pic-nicing amidst the furze and heather after the 
 style which is in vogue on the Derby Day at Epsom, 
 or the more fashionable meeting at Goodwood. 
 
 Awaking in the morning, the outlook is gloomy, 
 heavy clouds are moving rapidly and in close proxi- 
 mity to the tops of the steep hills that surround the 
 snug and retired hamlet of Dulverton, through which 
 the swiftly-flowing Barle babbles noisily as its waters 
 flow near to those of the river Exe, passing through 
 Pixton Park, the property of the Earl of Carnarvon, 
 a spot highly suggestive of sport to the disciples of 
 the gentler art of which Izaak Walton was the high 
 priest, whose many followers may here indulge in 
 their pleasant occupation, as, in addition to fishing 
 in the free waters, permission is readily obtainable 
 from the noble earl and the other landlords of the 
 district to pursue their endeavours to ensnare the 
 spotted trout which abound in the sparkling streams 
 of this pleasant locality. 
 
 After a substantial breakfast, and having specially 
 provided against the threatening appearance of the 
 morning, by causing a flask to be filled with Irish 
 
 E 
 
66 Hark Away, 
 
 whisky, a precaution the wisdom of which was 
 proved ere the close of the day, I mounted my nag 
 and journeyed in the direction of Exford. Scarcely 
 had we entered upon the outskirts of Exmoor, when 
 my companion and myself came to the conclusion 
 that we should have a rough time of it, and a heavy 
 rain fell at intervals as we trotted along over this 
 wild part of the country. 
 
 A little while elapses, and we come upon a gipsy 
 encampment at Coomber Gate, a well-known meet of 
 the Devon and Somerset, then up and down the 
 steep hills, along the shady lanes, where the foxglove 
 flourishes amidst the countless beautiful ferns, the 
 sprays of wild honeysuckle hanging in graceful 
 festoons from the tall hedgerows, and we approach 
 the extremely quiet little village of Exford, and puU 
 up at the White Horse, of which Mr. King is also the 
 proprietor, and from him we learn that the hounds 
 have just started for Cloutsham. 
 
 Then we trot sharply away, and speedily overtake 
 the Master, Mordaunt Frederick Bisset, Esq., mounted 
 on a noble grey horse, — and noble he need be to carry 
 this welter weight and hard-riding sportsman, who 
 stands somewhere about 6 feet 3 inches in height, and 
 who cannot ride less than twenty-two stone at a mode- 
 rate computation. Riding at the head of his splendid 
 pack of hounds, numbering this day twenty-seven 
 couples, followed by Arthur Heal the huntsman, and 
 George Southwell his whip, this fine sportsman seems 
 in every way the right man in the right place, and the 
 way in which he bounds aloDg over the blooming hea- 
 ther and gallops up and down the tremendously steep 
 hills, must be seen to be believed, and would put to 
 
Hunting the Wild Stag, 6 J 
 
 shame many a feather weight, so admirably mounted 
 and so iron-nerved is this fine specimen of om' EngHsh 
 squires ; men who are not to be matched in any 
 quarter of the world for their love of sport and their 
 liberality in pro\dding for the pleasures of others less 
 fortunate in the possession of worldly goods, who are 
 enabled to indulge in the manliest of all sports, which 
 is so readily provided for them at great cost and 
 trouble by our masters of hounds. 
 
 On arriving at Cloutsham Ball we find a large 
 assemblage of country folks in carriages, farmers in 
 their waggons, and ladies and gentlemen on horse- 
 back, all bent upon enjoying a pleasurable outing, 
 but Avhose comfort is considerably diminished on this 
 occasion by the frequent heavy storms of rain that 
 blurr the landscape, and destroy the beauty of the 
 scene. Nevertheless, we pic-nic heartily, champagne 
 corks fly, pigeon pies are devoured, cherry brandy is 
 freely taken as an antidote to cold, and thus we bid 
 defiance to the elements. Then, whilst we are 
 revelling in the good things so abundantly provided, 
 and so freely dispensed by our friends, " Arthur," with 
 five couples of hounds — tufters as they are called — 
 accompanied by Miles, " the Harbourer," whose 
 vocation it is to track the deer, and be ready to point 
 out to the huntsmen where he will find " a runable 
 stag," is drawing the cover. A considerable time 
 elapses before there is a find, and an opportunity is 
 afforded of observing some of the notabilities of the 
 Devon and Somerset Hunt, and the visitors of dis- 
 tinction who flock fi-om all parts to enjoy the first 
 day's sport. 
 
 Conspicuous amongst the crowd is the celebrated 
 
6S Hark Away, 
 
 sportsman, the Rev. J. Russel, now past eighty years 
 of age, mounted upon a compact and clever ^x^j 
 horse, vrhich he still can steer across the difficult 
 country in a way that would astonish many younger 
 performers. Of this rare specimen of the hunting 
 parson, Bishop Temple is said to have observed, 
 " There was not a parish in his diocese where the 
 sick and the poor were better looked after, or the 
 young people better prepared for confirmation," and 
 certainly there is no straight-laced incumbent of any 
 parish in the country that is more popular, or, in fact, 
 half as much esteemed as is this worthy specimen of 
 old times, who yet, at such an advanced age, is able 
 to indulge in an amusement which many, if not all 
 of the clergy of the period, would consider sacrilegi- 
 ous, but which was a custom followed generally by 
 the clergy in rural districts in days gone by. 
 
 Then there is Mr. Collyns of Dulverton, accom- 
 panied by Mr. and Mrs. Collyns, and two fair young 
 ladies, and his nephew, who, following the traditions 
 of his family, has ridden from London to be present 
 on the occasion of the opening day, for the name of 
 Collyns is well-known throughout the counties of 
 Devon and Somerset, the head of the house, " Charles 
 Palk Collyns " having published in his time Notes on 
 the Chase of the Wild Red Deer, being the result of 
 the experience of forty-six years gained when in 
 pursuit of the stag ; and I would call the attention 
 of anyone desirous of studying the habits and customs 
 of the red deer, and learning how to pursue them 
 with skill, to the pages of this clever but now rather 
 rare work. 
 
 Then, well mounted, and looking all over the 
 
Htinting the Wild Stag, 69 
 
 sportsman he is, comes riding leisurely along Colonel 
 Anstruther Thomson, Master of the Fife Hounds, 
 and past Master of the Pytchley and iitherstone, 
 who has come on a visit to the Rev. J. Russel, in 
 order to join in the sport. Then a well-known and 
 hard-riding man from the shires is seen in the person 
 of Captain Elmhirst, who subsequently is to be seen 
 im a good place during the short spin we had from 
 Cloutsham. Several deer are found and hunted for 
 a considerable time by the tufters, but they were 
 unable to drive one away from the dense cover of 
 the lovely Combe that lies at our feet ; and 
 " Arthur " blows his horn and calls them off to try 
 his chance elsewhere. 
 
 During the whole morning rain fell, with but few 
 minutes' intermission, and it was only between the 
 storms that a view from this lovely spot was'obtainable. 
 Before us is Porlock Bay ; across the British Channel 
 the Welsh coast is discernible; to the right the 
 steep Holms of Weston-super-Mare, and inland the 
 noble range of the Quantock Hills. Then we descend 
 a precipitous pathway, ride along a lovely lane, and 
 gallop up a tremendously steep hill, and find our- 
 selves close to the huntsman. 
 
 A short time only elapses, when a view halloo is 
 heard, and a deer breaks cover and goes away in the 
 direction of Dunkerry Beacon, followed by five 
 couples of tufters ; but doubling back he runs a 
 racing pace over the heather, making for the 
 road leading to Exford, after crossing which the 
 tufters are stopped, in order that the body of the 
 pack may be brought up and laid on. This being 
 done, we gallop along in a blinding rain, and finally 
 
70 Hark Away, 
 
 lose the deer near Stoke, after a short rim, and the 
 hounds are trotted home. Brief as this run was, it 
 was long enough to give one an idea of the difficulty 
 which besets the stranger in this land. He should 
 be endowed with good nerve who would ride with 
 the Devon and Somerset, He must not be afraid to 
 go the pace, though his horse is galloping up to his 
 hocks in the blooming heather, rattling down the 
 steep hills, greasy with the heavy rain that has 
 fallen throughout the day, or clattering over the 
 stony land, as he does his best to keep within a fair 
 distance of these noble hounds. No, Devon and 
 Somerset are counties that are unsuitable for any 
 but hard-riding men, if they would live to hounds. 
 Then we turn our heads homewards and make for 
 Exford, where we halt for a while to give our nags 
 gruel, before starting for Dulverton, a distance of 
 ten miles. 
 
 As soon as we start, the rain descends in torrents, 
 and as we cross Exmoor it sweeps over the wide 
 expanse of heather-clad land, causing a thick mist, 
 and drenching us to the very skin. There is no 
 shelter available, if we desire to avail ourselves of 
 it, and we trot swiftly along, following the same 
 route we traversed in the morning, arriving tired 
 and dripping in time for an excellent dinner, which 
 we did ample justice to. 
 
 Thus ended my first day with the Devon and 
 Somerset. Of the sport, little can be said ; but on 
 the next occasion, the meet being in a beautiful 
 country, I hope to be able to record a run which will 
 illustrate the kind of sport which is usual when the 
 season is more advanced. Owing to hydrophobia 
 
Htmting the Wild Stag. 
 
 71 
 
 having attacked these hounds, by which five couples 
 were lost, and the efficiency of the pack seriously 
 diminished, so much so as at one time to have en- 
 dangered the prospects of the present season, 
 Mr. Bissett had to seek amongst the crack 
 packs of the country for drafts of full-sized hounds 
 to recruit his. How well he has succeeded may be 
 seen by inspection of the twenty-seven couples, all 
 young hounds, which appeared at Cloutsham on the 
 first day of the season. Of the old hounds, which 
 are kept and will be hunted separately, I shall have 
 an opportunity of speaking in my next letter, as I 
 intend to ride with them, and hope subsequently to 
 visit the kennels, and to give fuller particulars of 
 their present condition, as well as some details of the 
 baleful malady which for a while threatened to 
 interfere seriously with the sport of the Devon and 
 Somerset Staghounds. 
 
CHAPTEE X. 
 
 HUNTING THE WILD STAG IN DEVON AND 
 SOMEKSET. 
 
 IRD of the wilderness, blithesome and 
 cnmberless, sweet be thy matins o'er 
 moorland and lee/' were the apolo- 
 getic words I addressed to the lark, 
 " shrill messenger of morn," for having distm'bed 
 him from his repose in the pm-ple heather, as I 
 galloped at a racing pace across Winsford Hill en 
 route to a "meet" of the Devon and Somerset 
 hoimds, on a lovely morning during a recent visit 
 to Dulverton. I would have said something equally 
 pretty to the blackcock which I roused from the 
 cover and sent whirring away over the the wide 
 expanse of common, had he not startled me and 
 my nag by the suddenness of his uprising, which 
 disturbed my usually well-balanced mind, but served, 
 nevertheless, as a caution against careless riding, 
 and proving the necessity of taking a firm grip of 
 the saddle when riding full speed up to one's horse's 
 knees in heather. 
 
 Notwithstanding that I had eighteen miles to ride 
 to cover, I could not resist the temptation of losing 
 a few minutes, whilst I paused at the top of an ex- 
 
Hunting the Wild Stag. 73 
 
 ceedingly steep hill to gaze with admiration on 
 the varied scene around. On the right I saw a 
 large district of cultivated land, the hillsides covered 
 with the dense foliage of wide-spreading beeches 
 that flourish so greatly in Somersetshire, inter- 
 spersed with meadows of the brightest emerald 
 green, where, up to their knees in the herbage, 
 the red, gazelle-eyed Devon cattle feed and fatten. 
 Before me a wide expanse of moorland, densely 
 covered with purple heather in the fullest bloom, 
 dotted here and there with tufts of the brightest 
 green gorse I have ever seen, covered with golden 
 blossoms; beds of tall ferns and straggling bushes 
 of blossoming broom, amidst which the snow-white 
 sheep snugly repose, while a number of the cele- 
 brated Exmoor ponies — some with foals at their feet, 
 look up for a moment to see who it is that comes 
 to disturb their wonted tranquillity. On the left an 
 extent of beautiful country is discernible, stretch- 
 ing far away beyond Dartmoor, with hill and dale, 
 meadow and moorland, densely wooded combes, and 
 a vast range of heather-clad hills, the hues of which 
 were marvellously beautiful, seen on a day when 
 sunshine and shadow followed in rapid succession, 
 making the face of the country to resemble the ever- 
 changing views in a kaleidoscope. Then I jog on 
 again, and reach Comber's Gate, a well-known "fix- 
 ture " of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds, and 
 pull up for a minute to observe a camp of gipsies, 
 who, I learn, have travelled thus far from Havering, 
 a village in Essex. Farewell to romance, I said, if 
 these are the gipsies merry and free of whom poets 
 used to sing. No, no ; I would not be a gipsy cer- 
 
74 Hark Away. 
 
 tainly if I had to herd with such companions. Half 
 Romany, half tramp, and wholly hawkers ; dealing in 
 brooms and tin ware. Gipsies indeed ! I too came 
 from Havering-at-ye-Bower, but it is many, many 
 long years since — in my hot days, when George IV. 
 was king. Did I not know the Lees and the Coopers, 
 who were accustomed to set up their tents in the 
 leafy glades of Hainhault and Epping forests in 
 those days % Does that dirty, ragged, unkempt, 
 pedlar-like young woman, bear the slightest resem- 
 blance to the olive-complexioned, dark-eyed, beau- 
 tiful daughter of Gipsy Lee, with whom I used to 
 wander beneath the greenwood shade ? (It is many 
 years ago, remember.) Should I have wooed so dirty 
 a damsel? Faugh! The age of chivalry is past; 
 the days of romance are over, and we are, in my 
 opinion, too practical by half now-a-days ; but I do 
 not know if we are any happier or better for it, for 
 the matter of that. At any rate, the gipsy girl of 
 whom the poets raved, and whose features were 
 immortalised by the painters of the period, is like the 
 Dodo, a thing of the past, and is no longer to be 
 found in the haunts where she once loved to dwell, 
 casting a glamour over the mind of ardent and sus- 
 ceptible youth, and foretelling wonderful fortunes to 
 the maids of merry England in days gone by. 
 
 Then, throwing a few halfpence to the ragged 
 urchin, who dismounts from the gate on which he 
 has been swinging to let me through, I journey 
 along one of the interminable Devonshire lanes, wide 
 enough for one vehicle only to pass along at a time, 
 with tall, luxuriant, uncut hedges from fifteen to 
 twenty feet in height; the banks clothed with 
 
Htmting the Wild Stag, 75 
 
 beautiful ferns of many kinds; from the midst of 
 which peep forth innumerable foxgloves, while the 
 wild honeysuckle hangs in graceful festoons; and 
 here and there a mountain ash, with its crimson 
 berries, adds to the beauty of the picture. 
 
 Then I cross the river Exe at Exford, and, riding 
 up a steep hill, come to a large tract of heather-clad 
 land, over which I ride until Cloutsham Ball is 
 reached. A lovely spot, the try sting place of the 
 Devon and Somerset Hounds, on the opening day 
 of the season, when persons from all parts of the 
 two counties assemble after the fashion of those 
 attending race meetings, and dispense their large 
 hospitahty to all comers. Owing to the dismal 
 state of the weather, this festival was greatly inter- 
 fered with, and the pleasure of the numbers visiting 
 the lovely spot spoiled by the heavy and almost 
 unceasing downpour that prevailed. 
 
 In a sloping meadow, beneath which is a lovely 
 combe, we assemble on the present occasion to 
 watch, whilst Arthur the Huntsman, and Miles the 
 Harbourer, with three couples of tried hounds — 
 tufters, to speak properly — are drawing the cover 
 for a " stag of ten," which is known to be harboured 
 there. This is a work of time, and gives an oppor- 
 tunity for a glimpse at the gorgeous scenery. Over 
 yon densely wooded valley is Porlock Bay, in the 
 Bristol Channel, on the other side of which the 
 Welsh coast is plainly visible. Far away in the dis- 
 tance the Quantock Hills trend down to the sea-shore, 
 whilst to the right, and close at hand, is the steep, 
 densely heather-clad hill of Dunkerry, 800 feet above 
 the level of the sea — as glorious and glowing a 
 
76 Hark Away, 
 
 panorama as ever I have had the good luck to 
 behold. Still we hear no view halloo ! and there is 
 time to observe some of the notabilities belonging 
 to the Hunt. 
 
 First there is Mr. Samuel H. Warren, the secretary, 
 who knows and is known to every one — one of those 
 genial and hospitable men who are frequently met 
 with in the counties of Devon and Somerset — re- 
 spected, and deservedly so, by all. Then there is 
 the veteran sportsman who has hunted over this 
 country for very many years — the Rev. John Russell, 
 now in his eighty-fourth year, to whom I had the 
 good fortune to be introduced a few days previous. 
 Time has dealt graciously with this fine old man; 
 and you have only to note his seat in the saddle to 
 be aware that a horseman of no ordinary qualifica- 
 tions is before you. This morning he has ridden 
 twenty-five miles to cover, and, after hunting all 
 day, will ride as great, if not a greater distance, to 
 his home at Swimford. 
 
 On the occasion of a long run on the Quantock 
 Hills during last season the stag ran through St. 
 Audries, and swam away into the muddy waters of 
 the Bristol Channel, on which occasion he told me 
 he had to ride fifty-two miles before he reached his 
 home. I had only twenty-two miles to return ; but 
 night set in before I reached the Lion at Dulverton, 
 where I had fixed my quarters, and I should not have 
 cared particularly to have travelled on with a tired 
 horse thirty miles further. Awaiting the finding of 
 the stag, this now rare specimen of the hunting 
 parson, who, nevertheless, is beloved and respected 
 throughout the length and breadth of Devon and 
 
Hunting the Wild Stag, "jj 
 
 Somerset, chats gaily with the group of ladies and 
 gentlemen assembled in front of the farm-house, and 
 is full of anecdote, and never tired of talking of the 
 gracious reception he met with, when on a visit at 
 Sandringham, from the Prince and Princess of Wales, 
 who fully appreciated the kind-hearted, courteous, 
 and genial old sportsman. It is said of him that 
 when one of the chiefs of a tribe of gipsies — when 
 there were gipsies in Devon — died, his last request 
 was that he might be buried by '' Parson Kussell," 
 which desire was fulfilled, his reverence riding forty 
 or fifty miles to perform the ceremony. 
 
 Then there is Earl Fortescue, a good sportsman 
 and a staunch supporter of the hounds, to whom I 
 am introduced, and chat pleasantly for a while. 
 
 Next I have the honour of making the acquaint- 
 ance of Mrs. Froude Bellew, of Rhyl, whose husband 
 is Master of the Dulverton Foxhounds. An elegant 
 horsewoman, and a bold and graceful rider is Mrs. 
 Bellew. By her side is her sister, Mrs. Rowcliffe. 
 These are fair specimens of Devonshire ladies, who, 
 my experience teaches me, are as a rule elegant, 
 graceful, and pleasing, as anyone would expect who 
 has read Kingsley's descriptions of the Devonians. 
 Then there are Mrs. Bouverie, Miss Jekyl, and Miss 
 Leslie, who ride well and regularly with these 
 hounds. Colonel and Mrs. Festing, accompanied 
 by their two lively sons, all well mounted, who have 
 ridden over from Dunster or Miuehead, Lord Rock- 
 savage, Mr. Bolden, from Rugby, Captain and Mrs. 
 Elmhirst, from the Shires; Mr. Nicholas Snow, the 
 Master of the Stars of the AVest, a celebrated pack 
 of foxhounds hunting in this locality ; Mr. Chorley, 
 
78 Hark Away, 
 
 the Master of the Quarm Harriers, a thorough sports- 
 man, said to possess one of the best packs in the 
 kingdom; Mr. Collyns and his nephew, and Mr. 
 Myles, from Dulverton; Dr. Budd and his brother, 
 who have come from London and Bath to enjoy the 
 noble amusement of hunting the wild red deer. 
 
 But I must close the list of sportsmen who usually 
 ride with these hounds, as Arthur has ridden up 
 with the intelHgence that though a stag has not 
 gone away in the right direction, there is a hind that 
 has, making for Dunkerry. Then Mr. Mordaunt, 
 Fenwick Bissett, the Master of cthe Staghounds, 
 gives the order for the hounds being laid on, and we 
 descend into a lovely valley, cross a sparkling 
 stream that runs through it, and the hounds, speak- 
 ing to the scent, go away at a rattling pace, ascending 
 the high hill of Dunkerry, followed by some one 
 hundred and fifty horsemen ; then we clatter along 
 over the stony ground, through the heather which 
 reaches above the hocks of the horses, on and on 
 until the summit is reached, and a glorious view 
 meets the sight. 
 
 The Bristol Channel, whose waters are usually 
 muddy as to appearance, sparkles in the bright 
 sunshine. Innumerable vessels spread their white 
 bosoms to the breeze, whilst the horn of the hunter 
 is heard on the hill, and we are riding at fall 
 speed on a splendid autumn afternoon in pursuit of 
 one of the graceful animals who roam at will through 
 these lovely counties. Then we swing round the 
 hill, and go away with speed, skirting the Beacon — 
 a landmark for vessels passing up and down the 
 Channel — and away in the direction of Exmoor 
 
Hunting the Wild Stag, 79 
 
 Forest. At this point I came to grief. Thinking I 
 could get closer to the hounds if I took a line of my 
 own, I soon found my fleet career was checked. Sud- 
 denly myself and horse were floundering in one of the 
 bogs — traps for the unwary — which are not un- 
 frequently met with in a gallop across Exmoor. No 
 sooner in than the clever little mare was out again ; 
 but only to fall into another deeper still. Dis- 
 mounting promptly, she struggled hard and slipped 
 out on her side, panting with the exertion. A few 
 minutes' rest and she was right as the mail, and I 
 rode ofi", cautiously ; for I found I had got into a part 
 of the moor that was full of suspicious-looking 
 places; and remembering that wherever there are 
 rushes growing, there danger exists, but that as long 
 as there is heather to ride on you may safely gallop 
 along, I got over the tract of boggy land, and sailed 
 away once more at a rattling pace, following the 
 hounds up the hill above Kitsford. Here we changed 
 on to the line of a stag, which we ran to Shillets, 
 then changed again on to the line of another fresh 
 stag, which we folloAved to Park Wood, where the 
 hounds were whipped off. A lovely ride over the 
 moorland finally led me back to Exford. 
 
 It is all very well to be wandering about these 
 heather-clad hills on a lovely summer's evening in 
 the month of September ; but, supposing it was a 
 November evening at the same hour, how about the 
 ride home then 1 These lovely blue hills and vales 
 are not always so smiling ; for during the month of 
 April last one landowner in the district lost five 
 hundred and twelve sheep in a snow drift, and a 
 farmer, who lost many sheep and a pony at the same 
 
8o Hark Away, 
 
 time, told me that the drift was 25 feet deep on his 
 farm. When the snow melted he found a hind 
 bnried in the same place with his pony and sheep. 
 
 A quiet little town is Dulverton, and the popula- 
 tion, if small in numbers, is prone to hospitality — 
 genial, and jovial beyond all doubt. The river 
 Barle flows between the high hills that surround 
 this tranquil place, wandering and babbling on, 
 until it joins with the river Exe. Looking down 
 upon the town is Pixton Park, the seat of the Earl 
 of Carnarvon, from whence a lovely view of the 
 surrounding country is obtained. The house has 
 no pretensions to beauty, but has every appearance 
 of comfort, and is being largely added to. A herd 
 of fallow deer wander amongst the tall fern, or rest 
 beneath the shade of the lovely limes, beeches, and 
 chestnuts that exceed in beauty, shape, and growth 
 any I have ever seen elsewhere. On the following 
 morning I rode over to the kennels at Exford, in 
 order to look over the old and new packs of hounds ; 
 or, 1 should have said, in reference to the old pack, 
 what remains of them, for an outbreak of rabies 
 during the past summer made sad havoc with these 
 valuable animals. Twelve couples in all were lost 
 through this attack of hydrophobia, and every pre- 
 caution is yet taken against a return of the disorder. 
 In a paddock, each hound being chained up to an 
 ordinary dog kennel, we found sixteen and a half 
 couples of fine animals. These are kept separate 
 from the twenty-seven couple of young hounds that 
 Mr. Bissett has obtained from all the most noted 
 kennels in England. These hounds naturally re- 
 quire time to become handy and accustomed to 
 
Hunting the Wild Stag. 8 1 
 
 their new vocation ; but Arthur Heal, who has 
 hunted the Devon and Somerset for the long period 
 of twenty-two years, is rapidly making them as 
 perfect as the old hounds were. 
 
 The Devon and Somerset are maintained in part 
 by subscription, the amount received from the sub- 
 scribers during the past year being £1148. The 
 list comprises the names of nearly every person of 
 distinction in the two counties. The E^rl of Car- 
 narvon, who, though not a hunting man himself, is 
 a liberal subscriber and strict preserver of the red 
 deer which abound in Haddon Wood, and, in fact, 
 all over his large estates. Earl Fortescue is also a 
 staunch supporter of this noble pack, as are the 
 following gentlemen : — The Hon. Mark Rolle (who 
 heads the list of subscriptions). Sir Alexander Acland 
 Hood, Lord Poltimore, Viscount Ebrington, the Hon. 
 Robert Trollope, Sir W. A. Lethbridge, Captahi J. 
 Luttrell, Captain Karslake, Captain Marshall, Messrs. 
 Granville Somerset, S. Lucas, T. C. Daniel, P. P. 
 Bouverie, T. Carew, T. M. Dodington, W. W. Kars- 
 lake, J. B. Collyns, W. M. Foster Melliar, C. Williams, 
 J. C. Moore Stevens, AV. A. Sandford, Sir J. H. 
 Amory, Major AVynch, Colonel Davie, etc. 
 
 Nor do the ladies fail to support this popular 
 hunt ; for I see the names of Lady Lovelace and 
 Mrs. Rowcliffe amongst the list of subscribers. The 
 season for hunting the wild stag commences on 
 August 12, by which time the velvet is nearly off 
 the new horns, and the stags are in fine condition, 
 remaining so until the beginning of October. The 
 season finishes on the 12th of that month, and the 
 stags rapidly fall out of condition. Then the hind 
 
 F 
 
82 Hark Away. 
 
 is hunted during the remainder of the year, ter- 
 minating at Christmas. Greater sport is, as a rule, 
 shown when the hind is hunted, and runs of five and 
 six hours' duration are not unfrequent. 
 
 Taken on the whole, I consider hunting the wild 
 red deer the most magnificent sport that Great 
 Britain produces. To ride over this country requires 
 both nerve and judgment, and it is one of the privi- 
 leges that the dwellers in Devon and Somerset enjoy, 
 of being able to indulge in this enjoyable pastime 
 during the months of August and September, a 
 period during which it would be impossible to hunt 
 in any other county in England. 
 
 The season is now at its height ; the best sport is 
 all to come. Hitherto the young hounds have only 
 been trying their 'prentice hands ; now, under the 
 able tuition of their clever and hard-riding hunts- 
 man, and his excellent and persevering whip, George 
 Southwell, they are becoming proficient in the art of 
 chasing the wild deer and following the hind across 
 the wide tracts of moorland, over the heather- 
 clad hills, along the emerald glades, amidst the 
 densely - wooded combes, through the babbling 
 brooks and rippling rivers, and not unfrequently 
 along the sea-shore. Twice during the early part 
 of the season the hunted hart, having vainly striven 
 to outstrip his pursuers, has taken a wild headlong 
 leap from the tall clifi" in order to escape, and " re- 
 signed to his fate o'er the waters he's borne, and 
 dies on the wild wave that breaks on Glenthorne." 
 
 Any person desiring to try his skill in riding with 
 the Devon and Somerset will find excellent accom- 
 modation at the Lion at Dulverton, or if he prefers 
 
Himtino- the Wild Stao^, 
 
 83 
 
 solitude he can seek it at Exford, in the very heart 
 of the conntry, and he can obtain comfortable quar- 
 ters and good stabling if he should take his own 
 stud. If he prefers to hire, Mr. King, who is also 
 the proprietor of the AVhite Horse lun, will mount 
 him ; and if he is as fortunate as I have been, he 
 will be certain to obtain horses that are used to the 
 country, and will carry him right well — animals for 
 whom the day is never too long or the hills too 
 steep, and that the longest run will not tire — at 
 least that has been my experience. 
 
 Those ardent spirits, who consider a burst of 
 twenty-five minutes at a racing pace over the pas- 
 tures of Leicestershire is the correct thing, will pro- 
 bably, unless they are thoroughbred sportsmen, as 
 well as hard riders, dissent from my views as re- 
 gards hunting the wild red deer. But every man 
 to his taste. I have ridden to hounds in nearly 
 every crack county in England, but I never felt the 
 same amount of excitement at seeing a fox break 
 cover, as I have when witnessing a noble stag start 
 up from amidst the purple heather, and go " a 
 clinker " across the beautiful country which is 
 hunted by the Devon and Somerset Staghounds. 
 
CHAPTER XL 
 
 WITH THE DEVON AND SOMEESET STAGHOUNDS. 
 
 lAKING the opportunity of a leisure day 
 to visit the kennels of the Devon and 
 Somerset, I drove over to Exford, where 
 I found Arthur Heal established in a new 
 range of buildings, admirably adapted for the health 
 of his pack, every attention having been given to 
 the necessary details for insuring comfort to the 
 animals as well as the huntsman, who has a house 
 adjoining the kennels, where we found him ready 
 and willing to show both the old and new packs 
 that are placed imder his charge. First we are 
 shown the remains of the old pack, sixteen couples 
 and a-half having been saved from the ravages 
 of the outbreaks of rabies from which they have 
 suffered, no less than twelve couples of these valu- 
 able animals having fallen victims to the attack of 
 hydrophobia, which at one time threatened destruc- 
 tion to the whole pack. These we found in a range of 
 ordinary dog kennels, every hound being tied up and 
 isolated from the fresh hounds that have been secured 
 to recruit the strength of the pack, and replace those 
 who have been lost through this cruel malady. 
 
Hunting the Wild Stag, 85 
 
 The origin of the outbreak was traceable to two 
 of the hounds which had Avandered from the pack 
 being shut up with a sheep-dog that was suffering 
 from hydrophobia, who bit them, and thus intro- 
 duced the destructive complaint into the kennels. 
 The possibility of a fresh outbreak having to be 
 guarded against, though, in my opinion, such a 
 misfortune is rendered highly improbable, owing to 
 the great precautions that have been taken to stamp 
 out the disease, the two packs are kept separate, 
 not only in the kennels, but in the field as well. 
 Amongst these old hounds some notable animals are 
 to be found, and those who should visit them will 
 find Forager, Claret, and Dreadnought, as well as 
 Wellington, Blandf(jrd, and Warrior, the latter my 
 choice, as fine specimens of staghouuds as can be 
 desired. 
 
 After examining the seniors, we entered the ken- 
 nels, and found twenty-seven couples of fine young 
 hounds, drafts from some of the most celebrated 
 packs in the kingdom, which have to learn how to 
 follow the wild red deer instead of chasing the wily 
 fox, for which they have been bred. Some time 
 necessarily will elapse before they take to their 
 new pursuit. Hence the difficulty which Arthur 
 has experienced in showing the usual amount of 
 sport during the few days of the present season on 
 which they have been out. For more than twenty 
 years Arthur Heal has hunted this country, and it will 
 be strange if he does not teach them their business 
 in a very brief space of time. 
 
 Amongst the most striking of the twenty-seven 
 couples which were shown, a high-coloured hound, 
 
S6 Ha7'k Away. 
 
 from, I believe, the kennel of Lord Portman, struck 
 me as a fine specimen ; Albert, from the Blackmoor 
 Vale, being another fine-looking animal ; as was 
 also Shiner, from the pack of staghounds the pro- 
 perty of Mr. Richardson Gardner, who hunts in the 
 vicinity of Cheltenham. Altogether Mr. Bissett is to 
 be congratulated on having secured such a number 
 of recruits, which in time will prove equal to the 
 demands which hunting the wild stag over this 
 severe but beautiful country makes on the pack, if 
 they would pull down these noble deer, who not 
 unfrequently lead them a dance over hill and dale, 
 moorland and meadow, for three or five hours, as 
 the case may be. 
 
 On Friday the fixture w^as Hawkcombe Head, the 
 most lovely spot in this most lovely locality. Over- 
 looking the Bristol Channel is Bossington Beacon, 
 801 feet above the level of the sea, a landmark to 
 vessels passing. It was over the range of hills on 
 the summit of which this beacon is placed that I 
 on another occasion galloped, which will give an 
 idea of the country hunted by the Devon and 
 Somerset Staghounds. Hunting the wild red deer 
 is no child's play, but it is an amusement requiring 
 both pluck and judgment on the part of those who 
 ride up and down these noble heather-clad hill when 
 chasing the stag over the large tracts of moorlands, 
 which at this period of the year look grand and 
 beautiful in the extreme, recalling the words written 
 by Kingsley, who described the appearance of the 
 country as resembling " huge mile-long waves of 
 a vast heather sea." Beautiful as the heather looks, 
 it sometimes allures the venturous horsemen, if not 
 
Hunting the Wild Stag. 8 7 
 
 to his destruction, yet to considerable inconvenience, 
 as I found to my cost when taking a line of my own, 
 which led me into one of the bogs, which are not 
 unfrequently met with by the stranger in the land 
 when following his own devices. Going at full 
 speed on the clever little mare that had been fur- 
 nished by Mr. King, I suddenly found my steed 
 floundering in the black bog land, extricating her- 
 self from one only to fall into another of these traps 
 for strangers, but quickly dismounting, the mare, 
 lightened of her burthen, was on her legs, and we 
 were off again. 
 
 But, to return to the business of this particular 
 day. We found ourselves, after a beautiful ride of 
 eighteen miles at the meet, where a large "field" 
 was assembled, many being well-mounted, others in 
 carriages, and not a few on foot. 
 
 I have long had a desire to become acquainted 
 with the Rev. John Russell, but thinking this cele- 
 brated sportsman must have, during his long career, 
 been awfully bored by those desirous of narrating 
 facts concerning his career, I abstained on a former 
 occasion from making use of an introduction to him. 
 Having had the good fortune to accompany Mr. S. 
 H. Warren to cover, who fills the post of secretary to 
 the Devon and Somerset Staghounds in a manner 
 that causes him to be a most popular man with all 
 classes, I availed myself of his kindness, and was 
 introduced to this venerable patriarch of the chase 
 — a man in whose society princes and princesses 
 delight ; who is an example to his profession, beloved 
 by his friends and neighbours, and the admiration 
 of all who are judges of geniality and tenderhearted- 
 
88 Hark Azuay. 
 
 ness, combined with the manhness of character that 
 is not unfreqnently found in a true Enghsh sports- 
 man. 
 
 Amongst the many who were attracted to this 
 beautiful spot was Mrs. Froude Bellew, of Rhyll, 
 whose husband is the Master of the Dulverton Fox- 
 hounds, an elegant horsewoman, and a grand per- 
 former across country, not mounted this day, but 
 hunting on wheels, accompanied by her sister, Mrs. 
 Rowcliffe, Colonel and j\Irs. Festing, accompanied by 
 their two youthful sons, mounted upon capital ponies ; 
 Lord Rocksavage, Captain Marshall, an extremely 
 cheerful companion, as I subsequently found ; Mr. 
 Nicholas Snow, Master of the Stars of the West, an ex- 
 cellent sportsman ; Captain Doddington, of Coombe ; 
 Miss Jeykell, Mr. Chorley, Master of the Quarm 
 Harriers; the Rev. Mr. Anderson, of ^\'insford, and 
 a host more well-known riders with his popular 
 pack. 
 
 Looking down upon this beautiful scenery, I ob- 
 serve no less than thirty vessels in the bay, the hounds 
 busy drawing the cover that runs down to Porlock, 
 the wide expanse of moorland that was visible in 
 whatever direction the eye turned ; and I thought 
 there was nothing wanted to make it thoroughly 
 enjoyable, excepting a find. I therefore left my 
 pleasant companions and the society of the sociable 
 Devon and Somerset squires and dames of high 
 degree, and wandered by the cover side, where I 
 was speedily rewarded by the sight of a noble 
 stag, which went away from Whitestone Park, and 
 over Hawkcombe. Then Mr. Blissett rode up, and 
 the words of a well-known song came across my 
 
Hunting the Wild Stag. 89 
 
 mind as I looked upon the stalwart form of this 
 noble sportsman : — 
 
 " Riglit boldly lie rides like a good man and true, 
 "\^'itll his bounds on ahead, and the stag in full view, 
 And the broad valleys ring with his loud houp halloo, 
 And the sound of his horu in the morning — " 
 
 for a short time only elapsed before the hounds were 
 laid on, and we were away at a rattling pace, crossing 
 the boundary wall that encircles Mr. Knight's vast 
 tract of moorland, crossing an arm of the river Lynn, 
 leaving Larkborough on the left, swinging round to- 
 wards Oare, and finally losing at Chalkwater, in the 
 direction of Badgworthy, after a clipping little spin 
 over the heather, up and down the steep hills, and 
 through the densely-wooded combes, in pursuit of 
 this warrantable stag, who, however, left us in the 
 lurch, after which the hounds went home to Exford. 
 
 Riding homewards, we experienced the delights of 
 this variable climate; drenching showers came in 
 rapid succession, and long ere we reached Exford we 
 were wetted to the skin, for when it rains in Devon- 
 shire or Somersetshire there is no mistake about it. 
 So grand is the sport, however, and so enjoyable the 
 life that is spent in these lovely counties, that a 
 little more or less of water is a thing of no import, 
 the natives being extremely hospitable, with a ten- 
 dency to offer cherry brandy, dry sherry, or the 
 whiskies of Scotland and Ireland on the slightest 
 provocation, either of which I found a preventive of 
 cold and an antagonist of rheumatism. 
 
CHAPTER XIL 
 
 THE ROYAL BUCKHOUNDS. 
 
 N(3E again the year has revolved, and the 
 first meet of the season being announced, 
 I determined to do what I have done any 
 time this forty years, namely, to journey 
 to Salthill in order to be present on the opening day 
 of the Queen's Hounds. 
 
 Forty years since is a long time to look back, and 
 I am fain to exclaim, "Companions of my youth, 
 where are ye? " Where is Captain Howard Vyse of 
 Stoke, a clinker across country? where are the 
 Coxes of Hilhngdon, as they were familiarly called ; 
 right good men all of them over the grass ; Cap- 
 tain, or as he was better known in days past, 
 Johnny Best, 'good at everything, and riding in par- 
 ticular; Haig, the impetuous, on Shillalah, looking 
 out for the most impracticable place, that he might 
 have a shy at it ; Philpot, who was a nailer over the 
 Harrow country; Montgomery, on Tam Bouff, a noted 
 grey, who specially negotiated timber ; Holligan, on 
 the Creeper, the pick of Tollit's stud — a rum one to 
 look at, but a good one to go ; Tom Edwards, on Tom 
 Tug, a persevering party over a stiff line of country ; 
 Jack Stevens, on Cock of the Heath, a much -talked- 
 
The Royal Buckhoimds. 9 1 
 
 of horse (by his owner), and a real good animal 
 nevertheless ; JStaniforth on his favourite chesnnt ; 
 Jem Mason, the most elegant of horsemen, and 
 grandest of performers in a steeplechase ; Alan 
 M'Donough, with many besides % and echo answers, 
 "Where?" 
 
 Where, especially, is Alfred Count D'Orsay, poet, 
 sculptor, dandy, sportsman ? Well do I remember 
 seeing him arrive at the meet at the Red Lion at 
 Southall, when the Earl of Chesterfield w^as Master 
 of the Buckhounds, in the Earl of Pembroke's chariot, 
 drawn by four magnificent horses ridden by post-boys 
 in livery, after the fashion of the good old days when 
 we were young. Then, mounted on a remarkable 
 horse, the property of Lord Pembroke, faultlessly 
 dressed, he was the cynosure of every eye. A fop 
 he might have been, but a good horseman and plea- 
 sant companion beyond all doubt. Whilst chatting 
 with him. General Grant of Hayes Park rode up, 
 mounted on a pony, the outside value of which was 
 £5, looking like a gone-to-seed gamekeeper, in his 
 
 old brown coat and battered hat : " it, D'Orsay, 
 
 how are you % how well you are looking, 
 
 it " (the General was in the habit of using strong ex- 
 pletives). It was a curious meeting, cordial on both 
 sides, and I said to myself, " Sure such a pair were 
 never seen." 
 
 But this is talking of the merry days when we 
 were young, when youth's gay fancy threw o'er life 
 its glowing hue, and has nothing to do with the 
 business of the day ; therefore I must be practical, so 
 " that listening ears may catch the sound of man 
 expectant, eager horse, and hound." Fresh from 
 
92 Hark Azuay. 
 
 Devonshire, where I have been hunting the wild 
 deer and following the roe — coming home, in fact, in 
 order to be present on the first day of the season of 
 the Queen's — I am able to judge of the comparative 
 merits of the two styles of stag hunting. I can truly 
 say that, failing one, I can readily enjoy the other ; 
 and though it is delightful to see "the antlered 
 monarch of the waste spring from his heathery 
 couch in haste," and go a clinker across the track- 
 less wastes of Exmoor, yet I do not disregard the fact 
 that a gallop of an hour and a-half with the Koyal 
 Buckhounds over the Harrow country, from Polehill 
 to Pinner, Finchley, and Hendon, is good enough to 
 satisfy the most eager of sportsmen. 
 
 It was not a sotitherly wind and cloudy sky — in fact 
 it was a bright, cold morning, Avith a keen north-east 
 wind blowing — as I stepped into the South-Western 
 Kailway — en route to the AVhite Hart Hotel at 
 Windsor. It is nearly half-a-century since I first 
 visited that best-conducted of all hotels. I like old 
 associations (also old port), and when I look back — 
 but that is running heel, and won't do to-day. 
 Having ordered a grey horse which had carried me 
 well on former occasions to be in readiness, and also 
 a substantial breakfast, which, by the way, was 
 better served than I have seen one for some time. 
 I started in a proper frame of mind to enjoy a day 
 with the Royal Buckhounds. 
 
 Starting from the White Hart at ten o'clock, I 
 rode through Eton to Slough station in order to 
 meet a friend who was coming down by the special 
 from Paddington, which arrived to its time, bringing 
 no less than twenty-four horse-boxes, containing 
 
The Royal B2ickho2tnds. 93 
 
 seventy-two horses, and a trainful — a bumper, in 
 fact — of sportsmen. An animated scene was this, 
 and at any rate showed that the popularity of the 
 Queen's is not on the wane. 
 
 First I recognise Mr. Edmund Tattersall, looking 
 hale and hearty ; Mr. F. Spiers, who is a good man 
 to hounds ; Mr. Pierce, whom I see occasionally 
 going the pace across the Devonshire hills and dales ; 
 Mr. Bowen-May ; Mr. Willis, a veteran rider with 
 these hounds, whom I remember a constant attend- 
 ant on them forty years since. Then it is time to 
 move on to Salt Hill ; the road is lined with carriages 
 and horsemen, numbering many more than I have 
 seen for some years past. At half-past eleven 
 o'clock, or thereabouts, Goodall rode up with fifteen 
 couple of hounds, in magnificent condition, and I 
 Avas glad to see the Royal huntsman in the saddle 
 again, looking fit as a fiddle, which I know his 
 numerous friends will consider welcome tidings. 
 Now, I see Frank Sherborne, a rattling good man 
 across country; Mr. Douglas, of Hounslow, who has 
 ridden for many years with the pack ; Mr. Nevill, 
 Mr. Lever, Mr. Briant, and — is it possible? Mr. Edwin 
 James, Mrs. Herbert of Muckross, Miss Johns, and 
 several other ladies, and a host of men, many ex- 
 tremely well mounted — better, in fact, than I have 
 seen for some years. 
 
 The usual mob waited upon the deer cart, and 
 accompanied it to Bayliss Court Farm, where the 
 deer, Honesty by name, was uncarted coram ijopuli, 
 and the many-headed received him w^ith the usual 
 courtesies. Fortunately it was a stout-hearted ani- 
 mal, and was not bewildered by the cordial, if some. 
 
94 Hark Away. 
 
 what discordant, reception that was accorded him, 
 and speedily took to his heels. After the customary 
 law had been allowed him, Goodall threaded his way 
 through the dense crowd of horsemen, carriages, 
 and pedestrians in his usual easy, clever way, and 
 laid the hounds on. Quickly they picked up the 
 scent, and Avent away a screamer, leaving Stoke 
 Park on the right, in the direction of Farnham Royal. 
 At the first fence several good men went wrong ; 
 loose horses galloped along, and I noticed a hat 
 trampled well into the mud. My horse was as fresh 
 as paint, and jumped the first fence in so light- 
 hearted a manner that had I not had a good grip of 
 the saddle, I might have gone wrong too. If I did 
 ride too close to hounds once or twice, it wasn't my 
 fault, for the grey would not be denied; his motto 
 was " Forrard on ! forrard on ! " Then leaving 
 Stoke Park on the right, we ran away to Burnham 
 Beeches, skirting the woods and going in the direc- 
 tion of Beaconsfield, running up to Wilton Park ; 
 then away through a difficult country past Gold 
 Hill, on by a dilapidated windmill in Outfield, near 
 Chalfont St. Giles ; away like steam in the direc- 
 tion of Amersham ; and then on at a racing pace 
 to Cheneys, near Rickmansworth, in Hertfordshire, 
 where Honesty was run into and taken, after a slap- 
 ping run of two hours and three-quarters over a 
 difficult line of country. 
 
CHAPTEE XIII. 
 
 HUNTING IN DEVON AND SOMEESET. 
 
 EE winter comes to rule the varied 
 year," for the moors and hill tops are 
 covered with snow. The time for 
 hunting the wild stag is past. Cub 
 hunting is finished, the serious business of the sea- 
 son has commenced, and lovers of the noble pastime 
 may rest assured that the prospects of sport are 
 excellent ; that foxes, hares, and hinds abound ; and 
 they may depend, if they will travel thus far, taking 
 up their quarters either at the Lion Hotel in Dul- 
 verton, or the White Horse at Exford, on finding 
 capital quarters, can be excellently mounted, hunt 
 every day either hind, hare, or fox, and mix with 
 the most genial, pleasant, and hospitable people that 
 can be imagined. It is not your feather-bed sports- 
 man, who is afraid to scratch his leathers and boots 
 and desires merely a twenty-five minutes' spin across 
 the grass that I address. No, it is the man who 
 loves the science of hunting, desires to see hounds 
 work, and is not afraid to ride over hill and dale, 
 moorland and meadow, and brawling brooks, through 
 dense woods, or lovely combes, which are the features 
 of the beautiful counties of Devon and Somerset, 
 
96 Hark Azvay. 
 
 whose attention I desire to attract. Hunting the wild 
 red deer I have alway considered the finest sport that 
 can be found in Great Britain, and not to see it is 
 to lose a grand treat. The period of hunting the stag 
 has just finished, and hind hunting is in full swing. 
 
 Having enjoyed a few days during the month of 
 August at the commencement of the time for hunt- 
 ing the stag, and being enchanted with the scenery, 
 the excellence of the sport, and the hospitality of 
 the inhabitants, I determined to have a ride or two 
 with the Devon and Somerset, when in pursuit of a 
 hind. Leaving the fogs of London, I travel to Dul- 
 verton, going as far as Chard by the London and 
 South-Western Railway, travelling through a beauti- 
 ful line of country — a far preferable route, in my 
 opinion, to that of the Great Western. I arrived 
 to find the fixture for the following day was Haddon 
 Hill, on the estate of Lord Carnarvon, whose woods, 
 extending some eight or nine miles, abound with 
 red deer. Mounted by Mr. King on a sturdy little 
 horse, I was off at an early hour to try my luck at 
 hunting the hind, singing the following Avords sug- 
 gested by the occasion, as I canter quickly along — 
 
 " Then urge on your steed, for he never must lag 
 Who through the wild heather goes hunting the stag ; 
 
 Hunting the stag, 
 
 Hunting the stag, 
 Who through the wild heather goes hunting the stag. 
 ' Tallyho ! Gone away ! ' are the sounds that I hear, 
 For the tufters have s-taited a noble red deer. 
 Then forward, hark forward ! o'er moorland and hill. 
 Through the verdure- clad woodlands and swift-flowing rill ; 
 O'er the emerald glades and the wild trackless waste, 
 Knee deep in the bracken we ride in hot haste. 
 
Hu7iting m Devo7i and Somerset, 97 
 
 Hark, hark ! From yon valley come musical sounds : 
 
 'Tis the horn of the huntsman, the cry of the hounds. 
 
 He rises yon steep hill ; he bends to the west, 
 
 And hides in a leafy combe, panting for rest. 
 
 But his foes are upon him, close, close on his track, 
 
 And vainly he flies from the bloodthirsty pack. 
 
 Hard pressed is our quarry — for dear life he flies ; 
 
 The hounds gain upon him ; he lists to their cries. 
 
 Then the headland is reached, from the tall cliff he bounds, 
 
 And in the wild ocean escapes from the hounds. 
 
 Eesigned to his fate, o'er the waters he's borne. 
 
 And dies on the wild waves that break on Glenthorne. 
 
 So urge on your steeds, for he never must lag 
 
 Who through the wild heather goes hunting the stag." 
 
 Soon Haddon Hill is reached, and I see Arthur 
 with his pack, and a nnmeroiis party of well-known 
 riders with these hounds. First and foremost is 
 the popular and respected sportsman, Mordaunt 
 Fenwick Bissett, the Master ; Mrs. J. Froude Belle w, 
 admirably mounted, riding with nerve and judg- 
 ment, being to the manner born a huntress, having 
 been trained up in the way she should go from her 
 earliest childhood ; Captain and Mrs. Bernard, the 
 latter mounted on a well-bred sporting-looking 
 grey ; Miss Jekyll, the Honourable Robert Trollope, 
 Messrs. Gore Langton, Marshall, B. M. Collyns, and 
 sundry of the dwellers of Dulverton ; Mr. King, of 
 the Lion ; and Mr. Tarre, of the Lamb, riding 
 amicably together. But time is up, and Arthur 
 Heal brings out three couples of hounds, tufters, 
 and accompanied by Miles, the clever, intelligent 
 harbour er, and George Southwell, his able whip, 
 proceeds to draw for a hind in the lovely cover 
 that lies at our feet. Sheltered behind a group of 
 trees I wait expectantly the sound of " Tallyho ! 
 
 G 
 
gS Hark Away, 
 
 tallyho ! yoi ! have at him there ! " but some con- 
 siderable time elapsed ere we came across a hind ; 
 at length a view-halloo is heard on the hill, and I 
 saw what I thought was a hind going well away 
 from the end of the combe, mounting a tremen- 
 dously steep hill, running through a small cover, 
 pointing for a capital line of country. Now, I 
 thought, we are in for a good thing ; over the gate 
 goes the beautiful animal, hotly pursued by the 
 tufters ; when suddenly a cracking of whips and 
 rating of hounds is heard, for we find it is a young 
 stag we are pursuing, and stags are out of season. 
 So the hounds are stopped, and Arthur proceeds to 
 draw for another. The afternoon was wet, cold, 
 and windy ; there was not a particle of scent, and 
 though we found again we did not succeed in 
 driving out a hind ; and thus ended my first day. 
 
 Our next meet was at Hele Bridge, a lovely spot 
 close to Dulverton. This day I was mounted on a 
 clever grey, whose performances subsequently aston- 
 ished my weak mind ; climbing up, and what is 
 more, coming down hills which are nearly perpen- 
 dicular as cleverly as a cat in a dairy, picking his way 
 through heather hock deep, travelhng over rolling 
 stones and fallen trees, never once putting his foot 
 wrong. I subsequently rode him down one of the 
 steepest hills on the road home with the reins on his 
 neck, feeling perfectly certain that he knew how to do 
 it better than I ; and my confidence in his safety was 
 not misplaced, for he carefully picked his way amongst 
 the rolling stones, as we came at a sling trot down 
 the steepest part. Starting in good time, I over- 
 take Mr. S. H. Warren, the honorary secretary of 
 
Httnting in Devon a7td Somerset. 99 
 
 the Devon aud Somerset Hounds, a post which he 
 has ably and pleasantly filled for a period of nearly 
 thirty years ; himself a thorough sportsman, a bold 
 and good rider, a jovial and genial man, he has 
 contributed greatly to the pleasures of those hunting 
 with this pack. Acknowledging this fact, some of 
 the most ardent supporters of stag hunting proposed 
 that a testimonial should be presented to Mr. 
 Warren as an acknowledgment of his long and 
 gratuitous services. With a committee such as the 
 one proposed, viz., Messrs. Chorley, Joyce, and Halse, 
 there is no doubt that the movement will result 
 in a success, especially as upwards of £100 was 
 subscribed on the occasion of the first meeting which 
 was called to consider the question. 
 
 It is owing to the good feeling and liberality that 
 pervades all classes in Devon and Somerset, in re- 
 spect to these matters, that so much sport is shown. 
 Every dweller in these parts is interested. When 
 returning from hunting, the parson, the clerk, the 
 sexton, the school children, all invariably put the 
 one question, " Have you killed ? " Arriving at the 
 meet, I find most of the usual attendants, including 
 Mrs. Froude Bellew, Miss Jekyll, Captain and Mrs. 
 Barnard, the Hon. Robert Trollope, Messrs. Gore, 
 Langton, Kendall, etc. The time being up, the office 
 is given by Mr. Warren, in the absence of Squire 
 Bissett, who, not arriving until after twelve o'clock, 
 was out of the hunt altogether. Then Arthur pro- 
 ceeds to draw a lovely combe adjacent to Hele 
 Bridge. Short time elapses ere we find, and a hind 
 goes away, accompanied, unfortunately, by her calf, 
 which is pulled down by the hounds in a turnip field 
 
lOO Hark Away. 
 
 close to the Dulverton Road. The hind went back 
 into cover, but being rattled about by the tufters, 
 breaks again, crossing the Dulverton Road, going 
 for Haddon. Then I gallop through the farm-yard, 
 see her going into the cover, and await Arthur, 
 who speedily comes with the pack, which is laid on 
 to her track ; but the scent being indifferent, the 
 young hounds were rather slow in picking it up ; 
 at last they got ou good terms with the hind, and 
 rattled her about through the dense woods, driving 
 her first in the direction of the open tract of land 
 lying around King's Brompton. Then she suddenly 
 doubles back, and descends into the valley of the 
 Exe, running down stream at a tremendous bat, 
 trying to baffle her pursuers by taking to the 
 water, but the hounds are not to be baffled, and 
 dash at her, knocking her over. Then, recover- 
 ing her legs, she goes away at a racing pace 
 over Leigh Barron, going in the direction of 
 Morebath ; then, taking again to the water, it is 
 soon made too hot to hold her, and she makes for 
 a small cover, where she is killed, after running 
 from first to last for three hours and a-half. When 
 the hind doubled back and made for the valley, 
 I was at the top of the cover, and thinking to be 
 clever, I followed a farmer, who proposed very 
 kindly to show me the way ; and he did so, and a 
 strange way, in fact I may say a tall way, it was. 
 Straight down the slope of the almost perpendicular 
 hill he rode, occasionally going by a side path, 
 but certainly for half, or more than half the distance, 
 as straight as a die. Now, I estimate that the 
 height of the hill down which he was kind enough 
 
Hunting in Devon aiid So7ne7^set. loi 
 
 to precede me, was not less than 500 feet. The 
 ground was exceedingly deep in parts, and slippery. 
 Down, down, down, through dense brushwood, 
 sturdy briars, rolling stones, rushy places, suggestive 
 of boggy pits, over fallen trees, I followed that 
 heedless horseman in his, what I should have 
 thought, reckless career, but which, in reality, was 
 his ordinary style of going across country. For the 
 greater part of the distance I remained on my 
 horse, who never stumbled or tripped ; occasionally 
 slipping, but never discomposed; always ready to 
 crop a green hazel bough, or snatch at a more than 
 ordinarily tempting piece of grass, with the rein 
 hanging loosely on his neck. But when I saw that 
 heedless horseman dismount, I followed his example ; 
 a hundred feet below, flowed the picturesque river 
 Exe; extremely pretty is this swift-flowing river 
 when seen from a level point of observation; 
 viewed from the precipitous path, by no means 
 tempting. Passing the whip through my nag's 
 reins, I walked, stumbling and jostling against him, 
 regretting that I had not kept on his back, where 
 I Avas far more at home than I found myself au pied. 
 It must be a steep hill, indeed, that has not a 
 termination, and at last I found myself on all fours 
 with the Exe, for I lost not a moment in remount- 
 ing, and galloped along the green valley as hard as 
 I could, finding that the hounds had slipped away 
 whilst we were coming down from our high places. 
 
 Crossing the bridge, I hear a view-halloo ; a 
 cottager informs me that the hind has just gone 
 across the turnip field. Three couple of hounds 
 emerge from the cover, hunting the animal steadily, 
 
I02 Ha7^k Away. 
 
 and I pull up, taking these for the leading hounds, 
 awaiting the coming of the pack. But, thpugh the 
 quarry was a hind, it was not the hind which was 
 going away like steam far over hill, dale, and wood- 
 land, consequently, with several others, I also was 
 from this time out of the hunt entirely. I stuck, 
 however, to the three couples of hounds, who were 
 trying to puzzle out the line of the hind, in the 
 vain hope that they might run into her, but, after 
 doing their best, they threw up their heads and 
 followed me back to Dulverton. 
 
 After some time, Arthur appears on the scene, in 
 high spirits with the success he has met with, for 
 this has been a trying time for the huntsmen. 
 The outbreak of hydrophobia destroyed some four- 
 teen couples of the old pack, and a great part of 
 the work of the present season has been done by 
 the young hounds, who have only been freshly 
 entered to the stag. Notwithstanding this great 
 disadvantage, the sport, whilst not coming up to 
 the usual standard, has been fairly good ; sixteen 
 stags have been killed, whilst the hind hunting, as 
 far as it has gone at present, has been satisfactory, 
 several having been killed after good runs. 
 
 How I met the Tiverton on the opening day, 
 galloped for an hour with the Q.H., or Quorm 
 Harriers, with Mr. Chorley in pursuit of a hare, 
 killing her in first-rate style; how I dined with the 
 yeomanry, made the acquaintance of the Master of 
 the Dulverton Foxhounds, riding with his beautiful 
 pack, and seeing him kill his foxes, and was entertained 
 at his hospitable home — are they not written in my 
 j ournal, ready for publication when ojDportunity offers? 
 
CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 HUNTING IN DEVON AND SOMERSET. 
 
 URING a fortnight spent in Dulverton and 
 the neighbourhood, fortune favoured me 
 greatly. I know of no two counties in 
 which there is such a decided tendency 
 to hospitahty and good fellowship as in Devon and 
 Somerset, and consequently, when I received an in- 
 vitation from the Master of the Dulverton Foxhounds 
 to spend a day or two with him at Rhyll, a short 
 distance from Dulverton, I right gladly availed my- 
 self of the hospitable offer. 
 
 Leaving the Lion at five o'clock, I drove in a dog- 
 cart up as steep a hill as one usually meets with in 
 any Highland district, and arrived at Rhyll in time 
 for dinner. The Master of the Dulverton Foxhounds 
 is Squire Froud Bellew, a member of one of the oldest 
 Devonshire families, and a type of the true English 
 squire, one of the olden time. Since the establish- 
 ment of the railway system, country life has been 
 revolutionised ; and fashion and formahty are too 
 often found in the place of the hearty hospitality of 
 
I04 Hark Away, 
 
 bygone times. Not so in Devon : for there I fully 
 realised the words of Felicia Hemans: — 
 
 " The stately homes of England, 
 How beautiful they stand, 
 Amidst the tall, ancestral trees, 
 O'er all the pleasant land," 
 
 when I was asked to accompany the Squire and 
 Mrs. Bellew to Holcombe Court, to be present at the 
 breakfast on the opening day of the Tiverton Fox- 
 hounds — a drive through a beautiful line of country, 
 passing through Bampton, celebrated for its fair, at 
 which the Exmoor ponies are sold in vast numbers, 
 brought us to Holcombe Court, the residence of Mr. 
 Rayer, the Master of the Tiverton Hounds. 
 
 This beautiful place has a history which, as yet, I 
 have not had time to master. That it is of ancient date 
 may be judged by the fact of the library having been 
 the room in which King John was entertained some 
 seven hundred years since. The massive carved oak 
 doors and ceiling at once proclaimed its antiquity. 
 An elegant breakfast was laid in the panelled dining- 
 room, the table tastefully ornamented with lovely 
 flowers and rare ferns, around which the guests in 
 hunting costume were seated. The men in scarlet 
 coats and ladies in habits made an exceedingly 
 pleasant picture. On the lawn the hounds, which, 
 by the way, are hunted by Mr. Collier, whose pack 
 of otter hounds is one of the celebrities of the county, 
 were duly paraded ; groups of hunters in clothing, 
 farmers on sturdy-looking nags, ladies' horses, with 
 their saddles carefully covered up, were to be seen ; 
 and the morning being fair, it was a more than 
 
Hunting in Devon and Somerset. 105 
 
 usually pleasant inauguration of the season. A fox 
 was soon found in the cover adjacent, and went 
 straight away, affording a merry little spin, which 
 seemed to give great satisfaction to the large " field" 
 which attended on this occasion. A second run was 
 considerably longer, and, for an opening day, the 
 sport shown was decidedly satisfactory. 
 
 Enjoyable as this pleasant day was, I had still 
 greater pleasure in store, and went cub hunting with 
 Squire Bellew on Hawkridge Common. The country 
 through which I rode was simply lovely. *' The morn, 
 in russet mantle clad, walks o'er the dew of yon high 
 eastward hill," and the country seen at this period 
 of the year is far grander to the view, when the 
 frost has touched the heather and brackens, even 
 if not as beautiful as when the purple heather is in 
 full bloom. That the Master of the Dulverton Fox- 
 hounds, now in the prime of life, is a man of experi- 
 ence, may be judged from the circumstance of his 
 having had a pack of hounds of his own at the early 
 age of fourteen. No wonder, then, when I looked at 
 his pack I found them a very crack lot, all in bloom- 
 ing condition, and fit to do the hard work before 
 them. 
 
 " I like hounds," said the master, " to be long, low, 
 and lusty," which I think is as concise a criticism as 
 I have ever heard. Soon I see them at work, and 
 find ample proof of their excellence. Quickly a fox 
 is found in a patch of gorse on a steep hill side, and 
 they very shortly make the place too hot to hold 
 him, and he breaks away within a few yards of me, 
 — a fine fellow he was, and we went away at a 
 rattling pace over hill, dale, and moorland, until 
 
io6 Hark Away, 
 
 finally we ran him to ground after a capital run. 
 Then he was dug out, and speedily broken up by the 
 eager pack After this we found another fox, and 
 ran him hard over an extremely difficult country, the 
 hounds hunting the fox themselves, at times when 
 no one could get to them, in a fashion that I have 
 rarely seen equalled. Heavy showers fell at inter- 
 vals, but they did not stop Mrs. Bellew, who gave 
 myself and friend — we forming the field — a lead 
 down a steep hill into the beautiful village of 
 Withypool, at a pace which was simply astonishing ; 
 but this bold and clever horsewoman is invariably 
 well-mounted, and upon animals, too, that are ac- 
 customed to the country. After a capital run, we 
 ran the second fox to ground, who met the same fate 
 as his predecessors. The services of Spot were 
 called into requisition, and this beautiful specimen of 
 a fox terrier, whose muzzle was scored and scarred 
 in a wonderful way, betokened many a fight with 
 an old dog fox when endeavouring to force him 
 from his stronghold. 
 
 On Sunday afternoon, I paid a visit to " Jack Bab- 
 bage," and Jean, his auld wife ; a veteran huntsman 
 is he indeed, now in his 78th year, whose fame has so 
 often been proclaimed in connection with the Devon 
 and Somerset Staghounds, and whose portrait ap- 
 pears in the well-known presentation picture of Mr. 
 Bissett and liis pack. Now beyond work, he lives 
 quietly and contentedly at Rhyll, and was pleased 
 to have a chat about the sport he loved so well and 
 followed so long. The following morning Mr. Bellew 
 mounted me on a remarkably clever horse, and again 
 we went cub hunting, riding up to our girths in 
 
Huntmg in Devoii and Some7^set. 107 
 
 brown heather, straight down a tremendously steep 
 hill, at the bottom of which flows the Barle ; then, 
 crossing that swift-flowing stream, the Squire stop- 
 ping to take up Spot, who was nothing loth to ride 
 on the pommel of his master's saddle, we mounted 
 the steep hill side, and drew for a fox. As we rode 
 along we startled a quantity of black game, many 
 partridges, and sundry snipes. Presently a hound 
 speaks, and a fox is found in a thick gorse cover. 
 There is scarcely a particle of scent, and they have 
 hard work to make him go away. But the Squire 
 cheers and encourages them, and the adjacent hills 
 re-echo the sound of his cheery cry and the mellow 
 tone of his horn, and I say to myself this is true 
 hunting. Sport in every sense of the word it is to 
 see hounds working so steadily. At length the fox 
 is forced to fly, they are too close to his brush for his 
 comfort, and " Gone away, gone away, gone away ! " 
 echoes and re-echoes through the woods. FoUoTvang 
 the Squire we come to a fence, which I should not 
 have thought any horse would have faced. " Jump 
 off, and get over as quick as you can," said the 
 Master, and I did so in a manner by no means grace- 
 ful, to say the least, and turning the clever animals 
 loose, they jumped on the bank, forced their Avay 
 through the interlacing branches, and landed safely 
 alongside of me. Up and away we go again, and we 
 rattle that fox through the covers, up the hills, 
 through the combes and over the heather until we 
 lose him ; and then we return to Rhyll, after a most 
 delightful day's sport. 
 
 I was much struck with the Dulverton Foxhounds, 
 and the blooming condition they are in ; but as the 
 
io8 Hark Away, 
 
 master looks after them himself, as well as hunting 
 them, it is not surprising that they should be in good 
 fettle. An inspection of the kennels showed the 
 practical way in which they are managed, cleanli- 
 ness, drainage, and ventilation being duly considered, 
 and from the care and forethought shown, many a 
 master of hounds might learn a useful lesson if he 
 paid a visit to Rhyll. 
 
 Taking leave of my hospitable friends, I returned 
 to the Lion, and learning from my host that the 
 Quarm Harriers were to meet the following morning 
 at Winsford Hill, I determined to see Mr. Chorley 
 hunt the hare over the heather. I was told I should 
 see as perfect a pack of harriers as could be found in 
 any country. Having a special liking for a little 
 horse called Charley, Mr. King promised that I 
 should ride him ; and I started in good time, being 
 eager to try my hand at hare hunting, having suc- 
 ceeded so well when going on in pursuit of the stag, 
 the hind, and the fox. The morning was not pro- 
 pitious, and long before I reached Winsford Hill I 
 was drenched to the skin. Prompt to time, up rode 
 Mr. Chorley, and, after the usual pleasant greetings, 
 we proceeded to draw for a hare. The wind 
 howled, the rain fell in torrents, and Mr. Chorley 
 said, " Well, I think we had better go home." I 
 replied that I thought it would be the wisest thing 
 we could do. " But," said he, " you would like to 
 see one run, would you not '? " "I should, certainly," 
 was my reply, "and I will come another day." How- 
 ever, this staunch sportsman did not like turning 
 tail, and, after stopping to present "Court," the 
 keeper in charge of Sir Thomas Dyke Acland's pro- 
 
Hunting in Devon a7id Somerset. 109 
 
 perty, with a purse of £21 odd, subscribed by gentle- 
 men hunting with the Devon and Somerset, as an 
 acknowledgment of his services in harbouring deer 
 in this locality, we proceeded to draw for a hare in 
 the brown heather. A short time only elapses before 
 puss jumps up and goes away merrily ; the scent is 
 bad, but we hunt her across the turnip field, through 
 the meadows, back to the heather clad hill where 
 we found her, and ran into her after about fifteen 
 minutes' sharp going. Then the weather clears up, 
 and the bright sun dries my saturated garments, 
 and up jumps a good hare and goes away a clinker. 
 Charlie is my darling on this occasion, and carries me 
 at a rattling pace after these clever hounds. For 
 upwards of an hour we raced after this game hare, 
 and finally ran into her in a turnip field, and " Who- 
 whoop ! " Avas the cry. Then being invited by Mr. 
 Lovelace, upon whose farm we killed the hare, to 
 have some luncheon, I again experienced the hospi- 
 tality which is one of the prevailing features of 
 Devon and Somerset. 
 
i 
 
 1 
 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 
 K^ 
 
 w 
 
 ^ 
 
 1 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 M 
 
 m 
 
 mk 
 
 
 
 
 
 ^» 
 
 ^^li 
 
 
 
 
 ^^M 
 
 CHAPTER XY. 
 
 BEFORE THE EROST. 
 
 SHALL have very great pleasure in 
 joining you on Thursday. AVith very 
 many thanks for your kindness, yours," 
 etc., was the reply I made to the 
 pleasant invitation of Mr. Edward Durrant, the 
 popular secretary of the Tunbridge Wells district 
 of the West Kent Hunt, to attend the first meet 
 of the season at Lullingstone Castle, the beautiful 
 seat of Sir AVilliam Hart Dyke. Starting from 
 Victoria Station by the London, Chatham, and 
 Dover Railway, a short journey landed me, punc- 
 tual to a minute, at the Eynesford station. It was 
 evident that it was a more than ordinary occurrence 
 that caused such bustle, but not confusion, at this 
 usually tranquil station. Thanks to Mr. Vincent 
 Hill, the fifty horses arriving by the up and down 
 trains were speedily unloaded, and the ladies, being 
 mounted, escorted by men in pink, formed a gay 
 cavalcade as they wended their way to the castle. 
 Not only was I invited to attend this large gather- 
 ing, but also to ride Grey Friar, a sporting-looking 
 horse, whose performances fully carried out the 
 promise his appearance betokened. A ride of a 
 
Befo7'e the Frost, 1 1 1 
 
 mile or so, journeying through the fine old park, 
 brought me to the seat of the Dyke family, and, 
 passing under the venerable ivy-clad archway, I 
 saw for the first time the old-fashioned house, with 
 the ancient parish church of St. Botoljjh, in which 
 are beautifully-stained windows, on one side of the 
 lawn, and on the other the waterfall and winding 
 stream, the home of many wdld fowd ; whilst on the 
 lawn were the huntsman and his hounds, and a large 
 assemblage of the magnates of the county. Men in 
 scarlet, ladies in habits, sturdy yeomen, and lads and 
 lasses of the neighbouring villages were mingling 
 freely together ; whilst Sir W. Hart Dyke was 23ress- 
 ing every comer to partake of the magnificent 
 repast that was spread in the beautifully-decorated 
 hall. Nor were the visitors slack in availing them- 
 selves of the hospitable invitation, nor averse to 
 try the inviting bottles containing the hunt break 
 fast champagne, a dry wine decorated with an 
 especially sporting label, which attracted universal 
 attention, and which induced the visitors again and 
 again to try, as Mr. Pickwick did the punch, in 
 order to ascertain to a certainty whether it was 
 really dry champagne ; and these trials probably 
 were productive, at a later period, of the deter- 
 mination on the part of certain eager sportsmen 
 to have a go at the sheep hurdles whilst the hounds 
 were drawing an adjacent cover. 
 
 It was a bright day and a beautiful scene. Among 
 the many present I noticed the Marquis and Mar- 
 chioness of Abergavenny, the Ladies Violet, Rose, 
 and Idina Nevill, Lord Henry Nevill, Lord George 
 Nevill, Viscount Hardinge, Viscount Sydney, Earl 
 
112 Hark Away. 
 
 Amherst, Earl Mostyn, Sir Charles H. Mills and 
 Lady Louisa Mills, the Hon. Ralph Pelham Nevill 
 and Mrs. Nevill, Sir Walter Stirling, the Ladies 
 Pratt, Lady Caroline Nevill, Lady Isabel and Miss 
 BHgh, Colonel Streatfield, Mr. H. Lubbock, Colonel 
 Lennard, the Hon. Captain Amherst, Colonel M'Lean, 
 Colonels Risley, Evelyn, and Fitzroy, Mr. G. H. Field 
 and Mr. Barclay Field of Ashurst Park, Mr. J. G. 
 Leveson-Gower, Captain Masters (late Master of the 
 H.F.H.), Mr. A. Brassey, Mr. W. Dickinson of Eridge, 
 Mr. Leny (Master of the Mid-Kent Staghounds), Mr. 
 E. Durrant, Mr. Bates, Mr. H. Cramp, Miss Russell, 
 Mrs. Tuck, Mr. Quallett, Mr. Richard Russell of Ot- 
 ford Castle, the secretary of the West Kent Hunt, a 
 thorough-going sportsman, with whom I have had 
 a pleasant acquaintance for many a day ; Captain 
 Churchill, Captain W. H. Roberts, Mr. Fitch Kemp 
 of Foxbush, Mr. Waring, Mr. John Camden Hay- 
 ward, etc. 
 
 On this occasion the opportunity was taken to 
 present the Hon. Ralph Pelham Nevill w^ith a service 
 of plate of the value of 1000 guineas, in recognition 
 of many years' valued services as Master of the West 
 Kent Foxhounds. The magnificent testimonial was 
 presented by Sir W. Hart Dyke in an appropriate and 
 cheery manner, and the happy allusions, and the 
 hearty and feeling style of address, elicited much 
 and loud applause from the assembled sportsmen. 
 The master having returned thanks in an equally 
 happy style, not only for the testimonial itself, but 
 also for the silver horn presented by the ladies of the 
 West Kent Hunt, George Bollen and his whips 
 mounted their horses and moved off to draw an 
 
Before the Frost, 113 
 
 adjacent cover. " Halloa in there ! Yoi ! have at 
 him there ! " and this quick and clever huntsman 
 was soon on the line of a fox, whilst a view-halloo 
 goon proclaimed that he had gone away. 
 
 Letting Grey Friar have his head, I found it would 
 be my fault if I did not live close to the hounds, and 
 after a pleasant gallop of fifteen or twenty minutes, 
 the hounds came to a check in a patch of bracken in 
 the park. A halloo back was heard, and the hounds 
 were lifted and laid on to what I believe was a fresh 
 fox, which gave us a spin of fifteen minutes, when 
 we ran him into a stiff cover, which he was unwilling 
 to quit, but George Bollen soon made the place too 
 hot to hold him, and we ran him back into a cover, 
 where we lost him, the scent being bad throughout 
 the day. After this we drew for some little while, 
 finding another fox, without being able to do any 
 good with him, and the hounds, which had some 
 distance to go to their kennels, were taken home. 
 Then a pleasant ride with Sir W. Hart Dyke through 
 the old park brought me back to the castle, where, 
 after partaking of further hospitality at the hands of 
 the very popular and courteous owner of this beauti- 
 ful residence, for centuries the home of the Harts and 
 Dykes — a fit dwelling for an English country gentle- 
 man — I took my leave, and trotted back by starlight 
 to Eynesford. 
 
 On the following Thursday, the meet of the West 
 Kent was at Eridge Castle, and having been invited 
 by the Marquis of Abergavenny to be present on the 
 occasion, and being promised another equally good 
 mount, I drove from Tunbridge Wells over Broad- 
 water Down, and entered the lovely domain of 
 
 H 
 
114 Hark Away. 
 
 Eridge, passing through beautifully-timbered pic- 
 turesque woods until the castle was reached. In the 
 12th of Henry IV. (1411) the manor passed into the 
 hands of the family of Beauchamp, Earls of Warwick, 
 and Lords Bergavenny. Sir Edward Nevill, the direct 
 ancestor of the present Marquis of Abergavenny, in 
 the 14th of Henry IV., did homage for the land of 
 his wife's inheritance — I should think without do- 
 ing any great violence to his feelings, for a fairer 
 domain is not to be found, were you to search 
 England throughout. 
 
 The deer park, the oldest in England, is of the 
 extent of 2000 acres, through which a stream passes 
 feeding the mere, which is seen from the castle 
 gardens, and is the abiding place of countless wild 
 ducks ; whilst herds of fallow as well as noble red 
 deer roam at will through the lovely glades, or rest 
 beneath the widely spreading trees that shelter 
 them in their favourite haunts. 
 
 Arriving at the castle, the scene was animated 
 beyond measure. George Bollen and his hounds, 
 surrounded by a large number of well-mounted men 
 and many ladies, were to be seen in readiness to 
 proceed to business. On entering the castle, I 
 passed through the entrance hall into the dining- 
 room, where a sumptuous breakfast was laid, and 
 though the " King-maker " seemed to look down 
 upon me somewhat austerely from the walls of this 
 noble apartment, I did not feel disconcerted, or in 
 the least disinclined to partake of the hospitality of 
 my noble host. 
 
 Then, being handed over to the care of Mr. Smith, 
 the house steward, I was shown through the mag- 
 
Before the Frost, 115 
 
 nificent suites of rooms ; admiring the rare elegance 
 of the decorations and furniture, the splendid array 
 of historical family portraits, the innumerable costly 
 ornaments, ancient oak carving, fine pictures, rare 
 prints, especially noting some original sporting 
 pictures in his lordship's study, as well as two 
 drawings, said to be the last executed by the late 
 Sir Francis Grant; and, finally, passing through the 
 beautiful drawing-room, in which the Marchioness 
 was receiving visitors, to the state bedroom, the 
 elegance of which especially attracted my attention, 
 the furniture and fittings showing the most perfect 
 taste, even to the minutest details. Compelled to 
 hurry through the castle, the hounds having been 
 thrown into a cover close by, I could only cursorily 
 examine the beauties of this stately and yet com- 
 fortable home, and mounting my horse got to the 
 warren at the moment a fox was viewed, and a 
 cheery halloo given, betokening that he had gone 
 away. Through the beautiful woods we galloped ; 
 and, passing the wonderful Eridge rocks, which 
 there was not time to examine, we ran our fox at a 
 rattling pace in the direction of Frant, from thence 
 through the woods, finally driving him across the 
 open for a short while, when he went to ground in a 
 stronghold, from which there was no ejecting him, 
 called " Harrison's Rocks." Then we drew for a 
 second fox and soon found, running him for a while, 
 but there was no scent, and we finally lost him. 
 Present on this occasion were Lords Henry and 
 George Nevill, the Hon. Ralph Nevill, Lady Alice 
 Nevill, Lady Idina Nevill, Lady Rose Nevill, and 
 Lady Violet Nevill (who were admirably mounted, 
 
1 16 Hark Away. 
 
 and rode gallantly to hounds), Viscount Hardinge, 
 Mr. Field, Mr. Dickinson, Mr. Fitch Kemp, the trea- 
 surer of the West Kent Hunt ; Mr. Edward Durrant, 
 Mr. Cramp, Miss Russell, Mrs. Tuck, Mr. Bates, on 
 the well-known old " Doctor," etc. 
 
 The hounds next crossed the park, in order to 
 draw some extensive covers, and as they were 
 likely to be engaged for some time in their endea- 
 vours to drive another fox from the thick wood- 
 lands, I returned to the castle to luncheon, and had 
 a further opportunity of looking at the innumerable 
 objects of interest. 
 
 A large party was assembled, and a hearty wel- 
 come accorded to the numerous visitors by the noble 
 host and hostess. After a short halt I remounted, 
 and accompanied Lord Abergavenny through the 
 park, stopping to observe the stations by the side of 
 the mere, from which no fewer than eighty couples 
 of wild ducks were 'brought down by the Ministerial 
 party assembled at the castle a short while since. 
 
 Through a herd of fallow deer, stopping to ob- 
 serve two noble stags and sundry hinds, the kennels 
 are reached, and a splendid lot of deerhounds are 
 let out. A noble animal is the deerhound, and these 
 were exceedingly fine specimens. Hunting the deer 
 in Eridge Park is a sport worthy of the descendants 
 of a renowned and historic family, and, as I rode 
 through the beautiful glades, some lines from Shake- 
 speare's Henry VI. flashed across my mind : '' Under 
 this thick-grown brake we'll shroud ourselves; for 
 through this launde anon the deer will come, and in 
 this covert will we make our stand, culling the prin- 
 cipal of all the deer." 
 
Before the Frost. 1 1 7 
 
 I hope on a future occasion to witness the cours- 
 ing of the deer, and to watch the resohite hounds 
 capture a " stag of ten," after a gallant run of a few 
 minutes, in order to contrast this performance with 
 the slower process as followed in Devon and Somer- 
 set. Trotting along, we came up with the pack, and 
 drew the covers for some time without any success, 
 and finally returned to the castle ; where, according 
 to a good old custom, the lord of this noble demesne 
 handed me a stirrup-cup, bidding me to remember 
 that a hearty welcome would always greet> me when 
 I visited Eridge Castle. Then a short ride brought 
 me to the Calverley Hotel, at Tunbridge Wells, 
 where some of the hospitable inhabitants of this 
 charming place entertained me at dinner, in a style 
 which was fully in accordance with the previous 
 proceedings of the day — rendering doubly delightful 
 my second ride with the West Kent. 
 
 The Earl of Abergavenny is deservedly popular 
 with all classes throughout the county. A staunch 
 supporter of fox-hunting, a liberal friend to every 
 useful institution and a good landlord, he upholds 
 the traditions of his ancient family, setting a bright 
 example to his order. Seen in the hunting-field, 
 accompanied by his stalwart sons and graceful 
 daughters, the words of Henry VI. revert to 
 memory : — 
 
 " My crown is in my heart, not on my head, 
 Not decked with diamonds or Indian stones, 
 Nor to be seen ; my crown is called content ; 
 A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy." 
 
 During my stay at Tunbridge Wells, I was shown 
 
1 1 8 Hark Away. 
 
 all the wonders of the place. The Calverley Hotel, 
 where I took up my abode, is beautifully situated ; 
 the gardens are well laid out, and command very 
 extensive views far away to the Crowborough 
 Beacon and the heights of Ashdown Forest; and 
 from the fact of the site upon which it is built 
 having been the spot upon which stood Lushington 
 House, once the favourite summer residence of the 
 late Duchess of Kent and her illustrious daughter, 
 now Queen of Great Britain, it is unnecessary to 
 expatiate on the merits of the situation, though it 
 may be remarked that the arrangements of the 
 establishment are in harmony with the site. A walk 
 over Mount Ephraim enables you to see the Wells 
 to the greatest advantage. The view across the 
 common in the direction of Broadwater Down is 
 beautiful ; and the air — the day being bright and 
 clear — came fresh and invigorating from the Kentish 
 hills. Of course I was shown the celebrated Tun- 
 bridge ware manufactory, where Mr. Barton turns 
 out innumerable specimens of inlaid woodwork, an 
 art peculiar to Tunbridge Wells, and very beautiful 
 is some of this manufacture; then I dropped into 
 the studio of Mr. Robinson, whose photograph, 
 *' After the Day's Work is done," took the prize at 
 the Paris Exhibition, and is one of the finest pieces 
 of photography I have ever seen. Next I visited 
 the newly-erected pump-rooms, just approaching 
 completion — a large and commodious building, taste- 
 fully decorated. Reading and billiard rooms are 
 provided, and accommodation is secured for the 
 Nevill Club. 
 
 The analysis of the chalybeate water leads me to 
 
Before the Frost, 119 
 
 conclude that it is not necessary to travel to distant 
 parts, in order to drink the various kinds of health- 
 restoring water to be found in German watering- 
 places, whilst we have one like that of the Wells 
 close at hand, containing such ingredients as potash, 
 soda, lime, magnesia, and ferric oxide especially. 
 There is a great similarity in the component parts 
 of the various waters of this class, but the fact of the 
 large proportion of iron in combination with the 
 other ingredients of the water of Tunbridge Wells 
 strikes me as a peculiarly happy feature. If I 
 wanted, or when I want, to recuperate, to use an 
 American phrase, not during the hunting season — 
 because I consider there is no such tonic as a gallop 
 of an hour and a quarter at the tail of a good pack 
 of hounds — but when exhausted nature calls for rest 
 and fresh air, then I would try the dry, bracing 
 climate of this part of Kent. The soil is sandstone, 
 therefore the rain when it falls is quickly absorbed, 
 consequently there is a welcome absence of damp, 
 mist, and fog. It is forty years and upwards since I 
 visited Tunbridge Wells. 
 
 The town has, of course, vastly increased, but there 
 are many old and well-remembered landmarks re- 
 maining. The Pantiles are what they were when I 
 first remember the place, and it seemed but a little 
 while ago that I was passing down them en route to 
 Cramp's riding establishment, in order to obtain a 
 mount, that I might join a party of ladies bound for 
 a ride to Penshurst. There stands the well-known 
 establishment unchanged, with as good a lot of 
 animals as ever. I doubt, however, if I should 
 mount one with the agility of former years ; but I 
 
I20 Hark Away. 
 
 think, after a week or two's residence in this bright, 
 cheerful, healthy town, mingling with the hospitable, 
 agreeable, and sociable inhabitants, it would go far 
 towards the restoration of the powers of youth. 
 Doubtless under the fortuitous chain of circumstances 
 which surrounded me during my visit, everything 
 seemed couleur de rose; but, nevertheless, I think I 
 may truthfully say that Tunbridge Wells is one of 
 the nicest places of its class, and that if the tide of 
 fashion was to ebb from foreign countries, and flow 
 into an English channel such as this, every advan- 
 tage for those seeking health would be found at 
 home, instead of being sought for — often mth much 
 toil and vexation of spirit — in foreign climes. Very 
 pleasant are my recollections of my rides with the 
 West Kent Foxhounds, and it would be strange if I 
 should not return to scenes of past delights, especi- 
 ally as I have several cordial invitations to visit 
 their jovial inhabitants. 
 
CHAPTEK XVI. 
 
 BEFORE THE FEOST. 
 
 HEN I awoke in the morning to find London 
 enveloped in a dismal fog, and observed 
 on my breakfast table the bi-annual invi- 
 tation to a banquet from the Worshipful- 
 Company of Ironmongers, of which honourable guild 
 I am more or less a worthy member, I instantly 
 recognised the signs of the season, saw the impend- 
 ing winter weather, and forthwith resolved to seek 
 safety in flight from the evils attendant on the murky 
 atmosphere of the metropolis : escaping also the inevit- 
 able indigestion that follows on undue indulgence in 
 the pleasures of the table, and avoiding the headache 
 that is the reward of those who dine not wisely but 
 too well. Remembering the cordial invitations to 
 revisit scenes of past delights in the lovely counties 
 of Devon and Somerset, I determine to be off with- 
 out a minute's unnecessary delay, so as to try my 
 hand again at the glorious pastime of hunting the 
 hind over the trackless wastes of Exmoor, across 
 which I have ridden many a time and oft, when in 
 pursuit of a "stag often." 
 
 Making known my purpose, I am met with ob- 
 jections. A candid friend suggests that I have 
 
12 2 Hark A way, 
 
 arrived at a time of life when people usually relin- 
 quish such sports, and are content to sit in their easy 
 chairs and " fight o'er in prattle all their former wars;" 
 talks an immense amount of twaddle about falling 
 into " the sere and yellow leaf," and winds up by 
 directing my attention to a line in one of Johnson's 
 works, suggesting that it was highly applicable to 
 my case : " Superfluous lags the veteran on the 
 stage." True it is that I have indulged in this 
 manliest of all amusements for more than half-a- 
 century; but I laugh to scorn such maudlin re- 
 marks, and evince a stronger determination than 
 before to prove " that there is life in the old dog 
 yet." Hence my visit to Dulverton, which is reached 
 by a delightful run through a lovely line of country, 
 at a rapid speed, ^\dth the utmost punctuality and 
 despatch. 
 
 Travelling over the South- Western Railway, vid 
 Basingstoke and Salisbury, where the beanty of the 
 journey commences, watching the flocks of plovers, 
 — following their eccentric course as they wheel 
 around ere they settle on the barren down ; away 
 by Tisby, noting as I pass the beautiful seat of Mr. 
 Fane Bennett ; through Semley, Gillingham, Temple 
 Combe, Yeovil Junction, and Chard — quitting the line 
 at this point, the train proceeding via the Vale of 
 Honiton to Exeter, then on to Dulverton station ; 
 there I find a carriage in readiness, which rapidly 
 whirls me to the Lion, where a pleasant welcome 
 awaits me, and I learn that the Devon and Somerset 
 Hounds will meet three times during the week in the 
 immediate vicinity of Dulverton, that Squire Froude 
 Bellew's foxhounds will be within easy reach, and 
 
Before the Fi'ost. 123 
 
 that the Quarm Harriers — said to be one of the most 
 perfect packs in the country, showing marvellous 
 sport — will hunt in the neighbourhood. The fixture 
 on the following morning was Haddon Hill, a lovely 
 spot adjacent to Pixton Park, the seat of the Earl of 
 Carnarvon ; and it was at this favourite meet that 
 I was to see once more the Devon and Somerset 
 hounds pursuing the hind over hill and dale, amidst 
 the glorious scenery of this grand country, which 
 has always a fresh charm, whether seen when the 
 wild and extensive ranges of hills are clad in purple 
 heather, or at the present sad and sombre season. 
 At all times beautiful is this lovely part of England ; 
 and the landscape, seen as I viewed it, at the close 
 of autumn, was, if possible, grander at this period of 
 the year than it was when I rode up the hill of 
 Dunkerry and over the trackless waste of Exmoor in 
 pursuit of the stag in the middle of August. 
 
 A very short acquaintance with the little horse 
 which Mr. King had selected for me, sufficed to 
 prove that he knew his way about, and satisfied 
 me that the best thing I could do would be to let 
 him follow his own devices; and it was not long 
 before I found that my confidence had not been 
 misplaced. Marvellous was the style in which he 
 descended the hills, picking his way between rolling 
 stones and lifting his legs over fallen trees that lay 
 across our path — for the wind had recently shown 
 its power, and the riven oaks proved that it is not 
 always sunshine and fair weather in these parts. 
 
 By this time the place of meeting was reached, 
 and I found Arthur Heal and the pack in the yard 
 beyond the harbourer's house. The order to move 
 
T 2 4 Ha 7'k A way. 
 
 on being given, Arthur, with three couples of 
 hounds — tufters, as they are technically called — 
 accompanied by George Southwell, the whip, and 
 Miles, the harbourer, whose business it is to track 
 the deer, proceeds to the lovely cover to draw for a 
 hind. Riding along through the heather, I startle 
 the black game, sending them winging away ; inter- 
 fere with many rabbits who go scuttling to their 
 holes, scare the snipes, and " see from the brake the 
 whirring pheasant spring." 
 
 Whilst the hounds are drawing, I recognise 
 many well-known performers with the Devon and 
 Somerset, though the field is not so numerous at 
 this time as during the earlier part of the season. 
 First, I observe Mr. Bissett, the master, a stalwart 
 man truly, riding not less than twenty-two stone, 
 always grandly mounted, as he need be, in order 
 to get over this difficult country ; Mrs. Froude 
 Bellew, on a clever nag; Mrs. Jekyll, on a sturdy, 
 if not handsome animal ; Captain and Mrs. Barnard, 
 the latter being mounted on a well-bred, sporting- 
 looking grey, which seemed like going the pace; 
 the Hon. Robert Trollope, on a neat bay cob; Mr. 
 Gore Langton, Mr. Connack Marshall, a jovial com- 
 panion ; sundry of the dwellers in Dulverton, in- 
 cluding Messrs. King and Yandle, of Hele Bridge ; 
 Mr. Tarr, and many an ardent sportsman who never 
 willingly misses an opportunity of riding with these 
 noble hounds. 
 
 The weather is variable ; but what matter? The 
 wind will blow, the storms must have their course, 
 and do ; for they sweep over the wide expanse of 
 country with marvellous rapidity, sunshine following 
 
Before the Frost, 125 
 
 shade in quick succession. Then the welcome cry 
 of " Tallyho, tallyho ! " is heard. '' Have at him 
 there ! " cries Arthur ; " yoi, have at him there, lads ! " 
 and we know that a deer has been roused, and we 
 hear the deep-mouthed baying of the hounds and 
 the horn of the huntsman, who is hard pressing the 
 hind in order to make her break cover and take to 
 the open. Then hark, a view-halloo, "Gone away, 
 gone away!" and the deer went away, rising the 
 steep hill, entering a small cover; but the hounds 
 are close upon her quarters, and I conclude that we 
 are going to have a burster, and fully determine to 
 harden my heart, hustle my horse, and go away at 
 full tilt. Suddenly the cracking of whips and rating 
 of hounds are heard, and they are stopped, as it is a 
 hornless stag we are running, instead of a hind as 
 we thought. 
 
 After this we draw the cover again, but with little 
 success, as we are unable to drive another hind away ; 
 and the afternoon having become wet and gusty, the 
 hounds were taken home. Arriving at the Lion, I 
 find a gallant son of Mars, and a thorough good 
 fellow to boot, whose acquaintance I made on a 
 former occasion when visiting Dulverton, and we 
 "judicious drink, and greatly daring, dine," to use 
 the words of Pope. The leg of Exmoor mutton was 
 superb ; the stewed steak, which could not be sur- 
 passed by the c/z^/ either at White's or Boodle's ; the 
 apple pie and Devonshire cream left nothing to be 
 desired, save a bottle or three of 1847 port, over 
 which we discussed many matters connected with 
 the art of venery, and hunting the hind in par- 
 ticular. 
 
126 Hark A way. 
 
 The day but one following, the Devon and Somer- 
 set met at Hele Bridge, abont two miles from Dul- 
 verton, a lovely spot, through which the Exe flows 
 swiftly on its course, and on arriving at the appointed 
 place, I found many sportsmen assembled, as well as 
 several ladies, who usually are to be seen at the best 
 " fixtures " — amongst them Mrs. Froude Bellew, Miss 
 Jekyll, and Mrs. Barnard ; also Mr. S. H. Warren, 
 Captain Barnard, the Hon. Robert Trollope, Mr. Gore 
 Langton, Mr. Connack Marshall, Mr. Lovelace from 
 Winsford, and Mr. Westcote from Hawkridge. Punc- 
 tual to the minute, Arthur receives the order to move 
 on from Mr. Warren, who acts in the absence of 
 Squire Bissett, and the huntsman is not in the adja- 
 cent cover many minutes ere a view-halloo is heard. 
 After rattling the covers for a while, a hind breaks 
 away — unfortunately accompanied by her calf, a 
 yearling, which is pulled down in a turnip field ad- 
 joining the Dulverton road. Then she retreats into 
 cover, from which she shortly goes aw^ay, across the 
 Dulverton road, in the direction of Haddon Wood. 
 Promptly the pack are brought out and laid on her 
 track ; but the scent is cold, and the young hounds 
 do not readily pick it up. But at length they get 
 on the line and drive her through the wood, which 
 rings with the music of the hounds. It soon appears 
 as if we should get a gallop across a beautiful line of 
 country, lying in the direction of King's Brompton ; 
 but she changes her mind, doubles back, and makes 
 for the valley, going down stream in the direction of 
 Hele Bridge. But the hounds are close upon her 
 track and in order to baffle them she takes to the 
 water, and ensconces herself in a deep pool, from 
 
Before the Frost. 127 
 
 which, however, she is speedily driven, going away 
 at a slapping pace across Leigh Barron, and on 
 towards Morebath. Again she takes to the water, 
 but it is soon made too hot for her, and she once 
 more flies from her relentless pursuers, and running 
 into a small cover at Shillingford is killed. A less 
 fortunate fate than that of Dryden's milk-w^hite hind, 
 which was often " forced to fly and doomed to death, 
 though fated not to die." 
 
 During this capital chase, I chanced to follow a 
 sturdy farmer, who was kind enough to ofi'er me a 
 lead down the steepest hill it was ever my fortune 
 to venture. From the top of the hill to the waters 
 of the Exe, to which point we were trending, it was 
 not less than five hundred feet. The hill itself 
 may be described as being a little out of the perpen- 
 dicular. For the greater portion of the distance, we 
 rode straight down; thence following narrow side- 
 pathways, through dense brushwood, tangled briars, 
 over fallen trees, boulder stones and stumps, through 
 coarse grass and rushy pathways, down, dowm, 
 dowm ; but there was a lower depth still, which w- e 
 had to fathom by dismounting and leading our 
 horses. Never once did the game little horse I w^as 
 riding put his foot wrong, making light of my 
 weight, sixteen stone, as he descended this not 
 bad imitation of a precipice. Then, mounting 
 again, I galloped at full speed along the valley 
 of the Exe ; but the hounds had gone away 
 whilst we were engaged in descending from Haddon 
 heights, and I could not get up with the body of 
 the pack. 
 
 A hind was viewed across a turnip field, and three 
 
12 8 Ha rk A way. 
 
 couples were running her, and I, believing they 
 were the leading hounds, went with them ; but it 
 was not the hunted hind ; and, after trying to puzzle 
 out the line, they threw it up, and I found myself 
 out of the hunt altogether. I was not the only one 
 by a good many, who were not in at the death, 
 including the master, who, arriving late, never saw 
 the hounds at all. Accompanied by the three 
 couples of hounds, I made my way back to the 
 Lion. 
 
 Shortly, I hear a horn, and find Arthur and his 
 hounds at the door, the huntsman being in great 
 glee at having had so good a run, lasting from 
 find to finish, about three hours and a-half. The 
 sport during the present season has been fair, six- 
 teen stags in all being killed, some crack runs 
 extending over twenty miles; one in particular 
 lasting for six hours, — the hounds running through 
 eleven parishes. Naturally, the pace must have 
 been slow, and, had it been the old instead of the 
 new hounds, the business would have been trans- 
 acted in two hours' less time. It has been a 
 difficult time for the huntsman, who has had to do 
 the greater part of his work with hounds that have 
 only been entered this season. The outbreak of 
 hydrophobia which occurred in the kennels of the 
 Devon and Somerset having played sad havoc with 
 the old pack, about fourteen couples in all being 
 lost, Mr. Bissett is to be congratulated on so good 
 a result, considering the difficult circumstances he 
 was placed in. Still precautions are taken, lest there 
 should be a recurrence of this frightful, and, at present, 
 incurable malady ; and the hounds were kept and 
 
Before the Frost, 129 
 
 hunted separately, so that no chance might be 
 lost. 
 
 During my stay amongst the hospitable inhabitants 
 of Devon and Somerset, I have on many occasions 
 heard expressions of regret that these lovely counties 
 have never been visited by the Prince and Princess 
 of Wales. Had I the ear of these illustrious person- 
 ages, I would tell them that, until they visit these 
 parts, they will not have seen the loveliest portion of 
 their dominions. 
 
 Grander scenery there may be, more beautiful it 
 would be impossible to find. If any one doubts me, 
 let him ride in the middle of August from Dulverton, 
 following the course of the swiftly-flowing river Barle, 
 pausing at Castle Bridge, where the waters of Danes 
 Brook mingle with it ; there, seated beneath the 
 magnificent and widely-spreading beech tree, which 
 drips into two counties and three parishes, let him 
 tell me if he has ever seen so lovely a piece of sylvan 
 scenery. Let him stand for a Avhile on the bridge 
 and watch the trout leap, or mayhap a salmon rise 
 on its journey up stream to Withypool. Note the 
 remarkable variety of ferns, the luxuriant foliage ; 
 listen to the babbhng of the stream, the music of the 
 birds, the chattering of the jays; observe the king- 
 fisher flitting over the stream, the white-breasted 
 ousel winging its way along the waters, the rabbits 
 scuttling across the pathways, and the timid hare 
 stopping to observe who it is that intrudes on her 
 haunts. Then let him cross the stream, at the curious 
 and beautiful Torr Steps — druidical remains, I ima- 
 gine — and wend his way to Hawkridge Common, and, 
 whichever way his eye travels, he will see vast tracts 
 
 I 
 
130 Hark Away, 
 
 of iin dill a ting heather land, interspersed with tall hills, 
 verdant valleys, and sparkling streams. 
 
 Again let him travel in another direction from 
 Diilverton, going by way of Hele Bridge, following 
 the course of the Exe, as it runs through the glorious 
 woods of Haddon and its vicinity, observing the dense, 
 many-coloured woods as he journeys on towards 
 King's Brompton. Should, however, he prefer to 
 visit these parts later on in the year, let him choose 
 October, when the heather and brackens have donned 
 their russet mantles, and the foliage has assumed such 
 varied tints as to be more beautiful even in its decay 
 than when exhibiting all the newborn glories of the 
 spring. After this, I shall be surprised if he does not 
 8ay that in truth it is a kingly country, and that no 
 fairer women or finer men are to be found than the 
 dwellers in Devon and Somerset. 
 
 Having gained experience in the art of hunting the 
 stag and the hind, I determined during my stay to 
 try a day with Mr. Chorley's harriers. The fixture 
 Avas Winsford Hill, to wdiich place I rode through a 
 heavy downpour of rain that soon drenched me to 
 the skin. 
 
 On my arrival at the appointed place, I saw the 
 Quarm Harriers approaching, accompanied by the 
 master, wdio hunts them himself, his whip, and 
 Mr. Lovelace, a tenant farmer, over whose land we 
 subsequently rode. So utterly dismal was the day, 
 that Mr. Chorley would have taken the pack home 
 had it not been that I should have thereby lost the 
 chance of seeing the working of this clever lot of 
 harriers, and he was anxious not to disappoint me. 
 
 Very soon a hare jumped up on the heather, and 
 
Before the Frost, 131 
 
 we ran her for a quarter of an hour and killed her. 
 Suddenly, as is often the case in this part of the 
 world, the clouds parted, the sun shone, and the face 
 of the country became entirely changed. A second 
 hare was quickly found, and gave us a rattler over 
 the heather, being finally killed in a turnip-field after 
 a capital run of an hour. The '' Quarm " have the 
 reputation of being a very crack pack, and this 
 clinking good run, the pace being tremendously fast 
 throughout, fully satisfied me that they deserved the 
 high character I had heard of them. 
 
 I was invited to attend the meet of the Tiverton 
 Foxhounds at Holcombe Court, the residence of Mr. 
 Rayer, the master, and I availed myself of the op- 
 portunity of seeing the pack, and also this beautiful 
 old baronial hall. Vainly have I searched " Camden ," 
 and other historical authorities, for particulars of this 
 ancient place. Its claim to antiquity may, however, 
 be judged from the fact of the oak-panelled room 
 into which I was ushered, having been the apartment 
 in which, in very far-off times, King John had been 
 entertained. A splendid breakfast was laid in the 
 dining-room, which Avas entirely panelled with carved 
 oak ; and the guests — the gentlemen in their scarlet 
 coats, and ladies in blue or grey habits — enlivened 
 the scene with their presence. On the lawn, the 
 hounds were paraded, and a large concourse of 
 visitors assembled. A fox was quickly found in a 
 plantation near the house, which gave us a short 
 run, after which many of the visitors returned to 
 luncheon, and subsequently examined the wonders 
 of this beautiful place. 
 
 An invitation being received from Mr. J. Froudo 
 
132 Hark Away. 
 
 Bellew to spend a day or two at Rliyl, I had the op- 
 portunity of seeing the home of a Devonshire sqnire ; 
 and, installed in these hospitable quarters, I passed a 
 most pleasant and enjoyable time. Within a short 
 distance of the house are the kennels of the Dul- 
 verton Foxhounds, of which my host is master and 
 huntsman. Asked if I would like to ride with the 
 hounds, and being offered a mount on a first-class 
 animal, I found myself careering to cover with the 
 squire, Mrs. Froude Bellew (one of the boldest, best, 
 and most graceful riders I have ever seen), and 
 Captain Marshall, the three forming the " field." 
 " Halloo, in there ! " is the cry of our huntsman, as 
 we approach a patch of gorse on the hillside, at the 
 bottom of which flows the Barle through the lovely 
 valley at our feet. In an instant a whimper is 
 heard. 
 
 " Have at him, there ! " cries the squire. Then a 
 musical chorus, and away goes a fine old fox over 
 the heather-clad hills with this clever pack at his 
 brush. Then we race him away until he crosses the 
 Barle, mounts the hill on the opposite side, the 
 hounds hunting him by themselves until the master 
 can get to them. Away we go, and finally run him 
 down to ground in a cover, digging him out, and 
 breaking him up. After this merry spin, we draw 
 the gorse on the banks of the river, where, in a very 
 short space of time, we drive a fox away, who leads 
 us a lively dance over the moorland, across the hills, 
 down the dales, through the woods, and over the 
 brawling brooks, going in the direction of Withy- 
 pool. When approaching this lovely httle village 
 i^e doubles back, and is run to ground, dug out, and 
 
Before the Frost. 
 
 133 
 
 broken up. Then we bend our steps homeward, 
 crossing the river Barle at Torr Steps, and after a 
 short ride we find ourselves back at Rhyl. During 
 my stay I had the opportunity of looking over the 
 kennels, and noting the care and forethought which 
 has rendered them perfect as respects every needful 
 detail. Rarely have I seen a pack of hounds in finer 
 condition ; a state of things due solely to the long 
 experience, judgment, and attention of the fine 
 sportsman, whose deligbt it is to show a pack of 
 working hounds that will bear comparison with any 
 in the kingdom. The scenery of the country over 
 which the Dulverton hunt is indescribably lovely, 
 and when riding at full gallop, following Mrs. Bellew 
 down the tremendous hill leading into Withypool, I 
 had yet time to observe this tranquil little village, 
 as inviting a spot as can well be imagined, more 
 especially for those who delight in trout or salmon 
 fishing. 
 
 Having followed the wild red deer, hunted the 
 hind, chased the wily fox, and pursued the nut-brown 
 hare, I reluctantly took my leave of the hospitable 
 inhabitants of Devon and Somerset. 
 
CHAPTEE XYIL 
 
 HUNTING AT BRIGHTON. 
 
 " Ever charming, ever new, 
 When will the prospect tire the view ? " 
 
 HAT more appropriate description could 
 I give of this beautiful city by the sea? 
 After an acquaintance with this fashion- 
 able resort extending over half a century, 
 1 can only say, the longer I know it the better I 
 like it. Pleasant society, bountiful hospitality, fair 
 women, joyous men, capital clubs, an excellent 
 theatre, an aquarium, where there are real live 
 fishes, good hotels, and three or four first-rate 
 packs of hounds within easy distance; surely suffi- 
 cient reasons for visiting Brighton. 
 
 Finding that the Brighton Harriers were to meet 
 the morning following my arrival at Hangleton, 
 near Portslade, I determined to have a ride with 
 Mr. Dewe and his racing hounds. The next step 
 was to visit the West Brighton Riding School, in 
 Waterloo Street, in order to secure a good mount. 
 *' You shall ride Albert to-morrow," said Mr. Dupont, 
 and as I had ridden that clever and untiring little 
 chesnut horse on former occasions, I knew I should 
 
Hunting at Brighton. 135 
 
 be there or thereabouts on the morrow. Starting 
 in good time, I arrived at Hangleton as Sherwood 
 and the hounds came into the paddock, and I had 
 abundant time to look over the pack. All foxhounds 
 draft from some of the best kennels in England, 
 they can go the pace, and no mistake; in blooming 
 condition, they do the greatest credit to the master, 
 who hunts them himself, as well as to his kennel 
 huntsman, Sherwood. 
 
 A " field " of not less than 100, with many car- 
 riages, had assembled, amongst whom I noticed 
 Captain Keuyon Stow, Adjutant of the Middlesex 
 Yeomanry, and the Brothers Peat, the well-known 
 polo performers ; Mr. Cohen, Mr. Gregson, Mr. and 
 Miss Archer, Mr. Maple, Mr. T. Smith, on a raw five- 
 year-old ; and Master Jay, on a remarkably clever 
 pony, formerly the property of Mr. Dupont ; Mr. 
 Vincent Weston, Mr. Fred Frith, and Mr. F. White- 
 hurst, jun., etc. Within a very few minutes, a hare 
 jumped up on a piece of fallow, and went away a 
 screamer, making for a patch of furze at Toads 
 Hole, and then crossiag the Dyke road the hounds 
 came to a check ; then up she jumped again in a 
 field of rape, and on at a rattling pace to Dead Holt 
 furze, thence to the foot of Portslade Hill, where 
 the hounds checked again. There was scarcely 
 any scent, the day being stormy and cold, but 
 nevertheless the hounds puzzled out the line, and 
 puss jumped up from the rape, and made for Water 
 Hall, along Seddlescombe Valley, through Pond Brow 
 furzes, up to Seddlescombe Hill, and into a piece of 
 furze, where we had to leave her, as a party of 
 gentlemen with some beagles where shooting rabbits 
 
6 Hark Away. 
 
 ill the gorse. This run lasted for nearly two 
 hours ; occasionally the hounds went a good pace, 
 but there was at times literally no scent at all. 
 Patience and perseverance, however, was the order 
 of the day, and an enjoyable gallop the result. A 
 second hare was soon found, but from the same 
 cause the run is not worth recording. 
 
 The Brighton Harriers have had capital sport up 
 to the present time, and are well worthy of a visit 
 from any one who is fond of hunting the hare over 
 these fine open downs. It will be an unusual occur- 
 rence if he does not have a rattling spin, and when 
 there is a burning scent it will take a good man 
 all his time to live with them. 
 
 New kennels have recently been erected at Pat- 
 cham, at a cost exceeding £2000. The pack consists 
 of twenty-three couples, nineteen and a-half being 
 out at Hangleton, and they may be pronounced a 
 clipping good lot of animals, exactly suited for a 
 country where " fields " are very large, and the 
 riders not unfrequently — in fact very often — pressing 
 far too close to their heels, consequently if they had 
 not a turn of speed they could not show the good 
 runs that they do. Mr. Dewe is a thorough sports- 
 man, and a master of the craft in every sense of the 
 word. If the Brighton townsfolk and tradespeople 
 were wise in their generation they would give a far 
 larger amount of support to the harriers. They are 
 a great attraction, and the master should be placed 
 in a position to hunt the country three days a-week. 
 The farmers are most liberal, as shown by the fact 
 of no claims for compensation having been made for 
 ever so long. Hares are abundant, and large 
 
Hunting at BrigJiton. 137 
 
 " fields " attend nearly every meet, and it should 
 be the pride of the town to let nothing be wanting 
 to maintain the efficiency of the crack pack which 
 the master has got together, so as to draw strangers 
 from all parts to enjoy a gallop over their breezy 
 and health-restoring downs. 
 
 On Monday last the Brookside met at a farm a 
 short distance from Rottingdean and the kennels. 
 The morning was stormy, and the air charged with 
 rain clouds. On presenting myself at Mr. Dupont's 
 establishment, I found he had selected "Emperor," a 
 five-year-old Yorkshire horse, 16h. lin., fit to go for 
 a man's life, and I trotted off, well content with my 
 mount. As we approached the meet, a wild storm 
 cloud burst over us ; but no matter, Mr. Steyning 
 Beard, without a moment's delay, proceeded to draw 
 for a hare. In an instant puss was up and off at 
 racing speed. Going swiftly over these tremendous 
 hills, making straight for Lewes, then crossing the 
 railw^ay, and going along the race course, she leads 
 us a merry spin over the ploughed and turnip fields ; 
 here the scent died away, and Mr. Beard, leaving 
 the hounds to puzzle out the line by themselves, 
 they hunted the hare slowly to Falmer village, 
 within a short distance of Stanmer Park, the seat of 
 the Earl of Chichester, wdiere they lost her. 
 
 This was a clinking good run of an hour and a- 
 half, for three-parts of the distance at racing pace, 
 and those who did not jump off with the hounds had 
 to follow a stern chase, as they never had a chance 
 of overtaking them. Then we trotted back in the 
 direction of Telscombe Tye, where a shepherd had 
 a hare ready for us. Drawing the steep hill sides, 
 
138 Hark Away, 
 
 and riding through the rus.set-brown tnfted grass, in 
 an instant a good hare jumped up close to the 
 hounds, and we race her away for some distance, 
 part of the time in view, running for fifteen minutes 
 over these beautiful downs. Beyond us is New- 
 haven, and the sea glitters in the bright sunlight 
 between the storms, which pass rapidly over us, the 
 bold headland standing out grandly, with a dark 
 background of heavy clouds, lighted up by occasional 
 gleams of sunshine. 
 
 By no means sorry that we had come to a check 
 was I, as my steed had gone a rattler up hill and 
 down dale, evidently desirous of occupying a front 
 place, resenting any undue interference, consequently 
 T was fain to let him have his own way, and he 
 carried me safely down the steep hills, which, if I 
 had interfered with his going, might not have been 
 the case. I observed several men who are in the 
 habit of riding over the downs dismounting, and 
 leading their horses, and I felt disposed to follow 
 their example, but having recently had some practice 
 in climbing steep places in Devon, I stuck to my 
 horse, and rode him straight down from the top to 
 the bottom, the proper way to descend steep hills, 
 though it requires some small amount of nerve when 
 the descent is equivalent to the side of a house, 
 or thereabouts. But we had not done with our 
 second hare yet ; whilst I was noting the beautiful 
 scenery, the hounds picked up the scent, and went 
 away again for ten minutes at a fair hunting pace, 
 then, coming to a check in a patch of gorse, they 
 puzzled the line out inch by inch. A wild storm 
 cloud passed over us, which appeared to destroy 
 
Hztnting at Brighton, 139 
 
 every atom of sceut ; then feathering their sterns 
 and speaking to every inch, as they traced the hne, 
 the hounds picked their way across the open, and 
 ran into the hare in a patch of gorse, after one of the 
 most beautiful runs I have ever seen. 
 
 There was then time to observe some of the 
 ladies and gentlemen present on this occasion, who 
 rode well to hounds. First, Mrs. Morrell, a capital 
 horsewoman, mounted on a clever chesnut, for 
 which she gave a hatful of money ; Admiral Ran- 
 dolph, Mr. Maule, Mr. Gassiot, Mr. White, brother to 
 the Master of the Essex Union ; Mr. Morris of 
 Bedgrove, exchanging for a while the stiffly en- 
 closed Vale of Aylesbury for the Downs of Sussex ; 
 Mr. Dupont, on a clever dark brown or black horse, 
 which looked like carrying fourteen stone across 
 any country, ridden moreover in a snaffle bridle — 
 a far too rare occurrence, as, in my opinion, half the 
 horses are spoilt by being pulled about by severe bits. 
 
 The Brookside Harriers I once heard pronounced 
 as the best pack of true harriers in the world. The 
 authority for this judgment was Mr. John Dai'by, 
 of Rugby — no bad judge of such matters — and, when 
 I looked them over on Monday last, I saw no reason 
 to challenge his verdict. In beautiful condition, 
 regular in size, of an even colour, all having a strong 
 family resemblance ; very fast when the scent is 
 good ; patient, diligent, and musical, when they 
 have to hunt inch by inch, I can safely afiirm I never 
 saw a more beautiful lot, or witnessed better sport 
 than on the occasion. Then a pleasant ride over 
 the downs brought us to Rottingdean. I felt then 
 that nature, exhausted by some hours' active exer- 
 
140 Hark Away. 
 
 cise, required support. So I drew Rottingdean, and 
 found quickly — what I required, namely, a comfort- 
 able inn, wherein I might take my ease for a while, 
 and satisfy the cravings of an appetite engendered 
 by the fresh air of the open country through which 
 I had been careering for some hours. 
 
 Riding up to the White Horse, I saw at the door 
 a beautiful puppy — Dainty by name — belonging to 
 the Brookside, being at walk at this house of enter- 
 tainment. It augurs well, I said ; the landlord, being 
 a sportsman, naturally knows what is good, and when 
 I cast my eye up to the signboard and read, " The 
 White Horse. By T. Welfare," I thought, this is the 
 place to fare well, and my anticipations were not 
 doomed to disappointment. I may be wrong in 
 gomg into details of that luncheon, but it may 
 interest some to know that the cold roast beef, the 
 boiled pork, the baked potatoes (I had arrived at 
 the exact moment when the landlord's dinner was 
 ready), the pickled walnuts, the crusty white loaves, 
 and the real original fresh butter and amber ale, are 
 to be found by the weary traveller should he be 
 belated or benighted, at this halting place on the 
 road to Brighton. 
 
 But whilst discoursing so freely and unreservedly 
 anent the hunting of the hare, I must not forget 
 that the South Down Foxhounds are deserving 
 of notice. On Friday week the fixture was 
 Pyecombe. Notwithstanding it was one of the 
 wettest days of this dreary November, a fair 
 " field " assembled at the meet, including Mr. 
 Streatfield, the Master, and Mr. Donelly, a former 
 Master of the South Downs, to whom the credit is 
 
Hunting at Brighton. 141 
 
 due, in a great measure, of having laid the founda- 
 tion of this fine pack of foxhounds ; Miss Kennedy, 
 who goes a clinker across country, having a light 
 heart, and being equally light-weighted ; Mr. Ingram 
 of Chailey, Mr. Campion Denny, Mr. Curry, Mr. 
 Stevens, Mr. Alexander, the Messrs. Wynams, Mr. 
 Philcox, Mr. Keen of Patcham, a thorough good 
 sportsman ; Mr. Alexander, Mr. Dupont, a gentle- 
 man from Yorkshire on the prize-taker, May Flower; 
 Captains Scott, Paley, and several officers of the 
 5th Lancers. As soon as the master arrived, 
 Champion trotted off with the hounds to New- 
 timber Holt, which for once in a way was di-awn 
 blank. 
 
 Proceeding to Cowdown Hill, a brace of foxes were 
 seen on foot, and the hounds settling quickly down, 
 they rattled one away in capital style down the hill 
 in the direction of Newtimber ; but not caring to face 
 the boisterous wind he turned to the left, crossing 
 the Seddlescombe Road into Punchbowl Valley, 
 near which place they came to a check. Then 
 Champion, making a successful cast, was quickly 
 on his line again, running back through the Gylee 
 furze to Newtimber Holt, and finally losing him, 
 the scent fairly failing altogether. A second 
 fox was found in a piece of rape at the foot of 
 Seddlescombe Hill, and those who had the pluck 
 to weather the storm were rewarded by a merry, 
 if short spin, finally losing their fox through the 
 inclemency of the weather. As I hope very 
 shortly to ride again with these hounds, I will re- 
 serve further comment, fearing I may trespass too 
 far on the available space in the columns of Belts 
 
142 Hark Away. 
 
 Life, simply stating that Henry Parker, the first 
 whip, a very good man, fell and broke his arm a 
 short time since, but is progressing favourably. 
 
 A brilliant day was Tuesday last, and Brighton 
 was seen to the greatest advantage ; all the fine 
 birds wore their best plumage, and though many 
 of the fair visitors were clothed in the skins of 
 seals and divers other animals, they were by no 
 means repulsive — in fact rather attractive than 
 otherwise ; the carriageways were thronged, strings 
 of pedestrians reached from the Old Pier to Hove, 
 and many equestrians exhibited their proficiency 
 in the King's Road. 
 
 An amusing scene was to be witnessed at the 
 West Brighton Riding School. The fineness of the 
 day caused every one who was in the habit of 
 riding to hasten there to secure a nag, testing the 
 resources of the establishment to the utmost, and 
 out of the seventy or eighty useful, and some very 
 clever animals, scarcely one was to be found in the 
 stalls at noon. Having occasion to visit the photo- 
 graphic establishment of Messrs. Hennah & Kent, in 
 the King's Road, I saw a crayon drawing, taken 
 from a carte-de-visite of the late Mr. George Payne, 
 executed for, and by the special desire of His Royal 
 Highness the Prince of Wales, being a companion 
 picture to that of Admiral Rous, to which I called 
 attention, I remember, last year in the columns of 
 Belts Life as being an admirably executed portrait, 
 which is now equalled, if not eclipsed, by this last 
 effort to perpetuate the memory of a distinguished 
 sportsman, which, doubtless, will be much sought 
 after and appreciated by those who knew him. 
 
CHAPTEK XVII I. 
 
 THE SOUTHDOWN FOXHOUNDS. 
 
 ITH hey ho the wind and the rain, for the 
 rain it raineth every day," I muttered 
 discontentedly to myself, as I splashed 
 through the mud and slush on a fearfully 
 foggy morning, on my way to London Bridge to take 
 the train to Brighton, so as to have a look at the 
 far-famed Southdown Foxhounds, which hunt the 
 country contiguous to that pleasant place. It is said 
 that there is a silver lining to every cloud, and the 
 proverb was not belied on this occasion. 
 
 Leaving the elements to war with one another, 
 and bidding dull care begone for a while, I entered 
 the portals of the celebrated Old Ship Hotel, and 
 soon found myself in congenial society. Having 
 been invited by Mr. Dewe, the Master of the Brighton 
 Harriers, to attend the sumptuous banquet given to 
 the owners and occupiers of the land over which they 
 hunt, by the subscribers and gentlemen riding with 
 this clever pack, I found a brilliantly lighted room, 
 an excellent dinner, first-rate wines, and some forty 
 agreeable companions, sportsmen, and friends to the 
 manliest of all amusements, hunting. As a proof of 
 the liberality of the tenant farmers of the locality 
 
144 Hark Away, 
 
 suffice to say that claims for compensation for 
 damage done by the large " fields " which attend 
 the Brighton Harriers are things unknown. 
 
 At no time have I found hunting more popular than 
 it is at the present moment. True it is that a cantan- 
 kerous farmer in a distant county has recently sought 
 the aid of the law to prevent his neighbours from rid- 
 ing over his land, but I am glad to say that it is a soli- 
 tary case, and not likely to form a precedent. Larger 
 numbers I find attending every meet than at any 
 previous time, and every class is represented. The 
 army, navy, clergy, members of both Houses of 
 Parliament, and Cabinet Ministers, all do it. I am 
 reminded of an appropriate anecdote of a late Arch- 
 bishop, who of course never for an instant thought 
 of riding to hounds, because that would be un- 
 becoming to one of his sacred calling, yet somehow 
 or other it often happened that the hounds icould 
 come across him as he took his constitutional ride. 
 On one occasion the Archbishop viewed a fox 
 breaking cover, and gave a rattling view-halloo, 
 that quickly attracted the attention of the hunts- 
 man of the York and Ainsty, who exclaimed, " That's 
 Gospel truth, if ever I heard it ! " 
 
 Amongst the number of good men and true 
 attending this social gathering was that thorough 
 sportsman Mr. Steyning Beard, the ]\Iaster of the 
 Brookside, whose country adjoins that of the 
 Brighton Harriers, showing the good feeling exist- 
 ing between himself and Mr. Dewe, and a desire 
 to mark his sense of the liberality shown by the 
 farmers on all occasions. It is by such considerate 
 acts that a cordial feeling is maintained, and I 
 
The Southdown Foxhounds. 145 
 
 venture to suggest that every opportunity should 
 be taken by those riding with the various packs 
 throughout the country of showing courtesy and 
 consideration to the owners and occupiers of the 
 land over which they are ungrudgingly allowed 
 to go. 
 
 On the following morning the Southdown met at 
 Portslade, a pretty village close to Shoreham, and as 
 I passed the vicarage, snugly sheltered by flowering 
 laurestinus, evergreen oaks, and other handsome 
 shrubs, I paused for a moment, suggesting to a com- 
 panion riding by my side, that such a benefice would 
 exactly have suited me — £800 a-year, a population 
 limited in numbers, healthy and happy in their 
 smiling homes, few deaths, numerous weddings, and 
 many christenings, combined with the opportunity 
 of hunting three days a-week. What more could 
 man want? Had fate placed me in that happy 
 position, I know I should have been popular with 
 my parishioners, as I would have been to their 
 virtues very kind, and to their faults a little — in 
 fact not a little — blind — consequently we should 
 have got on well together. As it was, however, 
 I sighed and rode on. Arriving at Portslade, I found 
 a large number of well-mounted men and many 
 ladies on horseback and in carriages, assembled in 
 a meadow adjoining Mr. Doudney's farm house. 
 
 Amongst the many regular attendants on the 
 Southdown I noticed Mr. Streatfield, the Master; 
 Mr. and Mrs. Morrell (from Oxfordshire), the latter 
 riding Major, a remarkably fine five-year-old ches- 
 nut horse, recently purchased at the long figure of 
 four hundred guineas ; Mr. Dewe, Mr. Lake (from 
 
 K 
 
146 Hai'k Away. 
 
 Suffolk), Mr. Donovan, Sir Charles and Miss Smith, 
 Miss Hunt, the Misses Phillips, Capt. Jay, his son, 
 and grandson, who is being trained up in the way 
 he should go, and no mistake ; this youthful per- 
 former already knows his way about, and should 
 with such tuition make a first-rate horseman when 
 he arrives at man's estate ; Mr. Grossman, Mr. Rod- 
 well, Mr. Dupont, Miss Nicholls, a young lady who 
 rides gracefully and well to hounds, and is invariably 
 mounted upon a horse that is, indeed, fit to carry a 
 lady ; and many others, numbering in all one hundred 
 and twenty at the very least. The ground, after the 
 recent rains, rode very heavy, but as I was mounted 
 on one of Mr. Dupont's weight carriers, Hark- 
 away, a clever and temperate animal, I rose superior 
 to such matters as a little more or less of mud and 
 dirt. 
 
 After drawing several pieces of rape, and sundry 
 patches of furze, we at length found a fox, which 
 gave us a smart gallop over the Downs at a rattling 
 pace for about half-an-hour, when he ran into an 
 enclosure, where there was a piece of exceedingly 
 thick gorse, and he was speedily run into and broken 
 up. Miss Bonner, on Polo, a smart-looking little 
 cob, receiving the head, and Mr. Jay the brush ; the 
 young lady deserving the compliment, being a bold 
 and graceful rider, having a nice seat and light 
 hands. 
 
 After this we drew for a while, and at last I 
 viewed a fine old fox going away a clinker, running 
 up to Edburton National Schools, where he was 
 headed, probably by the youthful scholars attending 
 that educational establishment, and taking a line 
 
The Southdown Foxhounds. 147 
 
 over the steep Downs, he went away a burster over 
 the open, uutil he reached the banks of the river 
 that flows into the sea at Shoreham. The waters 
 were out, and there was no possibihty of his crossing 
 this deep and swift-flowing streara, so he ran for 
 two or three miles along the bank, the hounds 
 having it all to themselves, and hunting him prettily 
 until he changed his mind and went again for the 
 Downs. Then I viewed him going away in earnest, 
 having ten minutes' start, which was all in his 
 favour, as the scent had died away, and we had to 
 hunt him slowly, step by step, running back in the 
 direction of the spot where he was found, where we 
 lost him, after giving us an excellent hunting run of 
 somewhere about two hours. 
 
 A good opportunity was afforded of seeing how 
 the Southdown perform. Champion may well be 
 proud of his handsome and hardworking pack, 
 which do the greatest credit to his management, 
 and the best proof of their excellence is that shown 
 by the clinking good runs they have had during the 
 last few weeks. The number of men riding with 
 the Southdown is invariably very large, and on the 
 open Downs the temptation to ride close to hounds 
 is great; and it is consequently very trying at 
 times to both master and huntsman to see the sport 
 jeopardised by over-eager and injudicious riders. 
 However, this drawback does not prevent the 
 Southdown showing grand sport as a rule, and the 
 remarkable run they had from Edburton a few days 
 since deserves a prominent place in the columns of 
 BeUs Life, A " field " of not less than eighty were 
 present on that occasion, amongst whom were 
 
148 Hark Away. 
 
 many of the best performers witli the Southdown. 
 First and foremost on the hst was Mr. Streatfield, 
 the popular Master ; Capt. Kenyon Stowe, of the 5th 
 Dragoon Guards ; the Messrs. Peat, Messrs. Donovan, 
 Currie, and Bell ; Mr. and Miss Kennedy, the Misses 
 Nichols and Phillips, Mr. and Mrs. Sassoon, Mr. Bell, 
 Mr. Molineux, Capt. Paley and several officers of the 
 5th Dragoons, Mr. Rodmell on May Flower, Messrs. 
 Tamplin, Stamp, Hodgson, Philcox, AVard, Judge, 
 and Simpson, and a distinguished foreigner on 
 wheels, delighting in the euphonious cognomen of 
 " Mahomed de la Rogy." In the first instance 
 Perching Wood was drawn, but Reynard the fox 
 Avas not at home to receive his visitors. 
 
 On arriving at Truby Sands, a fine and stout old 
 fox went away at a merry pace, going in the direc- 
 tion of Toddington Wood, where he was not allowed 
 to remain very long. Then, being driven from his 
 shelter, he bore to the west, going through Horton 
 Rough, away by Small Dole and New Hall, skirt- 
 ing Parkwood and the Hen field road, on through 
 Cuckold^s Green to Woodmancote, and across Hore- 
 ham Common to Hoe Wood, where they gave him 
 but little time to recruit himself, running him up 
 and down the wood for a considerable length of 
 time. Then, being driven from his stronghold, he 
 retraced his steps to Toddington Wood and Horton 
 Rough, passing Brookside, by the w^indmills, to 
 Woodmancote, and on to Henfield. 
 
 But the hounds had not done with our fox yet, 
 and he went away again in the direction of Sayers 
 Common, back to Henfield, through Poyning's Wood, 
 and was finally run into and killed, a little before five 
 
The Sottthdown Foxhounds, 149 
 
 o'clock, just as tlie shades of evening were closing 
 over the tired huntsmen, after a run of five hours, 
 covering, it is estimated, not less than forty miles. 
 
 The pace was necessarily slow, and it was the 
 opinion of some that, after running their fox for two 
 hours and a-half, the hounds got on to a fresh one at 
 Toddington Wood. The fact of the fox running 
 over the same ground in his backward journey is 
 rather against that theory ; anyhow, it was a grand 
 run over a stiff country, which after the heavy rains 
 rode very deep. Three brooks were crossed, in 
 which several ardent sportsmen took a bath. Mrs. 
 Sassoon went in first-rate form, until her groom 
 stopped in the brook, thereby disconcerting his 
 mistress considerably. 
 
 There were innumerable falls, and at the finish 
 only some eight or ten were to be seen. Those who 
 lived through this tremendous run were Mr. and Miss 
 Kennedy, Mr. Streatfield, Messrs. Renton, Stamp, 
 Dupont, Molineux, Mocatta, and Sheridan. Tod- 
 dington Brook for the last time deterred some, who 
 thought it wiser to pull up than have a final shy at 
 this yawner. Mr. Rodmell on May Flower went 
 right well throughout, negotiating the brook at the 
 finish in first-rate style. 
 
 At the moment of closing this communication, I 
 hear with the profoundest regret of the death of 
 Major Whyte-Melville, who broke his neck when 
 hunting on Thursday last with the Vale of White 
 Horse Hounds. Whilst galloping across a ploughed 
 field at full speed, his horse fell, throwing his rider 
 heavily to the ground, and causing instant death. 
 So perished one of the finest sportsmen and 
 
150 Ha7'k Away, 
 
 greatest lovers of the noble pursuit that I have ever 
 had the good fortune to know. Greatly will his loss 
 be deplored by many, as a more genial and amusing 
 companion could not be found — his society being 
 eagerly sought for, and his popularity universal. 
 No writer on sporting subjects has ever, to my 
 mind, equalled him in elegance of style and prac- 
 tical knowledge of hunting, and his death will cause 
 a gap in the field of this class of literature which 
 will not easily be filled. Born in 1821, he had con- 
 sequently attained his fifty-seventh year, and when 
 last I was out with him with the Duke of Rutland's 
 Hounds, he rode as forward, and with as much nerve 
 and judgment, as did the youngest of the brilliant 
 performers that go across the Shires. Great as his 
 loss is to his many friends and admirers, how far 
 heavier the calamity falls on his aged father, who 
 lias to mourn the loss of a kindly-hearted and accom- 
 plished son. If sympathy in his sorrow will alleviate 
 his distress, there will be no lack of it amidst the 
 large circle of acquaintance to whom his son was 
 always a welcome companion and a cheery friend. 
 
CHAPTEE XIX. 
 
 A EOUGH TIME AT RUGBY. 
 
 IS APPOINTMENT is the lot of man, and 
 I experienced it to the fullest extent on 
 my arrival at Rngbj, whither I had wan- 
 dered in hopes of seeing the Atherstone, 
 North Warwickshire, and the Pytchlej. On my arrival 
 at that central place for enjoying the noble sport, 
 I found, though London was enveloped in fog, and 
 the pavement was ankle deep in slush, that a clear 
 atmosphere and sharp frost prevailed at Rugby; con- 
 sequently the odds were against my having a gallop 
 in the following morning. 
 
 Awaking in good time, I peered through the 
 windows of the George, and found the earth fast 
 bound in the icy grip of " Jack Frost," and saw at 
 a glance that there was no chance of hunting that 
 day. "It might be worse," I said to myself — far 
 worse in fact — when I found a roaring fire and a 
 capital breakfast awaiting me, on descending to my 
 room in that excellent hotel, denominated the George, 
 or the Royal George, to speak more respectfully ; for 
 did not the Prince Imperial rest beneath the roof of 
 that cheerful and well-managed hostelry, when re- 
 turning from hunting the other day ; and I will ven- 
 
152 Hark Away. 
 
 tnre to lay 5 to 4 that he appreciated a cutlet, a la 
 Souhise, and a bottle of Ernest Irroy's driest and very- 
 best champagne, as much as I do on similar occa- 
 sions, when exhausted nature cries out for support ; 
 for they have a knack of doing things nicely at Rugby. 
 
 Inquiring of mine host as to his visitors during so 
 much of the season as has yet passed, I find, amongst 
 the other gentlemen taking up their residence under 
 his roof-tree, Mr. W. N. Heysham, Avhose exertions 
 in aid of that most excellent and flourishing institu- 
 tion, the Hunt Servants' Benefit Society, are well 
 known to every M.F.H. in the United Kingdom; and 
 that Mr. Shell and Capt. Osborne have also made it 
 their resting place. And I learn that Mr. Shoolbred 
 has a good lot of horses, and goes as well as ever ; 
 that the sport has hitherto been fair, but that there 
 have been no extraordinary runs to chronicle as yet ; 
 that the scent has been indifferent, which has been 
 the case in the various counties I have visited ; that 
 the " fields " have been large, and fox-hunting more 
 popular than ever. 
 
 In some insignificant journals, opposed more espe- 
 cially to the amusements of the upper classes, an 
 attempt has been recently made to run down our 
 national sport. The incHnation of the writers of 
 these idle diatribes is, no doubt, very strong; but, 
 fortunately, their information is as false as their 
 power of damaging our favourite amusement is weak. 
 Take, for instance, Melton, the headquarters of hunt- 
 ing ; every house and stable in that delightful place 
 is occupied ; and, as I have remarked before, the 
 numbers to be found at every fixture, as far as my 
 experience goes, have exceeded the usual bounds, at 
 
A Rough Time at Rugby. 153 
 
 any rate, in the counties of Devon, Somerset, Kent, 
 Essex, Berks, and Sussex, where I have had the good 
 fortune to see the various packs of stag, foxhounds, 
 and harriers in those locahties. 
 
 As it was impossible to go out hunting, I took the 
 opportunity of visiting Mr. Darby, who, with his 
 usual liberality, had offered to mount me during my 
 stay, and obtained permission to look over his stables, 
 and inspect the one hundred or more first-class animals 
 that are collected together from all parts of Eng- 
 land, Scotland, and Ireland. There is no such estab- 
 lishment in my memory to be found elsewhere for 
 excellence of construction, style, neatness, and the 
 good order observable throughout the whole range of 
 premises. The stables themselves were executed 
 from the design of Mr. Darby, whose lengthened ex- 
 perience and great practical knowledge enabled him 
 to adopt everything in connection with ventilation, 
 drainage, and light and air that an acute perception 
 had taught him were necessary in such erections. 
 Whilst thus securing all these advantages, the self- 
 made architect never for an instant lost sight of the 
 important item, economy ; and I have no hesitation 
 in saying that, as regards cost of construction, and 
 the evident durability of the materials used, these 
 extensive and convenient buildings should be an 
 example for those outlaying capital. Box after box 
 was opened, each containing an animal of more than 
 average quality. Horses up to any weight were to 
 be seen, in prime condition, fit for immediate work ; 
 not simply made up for show. Then a customer has 
 one or two nags suitable for carrying 12st. brought out 
 for inspection, and it is a treat to see the horseman- 
 
154 Hark Away. 
 
 ship of " Raymond," who shows the looker-on liow 
 the thing is done by riding a nag as fresh as paint 
 over a well-furzed bar in the straw-laid yard, with 
 his hands in his pockets. Next I am shown the nag 
 that had been selected to carry the Prince Imperial 
 on the occasion of his visit to these parts, and a very 
 good-looking and useful animal I found him ; and I 
 was informed that this royal sportsman rode him 
 well, and is a very pleasant and agreeable per- 
 sonage. It is to be hoped that when the French 
 nation is weary of Republicanism, and recalls this 
 scion of a royal race back to rule over them, he will 
 set an example to his subjects by encouraging a 
 taste for hunting throughout his dominions. 
 
 Having minutely examined the stud, a brisk walk 
 to the farm was the next thing to be done, and, as 
 I crossed the grass, it was evident, to my mind, that 
 there was no chance of any hunting for some days, 
 the cold being intense, and the ground as hard as 
 the heart of a poor-law guardian. My attention was 
 at once attracted to a prime lot of Canadian bullocks, 
 grazing in a meadow adjacent to the farm house. 
 Having some three or four years since been inter- 
 ested in the importation of cattle from America, I at 
 last find the subject is attracting much attention, 
 though at the period alluded to no one would join 
 in the enterprise. Now I learn that steps have been 
 taken to ship large numbers of beasts from Galveston, 
 a small town in Texas, and that a similar movement 
 is going on in Colorado. The importance of this 
 trade to our farmers is obvious. With wheat at the 
 low average at which it is quoted, and maize at the 
 small price that is now offered on the London and 
 
A Rough Time at Rugby. 155 
 
 Liverpool markets, it is a rough time for our agri- 
 culturists, and I would suggest for their consideration 
 the question of importing store stock from America, 
 and grazing them, as likely to lead to profitable 
 results. Enormous supplies could be obtained from 
 Texas at exceedingly low rates — say for fine two- 
 year-olds, from £1, 10s. to £1, 15s. per head, and the 
 risk being confined to such small amounts per head 
 of animals to be imported, would leave a large 
 margin for loss in transit, which, however, experience 
 has shown need not be considerable, if the necessary 
 steps are taken to provide vessels suitable for the 
 traffic. I have dwelt upon the matter somewhat at 
 length, as I find it is a subject attracting the atten- 
 tion of several gentlemen well known in hunting 
 circles, and anything that can be done for the benefit 
 of that important body, the farmers of Great Britain, 
 cannot fail to react favourably in the direction of 
 hunting, a sport so much depending on the support 
 of the tenant farmers, whose success all true sports- 
 men should have closely at heart. 
 
 Kesuming my account of the stock and farmstead 
 of Mr. Darby, I may say that it is well worthy a visit 
 from any one interested in agricultural pursuits, for 
 there he will see what judgment and proper organi- 
 sation can do. The minutest details are attended to, 
 and the result is evident in the thriving condition of 
 the fine lot of animals now being fattened for sale at 
 the commencement of the new year. There is one 
 feature in the present aspect of agricultural matters 
 that looks well for the future of hunting, and that is 
 the circumstance of a large quantity of land being 
 laid down in grass. The breeding and feeding of 
 
156 Hark Away. 
 
 stock being, in tlie judgment of many landlords of 
 practical experience, the direction in which to look for 
 favourable results, in the face of the constantly increas- 
 ing import of corn at such exceedingly low prices, and 
 the high price of meat of every description. 
 
 Finding no chance of change of Aveather, and that 
 my journey to Rugby in search of sport was a failure, 
 I determined to return from my bootless errand, 
 promising to come again with the open weather, to 
 ride with the different packs which are to be reached 
 from thence. There is one great inducement offered in 
 this central position for taking up one's quarters there, 
 namely, the admirable service of trains, Avhich do the 
 journey to and from Euston in two hours. Hunting 
 tickets are issued, the number of trains is considerable, 
 and stabling good enough for the most fastidious is to 
 be obtained in convenient parts of the tow^n. 
 
 The early appearance of frost and snow gives 
 premature and unnecessary rest to the studs, which, 
 as a rule, have not been called upon to do much thus 
 far to necessitate it, and the advent of such inclement 
 weather would have been more convenient to the 
 sportsman had it been delayed until after Christmas ; 
 but as we cannot control the season, it is no use 
 grumbling, and all that we can do is to wait patiently 
 for the good time coming. When that happy state 
 of things is arrived at, I hope to visit Melton, and to 
 see the working of the Cottesmore under the new 
 management of Lord Carington, to observe Tom 
 Firr perform across the grass with his racing pack, 
 Frank Gillard and his Bel voir beauties, and generally 
 to enjoy the opportunities for sport, and enter into 
 the jovialities of that cheery and celebrated place, 
 
A Ro2tgh Time at R^tgby. 157 
 
 designated bv " Nimrod " the metropolis of hunting, 
 a visit to which always results in an increased admira- 
 tion of the sport as seen in the shires. 
 
 During this enforced vacation I propose to visit 
 the Royal kennels at Ascot, and to make inquiries of 
 Mr. Goodall as to the condition of the Buckhounds, 
 and ascertaining the prospect of their resuming hunt- 
 ing. I have heard considerable interest expressed in 
 respect to this outbreak amongst the Queen's hounds 
 of the little understood disease, and it is hoped by 
 many that much information may be obtained of the 
 symptoms and progress of the malady, as it is sup- 
 posed that every opportunity will be taken of noting 
 the features of so destructive a complaint. 
 
 I see in the columns of a contemjDorary some re- 
 marks as to the way in which the late Major Whj^te- 
 Melville was in the habit of riding to hounds, which 
 makes me exclaim, " Save me from my friends ! " as 
 my observation of the style of that excellent and 
 much-lamented, I may say universally regretted 
 sportsman, is entirely at variance with the state- 
 ments therein made, my recollection of him being 
 that, so far from " lashing " about, which I presume 
 is a misprint for " larking," he was as quiet and un- 
 demonstrative a horseman as ever I rode alongside 
 of. Quick to get away to hounds, with a good eye 
 for the country over which he was going, and show^- 
 ing remarkable consideration for the animal he was 
 bestriding, thus he was always in a good place, — 
 riding with nerve, judgment, and discretion. It is a 
 matter of little moment now, but still I think it well 
 to give my version of the matter, otherwise the fatal 
 occurrence may be set down to imprudence instead 
 of an unlucky accident. 
 
CHAPTER XX. 
 
 THE ROYAL BUCKHOUNDS. 
 
 XAGGERATED rumours and vague state- 
 ments having been afloat in regard to 
 the outbreak of hydrophobia amongst 
 the Royal buckhounds, I determined to 
 visit the kennels at Ascot Heath, and make myself 
 acquainted with the true state of the case. With 
 this view I communicated with Mr. Goodall, Her 
 Majesty's huntsman, expressing my desire to look over 
 the establishment, and was immediately and cour- 
 teously informed that my presence would be agreeable. 
 A short journey by the South-Western landed me 
 at the Ascot station, and a brisk walk brought me 
 in a few minutes to my destination. As I ap- 
 proached the kennels, the deep-mouthed baying of 
 the hounds broke pleasantly on my ear, causing me 
 to quicken my steps in order to judge of the con- 
 dition of the noble pack after the serious visitation 
 that has befallen them at the height of the season. 
 After receiving a cordial welcome from Goodall, I 
 was taken straight to the kennels to examine for 
 myself their present state, and to hear particulars of 
 the course that had been adopted on the breaking 
 out of this terrible malady. 
 
The Royal Buckhotmds, 159 
 
 That -undoubted cases of hydrophobia had oc- 
 curred Mr. Goodall fully satisfied himself before 
 calling in the aid of a learned professor of the 
 veterinary art so as to relieve himself from some 
 of the serious responsibility of dealing decisively 
 with so sad a disorder. When the matter was laid 
 before Lord Hardwicke, the Master of the Buck- 
 hounds, he at once asked the Royal huntsman what 
 his views were as to the course which should be 
 pursued. Mr. Goodall's reply was that there were 
 three coui'ses that might be adopted. First, to 
 destroy the whole of the pack ; secondly, to isolate 
 the hounds; and thirdly, to keep them under the 
 closest supervision, watching them from hour to 
 hour, and dealing with them as the state of cir- 
 cumstances might require. Lord Hardwicke very 
 wisely, in my opinion, adopted the latter course, 
 which was strongly recommended by Goodall, whose 
 practical experience of this terrible disease entitled 
 him to rank as an authority on the subject. That it 
 is a serious and embarrassing calamity to happen to 
 a master of hounds there can be no doubt ; but, at 
 the same time, it is advisable to reflect, before taking 
 so destructive a step as sacrificing the whole pack 
 in a scare. By trusting to the practical knowledge 
 of his huntsman, the noble Master has preserved the 
 pack, and when I looked upon them a short time 
 since, I felt perfectly satisfied that, whatever latent 
 evil might exist, no hounds in the kingdom could 
 look more healthy, more contented, or more bloom- 
 ing in condition, than the Royal buckhounds as 
 seen by me on . that occasion. How, then, do I 
 account for the origin of the complaint? Simply 
 
i6o Hark Away, 
 
 by saying that it had been imported, and never 
 conld possibly have originated from any condition 
 of soil, defect of drainage, want of ventilation, defi- 
 ciency of cleanliness, or faultiness in construction of 
 the buildings. 
 
 In no kennels that I have ever visited have I seen 
 greater care and attention paid to the necessary 
 conditions for ensuring the health of a pack of 
 hounds. To have destroyed wholesale this beautiful 
 lot of animals would have been more than a crime ; 
 it would have been a stupid blunder, which might 
 have been committed by persons who feared to take 
 upon themselves a certain amount — not a small 
 amount by any means — of responsibility. 
 
 A wiser determination was arrived at by Lord 
 Hardwicke, and the result of his sound judgment has 
 been the salvation of the hounds, which, under less 
 thoughtful supervision, might have been sacrificed 
 in a moment of timidity. One glance at their sa- 
 gacious faces, and a close observation of the eyes of 
 these suspected animals, convinced me that, as far as 
 ordinary observation went, there was as little fear of 
 a further outbreak of hydrophobia as it was possible 
 to imagine, judging, of course, from present appear- 
 ances. Should any other cases unfortunately occur, 
 it must be borne in mind that the huntsman under 
 whose vigilant care these hounds are placed cannot 
 fail to observe the premonitory symptoms of this fell 
 disease. That there is sufficient time to isolate any 
 animal before dangerous symptoms show themselves 
 is certain. A close observer, especially so experienced 
 a person as Goodall, could not fail to notice in the 
 earliest stages the downcast look, the heavy eye, the 
 
The Royal Buckhoitnds. 1 6 1 
 
 wearied demeauour, the restless movements, and the 
 desh'e for soKtude, that mark the early stage of the 
 disease, on the part of any one of his favom^ite 
 charges. I venture to say of Goodall that his love 
 of the animals under his care, and his desire for their 
 comfort, might compare not unfavourably Avith that 
 of the custodians of some portion of our poorer 
 compatriots, even in these exceedingly enlightened 
 days. Those who have never seen or been mixed 
 up with persons having charge of hounds, can 
 imagine the attachment that is felt by a true sports- 
 man for the noble animals that are placed under his 
 care, nor can they be aware of the intelligence and 
 fidelity of the canine race, unless their attention has 
 been especially directed thereto. 
 
 " Surely," said a cautious friend, " you will not 
 go amongst these hounds when you visit the 
 kennels ? " Yet when Goodall bidding Gallant, 
 Ganymede, General, Garland, Wizard, Whitebait, 
 and Welfare, come forth to show their perfections, I 
 should as soon have thought of shrinking from the 
 presence of a mouse as from those healthy and 
 magnificent specimens of staghounds, whose ap- 
 pearance would have assured the most timid of 
 observers, even if they did jump up upon him in the 
 exuberance and delight of their temporary freedom. 
 
 That the subject of hydrophobia is a matter of 
 exceeding great interest to every master of fox- 
 hounds there cannot be the slightest doubt, and I 
 would venture to call attention to one or two 
 matters which have a bearing upon the case. Were 
 I a master of foxhounds, I should give strict orders 
 that whenever a hound had strayed away from his 
 
 L 
 
1 6 2 Hark A way, 
 
 fellows, and been absent for a day or two — as is 
 often the case — from the kennels, that he should be 
 isolated for a time, and only restored to the society 
 of his confreres after he had been under a certain 
 amount of supervision. 
 
 In the case of the outbreak of hydrophobia in 
 the kennels of the Devon and Somerset during last 
 summer, I believe there is not the slightest doubt 
 that the disease was brought into them by a hound 
 that straggled from the pack, being, as it was 
 proved, I believe, beyond doubt, locked up for a 
 night with a sheep-dog suffering from the malady, 
 which bit him, and thus introduced hydrophobia 
 into the well-cared-for establishment of Mr. Bissett. 
 
 The second point to which 1 would draw atten- 
 tion is to the state of health of puppies coming in 
 from the different '' walks." I would suggest that 
 young hounds, whose habits and wandering life 
 render them Kablo under these circumstances to 
 contract so fatal a disease, should, before being 
 allowed to mingle with the pack, pass through a 
 time of quarantine. 
 
 Previous to the setting in of the severe frost 
 that has put so effectual a stop upon all hunting, 
 Goodall had given daily exercise to his hounds, 
 by leading them a canter over the race-course. 
 This, owing to the hardness of the ground, has 
 been discontinued for the time, but will doubtless 
 be resumed as soon as the frost ends. 
 
 Giving as my reason for putting trust in Goodall's 
 practical experience in preference to theories of mere 
 students of this direful and destructive disease, which 
 at present no practitioner has been able to prescribe 
 
The Royal B2ickho2tnds. 163 
 
 for with effect, I would cite the fact of the oppor- 
 tunity which was afforded him, when in the ser^^ce 
 of Lord Portsmouth some years since, of witnessing 
 the progress of the direful outbreak, which occurred 
 when his lordship had collected together some two 
 hundred couples of hounds for the purpose of form- 
 ing a pack of the very best animals that could be 
 found. This opportunity, combined with the interest 
 he took in his calling and his natural aptitude for the 
 charge of hounds, has rendered him, in my opinion, 
 a more trustworthy judge of the symptoms and 
 progress of this little understood disorder than 
 those studious persons whose knowledge is simply 
 theoretical. 
 
 The number of hounds in the Ascot kennels at 
 the present time is a little over forty couples, and 
 an examination of the list shows that they owe 
 their superiority to the judicious selection of strains 
 of blood from the very best packs in the country, 
 such as Sir W. Wynn's, the Tedworth, Mr. Lane 
 Fox's, Lord Middleton's, Mr. Portman's, Mr. Garth's, 
 Lord Coventry's, Lord Fitzhardinge's, the Bel voir, 
 the Heythrop, etc. It would indeed have been a 
 misfortune had Goodall feared to undertake the 
 reponsibility of watching and caring for his hounds 
 when so frightful a complaint first showed itself, 
 and when it was impossible to say to what extent 
 it might have ravaged the pack, and it would have 
 been an easy way of getting over the difficulty had 
 he recommended the clestruction of the lot. Now 
 the loss has been minimised by patient care and 
 observation ; and the result is that some four dis- 
 tinct cases of hydrophobia have occurred with fatal 
 
164 Hark Away. 
 
 results, and, as far as I could form an opinion from 
 careful observation, I should have little fear of further 
 outbreak. Of course, some o± the hounds may have 
 been bitten by those who have fallen victims to the 
 disease, and, as it appears to be the opinion of the 
 learned that seeds of this malady may lie dormant 
 for months — or, as some assert, for years — there 
 can be no absolute certainty of immunity ; but, as I 
 have before observed, the premonitory symptoms 
 cannot fail at to once arrest the attention of the 
 huntsmen in time to prevent serious consequences. 
 Were I in charge of these animals, and had the 
 opportunity of watching the cases that occurred at 
 Ascot, I should have no fear that the approach of 
 the complaint would escape my observation. The 
 symptoms are so marked, and the changed condi- 
 tion of the animal so apparent to those under whose 
 eyes they constantly are, that, with the knowledge 
 that such a contingency was impending over them, 
 suspicion would at once be roused. 
 
 Up to the time of the outbreak the Royal hounds 
 had been doing good work, showing some capital 
 runs, notably one on the first public day of the 
 season, when they had a clinker from Salt Hill, by 
 way of Burnham Beeches, Beaconsfield, Chalfont, 
 and on to Chenies. Having ridden with them on 
 that occasion, and having specially noted their con- 
 dition, and the way they did their work, I am per- 
 fectly certain that the disaster is to be attributed 
 to an accidental introduction of disease, and not to 
 any inherent ailment attributable to locality, or to 
 any defect in food, dwelling, or drainage. I think 
 there is little doubt that as soon as the frost brea 
 
The Royal Buckkotinds. 
 
 i6 
 
 lip, and the country is once again fit to ride across, 
 that the Royal buckhounds will be at their post, and 
 that Goodall will be able to show as fine sport as 
 ever, notwithstanding the inroad of a malady that 
 might have caused their destruction, but which, 
 fortunately, by judgment and discretion, has been 
 so far limited to a slight loss, and a temporary sus- 
 pension of hunting. 
 
CHAPTER XXL 
 
 THE ESSEX FOXHOUNDS. 
 
 * ' The melancholy days are come 
 The saddest of the year, 
 Of wailing winds, and naked woods, 
 And meadows brown and sere." 
 
 UCH were the reflections that crossed my 
 mind when I started at the ghastly hour 
 of six in the morning, in order to travel 
 by train to attend the meet of the Essex 
 Foxhounds at Pirgo Park Lodge, near Havering-at- 
 ye-Bower, a few miles from Romford. I had several 
 reasons for desiring to revisit these parts, and as I 
 rode to cover, I thought of the words of an old song, 
 as being peculiarly apposite to the time — " Scenes 
 of my youth, once more I behold you ; home of my 
 childhood from thee I have roamed," for it is now 
 close upon half a century since first I hunted the 
 identical cover which the Essex were to draw on 
 Monday last. 
 
 The pack I hunted in those days was not an im- 
 posing one, certainly, though useful. Two couples 
 and a half of harriers, drafts from the pack of Sir 
 James Urmstone, one beagle, a fox terrier, and a 
 spaniel. To a boy of ten years of age such a lot 
 
The Essex Foxhounds. 1 6 7 
 
 was as valuable in his eyes as that of the Bel voir 
 in those of his Grace of Rutland, and I doubt if 
 the noble Duke, with all his magnificent hounds 
 and horses, enjoys the sport as much as 1 did that 
 with my scratch pack. 
 
 RevisitiDg a well-remembered locality after a lapse 
 of forty years, one expects to find changes. The 
 ruthless hand of improvement I found on arrival at 
 Havering Bower had destroyed the old church, sub- 
 stituting an elaborate and highly ornamented building. 
 Time was when the reverend doctor who officiated 
 arrived clad in breeches and boots, and having turned 
 his old grey horse into the churchyard to graze on 
 the rank grass in that sacred spot, would walk up 
 the aisle, putting on a dingy white surplice, and after 
 going through the service, would mount his Rosi- 
 nante and trot off to Navestock to do the afternoon 
 performance. Times are changed now, and I doubt 
 whether the bishop of the diocese would altogether 
 approve of the costume; and yet with all the innova- 
 tions and alterations of the present day the world 
 does not seem to greatly improve ; things go on 
 much in the same way as they ever did, and there 
 is evidently still a great deal of human nature in 
 man. 
 
 Then I look for the fm-ze-grown gravel pits and 
 the cosy old farmhouse, and think of the times 
 when a day's ferreting was the height of my ambi- 
 tion. Now a stately mansion, the residence of Mr. 
 Macintosh, occupies the site of the old house, and a 
 well-planted, undulating park, extending over a 
 large tract of land, stands in the place of the rough 
 rabbit covers. 
 
1 68 Hark Aivay. 
 
 In those far-off times there existed Hainault 
 Forest, of large extent, in the glades of which were 
 herds of fallow deer, and many red deer as well. 
 This wild and beautiful place has long since been 
 disforested and improved into very inferior agricul- 
 tural land, to the infinite loss of the citizens of 
 London, who were wont to take their pleasure 
 beneath the celebrated Fairlop Oak, as well as those 
 who used to enjoy the hunting of the red deer along 
 the pleasant shady rides. 
 
 The same ruthless hand would have destroyed its 
 neighbour, Epping Forest, but fortunately the en- 
 closure has been stopped, though not before a great 
 amount of tree felling and turf cutting had been per- 
 mitted. Many a time and oft, with the aforesaid 
 scratch pack, have I hunted a fallow buck in the 
 vicinity of Chigwell Row. 
 
 The manner of proceeding was this : — The " field," 
 which consisted of several lads of my ow^n age — 
 nearly all of whom I have outlived, by-the-bye, such 
 being the penalty one pays for the title of a veteran 
 — Avould enter the forest by divers well-known gaps, 
 each accompanied by a single hound. Then the loud 
 notes of the horn collected the pack at the trysting 
 place, and we would hunt the fallow deer to our 
 hearts' content. 
 
 But where were the keepers? will be asked. AVell, 
 it was in the days when Long Pole Tynley Wellesley 
 Pole was ranger, but not a resident in the locality; 
 and the custodians of the forest did not too curiously 
 scan the proceedings of the squire's sons ; winking, 
 in fact, at our boyish indulgence in the manly sport, 
 and tacitly allowing us to enjoy to the fullest our 
 
The Essex Foxhotmds, 1 69 
 
 favourite amusement. Then diverging from the road 
 to cover, I have a look at the " old house at home," 
 or what was once home, regarding it with mingled 
 feelings of pleasure and sorrow, and trot away again 
 until Pirgo Park lodge is reached. 
 
 After waiting a few minutes, I rode in the direction 
 of Harlow, in order to meet the hounds, and soon 
 came up with the pack, which was taken into Pirgo 
 Park, where I had an opportunity of observing them. 
 Seventeen and a-half couples were out on this occa- 
 sion, and a strong, useful lot of hounds they are, 
 fit for the severe country they have to hunt. In 
 capital condition is this pack, doing credit to their 
 huntsman, S. Dobson, who is a sporting-looking and 
 business-like man, well-mounted, as were his whips, 
 R. Yeo and E. Firr, and a third, whose name I did 
 not learn. The master, Mr. L. W. Arkwright, was 
 not present, but Mrs. Arkwright well fulfilled the 
 duties in his absence. When I first remember this 
 lady, she was the boldest and best horsewoman of 
 her day, riding quietly, but with rare courage, discre- 
 tion, and determination ; and memory recalls a run 
 with the Fitzwilliam from Catworth Gorse, in the 
 days of poor old Tom Sebright, when she cut down the 
 field at a terrific bullfinch, causing George Carter, 
 then first whip, and now successor of old Tom, to 
 exclaim, " Well, I am blessed ! " or some such word, 
 expressive of his astonishment at seeing a young 
 lady do what he dare not even try to accomplish, 
 hard as he was across country. 
 
 It was a tremendous run, at racing pace, and being 
 mounted on a favourite horse. Timber Merchant by 
 name, so called from his habits of negotiating gates, 
 
 M 
 
1 70 Hark Away, 
 
 park palings, and flights of posts and rails, whole- 
 sale or retail, and who was spoken of by a well- 
 known dealer of Piccadilly as being perfection, I 
 in turn mowed down the lot over a double, and, 
 like a servant girl in a strict family, had not 
 any followers — not even the hard-riding lady alluded 
 to. 
 
 A " field " of about fifty well-mounted men were 
 present at Pirgo, the seat of General Fytch, and 
 several ladies. Amongst the nags, I noticed two or 
 three first-class animals, if appearances go for any- 
 thing. One, a thoroughbred, evidently a race horse 
 from his style, looked remarkably fit to go, and a 
 clever-looking chesnut, who was as fresh as need be, 
 if not a little too much so. 
 
 Then, the order to move being given by Mrs. Ark- 
 wright, the hounds were speedily thrown into cover, 
 and the cheery cry of the huntsman was heard, 
 " Halloo, in there ! Halloo in ! Yoi, have at him ! " 
 But in vain, for this exceedingly likely-looking place 
 for a fox was drawn blank, and the hounds were 
 trotted off to the plantations adjacent to the house. 
 Here my troubles commenced. The horse, an entire 
 stranger to me, who had gone quietly to cover, sud- 
 denly became wild with excitement, and kicked, 
 squeaked, jumped, backed, and did everything in his 
 power to unseat me. If another horse passed him it 
 was the signal for a fresh attempt, and when giving 
 him one on the shoulder with my hunting crop he 
 reared straight on end, and warned me he could be 
 dangerous. 
 
 I have no objection to any reasonable amount of 
 light-heartedness on the part of the steed who has to 
 
The Essex Foxhounds. 171 
 
 carry me, but rearing is the thing I object to. Time 
 was I could jump of and pull back the recalcitrant 
 animal, but the day for those acrobatic performances 
 is over, so I dismounted and attempted to lead that 
 unruly beast, at a respectful distance from the rest of 
 the " field," fearing he might lash out and injure some 
 man or horse. The brute was then, if possible, more 
 troublesome than ever, and vividly recalled to mind 
 the scene in Pickwick of the drive to Dingley Dell, 
 where that distinguished personage came to grief 
 with "that immense horse, displaying great sym- 
 metry of bone, warranted quiet, and which an infant 
 in arms might drive," as Mr. Pickwick was assured ; 
 a quiet animal that would not shy, " even if he met 
 a vaggin load of monkeys with their tails burnt off.'* 
 I, too, try to coax this wretched beast, and then, 
 losing all patience, I give him a double thonger, 
 which caused him to retaliate by striking at me with 
 his foreleg. *' It is like a dream," ejaculated Mr. Pick- 
 wick, "a hideous dream; the idea of a man's walking 
 about all day with a dreadful horse which he can't 
 get rid of." That was exactly my position ; my 
 pleasure was entirely spoilt by the vagaries of that 
 brute ; I toiled after the hounds from cover to cover, 
 through the wet grass and muddy gateways, think- 
 ing when the hounds went away I might venture to 
 remount and give him a burster, but no such luck was 
 mine. 
 
 I believe a fox was found, and run for a short time 
 in Havering Park. If so I was entirely out of the 
 hunt, though I toiled after them, vainly as it proved; 
 and when I found that Dobson was going to trot 
 away to Cuttlemass Common, some considerable dis- 
 
172 Ha i^k A way. 
 
 tance, I determined to chuck it up for the nonce, 
 reserving opinion as to the working of this good- 
 looking pack until a more favourable time. 
 
 Finding myself in the vicinity of Navestock, 
 I availed myself of the opportunity of visiting some 
 old friends, whom I had not seen for the last forty- 
 five years, and after receiving a vast amount of 
 hospitality, and the heartiest of welcomes from Mr. 
 and Mrs. Hall, who are well-known and greatly 
 respected inhabitants of that quiet locality, I mounted 
 the objectionable grey, and had my revenge. When 
 homeward bound the wretch was manageable, and 
 before I reached Romford, it was a case of bellows 
 to mend with that fiend, who utterly spoiled my 
 contemplated day's pleasure with the Essex Fox- 
 hounds ; but le hon temps viendra, I hope, and I will 
 then, under more favourable circumstances, endea- 
 vour to faithfuUy chronicle their doings. 
 
CHAPTEE XXII. 
 
 THE SURREY STAGHOUNDS. 
 
 ^FTER experieDcing a frost of more than or- 
 dinary severity, a sudden transformation 
 has been effected by the most thorough 
 and rapid a thaw that ever remember. So 
 sudden was the change, that there was no time to go 
 far a-field for a day's hunting, and chance leading 
 me to Epsom, I determined to have a ride with the 
 Surrey Staghounds, in order to witness the way in 
 which the thing is done in that part of the world. 
 The fixture on Tuesday was Effingham, and a 
 pleasant ride of eight miles, on a clever hack, 
 passing through Leatherhead and Great Bookham, 
 brought me to the appointed place, where I found 
 a considerable number of workmanlike performers in 
 readiness, after their enforced abstention from the 
 noble sport, for a clinker with this clipping pack of 
 staghounds. 
 
 Prominent amongst the number was the new and 
 popular master, Mr. T. Nicholls of Nutfield, who 
 succeeded Mr. Robinson ; Mr. J. Bovill, a first-rate 
 performer, and a very regular and old attendant 
 on the Surrey, accompanied by his son ; Mr. Fred. 
 Gregory, Mr. J. Page, of Epsom, Mr. Norris (the 
 
174 Hark Away. 
 
 secretary of the hunt), and a host of gentlemen, well 
 mounted, and looking as if they meant business. 
 Shortly after my arrival, the cart containing " Young 
 Epsom," the stag who was to show us the way 
 on this occasion, appeared on the scene, and a 
 move was shortly made towards a large open field 
 where the sporting-looking animal was uncarted. 
 Lookmg around him for a minute, and having 
 made up his mind as to the line he should take, 
 he went away at a rattling pace across several 
 big fields, and, jumping into the road, disappeared 
 from my view. Whilst the usual law was being 
 allowed him, I had time to notice the hounds, which 
 came up with then- huntsmen, that experienced and 
 thorough sportsman, J. Bently, w^ho, moreover, is a 
 capital rider to hounds as well as a pleasant and 
 cheery fellow. No pack could possibly be in a better 
 or more racing condition, and I am told their per- 
 formances this season have excelled all they have 
 done before ; and at any rate, if appearances go for 
 anything, I should say it was not improbable. 
 
 Time being up, Bently laid his hounds on to the 
 line of the stag, and scarcely a moment elapsed be- 
 fore they picked up the scent and went away at a 
 tremendous pace, over the big fields, and bending to 
 the right, made for Great Bookham ; but, fearing to 
 face the open country in the direction of Leather- 
 head, '' Young Epsom " doubled back and braved the 
 boisterous "wdnd, running for upwards of an hour 
 across the difiicult line of country in the direction of 
 Burford Bridge, being finally taken in the vicinity of 
 Dorking, after a sharp gallop of an hour and a-half 
 from first to last. The pace the Surrey Staghounds 
 
The Surrey Staghounds. 175 
 
 go is tremendous ; there is no time for shirking 
 or craning, and he who would Kve with them must 
 sit down on his horse and go with a will, remember- 
 ing in such case that he who hesitates is left behind, 
 and far behind, too, in no time. Of this fact the 
 riders with this sporting pack seem to be quite 
 aware ; for the instant the hounds stooped to the 
 scent and settled down to the hne of the stag, they 
 were away like a flash of lightning, and I saw no 
 shirking or hesitation amongst the sixty or seventy 
 forming the " field," every one seeming to have 
 come with the determination of riding across country, 
 not simply following the line of road, as is the case 
 of some stag hunters who I see Macadamising along 
 the highways, getting ahead of the stag, ignoring 
 the hounds, and spoiling the sport. 
 
 The meets of the Surrey Staghounds are not ad- 
 vertised, consequently the " field " is kept within 
 reasonable bounds, which would not be the case if 
 too much publicity was given ; therefore, as a rule, 
 there is a welcome absence of strangers, whose room 
 is pleasanter than their company, especially when 
 they come determined to ride over anything and 
 everybody ; or, what is worse, when they are vmable, 
 from incapacity, to manage their horses, coming to 
 grief themselves, and being the cause of much sorrow 
 to others. It is said that on one occasion the 
 present Duke of Rutland was nearly knocked over 
 by a rash youth, when riding with his own hounds. 
 The culprit, who unluckily cannoned against his 
 Grace, was profuse, nay, even abject in his apologies, 
 offering as an excuse the fact of his being unable to 
 manage his horse. The Duke, who is one of the least 
 
176 Hark Away. 
 
 demonstrative of the many M. F. H.'s that I have 
 seen, said, in his quiet way, — " Then, sir, I should 
 think the best thing you can do under those cir- 
 cumstances is to go home " — the retort courteous, 
 even if shghtly humiHating, to the rash young man 
 in question. 
 
 It is only a short while since that I saw a youth 
 of this class, whose get-up was a sight to behold, 
 mounted upon a bang-tailed, weedy thorough-bred ; 
 he appeared at the meet of a certain pack of harriers, 
 evidently nuts upon himself, thinking that he had 
 done the trick this time, and no mistake. Artless 
 youth ! in vain you attempted the " role " of a 
 genuine sportsman. I admit that your white neck- 
 cloth, horse-shoe pin, green coat, and corduroy 
 breeches were beyond reproach, but why, my ingenu- 
 ous friend, did you button your gaiters down the 
 inside, instead of the outside of your leg? for it 
 entirely spoilt the effect of the whole proceeding ; 
 reminding one that Shakespeare has placed it on 
 record, " that the apparel oft proclaims the man." 
 Certainly it did so on this occasion, and though I 
 felt for you every time the iron of those buttons 
 entered into the calf of your leg, I dared not, for the 
 life of me, suggest that you had put your garments 
 on without thinking of the fitness of things. No, no, 
 I was too clever for that ; fancy suggesting to an 
 ardent and susceptible young sportsman, who evident- 
 ly did not think small beer of himself, that things 
 were in fact, " t'other side upwards." Doubtless he 
 would have dropped into me actively and verbally, 
 and I should not have liked it. 
 
 The kennels of the Surrey Staghounds are at 
 
The Stirrey Staghotmds. 177 
 
 Smitliam Bottom, near CouIscIod, and I hope to have 
 a look over them shortly, and to obtain a list of the 
 hounds and their pedigrees, as they struck me as 
 being a first-rate lot of animals, well matched, and 
 keeping in a compact body, notwithstanding the 
 clinking pace they went ; and as for their powers of 
 endurance, the fact of my having heard of them 
 taking the deer on more than one occasion during 
 the last season in the vicinity of Tunbridge Wells, 
 they must certainly be good stayers beyond all 
 doubt. The " country " over which they hunt is 
 extensive, varied, and in some parts very difficult 
 to get across ; but, nevertheless, they have as a rule 
 exceedingly good sport, and any one wishing for a 
 good gallop over a wild country may, by selecting 
 a fit time and place, make sure of a rattler if the deer 
 goes straight. 
 
 I remarked on this occasion the fitness of " Young 
 Epsom," as I did that of the stag Avhich I saw 
 uncarted last spring at Ewell, and it is evident that 
 great pains are taken with them, and therefore it is 
 not much to be wondered at that, having an ener- 
 getic and agreeable master, a first-rate huntsman, a 
 blooming lot of speedy hounds, and well-conditioned 
 deer, the Surrey Staghounds should rank among the 
 first packs in the kingdom. 
 
 Exception may be taken by some critical people 
 in respect to stag hunting, but in my opinion there 
 is very much to be said in its favour. There are 
 many gentlemen riding with the pack whose avoca- 
 tions compel them to live in London or the vicinity, 
 and who cannot spare time to travel far a-field for 
 their amusement, and who are enabled to enjoy a 
 
178 Hark Away, 
 
 clinking good galop with a rattling pack of bounds 
 without travelling far for their sport. 
 
 During my stay at Epsom, I learned that a dog in 
 a rabid state had bitten no less than five people in 
 the village of Ewell on Monday last. The fact of his 
 having bitten his master, and been forthwith dis- 
 patched, leaves little doubt of his condition. AVith 
 this fact in view, I cannot too strongly urge masters 
 of hounds and huntsmen to follow the unasked-for 
 advice I ventured to give in a recent number of Belts 
 Life in London, in respect to admitting stray hounds 
 or puppies from their walks into the kennels without 
 their first passing through a stage of quarantine. 
 
 As I cantered along the road from Leatherhead to 
 Effingham, I was accompanied for two or three miles 
 by a foxhound puppy, who, after travelhug that 
 distance with me turned on his heel and went home. 
 This illustrates an easy method, in my opinion, of 
 introducing so fatal a malady as hydrophobia into a 
 kennel ; for it might easily happen that this puppy 
 should meet with a stray cur such as did this amount 
 of mischief at Ewell, and have been inoculated with 
 the disease, subsequently introducing it to Avherever 
 his destination eventually might be. The more I 
 hear of this disastrous complaint, the more convinced 
 am I that it is very little understood indeed ; and 
 before admitting the truth of the many statements 
 and so-called facts in respect to the length of time 
 Avhich the seeds of this disorder are alleged to lie 
 dormant, I should require to investigate very closely 
 the evidence in support thereof. There must be a 
 cause for every effect, but at present I have heard 
 nothing that would guide me in forming an opinion. 
 
The Sttrrey Staghounds. ij() 
 
 It appears to occur at all times and seasons, and 
 under various conditions, and so important is the 
 subject to masters of hounds, that I think it would 
 be well worth while to institute an inquiry, with the 
 view of ascertaining the origin of hydrophobia. With 
 its disastrous effects we are well acquainted, not so 
 with the initial of the disease or the mode of treat- 
 ment that should be adopted. The importance of 
 the question must be my apology for reiterating my 
 views ; but, moving about as I do, I hear so many 
 and such varied opinions expressed, I think it highly 
 advisable that a searching investigation should be 
 made. 
 
 Returning to the subject of the Surrey Staghounds, 
 I have no hesitation in saying that a visit to them 
 will repay the trouble to any real sportsman who 
 wishes to go the pace over a stiff country at the tail 
 of a flying pack, and in the society of a pleasant and 
 hard-riding lot of gentlemanly men ; and if he is a 
 man of mettle, not afraid of a tall fence, a steep hill, 
 a big brook, an occasional piece of stiff timber, and 
 now and then a flight of park palings, I know of no 
 place where he will be so accommodated as in this 
 metropolitan county. 
 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 TROST-BOUND. 
 
 " i^^^^TORY? God bless you, I have none to 
 tell," was the oft - quoted reply of 
 Canning's needy knife-grinder ; and I 
 feel very much in the same plight as 
 that wandering and little-informed tinker. With 
 the thermometer below zero, and the Yorkshire 
 moors and other places covered with snow to the 
 depth of two feet, there can be little to say about 
 hunting, that's clear, and one is forced to exclaim 
 with Pope, '' Dogs, ye have had your day," at any 
 rate for a while. Well, if one cannot talk of hounds, 
 there is no reason for refraining from looking at 
 horses, and speaking of them, for a matter of that. 
 
 Having arrived at this conclusion, I wended my 
 way along Piccadilly, en route for Tattersall's, and 
 was not long before I fell in with some acquaint- 
 ances. First was a frozen-out Melton man, who is 
 always in the first flight, and he tells me that the 
 Cottesmore have had good sport, under the new 
 and popular management of Lord Carington, and 
 we part with the hope of meeting before many 
 days have elapsed at Melton Spinneys, Gartree 
 Hill, Ashby pastures, Ranksborough Gorse, or some 
 
Frost-Bound. 1 8 1 
 
 other capital cover in the cream of the shires. Next 
 I come across that spirited coach proprietor, Captain 
 Hargreaves, who, I beheve, intends to run to Ports- 
 mouth again during the ensuing season, though he 
 does not mean to put an up and down coach at their 
 road, as has been stated. Then I meet Mr. Seager 
 Hunt, whose intention of starting a coach to Box 
 Hill has been announced, causing an amount of 
 excitement amongst the proprietors of the coach 
 that ran last year to Box Hill and Dorking, vide 
 advertisement in the columns of Belts Life in 
 London of the 21st December, and who signify 
 their intention of again running from Hatchett's 
 at an early period of the season. 
 
 By this time Tattersall's was reached, and I 
 entered within the portals of that well-arranged 
 and admirably - conducted establishment ; there I 
 find business proceeding as usual, and hear Mr. 
 Edmund Tattersall exclaiming, •' What shall I say 
 for the bay mare ? Four hundred, three hundred 
 and fifty, three hundred, two hundred and fifty 
 guineas is bid for the mare ; a capital fencer, well 
 known with the Quorn, the Cottesmore, and the 
 Belvoir — run her down." Convenient and exten- 
 sive as the present premises are, they do not har- 
 monise with the recollections of old times at the 
 " Corner ; " better suited, no doubt, for the largely- 
 increased business, but not so cosy-looking as the 
 old yard ; but, of course, old-fashioned people do 
 not like modern improvements, and it is their 
 privilege to compare invidiously the present with 
 the past. '' Old times are changed, old manners 
 gone ; " ah, and old friends and acquaintances 
 
t82 Hark Away. 
 
 too ; and I see but few of the habitues of that well- 
 known haunt that I used to know in olden times 
 as regular attendants at the " Corner." Well, it 
 is the nature of things to change, and as it is 
 considerably past fifty years since I was a school- 
 fellow of the late Eichard Tattersall, at Richard- 
 son's establishment for young gentlemen, in com- 
 pany with two of the Kembles, Listen, jun., Terry, 
 and others who have passed away, it is not very 
 surprising to find alterations after so long a lapse 
 of time, and it is excusable, in the teeth of such 
 old recollections, if one should exclaim, — 
 
 " Oh ! for the touch of a vanished hand, 
 The sound of a voice that is still." 
 
 But this is dwelling on a cold scent, running to heel 
 in fact, and your readers, no doubt, will exclaim, 
 "Enough of the past ! Hark forward, hark forward, 
 'oldun.'" 
 
 There is no better mode for a man who knows his 
 way about, and is a good judge of horse flesh, to 
 obtain a stud at a moderate cost than by taking 
 his chance at the fall of the hammer, running the 
 risk of occasionally picking up a screw, or meeting 
 with a clinker by a piece of good luck, as I did, — 
 purchasing a grand hunter for forty-five guineas. 
 I well remember on one occasion noticing amongst 
 the stud which Lord Cardigan had sent up to 
 the hammer, an exceptionally handsome bay horse, 
 with a very badly scarred knee, which I thought 
 would so far detract from his value as to bring 
 him within my reach, and I thought for such 
 a good-looking animal, with the reputation that 
 
Frost- Bound. 183 
 
 always attached to any of his lordship's nags, I 
 might venture — broken knee notwithstanding — to 
 go as far as £60 or £70. " Going to buy one of my 
 horses?" said his lordship, as I met him when 
 coming out from the stable. " Yes, I think so, my 
 lord," was my reply ; " the horse with the broken 
 knee looks like carrying me, and will go at my 
 figure, I expect." " Hope you'll get him," said the 
 noble earl ; but I did not, nevertheless. " AYhat does 
 any one say for Leicester?" was scarcely out of the 
 mouth of Richard Tattersall the elder, wdien some 
 one who knew the horse well bid 350 guineas, 
 dispelling my fond illusion of possessing the animal, 
 followed by rapid bids of 375, 400, 450, and 475 
 guineas, at which long figure he w^as knocked down. 
 " Well," said his lordship, " did you buy my horse? " 
 " No," was my reply, " he went for four hundred 
 more than my price." " Not a bad judge," said his 
 lordship, "for he was the best horse I ever had in 
 my life." Determined not to go home without 
 effecting a purchase, I looked around me, and my 
 eye alighted on a sporting-like mare then up at the 
 hammer, and I heard the Mr. Edmund Tattersall of 
 that day exclaim, " Will no one make a bid for the 
 mare % " " Well," said a seedy-looking " coper," who 
 was on the look-out either for a " plant " or a cab 
 horse, and whose capital, judging from his appear- 
 ance, was limited, " I'll give you five guineas for 
 her." " Run her down," said Mr. Tattersall, and I 
 noticed that the lookers-on retired to a respectful 
 distance whilst she was being trotted up and down. 
 Well, 1 thought to myself, here's a hunter-like ani- 
 mal that goes sound, and is not broken-winded, for I 
 
184 Hai'k Away, 
 
 heard her cough, and saw her hustled about by big 
 men with thick sticks, clad in greasy corduroys, who 
 were bent on discovering her imperfections, if she 
 had any; but though she was neither lame, blind, 
 nor a bull, she hung on hand, until I nobly stepped 
 forward, careful not to over-do it, bidding half-a- 
 guinea. A spirited competition in half guineas then 
 went on between myself and the seedy-looking 
 " coper" who " put her in," and she was finally 
 knocked down to me for the large sum of seven 
 guineas. Considerable was the chaff that I ex- 
 perienced, and going up to Harry, for years the 
 runner at the sales, I said, " Well, what's the matter 
 with the mare ? " " Well, sir, I should be very care- 
 ful if I was you, sir, how I went near her." " Oh ! 
 she's vicious is she % " " Yes, dangerous, and no 
 mistake," was his not alt(^gether satisfactory reply. 
 
 However, I had bought her, and home she went, 
 and there are still some who remember the " Kicking 
 Mare," and how she carried me for two or three 
 seasons with the " Queen's," jumping gates and 
 timber like a deer, knowing full well she would hurt 
 herself if she did not go at such places with a will, 
 though, when her temper Avas a little put out. she 
 would give me a burster now and then, just to prove 
 that she could he nasty when in her tantrums. 
 
 Then, having exhausted the wonders of Tatter- 
 sail's, 1 crossed over the road, and looked in at the 
 well-known stables of Messrs. Blackman, and having 
 expressed a desire to look over this noted establish- 
 ment, I was very pleasantly received, and sliown 
 over the admirably-arranged premises. Conspicuous 
 for the neatness, order, and quiet that prevailed is 
 
Frost-BotLiid. 185 
 
 this business-like-looking place, and a fine lot of 
 animals it contained. Standing in stalls and boxes 
 splendidly ventilated, capitally constructed, and ex- 
 cellently drained, it was not surprising to find the 
 horses in brilliant condition, and I was much struck 
 with the quiet and gentle way in which they were 
 handled when shown in the covered ride. No noise 
 or bustle to frighten the animals ; but, on the con- 
 trary, everything done to give them confidence and 
 quiet them when coming out of their warm stalls on a 
 cold, frosty morning, as fresh as paint. First, a pair 
 of bay carriage horses were exhibited, going together 
 in rare form, matching admirably, and representing 
 barouche horses of very superior quality, worth from 
 400 to 450 guineas, I should say. Next, a brown 
 mare, a beautiful hack, T\ath wonderful action, suited 
 to carry a man of sixteen or eighteen stone in proper 
 style, which will be met with in due course in the 
 Row, carrying some welter weight when taking his 
 constitutional in Hyde Park at the height of the 
 season. After this, I was shown a team of first-class 
 roans, admirably matched, and grand goers. These 
 fine animals are in price to a distinguished foreigner 
 well known in the banking world, and there is little 
 doubt, I think, that they will cross the water instead 
 of being seen at the Magazine on the first day of the 
 coaching or four-in-hand clubs. After seeing these 
 clinkers, several first-class steppers were exhibited. 
 One, a brown mare, a remarkable goer, attracting 
 my attention, and winning my warmest approbation. 
 An animal that will command a very long figure 
 beyond all doubt, such fashion, figure, and form of 
 going, not being met with every day. 
 
 N 
 
1 86 Hark Away, 
 
 One of the Messrs. Blackman has been established 
 for many years at York, and having great experience, 
 as well as being a capital judge, the opportunity is 
 afforded of picking up first-class animals, which, 
 after being prepared to a certain extent there, are 
 sent up to London to be perfected. Hence the 
 valuable lot of first-class horses that are ofi*ered to 
 buyers who require high-priced, superior harness 
 horses, hacks, etc., to gather together which no 
 little trouble has to be taken and risk run before 
 they are fit to show. A pair of well-bred, clever- 
 stepping phaeton horses won my admiration, exactly 
 the style of animals I should like to drive in one of 
 Holland's build during the ensuing spring, though I 
 fear, according to present prospects, it will not run 
 to it. In no place but London can you find such a 
 collection of valuable horses as you meet with here and 
 at other similar first-class stables, and it is to our old- 
 established and well-known dealers that the grandees 
 of every court in Europe come with confidence in 
 order to pick up nags of fashion, style, and quality. 
 
 Messrs. Blackman haA^e, I believe, an extensive 
 connection amongst foreign notabilities, and from 
 their style of doing business, pleasant manners, and 
 the fitness of things in general, it is evident that 
 nothing is neglected that will induce customers to 
 come, and come again. " Sirree," said a Yankee 
 to me on one occasion, " when I go out of a house 
 I never pull the door close to. I leave it a bit 
 open, case I should want to go in again." This is 
 the course adopted by this firm, I should say, who 
 take care that their customers are offered every 
 inducement to return to Knightsbridge when bent 
 
Frost- Bound. 1 8 7 
 
 on securing a pair of first - class high - stepping 
 draught or saddle horses, with which they propose to 
 astonish the natives of Paris, Berlin, or St. Petersburg. 
 
 After this my next visit was to the old and well- 
 known establishment in Stamford Street, now con- 
 ducted by Mr. George Cox. The first recollection 
 I have of a deal was when accompanying my 
 grandfather to look at a bay horse, which he finally 
 bought at the then rather high price for a buggy 
 horse, with good action — 85 guineas. Now-a-days 
 such a sum represents the value of one leg of a tip- 
 topper such as Mr. Cox provides for his customers, 
 or would ofier to the Prince of Wales, Baron Roths- 
 child, or other of his distinguished clients. The 
 day was so cold and foggy, that it was impossible 
 to show the nags even in the straw-laid yard, and 
 I had on this occasion to content myself with a 
 sight of them by gaslight, as they stood in their 
 roomy, well-ventilated stalls and boxes. A pair of 
 black chesnuts at once attracted my attention, and I 
 was informed that they were as good as they looked, 
 and I had no reason to doubt it, judging from appear- 
 ances. Clever hacks, phaeton horses, and pairs of car- 
 riage horses were to be seen, all of a style and quality 
 that would command high prices, it was evident. 
 
 Business taking me to Brixton, I availed myself of 
 the opportunity, and visited Mr. Cox's establishment 
 there ; formerly this was the property of Mr. Theo- 
 bald, and the box in which Stockwell stood is shown as 
 an historical fact. This is an admirable place for the 
 standing, training, and showing of a stud of hunters. 
 A long ride, available in any weather ; a large field, 
 round which a capital gallop can be obtained, with 
 
1 88 Hark Away, 
 
 facilities for testing the jumping powers of the 
 animals, are the features of the Stockwell premises. 
 Here I found from thirty to forty high-class animals, 
 notably Wonderland, by Blair Athol, a remarkably 
 neat chesnut horse, as clever as a cat, looking all 
 over a hunter, to carry 12 stone to the fastest 
 hounds, and over the biggest fences in England. 
 
 It is necessary to follow strictly, in case of a visit 
 to Stamford Street or Stockwell, the advice of 
 Shakespeare, " Put money in thy purse." If you 
 do so, and are not afraid to pull it out, there is 
 little doubt that you can provide yourself with a 
 stud that will carry you at the tail of the Quorn, a 
 team that you will not be ashamed to be seen with 
 on the banks of the Serpentine in due season, or a 
 hack that will make you the cynosure of every eye 
 when taking a quiet canter along the Row on a 
 brilliant June morning. Of course, if you do not 
 follow our national poet's recommendation, and 
 unless you are a good parter as well, you cannot 
 expect to fill your stables with first-class animals, 
 as you will ascertain from Mr. Cox or Messrs. 
 Blackman that they do not find them without 
 difficulty, or without paying a good round sum 
 for every clinker they add to their stud. 
 
 In the event of the frost holding, it is my inten- 
 tion to visit some other of the most noble yards in 
 the metropolis, and to discourse of their merits, if 
 space should be allowed me for the ventilation of 
 my opinions in the columns of Belts Life in London^ 
 which has seen many and many a Christmas-tide, and 
 will, I hope, continue for many years to maintain its 
 position as the oldest and best of sporting papers. 
 
CHAPTER XXIV. 
 
 FROST-BOUND STILL. 
 
 NOTHER transformation scene, and here 
 we are again, shivering in the bitter, 
 biting wind, with horses eating their 
 heads off, and no chance of hunting for 
 ever so long, judging from appearances ; in fact, we 
 are in for a spell of winter weather, such as has 
 not been experienced since what was known as 
 " Murphy's " year, dating back, if I recollect rightly, 
 some forty years. I had fully determined to have 
 ridden with the Royal Buckhounds at Ascot on 
 Tuesday last, at which place they were advertised 
 to meet after their seclusion. Bitter blew the blast, 
 however, and a white frost and a cloudy sky pro- 
 claimed beyond all doubt that it was not a hunting 
 morning, consequently I lost the opportunity of see- 
 ing the "Queen's," and witnessing their perform- 
 ances after the necessary suspension of hunting, 
 under the unfortunate circumstances which have 
 recently befallen them. I was glad, however, to 
 hear the report which I made of them some ten 
 days since fully confirmed, having been informed 
 that no hounds could possibly look better; and as 
 I take a hopeful view of the case, I shall be greatly 
 
1 go Hark Away, 
 
 surprised if anything further is heard of hydrophobia 
 in the Royal kennels. 
 
 I was sorry to see in the columns of BelVs Life 
 of Saturday last, a statement with regard to Goodall, 
 signed " C. C. H.," which, having no foundation what- 
 ever, as I have the very best authority for declaring, 
 leads me to conclude that some ill-natured person 
 had palmed off a cock-and-bull tale upon your cor- 
 respondent. Any one who knows anything at all 
 of the Royal huntsman would discredit and ridicule 
 such a report as that to Avhich " C. C. H." has given 
 currency. The idle words to the eifect that this 
 thorough-going and earnest sportsman had remarked 
 that he could not hunt the hounds himself, " because 
 he had a pain in his back," remind me of a remark 
 made by that clever and ready-witted actress, who 
 made " Jo " a celebrity, when a person was trying 
 to impose upon her with some pleasant little fiction : 
 " No, thank you ; it's too thin for Jo," and the im- 
 postor shut up like a patent rat-trap. Just so in 
 this case, the idea of the hounds being kept idhug 
 in the kennels for such a reason was too thin for me ; 
 I had so recently been behind the scenes at Ascot 
 Heath that I saw through the transparency at once. 
 In my humble opinion, the very greatest credit is 
 due to Goodall for his sound judgment in very try- 
 ing circumstances. Your correspondent is not aware 
 that the advice given by one of the best sportsmen 
 in the United Kingdom was that the whole pack 
 should be immediately destroyed, promising that 
 he would supply hounds from his own kennels, and 
 expressing his opinion that every one of his brother 
 M. F. H.'s would do the same. Had this course 
 
Frost-Bound still. 1 9 1 
 
 been pursued, " C. C. H." would have found that 
 the remainder of the season would have been 
 occupied in entering and teaching the new pack 
 their business. 
 
 The difference between what remained of the old 
 Devon and Somerset staghounds and the twenty- 
 seven couples that were sent from all quarters to 
 Mr. Bissett when his pack was partly destroyed by 
 an outbreak of hydrophobia, which occurred during 
 the past summer, was visible when I rode with 
 them even at the end of the season, notwithstand- 
 ing the pains that were taken by their clever and 
 persevering huntsman, Arthur Heal. By acting 
 with courage and discretion, Goodall saved the 
 forty-four and a-half couples of blooming hounds, 
 that will be as fit as fiddles when the frost breaks 
 up, unless I am very much mistaken indeed. 
 
 During the break in the weather that occurred a 
 few days since, I determined to have a look at Sir 
 Robert Harvey's harriers. Fondly believing that the 
 frost was gone for good, I travelled as far as Twicken- 
 ham Common in search of a nag that should carry 
 me discreetly with that clipping pack. I had noticed 
 an advertisement in the columns of Bells Life, stating 
 that W. Sherley had a lot of horses for sale or hire, 
 so I determined to visit an old acquaintance, of 
 whom my recollections were pleasant, and with 
 whom my last transaction resulted, in a most satis- 
 factory purchase. On my arrival at Twickenham, I 
 found a lot of useful horses ; several fit to carry 
 heavy men, one especially, a clever-looking roan, up 
 to eighteen stone, and as nimble as a goat. A good- 
 looking young bay horse, standing in the first stall, 
 
192 Hark Away. 
 
 would have suited my book exactly had I been a 
 purchaser. Any one wanting to make np a stud 
 when the frost breaks up will do well to visit Mr. 
 Sherley, for though, no doubt, those horses that I 
 saw for sale will have gone, being a style of animal 
 that would not be likely to hang on hand long, they 
 will be replaced by animals of similar quality, and 
 any one wanting to hire will be able to get a mount 
 on a useful horse in good condition, that will carry 
 him well to hounds if he means business. In 
 vain was my visit ; the weather changed again, 
 and the result is that I am frost-bound still, and 
 likely so to be. 
 
 It is no use, however, grumbling ; so I deter- 
 mined to pay a long-promised visit to Cricklewood, 
 in order to look over the stud of the Andover and 
 Weyhill Horse Company, who have retained the 
 services of Messrs. Newman and Lansley to conduct 
 the sales at Andover and Cricklewood. Conveniently 
 placed is this neatly and cleverly arranged establish- 
 ment, being directly opposite the the Childs Hill 
 Station of the Midland Railway, and though not 
 more than three miles from Hyde Park Corner, it 
 possesses no less than 200 acres of grass land, over 
 which the horses are shown to intending purchasers. 
 An advantage that can be readily appreciated is 
 that of having natural fences for the nags to jump, 
 and several big fields to gallop across, enabling a 
 buyer to have a real trial of any animal he may fix 
 his mind on. 
 
 A row of well-constructed, roomy boxes, con- 
 taining a lot of first-class hunters, was the first part 
 visited, and as each horse was stripped I had an 
 
Frost- Bound still, 1 9 3 
 
 opportunity of observing the rare condition of every 
 animal that was exhibited ; all as hard as nails, and 
 having coats like satin. A handsome chesnut horse, 
 Tenant Right by name, an appellation highly sug- 
 gestive of Quid Oirland, was the first to attract my 
 attention. A fine, well-bred horse, with remarkably 
 good shoulders, well ribbed up, with muscular hmd- 
 quarters and powerful hocks, looking all over a 
 flyer, fit to carry fourteen stone in the front rank of 
 the Quorn. Next to call for special remark was a 
 handsome, bloodlike mare, Rebecca, said to be a 
 perfect lady's horse, suitable for Leicestershire, and 
 well worthy the attention of any fair equestrienne in 
 search of a clinker. A style of animal that is very 
 likely to find her way to Melton when the frost 
 breaks up, for I hear that up to the time of the 
 hunting from that cheerful place being stopped, it was 
 full of visitors, amongst whom I recognised the names 
 of several well-known and hard-riding horsewomen, 
 though I regretted to hear of the disappearance of 
 one star of the first magnitude, whom I have followed, 
 at a respectful distance by the way, on many occa- 
 six)ns when riding with the Quorn, the Belvoir, and 
 the Cottesmore. 
 
 Then Safeguard being stripped, I saw a clever 
 chesnut horse which Mr. Newman rides, and I am 
 of the opinion that he has not chosen the worst of the 
 stud for his own use. A good specimen of a hunter, 
 with capital shoulders, plenty of propelling power 
 behind, if he cannot jump a big brook, go in and 
 out of a double, such as you meet with in the Vale 
 of Aylesbury, when having a gallop with the Baron, 
 top a high flight of rails, and get through a bullfinch 
 
194 Hark Away. 
 
 in good form, then his looks behe him, and I am 
 no judge of a hunter. 
 
 Another dinking, good-looking horse was styled 
 Harkforward, and I think it would take a man and 
 a horse, too, to get before him over a stiff hne 
 of country. The same remark as to the goodness 
 of shoulders is applicable to nearly every horse I 
 saw. Without a sloping shoulder, and good girth 
 place, there never was, or will be, good action, and 
 that fact seems to be duly recognised by the buyer 
 for the Andover Company. 
 
 Although the day Avas piercingly cold, requiring 
 the outward man to be well covered, and the inward 
 man, adequately lined — by-the-bye, I find Grant's 
 Morella cherry brandy most excellently adapted for 
 the latter purpose. I don't know who Grant is, but 
 if a man deserves well of his country, who makes 
 two blades of grass grow in the place which only 
 produced one, how much more should that person 
 be valued who invents such an undeniable vade 
 mecum for a hunting man ! 
 
 Mr. Newman had horse after horse trotted out, 
 that I might judge of their movements as well as 
 their appearance. A pair of good-looking harness 
 horses first appeared on the scene. Knight of Kerry 
 and Sultan, admirably suited for the post of "wheelers" 
 in a well-appointed coach, and both clever hunters, 
 quiet to ride, and suitable to go across Essex or any 
 other close and stiff country. After which Don 
 Juan, by Lothario, quiet in harness, sixteen hands 
 one inch high, was trotted out ; and a regular nailer 
 was the Don, suitable for the brougham of the 
 most howling of London swells. Such an animal as 
 
Frost- Bound still. 1 9 5 
 
 I should choose, were I one of the jeunesse doree, to 
 dash up to the door of the object of my adoration, 
 when desh'ous of canning her approval. I have 
 always found, or rather should say, have been told, 
 that nothing so much advances the prospects of a 
 suitor as the possession of a well-appointed turn-out. 
 The man who goes on foot " to tell his tale of love," 
 simply isn't in it. Then I saw a weight-carrying 
 cob, described as able to jump anything in reason, 
 good looking, with muscular limbs, imiltum in 2^arvo, 
 in fact ; by the way, I offer it as a suggestion, that 
 he could not be more fitly named, being a great horse 
 in a small compass. 
 
 However, I must not give the details of every 
 good-looking horse I saw, or I shall trespass too 
 far upon the available space in Bell's Life, and be 
 rated as a babbler, therefore I will merely say that 
 the horses at Cricklewood are a remarkably level 
 lot, not too highly priced by any means, but showing 
 an amount of quality sufficient to stamp those who 
 have the management of the stud as men of judg- 
 ment and ability. 
 
 Messrs. Newman and Lansley had, long before they 
 joined the Andover Company, earned the reputation 
 of clever and straightforward men of business, and 
 I think the shareholders in the venture may con- 
 gratulate themselves on having secured the services 
 of such able and well-qualified men. The very 
 essence of success in such a difficult and hazardous 
 trade as horse-dealing is good management, and the 
 most careless observer could not fail to see evident 
 traces of it throughout the whole of the arrange- 
 ments at Cricklewood. 
 
196 Hark Away, 
 
 About fifty horses are on show there, and nearly 
 three times as many at Andover. There is every 
 faciUty, therefore, for doing an extensive business ; 
 and, from the fact of moderate prices only being asked 
 for serviceable animals, there should be no difficulty 
 in establishing a larger trade. I hope on another 
 occasion to have the- opportunity of visiting the pre- 
 mises at Andover, and giving my opinion, for what 
 it is worth, of the remainder of the stock of the 
 Andover and We}; hill Company. 
 
CHAPTER XXV. 
 
 THAWING. 
 
 HILST the frost is giving, the earth being 
 released from the stern grip of Jack Frost, 
 that enemy to hunting, until horses are fit 
 to go after their enforced spell of idle- 
 ness, it is necessary to find something to while away 
 the tedious hours. Fully impressed with the fact that 
 idleness is the root of much evil, I wandered in search 
 of adventure. 
 
 The road and footways were covered with ice and 
 snow, and I speedily found myself sprawling on the 
 ground, amidst a group of sympathising spectators, 
 shoe-blacks who wanted to brush me, old Avomen who 
 said it might have been worse, and benevolent indi- 
 viduals who were anxious to uphold me. And after 
 all, Avhat is a fall ? True it is, that an elderly party 
 of sixteen stone lying on the broad of his back is 
 placed in a somewhat humiliating position. But what 
 of that ? bigger men than I have fallen. " Great Ceesar 
 fell. Oh what a fall was there, my countrymen ! " says 
 Shakespeare ; but he doesn't say whether he was 
 much bruised ; I was, all over. 
 
 But let this pass, for my wandering thoughts were 
 recalled in an instant on beholding a man on horse- 
 
198 Ha7'k Away. 
 
 back, clothed in full hunting costume, black cap, 
 scarlet coat, white leathers, neat top-boots, spurs, 
 and whip ; the steed he was bestriding being a useful- 
 looking chesnut, fit to carry fourteen stone across a 
 stifi" country. My first impression was that the little 
 intellect I have had been deranged by accidental 
 contact with Mother Earth. 
 
 Quickly realising the fact that this was no heated 
 vision of a distorted brain, but a living and moving 
 reality, I came to the conclusion that he it was that 
 was mad. What short of insanity could induce a man 
 to put on his hunting toggery and ride deliberately 
 through the streets on such a bitter day as this? 
 However, on a closer approach, the illusion was 
 promptly dispelled, for I found he was the latest 
 idea in advertising, probably the suggestion of some 
 " Willing " mind, for imprinted on a smart saddle 
 cloth I read that Disher's ale was to be had in per- 
 fection at the Horseshoe Restaurant. A novel idea 
 truly ! 
 
 Then I wended my way to Aldi'idge's, and looked in 
 at that old-established " Repository," as it used to be 
 called, which has been in existence for a period of 
 upwards of a century. Many a good horse have I 
 bought at the fall of the hammer at this well-managed 
 mart. The class of animals to be met with are useful 
 harness horses, hacks, and hunters, and after that a 
 lower grade, namely, those suitable for omnibus and 
 cab work. Any one well up in horse flesh may lay 
 out his money here to advantage. Most of the nags 
 are sold without warranty. I remember once seeing 
 a horse at the hammer, one of a lot of Joshua East's, 
 that had been sent to be sold for what they would 
 
Thawing. 199 
 
 fetch. Bidders were shy ; he was jounp^, very hand- 
 some, and a good mover, so I thought I would have 
 a bid, and he was at once knocked down to me for 
 20 guineas. When I got him home, I felt satisfied 
 that there must be something very much amiss, or he 
 would not have been drafted from such a stable. I 
 had him carefully tried, miuutely examined by a clever 
 vet, and finding nothing wrong, I put him in my cab, 
 and drove him to Curzon Street, where I learnt that 
 he had been purchased for 120 guineas, and being re- 
 turned time after time when sent on job, in conse- 
 quence of his casting his shoes, he was condemned, 
 and thus became my property, and I drove him for 
 years and never knew him to throw one. Another 
 harness horse, purchased for 27 guineas, could have 
 been sold over and over again for £100, and I cannot 
 call to mind, out of the many I have purchased in St. 
 Martin's Lane, ever being " picked up," though I did 
 buy a " flatcatcher " once, but he was so good-looking 
 that I got out of him without loss. 
 
 Something like 250 horses pass through the hands 
 of Mr. Freeman weekly, as well as many carriages, 
 and studs of greyhounds, and it is an amusing sight 
 to observe the motley group that assemble in the 
 yard on sale days, and to witness the rapid disposal 
 of the number of useful animals that are knocked 
 down to the ^highest bidder at this excellent insti- 
 tution for the sale and purchase of every description 
 of draught or saddle horse. From thence I travelled 
 to King's Mews, Gray's Inn Lane, in order to see an 
 old acquaintance, Mr. Banks, who for the last twenty- 
 four years has carried on this well-known commission 
 business on his own account, assisted by his sons. It 
 
200 Hark A 
 
 way. 
 
 will be only repeating a fact known to a vast number 
 of gentlemen, if I say that no one in the trade has a 
 higher reputation for judgment and straightforward 
 dealing than Mr. Banks. The number of years he 
 has retained the custom of many gentlemen well 
 known in the mercantile and professional world, 
 as well as of the nobility and hunting men, is the 
 best proof of his standing in a trade which requires 
 much care and discretion, if both buyer and seller are 
 to be satisfied. In this he has beyond all doubt 
 succeeded to the fullest extent, as no establishment 
 of the kind in London stands higher, if so high, as 
 this, which, dating back for a period of nearly seventy 
 years, has stood the test of time and change, and 
 still maintains its high reputation at the present 
 date. Here may be seen harness horses, hacks, 
 hunters, and cobs of different styles and value. 
 
 First you see a hunter of sixteen hands, fit to carry 
 any reasonable weight across Leicestershire; a prize 
 taker, a good-looking horse, that will not hang long 
 on hand, I should opine. Next a chesnut horse, the 
 property of a nobleman, formerly Master of the 
 Buckhounds, fit to carry a sexagenarian, or an 
 octogenarian for a matter of that, safely and pleas- 
 antly. After this a good-looking animal just arrived 
 from Scotland, his owner doubtless knowing that it 
 w^as worth while to send his nag this distance in 
 order to realise his full value, the fact of his being 
 found in " Banks' Commission Stable " beiug a suffi- 
 cient warranty that it is a genuine article that is 
 offered for sale. 
 
 The stabling consists of some eighty stalls and 
 boxes, and the natty Avay in w^hich the plaited 
 
Fi'ost- Bound still. 201 
 
 straw is arranged, and the neatness, cleanliness, and 
 order that prevails through the premises, show that 
 every care and attention is paid to the horses sent 
 here for sale. This business was established by Mr. 
 Osborn, and on his decease it lapsed to Mr. Banks, 
 wdio, I was glad to hear, has obtained a renewal of 
 the lease of the premises ; and his sons, chips of the 
 old block, having the same urbanity of manner and 
 business-like qualities as their father, will, doubtless, 
 long maintain the high character that has been earned 
 by probity and industry. Where next to go was 
 then the question, and remembered that there was 
 another old establishment, one of the institutions of 
 London, namely, " Newman's " of Regent Street, who, 
 by the way, have been instrumental in dragging 
 more people to the altar, I mean the altar of Hymen, 
 than any other people in the whole universe. 
 
 What manner of man is he that does not know the 
 style of turn-out that is to be seen standing at the 
 various churches of the West End, in readiness to 
 bear away the blushing bride to her new home; or 
 on the Epsom and Ascot Cup days are visible at the 
 doors of every club in London, equally ready to 
 convey the guileless youth, who is willing to drop 
 his money ; or the more experienced " Turfite " who 
 is equally prepared to pick it up % Having made my 
 wish known to Mr. Cutbush, the yard manager of 
 this extensive business, he kindly gave up his time 
 to show me over the large range of stabling, tenanted 
 by the first-class lot of animals that are to be seen, 
 ready for hire or job, as well as the celebrated post- 
 horses above mentioned. The number in all, located 
 in Regent Street and Oxford Street, amounts to 
 
 
 
202 Hark Away. 
 
 about three hundred. Carriages of various descrip- 
 tions, to the extent of one hundred or thereabouts, 
 are also in readiness for the numerous customers who 
 patronise "Newman's," flocking into this noted place 
 during the height of the season to an extent that 
 exhausts even the great resources of the establish- 
 ment. 
 
 A new feature in the arrangements of this business 
 is, as I see advertised weekly in the columns of 
 BelVs Life, that persons hiring horses on job have 
 the option of purchase. An advantage which, no 
 doubt, many of their customers will readily avail 
 themselves of, as among the number that I saw on 
 the occasion of my visit, there were many high-class 
 horses, suitable for double and single harness ; 
 animals showing symmetry, and having action suit- 
 able for town work as well as appearance, without 
 which they would not command the class of cus- 
 tomers who go to Regent Street to supply their 
 wants. Well, when I looked over this noted estab- 
 lishment, what a host of recollections flashed across 
 my mind. What an important part in the drama of 
 life Messrs. Newman have played in their time. If 
 the gamester losing his money at Crockford's, and 
 quarrelling with his boon companion over the hazard 
 of the die, called out his fi'iend, or was asked to give 
 satisfaction, for some idle words spoken over the 
 green cloth, according to a fashion in vogue, when I 
 was young, what did he do? Why ordered four 
 horses at Newman's to be at the door of his lodgings 
 in St. James's, and went to his fate ; or gave satis- 
 faction to his opponent by shooting him through the 
 head, as the case might be, on Wimbledon Common, 
 
Frost- Bound still. 203 
 
 in the grey dawn of the morning. Then see the 
 lover, pale with care, forbidden by a stern parent 
 to plead love's yonng dream to the object of his 
 devotion. What did he do? Why hired four of 
 those well-known greys, with postboys in their bhie 
 jackets, white cords, top boots, and water-brushed 
 hats, placed them at the corner of the lane, "when 
 the clock struck nine," and bore off, literally in post 
 haste, the blushing fair one to Gretna Green. Such 
 was the way in which little difficulties of this class 
 were overcome in the good old times. 
 
 Now-a-days railways have almost done away with 
 post horses; save and except at Newman's, you 
 rarely find a genuine animal of this description. 
 Fancy running away with a lovely girl by rail, and, 
 after partaking of a piece of pork pie, a glass of pale 
 ale, or a basin of scalding nondescript soup at the 
 terminus, putting her into a one-horse fly, and taking 
 her before a registrar to complete a civil contract. 
 
 But these are prosaic times truly ; there is no 
 romance now-a-days, no knight-errantry, no belief in 
 ancient customs, or faith in local traditions. The 
 old original blacksmith of Gretna Green has retired 
 from business, bankrupt, I believe, a victim to cir- 
 cumstances and the march of intellect. Then — I am 
 speaking of years since — any young lady whom you 
 proposed to transport to the orthodox place for the 
 registration of your solemn vows, would have held 
 your affections in very light esteem, if you did not 
 provide the customary greys, that is to say, if she 
 was a girl of any spirit at all. Yet Newman's best 
 selected nags, and most civil and sober of " Boys," did 
 not always conduct the fond pair to permanent bliss, 
 
204 Hark Azvay^ 
 
 Do I not remember seeing the " belle " of many 
 balls, the best dressed and most fascinating of 
 partners, going off in style with the inevitable four 
 from St. George's, Hanover Square, leaving scores 
 of broken hearts — temporarily broken — to mourn her 
 departure % And did I not, a few nights since, in the 
 cold, sullen winter's evening, see this once elegant 
 and graceful girl reduced to seUing a halfpenny 
 evening paper in order to obtain a crust % Cast 
 adrift, her money spent, and herself brought to 
 misery by her worthless husband. This was not a 
 fortunate termination to a journey commenced with 
 such eclat ; but remember, I do not lay the charge of 
 that mishap at the door of 121 Regent Street. 
 Romance ! why, I could furnish '' Tinsley " with the 
 materials for half-a-dozen novels, in three volumes, 
 and blue and gold binding, such as cannot be 
 equalled out of Catherine Street, by simply recalling 
 my recollections of " Newman's," " The Adventures 
 of a Chariot," "The Post Boy of St. James's,'' 
 "Flight," " The only Girl I ever Loved," " Where is 
 SheV and many a similar old, old story founded on 
 fact. Was I not concerned in one case, where the 
 lovely and accomplished daughter of a county mag- 
 nate disappeared from the parental home, leaving not 
 a trace behind ? Gone was she, whither and with 
 whom no one could tell. Did I not pick up the 
 missing link in the chain of circumstances, through 
 the agency of a celebrated French milliner, with 
 whom I had a passing acquaintance, tracing the lost 
 one by means of Newman's greys to her hiding-place, 
 restoring her to the loving arms of her distracted 
 father, only to hear a few months afterwards that 
 
Frost- Bound stilL 205 
 
 she had terminated her career as a wife by a dis- 
 tressing act of suicide. Well, well, these are the 
 dark pages in the annals of this noted place. 
 
 There is a brighter side to the picture, and if 
 asked to give a statistical account of the number of 
 happy couples who have been conveyed by this 
 important agency to scenes of unalterable love, im- 
 measurable happiness, and inexpressible delight, I 
 must ask permission of Messrs. Newman to investi- 
 gate their books, for their name is legion. 
 
 F.S. — I am glad to be able to give a satisfactory 
 report of the Royal Buckhounds. Goodall took them 
 out on Wednesday last. The fixture was Ascot, and 
 a very small field assembled to witness the first run 
 after the frost, which has for so long detained them 
 in their kennels. The deer was turned out close at 
 hand, and gave the hounds a breather ; going 
 through the forest and across Easthampstead Park, 
 being finally run into after a smart and satisfactory 
 gallop of thirty-five minutes. The Royal huntsman's 
 report of his hounds is entirely satisfactory, and thus 
 far my predictions as to their condition have been 
 verified. 
 
CHAPTEE XXYL 
 
 FROZEN OUT STILL. 
 
 being 
 
 jAVING been invited by Mr. Richard Russell, 
 of Otford Castle, to be present at the 
 coursing meeting at Seven oaks, which 
 was fixed for Friday the 18th inst., and 
 offered -a good mount with the West Kent 
 
 Foxhounds on the following morning, I awoke at an 
 early hour to feel the pulse of the weather. The 
 patient was very cold at the extremities, a break-up 
 seemed imminent, but a dense fog and dreary state 
 of the atmosphere gave cause to dread an early 
 renewal and long continuance of this spell of winter 
 and cold weather, which has so effectually put a stop 
 to hunting for the last seven or eight weeks. Being 
 in a state of perplexity, I telegraphed to the Bat and 
 Ball station asking if it was probable that the cours- 
 ing would take place, and the reply from the station 
 master being unsatisfactory, to the effect that there 
 was a dense fog and coursing uncertain, I resolved, 
 under the circumstances, to remain at home. Con- 
 sequently I missed the opportunity of seeing the 
 sport, which I found recorded the next day in tlie 
 columns of BelTs Life, and lost the certainty of a 
 good time of it at Otford. Complaining to a friend 
 
Frozen Out still. 207 
 
 that it was a miserable day, he replied, '' Well, it is, 
 but it would make a deuced good night ; so let us 
 shut the shutters, call for some cards, order up 
 some of Irroy's hrut champagne, and go in for a 
 good nap." 
 
 AVell, being frozen out still, I wandered westward 
 on Monday, in order to have a final look at the late 
 Major Whyte-Melville's stud, which was advertised 
 by Messrs. Tattersall to be sold on that day. By 
 the way, it has long struck me that it would be a 
 capital thing if a club were established, to be entitled 
 the M. F. H., which would be a pleasant place of resort 
 in a time like this ; the members to be masters of 
 hounds, subscribers, and riders with the different 
 packs of the United Kingdom. Information could 
 be disseminated, matters respecting hunting dis- 
 cussed, disputes adjusted, etc., and I beg to offer 
 a motto for the proposed club, new, appropriate, and 
 suggestive, viz., " Fox et prcBterea niliil ; " at present 
 it is not entered at Stationers' Hall, but it will be 
 immediately. 
 
 Arriving at Albert Gate, I was just in time to see 
 the lamented sportsman's horses brought to the 
 hammer. Lot 88, Punch, a remarkably neat little 
 horse, and a clever hunter, was quickly knocked 
 down for a trifle above 20 guineas ; whilst Gossip, 
 said to have been the Major's favourite hunter, was 
 secured by a friend of mine for less than £30, the 
 rest realising but moderate amounts. No doubt the 
 stopper that has been put upon hunting, and the 
 prospect and prophecies of the continuance of the 
 frost, infl.uenced the sale, as, though the nags showed 
 signs of having done work, yet they had all been 
 
2o8 Hark Away, 
 
 hunted up to the time of the lamentable accident 
 occurring, and looked fit to go. 
 
 The Shah, which was the horse that fell and 
 caused the disaster, had, I am told, on a former 
 occasion, given his master a fall, from the same 
 cause, viz., by crossing his legs and rolling over. 
 Once would have sufficed for me, but probably 
 the Major had a fancy for him, and so overlooked 
 this fatal fault, always showing an amount of fond- 
 ness for his nags that would make him look leniently 
 on a mistake. 
 
 Feeling sure that I should have no hunting to 
 record this week in the columns of BelVs Life, I 
 decided upon trying a new line — visiting Old Oak 
 Farm, in order to inspect Mr. Tattersall's stud, which 
 he was kind enough to say he should be pleased to 
 show me. Journeying to Shepherd's Bush, a neigh- 
 bourhood I had not visited for some years, I was 
 astounded at the alteration in the locality. 
 
 Forty years ago this was a rural district ; now 
 it is a suburb of this, on all sides, vastly-increasing 
 metropolis, and in lieu of the verdant meadows 
 which Thomson must have had in his eye when 
 he wrote, " Now from the town, buried in smoke, 
 and sleep, and noisome damp, oft let me wander 
 o'er the dewy fields, where freshness breathes, and 
 dash the trembling drops from the bent bush, as 
 through the verdant maze of sweetbriar hedges I 
 pursue my walk." I found an array of semi- 
 detached villas, groves — not of flowering shrubs, 
 redolent with the perfume of mingled blossoms, 
 but highly suggestive of inferior bricks, concealing 
 compo, indifferent drainage, and damp delights, such 
 
Frozen Out still. 
 
 209 
 
 as would entitle this Wormwood-Scrubby place to 
 call itself Stuccoville. However, Mr. Tattersall has 
 been fortunate enough to secure a lease for a con- 
 siderable term of years of some hundred and twenty 
 acres of meadow land, thereby offering a bold front 
 to the speculative and unromantic lord of the soil, 
 and for a while baffling the builder, whose wicked 
 will would, if he could have his way, rapidly convert 
 these flowering meads into squares, crescents, roads, 
 and streets. Thus, fortunately, are " Old Acres " 
 sometimes preserved from " New Men." 
 
 Alighting at the entrance to the farm, I had to 
 pursue my course along a slippery way, and I felt 
 very like that versatile and clever actor Colette, 
 when describing his feelings after travelling on a 
 line of railway upon which there had been a fear- 
 ful accident the day previous. "Afraid, my dear 
 madam ! I thought every moment would be my 
 next." Accompanied by Mr. Tattersall, I inspected 
 the occupants in every box in his extensive estab- 
 lishment. 
 
 The gem of the collection is Knight of St. 
 Patrick (sire of Knight of the Crescent, Moslem, 
 Orangeman, Tenedos, Queen of the Bees, and 
 many other winners, who have in all scored the 
 receipt of £40,000 in stakes), by Knight of St. 
 George out of Pocahontas (the dam of Stockwell, 
 Rataplan, King Tom). The blood speaks for itself, 
 and is very blue indeed ; the horse is a pattern of 
 symmetry, beauty, and quality, which, were I a 
 breeder of thorough-breds, would attract my atten- 
 tion at once ; and I cannot fancy a more suitable sire 
 for any one wishing to secure not only so good a 
 
2 1 o Hark Away, 
 
 strain of blood, but to perpetuate a style and de- 
 scription of animal whose form and fashion must be 
 seen to the duly appreciated. Then Vedette (sire 
 of Galopin and Speculum, sire of Sefton, winner of 
 the Derby), by Voltigeur, dam by Birdcatcher, out 
 of Dan Dayrell, by Inheritor out of Nell, by Black- 
 lock out of Madame Vestris, by Comus out of 
 Lisette, by Hambletonian, claims to be noticed, 
 not only on account of his pedigree, but from bis 
 appearance. This horse has had a chequered 
 career, and was bought at a low figure by Mr. 
 Tattersall, whose judgment was never better dis- 
 played than when securing such a specimen of a 
 thorough-bred horse for his stud — that is to say, if 
 my opinion is worth anything, after examining 
 thoroughly his shape and make, which, notwith- 
 standing his age, if I was a breeder, would not 
 be passed over very readily. 
 
 Following these fine specimens of sires, I was 
 shown a remarkably good-looking horse, Clanronald, 
 by Blair Athol, the only horse save Kisber that ever 
 beat Springfield (in the Criterion). Clanronald, if I 
 remember rightly, is not the property of Mr. Tatter- 
 sall, but is for sale, and should not be overlooked by 
 any one desirous of having a handsome, well-shaped 
 sire, suitable especially for half-bred mares. Next 
 on the list was Cecrops, by Newcourt (by Sir Her- 
 cules), and then I saw some eighteen or twenty 
 mares of a high class, from which I select a speci- 
 men — Satin (foaled 1869), by Sydmonton out of Becky 
 Sharpe (sister to Buccaneer), by AVild Dayrel out of 
 Little Red Rover mare — Eclat, by Edmund; or, if 
 she is not to your taste, what say you to Bittern 
 
Fi'ozeii Out still. 
 
 21 I 
 
 (foaled 1861), by Fisherman out of Village Lass, by 
 Pyrrhus the First? If not satisfied, then look at 
 Water Cure, by King Tom out of Water witch, by 
 Flying Dutchman ; and Indian Butterfly, by San- 
 deelah out of Butterfly (Bonbon's dam), by Bantam 
 out of Loelia, by Sheet Anchor out of Cotillon, 
 by Partisan. If you have not pleased your 
 fancy, notice next Prinette (foaled 1870), by 
 Robin Hood or Wild Dayrel out of Christina, by 
 Nutwith, Lady Sale, by Muley Moloch. After this 
 just cast your eye over the four last existing Touch- 
 stone mares, whose career is nearly ended — Bessie 
 Bell (foaled 1855), dam of Buckland, by Touchstone 
 out of Marian, by St. ]\lartin out of Bebecca — 
 Lottery; Louise Leclercq (1858), by Touchstone out 
 of Terpsichore, by Epirus out of Celeste, by Camel. 
 Moula and Barley Bree make up the quartette. 
 
 First to attract my attention amongst the young- 
 sters was a bay colt by Knight of St. Patrick out of 
 Prinette, a colt of good form and fashion, giving pro- 
 mise of attaining notoriety in the future, if all goes 
 well with him. Sabletail, a bay filly, by Kaiser out 
 of Satin, a very superior animal, which I shall not 
 be far wrong in predicting as likely to be a pro- 
 minent performer, if shape and make go for anything. 
 Then followed a bay filly, by Tichbourne out of 
 Butterfly, and sundry others of a similar description, 
 making up in all a valuable stud, worthy of the 
 attention of any one interested in the breeding of 
 thorough-bred stock, and doing credit to the judg- 
 ment of Mr. Tattersall in selecting such high-class 
 strains of blood and such form and fashion as he has 
 collected together at Old Oak Farm. But I had not 
 
212 Hark Away, 
 
 exhausted all the wonders of the place, for I was 
 shown a herd of valuable first-class pure Jerseys, 
 comprising a magnificent bull, three years old, a 
 yearling, and some thirteen or fourteen cows and 
 heifers, and six calves. Very fine specimens of these 
 beautiful animals are those which Mr. Tattersall has 
 got together, forming an unusually good herd, of a 
 quality which will take a deal of beating. 
 
 One man m his time plays many parts, we learn 
 from a perusal of Shakespeare. To an extent this 
 was applicable to my day's work, for, after seeing the 
 valuable stud at Old Oak Farm, I journey to the 
 Agricultural Hall at Islington in order to look over a 
 lot of horses of a very different class, viz., those 
 belonging to " Myers's Grand American Circus." I 
 had heard much of this widely-known equestrian per- 
 formance, especially in respect to the wonderfully 
 plucky and skilful riding of Mrs. Rose Myers. 
 Reports, like rumours, are liable to gross exaggera- 
 tions ; but not so in this instance, as the feats which 
 were performed by this courageous lady were pro- 
 nounced by one or two veteran sportsmen who I 
 met with to be unrivalled by any rider that has ever 
 exhibited her skill in this class of entertainment. 
 Further than this, these self-elected judges gave it as 
 their opinion that the form in which Mrs. Myers put 
 her high-couraged and wonderful jumper at the 
 five-barred gates and furze-covered bars of more 
 than ordinary height would challenge comparison 
 with any of the well-known horsewomen who ride to 
 hounds at the present time. The riding of Mr. John 
 Watson was extremely clever in his jockey act, and 
 his marvellous leap from the ground on to the back 
 
Frozen Out still. 2 1 3 
 
 of a horse going at speed, landing on his feet with- 
 out using his hands, is a sight to see, an act of 
 horsemanship such as I have never seen attempted 
 before. 
 
 After this I was introduced to Miss Ida Myers, who, 
 under the tutelage of her clever mother, will doubt- 
 less attain the same celebrity as she has done whilst 
 playing her difficult and dangerous parts in this 
 great show. The Roman Chariot Race pleased me 
 greatly, ending in a piece of excitement that added 
 piquancy to the entertainment, for one of the fair 
 charioteers, in her frantic endeavours to be first at 
 the winning-post, upset the apple cart, falling close 
 to the wheels of the following chariot, which had 
 fortunately given her a wide berth. With little 
 delay they were up and at it again without further 
 nn'shap. Goldsmith says, " The sports of children 
 satisfy the child," and it would be a very unreason- 
 able child, indeed, who went away from this rich 
 banquet of sports and pastimes unsatisfied, after 
 seeing the lions, elephants, camels, and the crowning 
 effort of the coachman who tooled his forty in hand, 
 followed by others driving twenty in hand, which they 
 guided in a wonderful manner. In this part of the 
 performance not less than two hundred horses and 
 ponies appeared at one time in this mammoth circus. 
 P.S. — My excellent friend, Mr. Durrant, of Tun- 
 bridge Wells, gives me an account of the proceedings 
 of the clever huntsman, George Bollen, and the West 
 Kent Hounds, which is well worthy of note. Imagine 
 my astonishment, he says, on Monday last, at seeing 
 the hounds, which had travelled all the way from the 
 kennels at Wrotham, by rail and road, in order to 
 
2 1 4 Ha rk A way. 
 
 keep their appointment, the fixture for the day being 
 Eridge station. It appears from the particulars so 
 kindly forwarded, that, after a consultation with the 
 Marquis of Abergavenny, permission was accorded 
 to Bollen to try his luck on this extraordinary morn- 
 ing. My correspondent graphically likens the ap- 
 pearance of the hounds during the consideration of 
 the question whether or not they should be allowed 
 to try their skill amidst the ice and snow, to the 
 well-known picture, " Waiting for the Verdict," so 
 eager and anxious did they appear. The field con- 
 sisted of that eager sportsman. Lord Henry Nevill, 
 Mr. Durrant, on foot, deeming it more prudent to go 
 au pied than to mount one of his clever nags on an 
 occasion when the snow was lying an inch and a-half 
 thick on the ground, and the earth was thoroughly 
 frost-bound. In addition to these staunch sportsmen 
 there were a few idle labourers, who were on strike, 
 and a poacher or two on the look-out for any trifle 
 that might come in their way. A short time only 
 elapsed before a tough old fox was on foot, who 
 went away at a racing pace over the snow-clad 
 fields, making for the AVarren Farm, — a locality of 
 which I have a lively remembrance ; for, mounted on 
 a clever hunter, the property of Mr. Camp, I was 
 within an ace of biting the dust, or rather taking a 
 mouthful of mud, when jumping what is called in 
 Sussex " a heave gate," the noble animal clearing it 
 in such style as to cause me to lose my stirrups, 
 nearly bringiag me to grief. Thence he ran across 
 the Brighton road, taking refuge in Eridge Park ; 
 but Bollen was not to be denied, and he was driven 
 away over Chase Farm to Whitehill, Frant, round 
 
Frozen OzU still. 
 
 21 
 
 by Broadwater Church, on to Broadwater Forest, 
 being run to ground near the Rifle Butts, after a 
 gallant and unexampled run of two hours and a-half. 
 Lord Henry Nevill rode Auctioneer, a clever and 
 favourite cob, purchased from the Ashurst Lodge 
 Company, on this extraordinary day. George Bollen 
 says that his old horse, Tommy, ought to patented, 
 as he can give Plimpton the outside edge, and then 
 lick him in a canter across ice and snow. Verily 
 these men of West Kent are enterprising, as well as 
 pleasant, and it will not be long before I am with 
 them again, weather permitting. 
 
CHAPTER XXYIL 
 
 STILL FROZEN OUT. 
 
 I OPE told a flattering tale that joy would 
 soon return when Sunday morning 
 dawned, and the snow and ice began to 
 dissolve. Disappointment is the lot of 
 men in general, but this year to huntsmen more 
 especially ; and the return of frost, with the accom- 
 paniment of a bitter east wind, has destroyed all 
 chance of hunting for the next few days. 
 
 Going down St. Swithin's Lane on Saturday last, 
 I met one whom I have frequently seen under very 
 different cu-cumstances, namely, in the heart of the 
 shires, going straight across country like a bird, and 
 never certainly to be found in a lane. Now frozen 
 out still, the popular Master of the Quorn is driven 
 to the Metropolis, and from the direction he was 
 pointing, for I should imagine he was going to the 
 Bank, to see how the account of that distinguished 
 hunt stands. I hope it is a bumper, as I know Mr. 
 Coupland likes bumpers when they come in the 
 shape of brooks. 
 
 Condoling with him on the unfortunate state of 
 affairs, he said he had never experienced anything 
 like it, and that it would be necessary, after so long 
 
Still Froze7i Out. 217 
 
 a lock-out to begin cub hunting, which, with a 
 " field " of five hundred, he thinks will be a difficult 
 task. It is not only a bad time time for the sports- 
 man, but also for the large dealers, whose stables 
 are filled with hunters ; literally eating themselves 
 up, not simply eating their heads off, as the saying 
 goes. One of our large men in the trade told me 
 his expenses per week amounted to £180, and that 
 he had not so much as shown a horse for a fort- 
 night ; a lively state of things certainly % For my 
 part, I think a deputation of foxhunters should wait 
 upon the clerk of the weather, handing in an invoca- 
 tion in the words of Thomson, — 
 
 " Come, gentle Spring, ethereal mildness come ; 
 And from the bosom of yon dropping cloud, 
 While music wakes around, veiled in a shower 
 Of shadowing roses, on our plains descend." 
 
 I don't know or care much about roses at present. 
 I think they may be dispensed with for a while, but 
 I am all for a little " ethereal mildness," but desire 
 beyond everything a " dropping cloud," that shall 
 wash away the snow, dissolve the ice, and let us all 
 go a-hunting once more. In the meantime, it is 
 necessary to find some amusement ; and, having 
 heard Mr. Toynbee's establishment very highly 
 spoken of, I resolved to journey to East Acton to see 
 the stud farm, and have a look at the hunters, as the 
 next best thing to riding to them. 
 
 Arriving at the village, I found signs of the spe- 
 culative builders on all sides, and this once rural 
 district will, I fear, speedily form a portion of the 
 Metropolis. In the meantime, Mr. Toynbee has 
 secured a most charming residence, a splendid range 
 
 P 
 
2i8 Hark A zi) ay, 
 
 of stabling, and upwards of one hundred acres of land 
 adjoining. Being a stranger, I had written asking 
 permission to visit the stud, mentioning the name of 
 a well-known Lincolnshire sportsman, whom I meet 
 occasionally with the Quorn and the Cottesmore, 
 who told me I should see as fine a lot of hunters as 
 could be shown by any one. My Lincolnshire friend's 
 judgment was fully confirmed, as I have rarely seen 
 a finer string, amounting to close upon eighty high- 
 class horses, all fit to go the moment the weather 
 permits hunting and customers present themselves. 
 Having experienced a very cordial reception from Mr. 
 Toynbee, he was good enough to have nearly every 
 horse in the stable stripped for my inspection. 
 
 The construction of the boxes, and the general 
 arrangements of this extensive range of premises, 
 are most convenient and suitable for the business, 
 covered yards for exercise, and a circus, with furze- 
 covered bars and padded fences being provided; 
 here the hunters are exercised daily, being turned 
 loose to take the jumps in their own fashion — an 
 admirable plan, in my opinion, combining, as it does, 
 education with exercise. 
 
 After passing through nearly every box, and 
 finding a noble lot of animals installed in them, a 
 magnificent young chesnut horse, by Wild Oats, 
 was stripped and turned loose in the circus, in order 
 that he might show his quality and powers of jump- 
 ing and galloping. Of the whole lot, this animal ap- 
 peared to me to be the choicest. Very handsome and 
 muscular was the fine specimen, w^ell up to fourteen 
 stone, good tempered, a beautiful jumper, going 
 over the artificial fences like a deer. I came to the 
 
Still Frozen Out. 219 
 
 conclusion that I had not seen a more perfect 
 animal during the whole of the season than this 
 high-bred and well-shaped hunter. 
 
 After minutely inspecting this crack chesnut by 
 Wild Oats, a very handsome young horse, — Sir 
 George, by Theobald, was led into the arena, to 
 take the place of his competitor for fame, his owner 
 considering the latter to be the pick of the basket. 
 A dark bay, approaching brown, beautiful temper, 
 a lovely head and neck, very powerful and muscular 
 fore-arms and hocks, a splendid sloping shoulder, 
 deep girth-place, well-ribbed up, with a remarkably 
 intelligent countenance, led me to remark that it 
 appeared to me, from his make, shape, and form of 
 going that he was as near perfection as need be, 
 though I gave the preference, on the whole, to tlie 
 chesnut. 
 
 After this, I was shown a thorough-bred by 
 Shifnal, out of Susan, a remarkably well-made, 
 muscular animal, suitable for any one wishing to sail 
 to the front with the Pytchley, or the Quorn ; and 
 whoever is fortunate enough to secure so powerful 
 and well-made a thorough-bred, should have no 
 difficulty in cutting down the "field," always pro- 
 vided that his heart is in the right place, and he is 
 prepared to go the pace. All over a Leicestershire 
 nag was this, and the same might be said, though 
 to a more qualified extent, of several others of this 
 fine stud. It is always a treat to me to see a well- 
 shaped and perfectly-mannered horse, and I would 
 travel some distance with pleasure to visit such a 
 stud as Mr. Tonybee has collected together. His 
 reputation as a first-rate judge of a horse, and his 
 
2 20 Hark Away, 
 
 qualifications as a rider, I have heard highly ex- 
 tolled by competent judges, and whilst this weather 
 lasts, to the utter exclusion of all hunting, steeple- 
 chasing, and coursing, time, in my opinion, could not 
 be better employed than by visiting the stud farm at 
 East Acton, and I will engage that any one follow- 
 ing my advice will be pleasantly received, and will 
 know, when the frost goes, where to obtain some 
 clinkers, should he be desirous of going the pace 
 across the big fields and over the tall fences in the 
 shires. I omitted mention of a horse, by Compro- 
 mise, and would recommend any one following my 
 *' advice, gratis," to have him pulled out, and I feel 
 certain that if he is one of the sort who "parts 
 freely," he will cause that good-looking hunter to 
 change stables without loss of time. 
 
 After seeing this fine lot of animals, so suggestive 
 of past delights, a host of recollections were recalled. 
 Visions of old friends and acquaintances, and me- 
 mories of other days, flitted through my mind, and, 
 lest by writing prose always I might be voted 
 prosy, I thought I would try my hand at verse,, 
 hence — 
 
 MELTON.— A DREAM. 
 
 Frost-bound and weary 
 Of weather so dreary, 
 
 AVond'iing how long this hard winter will last, 
 Soundly I'm dozing, 
 Whilst evening is closing, 
 
 Wand'ring in dreamland, through scenes of the past. 
 
 The snn shining brightly, 
 With heart beating lightly. 
 From Melton I gallop to hunt with the Quorn. 
 
Still F7^ozen Out. 221 
 
 Arrived at the meeting, 
 I've many a greeting 
 
 From friends and old sportsmen I see on the lawn. 
 
 Earls Wilton and Wicklow, 
 Both good men — who can go, 
 
 A peer* who rides hard, and whose heart never fails; 
 Scarcely deigning to look, 
 At bullfinch or brook, 
 
 He goes like a bird at a tall flight of rails. 
 
 A once well-known " whip,"t 
 Letting politics slip, 
 
 Who cheers on his bloodhounds when hunting the stag. 
 And smart Captain Candy, 
 So cheerful and handy, 
 
 A nailer to hounds, when he's on a good nag. 
 
 As courteous and pleasant, 
 To peer as to peasant. 
 
 See the author, and poet, beloved by us all. 
 (Ah, well I remember. 
 That day in December, 
 
 When I first met Whyte-Melville at Wartnaby Hall.) 
 
 Then observe Lady Dixie, 
 On a horse that is tricksie, 
 
 Who knows how to handle a troublesome steed ; 
 And I bid him beware. 
 To take very great care, 
 
 Who fancies to follow her ladyship's lead. 
 
 Handsome — bewitching, 
 " Most awfully fetching," 
 
 *' On Stanley, on ! " it is vain to declare ; 
 For if — losing his cunning, 
 The fox shows straight running, 
 
 ThatX handsome lady is sure to be there. 
 
 * Lord Carington. f Lord Wolverton. J Mrs. Sloane Stanley. 
 
2 22 Hark Away. 
 
 Up to every lark,* 
 From daylight to dark, 
 
 See " the Chicken," a hig-un, both stalwart and tall ; 
 Never craning, he'll race. 
 Till lie's in a good place, 
 
 Whilst he's not to be baulked by a stile or stone wall. 
 
 On his gallant old grey, 
 " Little Gilmour " to-day, 
 
 As fresh as when " l!Jimrod " first marked him for fame ; 
 After forty long years. 
 Much the same yet appears, 
 
 As when first that grand writer selected his name. 
 
 But see, there's the Master ! f 
 Ah ! who will go faster, 
 
 Should hounds run a clinker from Gartree to-day? 
 Though so quiet he looks, 
 He's a glutton for brooks, 
 
 As you'll find if the Whissendine come in his way. 
 
 Now Tom Firr is going, 
 For I hear his horn blowing. 
 
 So jump in your saddle and stick to the hounds ; 
 For he has a queer knack. 
 Slipping off with the pack, 
 
 When the " field" can't be held within moderate bounds. 
 
 Then suddenly waking, 
 The magic spell breaking, 
 
 Away fly these visions, too pleasant to last ; 
 Yet so vividly clear, 
 Did these old scenes appear. 
 
 That it's hard to believe they belong to the past. 
 
 Jan, 1879. 
 
 * Captain Hartopp. t Mr. Coupland. 
 
CHAPTER XXVIIL 
 
 NIL desperandu:m, 
 
 NE day's hunting in nine weeks, tlie earth 
 frost-bound still, a bitter north-easter 
 blowing, and apparently no chance of a 
 change. Such was the state of things on 
 Friday evening, the last of January, and I was very 
 much in the condition of a friend of whom I once 
 made inquiries as to the state of his health : " I 
 feel," he said, " like the wretched remains of an ill- 
 spent existence, and a long course of profligacy 
 deservedly punished. I no longer take pleasure in 
 life. Beauty does not excite my admiration, wit falls 
 unheeded on my ear, and wine does not exhilarate 
 me." In other words, I was hipped — uncle derivatur, 
 by-the-bye, it cannot be from hippos, because my 
 disordered state is due to the fact of my not being 
 able to make use of a horse. An evil state of things 
 was this, beyond doubt. 
 
 "Letters, sir," said the servant, as she handed in 
 the results of the last postal delivery. First won- 
 dering from whom they come, as people generally 
 do, I at length proceeded to open them, and immedi- 
 ately a change came o'er the spirit of my dream as I 
 read, " Come down to Otford Castle by the early 
 
2 24 Hark Away. 
 
 morning train," and I felt assured that my corre- 
 spondent, Richard Russell, the Secretary of the 
 West Kent Hunt, a veteran of the chase, as well 
 known in the county as the White Horse of Kent 
 itself, had something good in store. " x4way with 
 these slops, and bring me immediately the cold 
 beef, some whisky, hot water, and a lemon. Take 
 care I am called early, as I am going on a visit." 
 Such were my hasty injunctions. " I wonder what's 
 up at Otford ? " I said to myself. " Ah, to-morrow's 
 the final day of the shooting season, and I suppose 
 they are going to floor the last of the pheasants." 
 Then I retired to rest, perchance to dream, and was 
 not long before I did so. Visions of hot corners 
 arose before my e3'es ; " rocketters " were falling at 
 every moment from my unerring aim (in reality I 
 don't hit one in ten, but no matter). 
 
 Awaking at an early hour, I was quickly en route 
 through the dull grey disheartening atmosphere, 
 making for the Victoria Station, and stepping into a 
 fast train, was speedily conveyed to the Bat and Ball 
 Station at Sevenoaks. On arrival, I found my friend 
 awaiting me in a well-appointed dog-cart, drawn by 
 a sporting-looking mare, with a hog-mane. " How 
 are you ? Have you got plenty of coats % Jump in ; 
 sharp," were the inquiries and injunction rapidly 
 delivered. " What's your little game ? " I said. 
 " AVhy, the hounds are to meet about twelve miles 
 off, and I thought you would like to try your hand 
 at a novelty, ' Foxhunting on foot.' " " Hence- 
 forward my motto shall be, ' Nil de'sperandum,' " I 
 said ; for at the very moment I was at my wits' 
 end for something to say, up starts an opportunity, 
 
Nil Desperaiidum . 225 
 
 which I shall not be slow to avail myself of. Then 
 away we trotted along the slippery roads at a slap- 
 ping pace, passing through Ightham and Wrotham, 
 arriving atLeybourne Grange, formerly the residence 
 of the late Sir Joseph Hawley, as George Bollen and 
 his whips, with twenty-three couples and a-half of 
 hounds, emerged from a plantation near the entrance 
 to the Grange. Here was assembled the " field," 
 which included the Hon. Ralph Nevill, the Master of 
 the West Kent, and his daughters, Lady Mostyn, 
 Lady Caroline Nevill, Miss Bligh (an elegant and 
 graceful performer with hounds), Mr. Mostyn, and 
 several gentlemen, all on foot, as were also George 
 Bollen and his men. 
 
 Notwithstanding the long stoppage of work, these 
 hounds looked as fit to go as possible ; this, no 
 doubt, is due to the fact of their huntsmen never 
 losing an opportunity of taking them out, even 
 though the ground was as hard as a rock — even the 
 day previous, they ran a fox to ground, after pur- 
 suing him for a considerable time amongst the frost 
 and snow. Of course there is a risk of laming 
 some of the pack by following this unusual practice 
 of hunting during such a severe time ; but the 
 result seems entirely to justify the proceeding, as 
 shown by the condition of the hounds on this 
 occasion. 
 
 After drawing two or three plantations with- 
 out finding, the hounds were taken in the direction 
 of the paddock, but, ere they had gone very far, 
 a halloo back was heard, and, returning to the park, 
 they were laid upon a line of an erratic fox, and, 
 picking up the scent after a few minutes, went 
 
2 26 Hark Away. 
 
 streaming away over the hard ground, running up 
 to the cross roads, where they came to a check. 
 Bollen then made a cast forward, but it was evident 
 they had overrun the fox, and a halloo from the 
 master brought them back to a small cover from 
 which he was viewed, going in the direction of the 
 Grange ; crossing the road, he then made for the 
 park, and the hounds racing for some ten or twelve 
 minutes over the grass, finally ran into him close to 
 the house, and speedily broke him up before the 
 field indeed could arrive at the finish. 
 
 Certainly, this was a novelty; for it is the first 
 time in my life that I have seen a pack of foxhounds 
 hunting in the extraordinary condition that the 
 country was in on this day : neither did I ever 
 behold the master, the men, and the " field," toiling 
 on foot after the pack; or ever witness the break- 
 ing up of a fox within a few yards of a pool upon 
 which were assembled several ladies and gentle- 
 men, busily engaged in skating upon ice, which 
 looked as clear as crystal. One, amongst the fair 
 performers, at once attracted my attention, recalling 
 the words of Byron : — 
 
 " She was a form of life and light, 
 That soon became a part of sight, 
 And rose where'er I turned my eye, 
 The morning star of memory." 
 
 Such a day's sport has no precedent as far as my 
 recollection extends, and I think the popular and 
 sporting master is entitled to great credit for allow- 
 ing his huntsmen, even at the risk of some injury to 
 the feet of the hounds, to give them such exercise 
 during so unexampled and long-continued a winter, 
 
Nil Desperandum, 227 
 
 the equal to which, for severity and protracted 
 extent, is not to be found in the annals of the meteor- 
 ological reports. 
 
 Being very kindly mvited to join the party at 
 luncheon by Mr. Mostyn, I availed myself of the 
 proffered hospitality, and, being introduced to Lady 
 Mostyn, who now occupies the Grange, took my 
 place at the table, beneath the roof which was 
 so long the home of that staunch supporter and 
 patron of the turf, Sir Joseph Hawley. Over the 
 mantelpiece was the picture of Rosi crucian, with 
 his trainer, Mr. Tweed ; and, after the repast was 
 concluded, I had the opportunity of seeing the 
 distinguished and lamented sportsman's study, the 
 works of which were ornamented by pictures of his 
 favourite and most fortunate horses, viz., Tedding- 
 ton. Beadsman, Blue Gown, and Musjid. 
 
 After this we proceeded across the park to the 
 stables, calling upon Mr. Tweed, who resides near 
 them, and who now farms the land ; the paddocks 
 no longer being tenanted by a string of thorough- 
 breds as in days of yore, and the stables without 
 occupants, now that the owner of the once large 
 stud, which was to be seen at Leybourne Grange, 
 is laid beneath the turf. Then we retraced our 
 steps, pulling up for a few minutes at the kennels 
 at AYrotham. Alighting from the dog-cart, George 
 Bollen met and showed us the remainder of his 
 hounds, the condition of which do him infinite 
 credit. No pack in the country can look better, 
 and I may safely prophesy that when the frost 
 really goes, and the ground is fit to ride over once 
 more, they will be found in right good form. The 
 
2 28 Hark Away, 
 
 pad of tlie fox which we had rolled over on this 
 wintry day having been presented to me in memo- 
 riam of the event, was in my greatcoat pocket, 
 which being winded by the hounds, I soon found 
 myself the centre of attraction ; the hounds press- 
 ing round me, anxious evidently to make friends 
 with a person possessing such a relic, recalHng many 
 a merry chase, and suggesting future sport when 
 the winter is over. 
 
 There is no prettier sight than that of a lot of 
 handsome foxhounds, some sitting on the benches, 
 some strolling over the flags, and others sleeping 
 after their work ; and whilst looking at these noble 
 animals the thought came across my mind that I 
 had recently seen a picture by " Carter " of some 
 hounds in pursuit of a stag at the residence of Mr. 
 Tattersall, which surpasses in drawing and finish 
 any work of a similar character tlian I have ever 
 seen, placing the clever artist quite at the top of the 
 tree as a painter of animals. 
 
 After taking leave of Bollen and his pack, we 
 trotted briskly away along the ice-bound roads, the 
 Avind blowing savagely the while, until Otford Castle 
 was reached, and I soon found myself beneath that 
 hospitable roof, with my legs well beneath the ma- 
 hogany. The following morning, notwithstanding 
 the state of the land and roads, I accompanied my 
 host for a ride. Our nags being well roughed, we 
 got along pleasantly enough, but the gloomy state 
 of the atmosphere prevented my obtaining anything 
 more than a limited view of the country. 
 
 One of the singular facts of this season has been 
 the total absence for lengthened periods of a single 
 
Nil Despcranditm, 229 
 
 ray of sunshine. However, I was enabled to see the 
 ruins of Otforcl Castle, which are amply sufficient to 
 prove that it must have been a grand pile of build- 
 ings once upon a time. A pleasant streamlet babbles 
 musically along, and sundry snow-white swans glide 
 over the piece of water in front of the residence of 
 Mr. Russell. Modest snowdrops are trying to force 
 their way into the world, but, in my opinion, they 
 are premature ; we have not done with winter yet, 
 I am sadly afraid. 
 
 In the afternoon a drive through Farningham, 
 passing that well-known — to all trout fishermen, at 
 anyrate — hostelry, the Lion, now, I am told, more 
 comfortable and better conducted even than it was 
 and has been for many years. I learn that the 
 prospects for the fly-fisher are more favourable 
 than ever. Then Horton Kirby is reached, and 
 we pay a passing visit to Mr, Power at his beau- 
 tiful residence " The Franks," formerly the pro- 
 perty of the Russell family. This old Elizabethan 
 mansion is placed on the banks of the Darent, 
 which flows swiftly through these beautifully laid- 
 out grounds. Seen in spring time, when the vener- 
 able avenue is in verdure clad, and the rook, re- 
 joicing at the advent of seed-time, ceaseless caws, 
 this must be a delightful spot ; and when entering 
 the stately rooms, furnished with everything that 
 wealth and taste can suggest, statues, armour, pic- 
 tures, and costly furniture, I thought it as delight- 
 ful a residence for a country gentleman as could 
 possibly be found, especially for one such as the 
 owner, who has the means and inclination for in- 
 dulging in the sports of the field. Then trotting 
 
230 Hai'k Away. 
 
 on again, we visit the head of the Russell family, 
 and pass an hour or two in pleasant converse anent 
 old times and matters relating to sport ; and, after 
 receiving a cordial invitation to visit Horton Kirby 
 in the scoring, and try my hand at trout-fishing, we 
 trot back again to Otford Castle. Compelled to 
 return to London the following morning, after a 
 sharp run in one of the well-appointed trains of the 
 Chatham and Dover Eailway, I found myself in the 
 City, up to my neck in mud and dirt, hardly able 
 to grope my way in the fog and mist attendant 
 upon a temporary thaw, an uncomfortable state of 
 things, contrasting unfavourably with the pleasant 
 time I had passed at Otford. 
 
 " But pleasures are like poppies spread, 
 You seize the flower, the bloom is shed ; 
 Or like the snowfall on the river, 
 A moment white, then melts for ever." 
 
 
CHAPTER XXIX. 
 
 A TEASER WITH THE TED WORTH. 
 
 W is the time for hunting. " When Spring 
 unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing 
 soil," I said to myself, when galloping 
 through the covers, remorselessly tramp- 
 ling under foot the modest snowdrops and the pale 
 yellow aconites as I endeavoured to keep witliin 
 a respectable distance of that celebrated pack, " The 
 Tedworth," on Monday last, when they met at 
 Everley. 
 
 Wonderful are the changes of temperature in this 
 variable clime, for on that day a mild gentle rain was 
 falling, the ground was unlocked from the grip of 
 Jack Frost, and instead of the iron-hard roads, snow- 
 drifts, and cruel cold winds, we had the country 
 softer than I ever remember to have seen it — fetlock 
 deep even on the light lands of Hampshire and Wilt- 
 shire, in both of which counties, during the day, I 
 found myself endeavouring to follow 
 
 " The stirring chase. 
 Of hounds and foxes striving in the race." 
 
 After some two months' forced abstention from tlie 
 noble sport, I took advantage of the change of 
 
232 Hark Away, 
 
 weather to pay a visit to Mr. Lansley at Glanville, 
 near Andover, who had kindly promised not only to 
 put me on a good nag, that I might have a ride with 
 homids, but also to show me on the following day 
 the large stud of the Andover and Weyhill Horse 
 Company, of which he is one of the joint managers. 
 
 As we started to ride to cover, a distance of some 
 seven or eight miles, a heavy mist blurred the land- 
 scape, and prevented my obtaining a good view of 
 the country; and a soaking rain soon took the bloom 
 off boots and breeches, marring the pleasure, to some 
 extent, of the sport. But, contrasted Avitli the hard 
 time we have been so long suffering from, it would 
 have been wrong to grumble, and I made up my mind 
 to disregard the ungenial atmospheric arrangements, 
 and enjoy myself to the fullest extent. Soon such 
 trifling matters, as a little, more or less, of wind and 
 water ceased to trouble my mind, and a smart canter 
 on a clever nag quickly put the blood in circulation, 
 and caused me to feel well satisfied with myself and 
 things in general. 
 
 Then, as we rode along, we overtook Sir William 
 Humphery of Penton Lodge, a capital sportsman, and 
 chairman of the Andover and Weyhill Company, in 
 which he takes considerable interest, accompanied by 
 his nephew, Mr. George C. Humphery, and being 
 introduced to these gentlemen, we found time be- 
 guiled, whilst riding to the fixture, by pleasant and 
 agreeable chat. 
 
 Then Everley was reached, the residence of Mr. 
 Curtis, and in a meadow in front of the house were 
 J. Fricker, his whips, George Bevins and G. Vincent, 
 and the pack of blooming hounds, the condition of 
 
A Teaser with the Tedworth, 233 
 
 which was remarkable. The Belvoir, for bloom and 
 beauty, has always been my motto, but not a jot 
 behind them were the Tedworth, as seen on that day. 
 Following the usual hospitable course adopted at 
 most meets of hounds, servants were in waiting to 
 offer wine, cherry brandy, cura9oa, or ale, to all comers. 
 Time being up. Lord Algernon St. Maur, the acting 
 master, gave the word ; and we moved on to draw 
 a cover in the rear of the house. Then a slapping 
 chesnut horse. Student, was brought up for me, and 
 I found myself careering along on a spirited and 
 clever hunter, well up to my heavy weight, with 
 capital action, aiid as fresh as paint, though at the 
 same time temperate and well-mannered. 
 
 Having formed an opinion of my steed, I was 
 quite satisfied that if I did not shirk, I should never 
 be out of the hunt, and went on my way rejoicing. 
 " Halloo in there ! " cries Fricker, and the eager 
 hounds spread themselves over the cover, which, 
 however, they drew blank. Then we proceed to 
 draw some patches of gorse on the hill side of an 
 extensive range of common, and it was not very long 
 before a view-halloo proclaimed the fact that Rey- 
 nard was at home, but apparently not inclined to 
 receive company, as, after dodging about amongst 
 the gorse for five or ten minutes, he took to the 
 open, and went away at a rattling pace, making for 
 a plantation near at hand, but the scent being very 
 indifferent, we lost him, only running him up to this 
 cover after a short gallop. When leaving the grass 
 and going over the ploughed land, the rottenness of 
 the ground after the long frost soon told a tale, and 
 there would have been plenty of sighing and sob- 
 
 Q 
 
234 Hark Away, 
 
 bing if you had gone with slack rein over ridge and 
 furrow. 
 
 Whilst the hounds were drawing again there was 
 time to take a look at the " field," which consisted 
 of some sixty or seventy well-mounted men and 
 several ladies, conspicuous amongst whom was Miss 
 Antrobus, a daughter of Sir Edmund Antrobus, who 
 accompanied her. A very neat rider is the lady, 
 who goes well to hounds, and is not wanting in 
 perseverance ; for I noted her, at the close of a long 
 day, undaunted by weather and unmindful of dis- 
 tance. Miss Curtis of Everley and Mrs. Awdrey, 
 also well-known riders, and ]\Irs. Brewer made up 
 the list of fair equestriennes on this occasion, whilst 
 amongst the gentlemen, in addition to Lord St. 
 Maur and his three sons, were Sir Claude de Cres- 
 pigny, Captain Easton, Captain Tysen (a capital 
 sportsman), Mr. Fowle, Mr, Brewer, the secretary of 
 the Tedworth Hunt, etc. 
 
 Whilst we were endeavouring to drive a fox out 
 of the dense gorse, I was introduced to the Master, 
 and chatted for a while of bygone days at Melton. 
 At length a vievv^-halloo from one of the whips 
 gave notice that a fox was on foot, and Fricker, 
 cramming his horse through the prickly gorse, was 
 soon in attendance upon what turned out to be a 
 sturdy customer. The time when he was viewed 
 going away was, according to my calculation, about 
 half-past twelve, and the hour when he was broken 
 up was half-past four, during which period he 
 traversed a very extensive range of country, going 
 in the direction of Ludgershall, and then over the 
 downs, making his way along the steepest part, and 
 
A Teaser with the Ted worth. 235 
 
 tlien getting into the lowlands he went straight 
 away at a rattling pace. 
 
 A check then took place in the road, but Fricker 
 making a very wide and clever cast was soon on 
 the line of his fox again, persevering, though the 
 scent was very cold and bad, and running him up 
 to the extensive range of cover known as West 
 Woods. Here, however, he was not allowed to 
 remain long, and going away bravely, he ran to 
 Savernake Forest, through part of which he tra- 
 velled; and then taking to the open once more, the 
 hounds ran into him in the middle of a field, in the 
 vicinity of Marlborough, after a capital and most 
 sporting run of nearly four hours, over a stiff line of 
 country in some parts, and in others up and over 
 the steep downs, at a fair hunting pace, with many 
 checks, though finishing satisfactorily, these crack 
 hounds eating up the fox in the open. Fricker 
 struck me as being a very clever and determined 
 huntsman, bent on killing his fox, never throwing 
 a chance away, but showing marvellous skill in 
 casting his hounds and recovering the scent, when 
 it appeared hopeless. The hounds proved them- 
 selves as good as they looked, and the day's sport 
 was all that could be desired, though the pleasure 
 would have been greater had the weather been finer. 
 A long ride home was before us, the distance being 
 computed at eighteen miles ; pulling up at Pewsey, 
 and being regaled with bread and cheese, we started 
 again, riding homewards with Sir WilHam Hum- 
 phery and his nephew to Weyhill, making in all a 
 long day's work, the hour being seven when we 
 arrived at Glanville House. 
 
236 Hark Away. 
 
 During this long run, I changed horses three times, 
 my first horse being the crack chesnut before alkided 
 to, after which I got on to Lucy GHtters, a weight 
 carrier, a capital bay mare, very temperate, and an 
 excellent fencer ; finally finishing the day on Knight 
 of Kerry, another clinker, perfectly quiet, but all 
 there when he was wanted, and a clever fencer to 
 boot. These horses were all of them the property of 
 the Andover and Weyhill Company, and were fair 
 specimens of the noble lot of horses I subsequently 
 saw at the stables in Andover, and those formerly the 
 property of Mr. Barnes at Weyhill. I mentally valued 
 these animals, and the conclusion I came to in respect 
 to their value, was that there would be small change out 
 of £900 for an intending purchaser, of an equal weight 
 and size of myself, standing as I do fifteen stone in 
 my shoes, and exceeding six feet in height. It must 
 be no ordinary horse that can carry such a length and 
 weight to the tail of a pack such as the Tedworth. 
 
 Though never feeling for a moment any fatigue, 
 long as the day's work was, my subsequent condition, 
 consequent on my only having ridden once for nine 
 weeks, has been, to say the least, feeble — every muscle 
 aching with the unusual amount of exercise ; but, as I 
 have stepped considerably over the meridian of life, 
 and my state bearing a considerable resemblance to 
 the condition described by Shakespeare as that of the 
 sere and yellow leaf period, I cannot expect to take 
 the same amount of exertion as I did in former days 
 without paying the penalty consequent upon living 
 so long. 
 
 On the following morning, a short drive brought us 
 to the quiet old town of Andover, where I proceeded 
 
A Teaser zuith the Tediuorth. 237 
 
 to inspect the string of nags collected together. The 
 number of this large and valuable stud approaches 
 two hundred in all at Andover, Weyhill, and Crickle- 
 wood. They consist of harness horses, hacks, ladies' 
 horses, and hunters, all of a superior quality, doing the 
 greatest credit to Mr. Barnes, showing his knowledge 
 and judgment in the selection of horses, the whole of 
 the stock being selected by him as buyer for the 
 company. 
 
 The same thing is seen over and over again, as 
 horse after horse is stripped for inspection. Short 
 backs, long sloping shoulders, good girth places, 
 strong and muscular hindquarters, are apparently 
 the qualifications sought for by Mr. Barnes ; and 
 I could not but remark upon the evenness of quality 
 in respect to these requirements that are to be seen 
 throughout this establishment. A very clever little 
 harness horse was being shown at the time of my 
 arrival, very handsome, and a capital goer — fit if he 
 can be matched to make one of a pair of handsome 
 phaeton horses suitable to perform in Hyde Park 
 during the ensuing season. A remarkably clever 
 chesnut horse, with superb action, a perfect cab 
 horse, was then trotted out, and should soon be 
 found in the Row, and will be, if I mistake not. 
 
 After viewing the Andover stables, we trotted off 
 to Penton Lodge, where I had been invited by Sir 
 William Humpkery, in order to see the handsome 
 range of well-built and thoroughly ventilated stables, 
 which were designed by him, and constructed under 
 his direction. Each box was tenanted by a good- 
 looking animal — Odd Trick, and, in fact, all of them 
 being handsome, well-shaped horses. Attached to 
 
238 Hark Away. 
 
 the stables is a washing-house, into which every 
 horse is taken after hunting and thoroughly washed 
 from head to foot, hot and cold water being laid on ; 
 and Sir Wilham Humphery's experience leads him to 
 the conclusion that it is a practice most conducive to 
 the health and condition of a hunter. Opinions differ 
 on this point, I am aware, but I should certainly 
 advocate the following of this course after seeing the 
 results following the practice. 
 
 After seeing the well-appointed and neatly-kept 
 stables, and passing judgment on the good-looking 
 nags, luncheon was announced, and an opportunity 
 was afforded of looking over Penton Lodge, a model 
 hunting-box, having every requirement for comfort — 
 handsome suites of rooms, noble conservatory, elegant 
 furniture, family portraits, valuable pictm-es ; placed 
 amidst well-kept gardens and extensive grounds is 
 this charming residence. After being hospitably en- 
 tertained, we adjourned to Weyhill, in order to 
 examine the remainder of the stud. 
 
 Accompanied by Mr. Lansley and Mr. Graves, his 
 clever and painstaking assistant, I saw a grand lot 
 of horses, the condition of which for health, blooming 
 appearance, and fitness, could not be excelled in any 
 stables in the kingdom. Without the greatest care 
 and attention such a result could not be attained, and 
 I should say that the particular polish used to bring 
 horses into the form which is exhibited is that some- 
 times known as "elbow grease." My attention was 
 promptly arrested by the sight of an exceedingly 
 clever first-class hunter, denominated Spring, a big 
 but compact horse, with great limbs, neat head and 
 neck, a clever mover and neat jumper, as was proved 
 
A Teaser with the Tedwoi^th. 239 
 
 by the exhibition of his powers in the riding- 
 schooL 
 
 It is difficult to discriminate where all are good ; 
 but, in selecting such a lot as Bravo, Volcano, Home 
 Rule, Criterion, and very specially the Monk, a won- 
 derfully neat horse and fine jumper, whose pedigree 
 is in part traceable back to one of the celebrated 
 Exmoor ponies, I think anyone following my foot- 
 steps and looking over the stud, will say that my 
 opinion is justified by evident facts. I had the 
 advantage of riding several of these selected animals 
 in the school, and feeling how they moved, and I 
 came to the conclusion that the Andover and Wey- 
 hill Company have a superior class of horses, which 
 are to be purchased at fair and reasonable prices, the 
 amount to be asked for each horse being entered in 
 a book, which is placed at the disposal of a purchaser, 
 who therein finds the amount to be charged for every 
 animal, and he can take him or leave him, at his 
 option; the sums quoted representing a fair value 
 for each horse — a mode of dealing that appears to me 
 both fair and reasonable. 
 
 Before examining and admiring the entire number 
 of horses, and specially noting the neatness and good 
 construction of this extensive range of premises, 
 evening had arrived ; but, prior to leaving the fol- 
 lowing morning for London, Mr. Lansley drove me 
 to Weyhill, in order that I might throw my leg over a 
 beautiful weight-carrying hack, perfectly quiet, having 
 grand action, and fit to carry eighteen stone in the 
 Park, and I will warrant that if any timid, elderly 
 party, who wishes, albeit not a particularly fine horse- 
 man, to exhibit himself in the vicinity of Apsley 
 
240 
 
 Hark Away, 
 
 House, and to take a constitutional ride between the 
 interval of business in either the Lords or Commons, 
 he will benefit his health, mature his judgment, and 
 render himself fit to encounter any amount of oppo- 
 sition if he will wire to Weyhill, and desire the 
 manager to send him the handsome grey mare 
 known as Valeria, a descendant of Gladiator. 
 
CHAPTER XXX. 
 
 A WEEK WITH THE SOUTHDOWN. 
 
 '' Now all amid the rigours of the year, 
 In the wild depth of winter, while without 
 The ceaseless winds blow ice, be my retreat 
 Between the groaning forest and the shore 
 Beat by the boundless multitude of waves ; 
 A rural, sheltered, solitary scene; 
 Where ruddy fire and beaming tapers join 
 To cheer the gloom. There fctudious let 
 Me sit," 
 
 IND endeavour to give an account of a 
 capital week's sport with the Southdown 
 Foxhounds, over the breezy downs and 
 across the deep-riding lowlands, in pur- 
 suit of the wild and stout-running foxes which are 
 so abundant in the district hunted by this clever 
 pack. Between these spells of Arctic weather some 
 capital sport has been shown, notwithstanding the 
 extremely heavy state of the country, which has 
 brought many good men to grief, and caused several 
 severe accidents to well-known riders. There may 
 be different ideas as to the country over which the 
 Southdown perform, but there can be no two opinions 
 in respect to the excellence of this crack pack, or the 
 
242 Hark Away. 
 
 ability of their clever and long-experienced hnntsman 
 and I know no hounds in the kingdom that show 
 more invariable good sport ; and it appears to be the 
 earnest endeavour of the master (Mr. Streatfield) on 
 all occasions to satisfy the requirements of the large 
 fields that ride with them ; and he must be a very 
 difficult man to satisfy who, after a week's sport such 
 as this which I am about to narrate, does not at the 
 termination cry, " Hold, enough ! " 
 
 Beginning on the Monday, the meet was Longford 
 Bridge, where a good field was assembled, eager, after 
 their long-enforced leisure, to make the most of the 
 opportunity. After receiving the order to move oiF 
 Champion proceeded to draw Mr. Shenstone's cover, 
 from Avhich a stout fox speedily went away at a clink- 
 ing pace, running for an hour and forty minutes over 
 the open, and finally being rolled over, after a split- 
 ting run, the country being desperately heavy 
 throughout the whole distance. This was an excel- 
 lent beginning of the week's sport, but it was fated 
 to be equalled, if not eclipsed, by subsequent runs, as 
 will be shown by the details of the remainder of the 
 week's work. Not satisfied, however, with this gallop 
 Champion proceeded to Gipp's Wood, where another 
 stout running fox was soon on foot, and a cheery 
 " Tallyho ! " proclaimed that he, disdaining to lurk in 
 the shelter of the covert, had gone away over the open. 
 For two hours did these gallant hounds pursue their 
 second fox ; but evening drawing on apace. Champion 
 unwillingly was compelled to whip them off. 
 
 The following day (Tuesday) the fixture was 
 Framfield village, and, as usual, little time elapsed 
 before a view-halloo gave notice that a fox was 
 
A Week with the Southdown, 243 
 
 away. The scent being indifferent, the hounds were 
 unable to get on good terms with him, and he led 
 them a dance for two hours and forty minutes over a 
 very rough and heavy country, beating them at last. 
 The pace throughout was slow, but it was an excel- 
 lent hunting run, exhibiting the skill and perseverance 
 of the huntsman, and the steadiness of the hounds. 
 
 On Thursday, the meet was at Abbot's Wood ; the 
 weather was stormy, and little good could be done 
 with the first fox, owing to the disturbed state of 
 the atmosphere. Better fortune attended the hunts- 
 man's endeavours Avhen a second fox was found, for 
 he went away at a rattling pace ; but, being unable 
 to outstrip his pursuers, he was compelled to succumb, 
 and was rolled over in the open by the eager 
 hounds, after an exciting race of one hoiu\ This 
 was an exceedingly severe day for both horses and 
 hounds, the ground being frightfully heavy, the 
 brooks assuming the proportions of rivers, and the 
 ditches swelling to the dignity of rippling rills ; 
 whilst the going across the plough was terrific, 
 necessitating those who wished to live throughout 
 the run to take their nags well by the head, and 
 even then it was no easy task to keep with hounds 
 during this severe day's work. 
 
 On Friday the fixture was arranged for " the 
 Dyke," but in consequence of the wind, rain, and 
 fog, the hounds had to be trotted off from the high 
 ground, and were taken to New Timber Park Wood, 
 a sure place for a fox, one I have never known to 
 fail. With but little loss of time a view-halloo was 
 heard, and a fox went away, running a ring for an 
 hour, when he was run into and killed. 
 
244 Hark Away. 
 
 After tins preliminary canter an adjacent cover 
 was drawn, and a second stout, determined fox went 
 away a rattler. Running a ring he made for the 
 Clayton Woods, but not daring to remain there very 
 long he was speedily away again, making for Clay- 
 ton Holt ; but his foes were close upon his track, and 
 he was bound to break away at once. The hounds 
 not dwelling a moment in the cover, slipped through, 
 and raced him away along the side of the hills in a 
 dense fog, which rendered the riding difficult, and to 
 an extent dangerous to those unaccustomed to this 
 severe country. Only two or three of the field were 
 able to live with the pack in this darkness visible 
 that enshrouded the downs ; but conspicuous and 
 foremost among them was the master, Mr. S treat- 
 field, who managed somehow to keep with them, 
 followed by Mr. Ingram of Chailey, who managed 
 accidently to fall in with them ; whilst Captain 
 Paley, of the 5th Royal Lancers, as if by instinct, 
 galloped alone along the foot of the hill, falling in 
 with the hounds, and, being unable to see the 
 master, supposed he had got the hounds all to him- 
 self; whilst Mr. Streatfield and Mr. Ingram, riding 
 at the top of the hill, enjoyed the same opinion, such 
 was the state of the atmosphere on this occasion. 
 Gallantly this noble pack, undaunted by the diffi- 
 culties that surrounded them, pursued the fox over 
 hill and dale by themselves, as it was impossible for 
 any one to keep close enough to assist them ; 
 running, after quitting Clayton Holt, to Offham, 
 leaving the Offham chalk pits to the right, and 
 making for Connesbury Park, where the huntsman, 
 Mr. Dupont, and several of the field, contrived to 
 
A Week with the Southdown. 245 
 
 get up with them, after a long and severe stern 
 chase; and, as night was drawing on apace, the 
 hour being 5*15, Champion was compelled to whip 
 off his hounds whilst running in full cry, being in 
 dangerous proximity to the line of railway, after so 
 gallantly pursuing the sturdy fox, who managed 
 this time to escape them. 
 
 This was another very severe day for hounds and 
 horses, which, however, acquitted themselves very 
 well, for I was told that every hound but one Avas 
 up at the finish, which speaks volumes for their 
 condition, and tells plainly how capital a head they 
 carry. Doubtless, the master would, imder the cir- 
 cumstances, have greatly enjoyed running into his 
 fox, and breaking him up in the absence of his hunts- 
 man, an opportunity which is very rarely afforded 
 him, and as from circumstances he let the opportunity 
 slip, it will be some time probably before he gets 
 another chance, as it is not very often that Champion 
 is out of the hunt. Considering the state of the 
 weather, this must be considered a rare good day's 
 sport, and when, after a terrific burst, the hounds dis- 
 appeared in the fog, or I may say clouds, it might 
 be considered a case of hunting under difficulties. 
 No better test of the quality of this crack pack can be 
 shown than is evidenced by the fact of their running 
 their fox so great a distance without the aid of their 
 huntsman. It, however, does not surprise me, when 
 I remember how diligently they have picked out the 
 scent step by step when hunting their fox over the 
 downs on a stormy day, gradually working up to 
 him until they got on good terms, when he had no 
 alternative but to do or die. 
 
246 Hark Away. 
 
 On the following day (Saturday) the fixture was 
 the kennels, where again a good " field " assembled, 
 and followed un their run of luck ; for, after running 
 a fox for three hours, the hounds went away again at 
 a racing pace, leaving off when night was coming on, 
 sixteen miles from home. Only five or six out of 
 the large number who assembled in the morning, 
 estimated at one hundred, were found with the hounds 
 at the end of the day, amongst whom were the 
 Master, Mr. Ingersoll, Mr. Whitfield, and Mr. Dupont, 
 with Champion and his whips. The going was 
 tremendously heavy, the ground being thoroughly 
 broken up by the long and severe frost. During 
 this protracted run, the hounds crossed part of the 
 Burst on country, going through a portion of the 
 Crawley and Horsham, as well as the West Kent 
 territories. That it Avas a punishing day's work is 
 evident, for it cost Mr. Dupont his old favourite, flea- 
 bitten grey, which succumbed at the finish, after 
 carrying him right well the whole day ; such, how- 
 ever, is the fortune of war, and a penalty must be 
 sometimes paid by those who ride hard, when horses 
 who have so long been out of w^ork are tried to their 
 utmost. 
 
 I have before given my opinion respecting the 
 South Down Foxhounds in the columns of BelVs 
 Life in London, and such a week's sport. as this which 
 I have recorded will go far to substantiate it, and I 
 have no hesitation in pronouncing them to be as fine 
 a lot of animals as are to be met with ; in every way 
 suitable for the severe country over which the}" hunt, 
 invariably showing good sport, killing a large num- 
 ber of foxes, after such runs as those described, and 
 
A Week zuith the Southdown. 
 
 247 
 
 reflecting the greatest credit on tlieir huntsman, 
 whose heart is in his business. The riders with the 
 Southdown are also fortunate in having so pleasant 
 and painstaking a master, as my experience of his 
 management is that he spares neither trouble nor 
 exertion, and the day is never too long or the 
 weather too heavy for so good a sportsman as Mr. 
 Streatfield. 
 
CHAPTER XXXI. 
 
 THE BRIGHTON HAREIERS. 
 
 INDING that all the fixtures of the War- 
 wickshire, Atherstone, and Pytchley 
 were so wide of Rugby this week, and 
 being warned that the country was fear- 
 fully heavy, I determined to try my luck on the 
 lighter lands of the Sussex Downs, and have a day 
 with the Brighton Harriers. The " meet " on Wednes- 
 day last was Ovingdean, on the borders of the 
 country hunted by Mr. Steyning Beard with the 
 Brookside Harriers. The morning was anything but 
 promising, and dirty weather to windward was the 
 description given by a nautical companion. The 
 elements certainly have not favoured hunting this 
 season, and having met with rain, snow, and hail in 
 my visits to different packs, I was doomed on this 
 occasion to fall in with a sea fog. A brisk canter by 
 way of Kemp Town, following the Lewes road for 
 two or three miles, brought us to the meet, where a 
 field of some sixty or seventy sportsmen had as- 
 sembled in order to have a gallop over the breezy 
 downs. There was Mr. Dewe and seventeen couples 
 of hounds, looking as blooming and fit to go as it is 
 possible for a pack to be. Mr. Steyning Beard, who 
 
The Brighton Harriers. 249 
 
 maintains the most friendly relations with the Master 
 of the Brighton Harriers, was amongst the number 
 attending on this gloomy morning, as were also Lord 
 Kilmaine, Captain Kingcaide Smith, and Miss Kirig- 
 caide Smith, well momited on a useful grey, which 
 she rode with courage and judgment over hill and 
 dale, notwithstanding the fog Avhich enveloped the 
 doAVDS, and 23revented those who did not keep close 
 to the tails of the hounds from seeing anything of the 
 sport. Mr. George Beard, Mr. Johnstone, jun. ; the 
 Messrs. Wyman, Mr. Davenport, Mr. Keaneof Patcham, 
 Mr. Gassiot, Mr. Gregson, Mr. Crowther, Mr. Tamplin, 
 Mr. Johnstone, sen. ; Mr. Pearse, Mr. A. Dupont, and 
 many others who are in the habit of hunting regu- 
 larly with the Brighton Harriers. 
 
 A very few minutes elapsed before a hare jumped 
 up and went away at a rattling pace over the 
 plough, which rode fairly well ; the scent, however, 
 was so bad that, after running puss for some ten 
 minutes through the mist and rain, the wind blow- 
 ing fitfully the while, we lost her in a patch of 
 furze at the foot of a tremendously steep hill. Mr. 
 Dewe patiently tried to pick up the scent; but, 
 though his clever hounds did their best, they failed 
 to get on her line, and we moved off in search of 
 another. Soon " So-ho ! " is heard, and Mr. Dupont 
 rides up, and points out the place where puss is 
 snugly ensconced, and the hounds being brought 
 to the spot, she started from her form, and scuttled 
 away at a racing pace, with the pack close to her 
 heels, running her in view for several minutes. No 
 easy matter was it to ride to hounds at the pace 
 they were going up and down these steep hills, 
 
250 Hark Away, 
 
 when you were unable to see fifty yards ahead; 
 but the varmint - looking chesnut upon which I 
 was mounted seemed to know his way about, and 
 though I did not feel quite content at the idea of 
 his going the pace through the gloom, I came to 
 the conclusion, before many minutes had elapsed, 
 that it Avas no use attempting to curb his impetu- 
 osity; and so, like a wilful man, he had his way, 
 and carried me pleasantly and safely when I ceased 
 pulling him about, evidently, from his style of going, 
 being thoroughly acquainted with the ups and downs 
 of the Brighton country. 
 
 Keaching the top of a hill, after runoiDg for ten 
 minutes, the scent failed, and the hounds came to a 
 check. However, patience and perseverance being 
 the order of the day, Mr. Dewe got on to the line of 
 the hunted hare, and away we went a rattler, and 
 no mistake, for another twelve or fifteen minutes, 
 when the hounds came to a check on the plough ; 
 but, by diligently puzzling out the line, we contrived 
 to get on better terms with her, every hound in the 
 pack trying his utmost, showing that as well as 
 being able to go at a racing pace when the scent 
 serves them, they can stoop their heads when it 
 fails, and hunt their hare inch by inch. After this 
 we had some slow hunting, which tended to confirm 
 my opinion of the good qualities of this pack, as 
 they persistently tried to puzzle out the devious 
 tracks of the crafty animal, which eventually gave 
 us the slip, a result due to the state of the weather 
 which so effectually put a stop to our sport. Not- 
 withstanding this drawback, I thoroughly enjoyed 
 the two or three smart spins which we had, and 
 
The Brighton Harriers. 251 
 
 was delighted at the slow hunting, which to any 
 one really fond of the sport is a treat, affording an 
 opportunity of judging of the merits of the hounds — 
 a far more important matter than merely being able 
 ti» go at a racing pace. After this, the master tried 
 and tried again ; but, at last, fairly baffled by the 
 elements, he was compelled to give in, dismissing 
 us, whilst expressing his hope of showing better 
 sport on the next occasion. 
 
 This was a trying day for a master of hounds, as 
 the riders pressed far too close on the pack; but, 
 under the circumstances, it was, I think, excusable, 
 for, unless you did keep pretty near them, you were 
 altogether out of the hunt ; whilst at other times 
 the fog Avas so dense that you were in the middle 
 of them before you knew where you were. Thus 
 was our day's amusement abruptly brought to a 
 conclusion, but not before I had seen enough of the 
 Brighton to be able to class them as one of the best 
 packs of harriers, considering the nature of the 
 country over which they hunt, that I have ever 
 ridden with. Mr. Dewe is not only a capital hunts- 
 man, but he is also a first-rate judge of a hound, 
 and spares no trouble to gather a good lot around 
 him. At the close of the season, it is his intention 
 to draft ten couples, replacing them by others 
 selected from several of the best packs in the 
 kingdom. I was glad to hear that the national 
 pastime is more popular than ever in Sussex, and 
 that increased subscriptions will allow of Mr. Dewe 
 hunting next year three days a-week instead of two, 
 as at present. 
 
 If the Brighton tradesmen were ahve to their own 
 
252 Hark Away. 
 
 interests they would contribute largely to the sub- 
 scription list, instead of doling out the small pittance 
 which they now give, as it is one of the greatest 
 attractions of Brighton, in the eyes of many ladies 
 and gentlemen who select it as a place of residence ; 
 for the reason that they can enjoy a spin over the 
 beautiful downs in the vicinity, at the tail of a clever 
 pack of harriers, instead of hammering along the 
 hard high roads in a listless and humdrum fashion. 
 A word to the wise is said to be sufficient. I have 
 made the suggestion ; it remains for the consideration 
 of those interested in the prosperity of the constantly- 
 increasing town whether they ^vill adopt it. A capital 
 range of kennels and stables has recently been 
 erected at a cost of somewhere about £2000, and 
 with increased funds and popular support, Mr. Dewe 
 will be enabled to show even more sport in the 
 future, though certainly there has been nothing to 
 complain of hitherto. 
 
 One of the advantages appertaining to this part of 
 Sussex is the liberalty of the owners and occupiers of 
 the soil, who are content to allow the large " fields" 
 which attend the meets of the foxhounds and har- 
 riers to ride over their land without ever asking for 
 compensation, or complaining of their wheat being 
 trampled down, or their fields of rape or turnips 
 galloped across. This arises from the fact that most 
 of the farmers of the district are in the habit of hunt- 
 ing themselves, and know practically that the real 
 amount of damage done is small, as proved when the 
 crops are harvested ; though it is an eyesore for the 
 holder of the farm, when he looks at the marks of 
 the ruthless horsemen who have careered across 
 
The Brighton Harrie^^s. 253 
 
 countiy during a wet season, whilst availing them- 
 selves of the privilege of following the hounds over 
 the cultivated portions of the Downs. 
 
 Mr. Dewe is fortunate in having so good a kennel 
 huntsman as Sherwood. A sporting-looking man is 
 his assistant, a capital horseman, and thoroughly 
 good at the duties appertaining to his post. No 
 hounds can be brought into the field in a more 
 healthy condition, and it is evident from their 
 appearance that the greatest attention is paid to 
 them, and a fact greatly tending to this state of 
 things is the position of the new kennels. 
 
 Formerly the hounds were located in a neighbour- 
 hood redolent of dust-heaps, and surrounded by small 
 tenements, the rapid extension of the town having 
 overtaken them ; now they are occupying a place in 
 the open, which cannot fail to be advantageous. 
 
 During so much of the season as has been avail- 
 able, these hounds have invariably shown good sport 
 when the weather has permitted hunting. The 
 Jack-hares are now strong, and for the next week or 
 two anyone paying a visit to Brighton will yet have 
 an opportunity of judging whether I have given a 
 too favourable report. I admit to having a great 
 partiality to Brighton, and though I have heard 
 people speak contemptuously of a locality where 
 there is so little fencing, and merely open downs to 
 gallop across, yet I have set them down as belong- 
 ing to the class who would sooner follow a red 
 herring or an aniseeded rag across country (provided 
 they could race and jump) than they would ride 
 through the prettiest of hunting runs. 
 
 At last, winter seems to have gone for good, and 
 
254 
 
 Hark Away. 
 
 now whilst I write the " ethereal mildness " of a 
 spring day enlivens one after the stolid gloom, the 
 murky atmosphere, and general ungeniality of the 
 last few weeks, and there will yet remain sufficient 
 time for a visit to Melton, Rugby, the Vale of Ayles- 
 bury, etc. ; and this reminds me that I have a cordial 
 invitation to see the Duke of Grafton's country, and 
 observe how Frank Beers can pull down a fox with 
 his fine pack of hounds in that celebrated country. 
 
 Prior to this, however, I have a day's sport in 
 view, during which I anticipate a great amount of 
 enjoyment, having had the good fortune to be in- 
 vited by the Marquess of Abergavenny to be present 
 at some buck-catching in Eridge Park on this pre- 
 sent Saturday. His lordship owns some of the hand- 
 somest deerhounds I have ever seen, and as the ex- 
 tent of the park is at least 2000 acres, there will be 
 plenty of room for some fine sport, as doubtless the 
 bucks will be in good condition for a contest with 
 their fleet competitors. All that will be Avanting to 
 render this a most enjoyable day's amusement is 
 fine weather, and should I be favoured once in a 
 way with a bright and cheery day, I shall be able 
 to furnish an account in BeWs Life in London of the 
 luck that I met with during my visit to that pleasant 
 part of West Kent. 
 
CHAPTEE XXXI I. 
 
 RUNNING RED DEER. 
 
 fAKEN, lords and ladies gay, The mist 
 has left the mountain, grey ; Spring- 
 lets in the dawn are streaming, Dia- 
 monds in the brake are gleaming, 
 And foresters have busy been, To track the buck 
 in forest green," were the words (which, if I re- 
 member rightly, are to be found in "Waverley") 
 that crossed my mind as I journeyed on my way 
 to Bridge Castle, the seat of the Marquess of Aber- 
 gavenny. 
 
 Congratulating myself on my good fortune, in 
 being able to join in the exciting pastime of running 
 the red deer, I was off at an early hour en route for 
 Tunbridge Wells, the nearest station to Eridge. A 
 dense fog enshrouded London and the suburbs, trains 
 were behind time, fog signals exploding, passengers 
 becoming irritable, and porters less than polite to 
 those not encumbered with luggage, probably pre- 
 mising that there was in such case little chance of 
 exacting fees — a custom, by the way, more honoured 
 in the breach than the observance. At length the 
 train emerges from the gloom, and comes whistling 
 hoarsely, as befits the morning, into the station. 
 
256 Hark Away, 
 
 The bell rings, and we move off cautiously, feeling 
 our way through the mist until we reach Chisel- 
 hurst; then we pass in an instant from the densest 
 atmosphere into bright and cloudless sunshine, 
 which lasts throughout the entire day. Thus 
 vanished, as speedily as did the gloom, all fear 
 of the day's sport being spoilt by the weather — a 
 matter of so frequent occurrence this unparalleled 
 winter as to give sufficient warranty for such fore- 
 boding — and, henceforth, all went merry as the 
 proverbial marriage bell. 
 
 Arriving at Tunbridge Wells — a most delightful 
 place — I find Mr. Edward Durrant, the popular 
 Secretary of the Tunbridge Wells district of the 
 West Kent Hunt, awaiting my arrival. He wel- 
 comes me with so much cordiality, that I feel that 
 this time, at any rate, I am in for a real good thing. 
 
 A clever weight-carrying mare, the property of 
 Mr. Cramp, I was told, was kindly placed at my 
 disposal — a nag, I was assured, that would go the 
 pace if I only let her have her head. Subsequent 
 events abundantly proved the accuracy of the state- 
 ment. Further, I was informed that the meet was 
 fixed for 2.30 o'clock, previous to which we were 
 expected to partake of luncheon at the castle. 
 Here, truly, was a pleasant programme, and, as we 
 had some considerable time to spare, we strolled 
 through this prosperous-looking town, noted for the 
 beauty of the surrounding scenery, its health-re- 
 storing properties, chalybeate waters, breezy downs, 
 and lovely rides and drives. 
 
 Always of an inquiring turn of mind, I had formed 
 a strong resolve on this occasion to drink deeply of 
 
Running Red Deer, 257 
 
 the waters of the wells, so that I might be able to 
 speak of their cheraical properties. Being to an 
 extent infirm of purpose, and consequently easily 
 led, I was induced by my sjoecious friend to try a 
 tumbler of ''brut" champagne instead, being assured 
 that if I intended to ride to hounds throughout the 
 runs, it was necessary that my nerves should be 
 well strung, as the going over the park would be 
 found to be exceedingly rough, the ground full of 
 rabbit burrows, grips, and ant-hills, and the pace 
 terrific, should we succeed in driving out some good 
 stags from the herd. I yielded to the voice of the 
 tempter. 
 
 Thus easily are oar good resolves scattered to the 
 winds, and yet one more good intention was added 
 to the already large heap of materials with which 
 another place, to use a Parliamentary expression, is 
 said to be paved. The opportunity was lost, and I 
 left the town a second time without quafiing the 
 flowing bowl in the commodious and newly-erected 
 Pump Room. Nevertheless, the advice given me 
 was sound, for the time came during the afternoon's 
 amusement when I found that running red deer was 
 no child's play, and wholly unsuited for those of a 
 timid temperament. 
 
 Time being up, we mount and ride by way of 
 Broadwater Down, noting the handsome houses 
 and well-planted gardens on either side of the 
 road, which command a splendid view of this 
 beautiful portion of the county of Kent, justly de- 
 nominated the Garden of England. After a short 
 ride we pass through the lodge gates and enter the 
 well-timbered approaches which lead to the castle ; 
 
258 Hark Away. 
 
 and, having stabled our steeds, we find the Marquess 
 on the lawn cordially welcoming his numerous visi- 
 tors as they arrive. As we passed through one of 
 the portals of this lordly edifice I took note of the 
 coat-of-arms of this very ancient and noble family, 
 in order to describe which I will adopt the language 
 of heraldry : " In a ducal coronet or, a bull's head 
 argent, pied sable, armed of the 1st, and charged on 
 the neck with a rose gules. Supporters, two bulls 
 argent, pied sable, armed, unguled, collared and 
 chained or." Motto, "iW, vile, velisr 
 
 Doubtless, it is by adhering strictly to the letter 
 of this ancestral motto that his lordship and family 
 have secured the esteem and respect of their friends, 
 neighbours, tenants, and retainers — a fact clearly 
 visible, even to the eyes of a stranger within their 
 gates. Then I pause for a moment to observe this 
 beautiful pile of buildings, noting the many ivy-clad 
 towers, from the topmost of which the standard 
 flutters in the breeze. In vain I look for stagnant 
 moats, donjon keeps, massive nailed doors, closely- 
 barred windows, and creaking drawbridges. No 
 warder bids me stand; on the contrary, I am in- 
 vited to enter, and as I do so I feel assured that this 
 is the stately home of an English noble — not one of 
 those dismal castles of which I have so frequently 
 read in the pages of romance. Passing through the 
 elegant and beautifully-furnished suites of rooms, 
 we find a large party assembled. 
 
 The Marchioness being absent from home, the 
 family is represented by the Earl of Lewes, Lords 
 Henry, George, and the Ladies Idina, Rose, and 
 Violet Nevill. The dining-room, in which luncheon 
 
Rttnning Red Deer. 259 
 
 is laid, is a noble apartment, commanding fine views 
 of the park, the walls being hnng with many por- 
 traits of the ancestors of this illustrious family, 
 which history tells ns comprise many Royal and 
 noble personages, amongst others Henry Boling- 
 broke, Duke of Lancaster, crowned by the name of 
 Henry IV. ; Edward Duke of York, who married the 
 daughter of Ralph Nevil, first Earl of Westmore- 
 land, and became Edward IV. ; Lionel Duke of 
 Clarence, brother of " Old John of Gaunt, time- 
 honoured Lancaster ; " Richard Neville, Earl of 
 Warwick, commonly called the King-maker, and 
 others. 
 
 After partaking of the hospitality so bountifully 
 provided, we mount and ride off to the kennels, 
 where we find a goodly gathering, amongst whom, 
 in addition to the members of the family before 
 enumerated, I noticed the Honourable Ralph Pelham 
 Nevill, Master of the West Kent Foxhounds, who 
 resides at Birling Manor, the ancient seat of the 
 family, which they occupied previously to taking 
 possession of Eridge Castle ; the Honourable Nevill 
 Lloyd-Mostyn of Leybourne Grange ; Lord George 
 Pratt, General Kerr Baillie-Hamilton, K.O.B. ; Capt. 
 Stanley Williams and Miss Williams ; Miss Bligh, a 
 bold and graceful rider to hounds; Mr. Stanley 
 Puckle and Miss Puckle ; Mr. Barclay Field, of 
 Ashurst Park; Mr. Edward Durrant, Mr. F. W. 
 Elers, Mr. W. Cripps, jun, ; Miss Russell, who rides 
 regularly, showing much courage and discretion, 
 with the AVest Kent ; Mrs. Tuck, mounted on a 
 fiery and impetuous steed, which had to succumb to 
 the skill of the clever and experienced horsewoman , 
 
26o Hark Away, 
 
 Mr. W. Dickinson, of Endge ; Messrs. Henry and 
 Arthur Cramp, botli first-rate horsemen; Mr. Wil- 
 mot, Mr. Bates, who contrived to give his gallant 
 but somewhat ont-of-condition grey a good bucket- 
 ing before the day was over ; and Mr. Harris, of 
 Tunbridge Wells. 
 
 The scene was novel and exciting ; groups of 
 well-mounted men were gathered together beneath 
 the moss-covered hawthorns and leafless oaks ; 
 keepers awaiting their masters' orders, holding the 
 hounds in leashes, each of these noble and intelli- 
 gent animals being fit to pull down singly the tallest 
 red deer. Surely, unless my vision is playing me 
 false, that is Davie Gellatley, immortalised by Sir 
 Walter Scott, with difficulty holding Ban and Buscar 
 in a leash ; the faithful, if somcAvhat eccentric, 
 servitor of Cosmo Comyne Bradwardine of Tully- 
 Veolan, who is riding the weight-carrying bay 
 horse ; whilst that fair and graceful girl on the 
 clever-looking hunter, chatting so pleasantly with 
 Waverley — the Laird of Balmawhapple looking 
 scowlingly on the while — is Rose Bradwardine. 
 But yet it cannot be, for those were personages of 
 whom the great " Unknown " wrote more than 
 '• sixty years since." There is the Marquess giving 
 instructions and making inquiries of the keepers, 
 mounted ready to single out the stag that is to 
 be pursued, and I hear them say (or imagine I do) — 
 " We can show you where he lies. Fleet of foot and 
 tall of size; We can show the marks he made. 
 When 'gainst the oak his antlers frayed. You 
 shall see him brought to bay. Hasten lords and 
 ladies gay." 
 
Runniftp- Red Deer. 261 
 
 *& 
 
 Then we move off in search of our game; here 
 one of the horsemen meets with a disaster ; the 
 high-spirited cob on which General Hamilton is 
 mounted rears and falls backwards, giving the 
 gallant rider a nasty fall, fortunately without doing 
 any serious damage, though it was a severe shake. 
 
 Soon we came upon a group of red deer browsing 
 on a knoll adjacent to the kennels, and the keeper, 
 selecting a fine stag, proceeds, accompanied by 
 several horsemen, conspicuous amongst whom were 
 the Earl of Lewes and Lords Henry and George 
 Nevill, to ride him out from his companions. This 
 is a somewhat difficult task, occupying a consider- 
 able time ; but at length the animal breaks away 
 from the herd, and goes at a screaming pace across 
 the park, where there is ample space for a good 
 gallop, the area extending over 2000 acres. The 
 instant he starts, a deerhound is slipped from the 
 leash, dashing after him at a tremendous pace. 
 " Loo, loo, loo ! " cry the hunters, who follow at a 
 racing pace over the rugged, uneven ground. At 
 first it appears that the stag is making for the water, 
 but suddenly turning back he faces his pursuers. 
 Then another hound is slipped and goes in eager 
 pursuit, amidst loud cries of " Hold him ! hold him ! 
 hold him !" and after a gallant struggle for freedom, 
 our first stag is taken uninjured, the hounds having 
 been whipped off by those who had kept close to 
 them — no easy matter, considering the pace they 
 went. With but little delay the second stag is 
 selected, and in a short time is driven out from the 
 herd, and goes away a rattler over the brown 
 heather, closely followed by a splendid hound, that 
 
262 Hark Away. 
 
 has been instantly slipped from the leash. Away ^o 
 the pursued and pursuer, and after them ride the 
 eager horsemen, regardless of rabbit-holes, ruts, 
 watercourses, and ant-hills. The stag appears liter- 
 ahy to fly over the park, so severe is the pace, whilst 
 the hound twists, turns, and stretches himself '' ventre 
 a terre^^ striving with every muscle to overtake the 
 quarry. There goes Lord Henry Nevill as hard as 
 he can gallop, utterly regardless of what comes in 
 his way, until his horse, putting his feet into a piece 
 of boggy ground, turns a complete somersault, land- 
 ing on his back, and throwing his rider heavily to 
 the ground. Soon both are up again, and the bold 
 and daring horseman remounts his nag, but finds 
 that he must relinquish the chase. Subsequently, 
 it was found that his collar-bone and one rib were 
 broken ; but, such was the pluck of this courageous 
 hunter, that he told me, when bidding me good-bye, 
 that he should be out on the following Monday with 
 the AVest Kent. In pursuance of this resolution, he 
 mounted his horse at the meet, but was compelled 
 reluctantly to give up. So much for nerve and 
 pluck, without wdiich qualifications for the sport you 
 must not go running after red deer. In the mean- 
 while the stag has gone his course, and unable to 
 shake off his pursuers, makes straight for a small 
 pool of water, in which he stands at bay. Then I 
 see a picture that Landseer loved to portray ; sur- 
 rounded by the eager huntsmen, who with difficulty 
 restrain the panting hounds, the stag bears himself 
 majestically, bidding defiance to all comers. It is, 
 indeed, a beautiful picture ; but alas ! his treacherous 
 foes, with the aid of a rope, speedily secure him, and 
 
Running Red Deer. 263 
 
 I look with a feeling of regret upon the fallen 
 fortunes of the sometime monarch of the glen. 
 
 After this we go again in quest of another animal. 
 Quickly a noble fellow is selected, and promptly 
 isolated from his companions, and goes away a 
 clinker, and no mistake. A hound is at once 
 slipped, and " Loo, loo, loo ! " is again the sound 
 that makes the welkin ring. This time we have 
 a stouter and longer-enduring beast to deal with, 
 and he leads us a right merrie dance over the hills 
 and down the dales, through the brakes, along the 
 glades, and over the brown heather at a tremendous 
 speed. Now those who wish to go the pace can 
 indulge their fancy to the fullest extent — there is 
 no fear of overriding the hounds, the only difficulty 
 is to keep on terms with them. 
 
 For a brief time I restrained the impetuosity of 
 my steed, but when Miss Russell went by me like a 
 flash of lightning, whilst galloping down a steep 
 descent, it was in vain that I tried to check the 
 speed of my excited nag. I, whether I liked it or 
 not, was compelled to follow suit, going at full 
 speed over the uneven ground, beneath overhang- 
 ing boughs and through stony water-courses, never 
 being able to halt for a moment in my Mazeppa-like 
 career until the stag reached a wide pool, and in it 
 sought to evade his pursuers. Pressed hard by the 
 hounds who dashed in after him, determined to 
 follow him to the bitter end, he quits the water 
 and goes away again ; but his heart failing, he 
 doubles back and takes to the water once more, 
 and the hounds being whipped off, he was finally 
 secured. 
 
264 Hark Away. 
 
 In no case was any injnry done to these noble 
 animals, three of which we had now taken up, all 
 ha^4ng full heads. Then, the afternoon being young 
 and the weather lovely, the Marquess resolved to give 
 us another run. This time it was a hind that was 
 selected, and some time elapsed before she could be 
 induced to leave her calf, a yearling. At length she 
 goes away, a hound is slipped, once more the cry of 
 " Loo, loo, loo ! " is heard, and away we race for a 
 short distance, taking her in a small brooklet after 
 a merry little spin. It is not often that a hind is so 
 quickly taken ; very often they show more sport and 
 go greater distances than stags ; and on a recent 
 occasion the chase lasted for half-an-hour, and the 
 distance traversed was estimated at eight miles. 
 This closed a brilhant day's sport, and, judging 
 from appearances, one or two of the horses had had 
 quite enough of it. Then the large cavalcade wends 
 its way to the castle, every one being pressed to 
 partake of refreshments after the exertions of the 
 day. 
 
 Chasing the stag is a royal sport in every sense of 
 the word. Did not " William the Red " meet his 
 fate when running wild deer in the sylvan glades of 
 the NeAV Forest? Do we not read in Shakespeare 
 that Edward IV. dehghted in the sport, and was well 
 versed in the art of venery? What reply does he 
 make to the huntsman, who says, "This way, my 
 lord, for this way lies the game." " Nay, this way, 
 man ; see where the huntsmen stand ! " Proving 
 that the king was more master of the craft than the 
 keeper. Occasionally a feeble wail, a mere whimper, 
 is raised by a small section of the public against our 
 
Running Red Deer. 265 
 
 national sports. Fortunately, these feeble attempts 
 to decry hunting and such like manly amusements 
 meet with but slight response ; and, in my opinion, 
 it will be a sorry day for Old England when the 
 youth and manhood of the country relinquish such 
 pleasant and inspiriting pastimes. 
 
 The pleasures of Tunbridge Wells, however, were 
 not yet exhausted, for I received an invitation to 
 attend a meet of the Eridge Harriers, which is a re- 
 cently established pack, the joint owners of which are 
 the Earl of Lewes and Lord George Nevill. A good 
 mount was offered at the same time, and their lord- 
 ships having arranged that it should take place oppo- 
 site the Nevill Club, I journeyed to the appointed 
 spot, finding all the beauty and fashion of Tunbridge 
 Wells assembled to witness the gathering of the 
 sportsmen, and to look at the hounds, which were 
 disporting themselves on the common opposite the 
 club, which is under the same roof as the new Pump 
 Koom, occupying a site at the end of the Pantiles. 
 
 The Earl of Lewes, Lord George Nevill, and the 
 Ladies Kose and Violet Nevill were preseat, as well 
 as Mrs. Durrant, who appeared on horseback for the 
 first time for several months ; Mrs. Tuck on her old 
 favourite, and Miss Russell on her clever thorough- 
 bred, Mr. H. Cramp on Grey Friar, Mr. A. Cramp on a 
 chesnut mare, which I subsequently saw perform over 
 a hog-backed style, in a corner of a cover, in a style 
 which did credit to horse and rider ; Mr. Bates on the 
 old Doctor, Mr. Hoskins, Mr. Dickinson, Mr. Durrant, 
 Mr. Harris, and many others I have seen out with 
 the West Kent. 
 
 Lord George Nevill hunts the hounds himself, 
 S 
 
266 Hark Away, 
 
 wearing the customary green coat, looking quite at 
 home in his new vocation. Then we move off across 
 the common, and go in the direction of the railway, 
 where a halloa was heard, and we were somehow or 
 other quickly on to the scent of a fox, which had 
 gone away, and the hounds getting on his line, we 
 ran him through the covers, finally losing him in a 
 drain. After this we proceeded to the legitimate 
 business of the day, and a hare jumping up before 
 the hounds, they went away with a musical chorus 
 which it was delightful to hear. 
 
 The day was cold and stormy, and there was not 
 an atom of scent, but our huntsman spared no exer- 
 tion to give us a gallop, and the hounds, which were 
 steady and diligent, did their best to puzzle out the 
 line of the hare. Not being able to press her, puss ran 
 a series of rings, during which there were some very 
 pretty fencing, the Earl of Lewes, who is a very bold 
 and clever rider, showing us the way in good style, 
 and, as I subsequently found, when following him 
 over a big fence, an awkward man to select as a pilot. 
 Consequently, I came to grief, and, like " vaulting 
 ambition," I o'erleaped myself and fell on the other 
 side, a cropper, and no mistake. No damage being 
 done, though I carried the marks of my downfall in 
 the shape of a well-mudded coat, I was more cautious 
 the remainder of the day, though I am bound to say 
 my mishap was purely accidental, arising from the 
 clever horse I was riding, who did not like being 
 kept waiting, clearing, when I let him go at it, the 
 topmost twig of the hedge, landing in a drain, coming 
 down on his knees, and laying me on the broad of my 
 back. The position, though not painful, was, to say 
 
Running Red Deer 
 
 267 
 
 the least, Immiliating ; for, having one of my sons 
 out, who I am training up in the way he should go, 
 he sarcastically remarked, using some cant phrase 
 that the youth of the period are so fond of adopting, 
 " Oh ! that's the way it's done, is it % " 
 
 After running the first hare for a length of time, we 
 lost her, and quickly found a fresh one, running her 
 well when on the grass, but the instant we crossed 
 the plough there was no scent, and we finally gave 
 up the pursuit, and ended the day's sport. Consider- 
 ing the short time Lord George has had these 
 hounds, their performance was very satisfactory, and 
 the foundation is laid for a capital pack, of which, 
 much may be expected next season. 
 
CHAPTEE XXXIIL 
 
 THE ROYAL BUCKHOUNDS. 
 
 [CCORDING to a long-3stablislied custom, 
 the Royal Buckhounds concluded their 
 season on Easter Monday. The meet 
 yesterday was Maidenhead Thicket, 
 where sufficient space is available to afford the 
 immense concourse of spectators who flock from all 
 quarters a view of the proceedings. " C'est 
 magnifique, mais ce n'est pas le sport," may be said 
 of the day's amusement. 
 
 The populace on these occasions usually hunt the 
 stag themselves, dispensing with the services of 
 Frank Goodall and the hounds, and for a while have 
 it all to themselves. Great is the anxiety of the 
 assembled multitude to witness the uncarting of the 
 noble animal, and when he emerges from the van 
 the welkin is made to ring with an uproarious shout 
 sufficient to frighten from his propriety the most 
 gallant deer that ever roamed through woodland 
 wild. Should he succeed in making his way through 
 the crowd who encompass hun on every side and 
 get away into the open, he soon shows them a 
 clean pair of heels, and it is a case of catch him who 
 can. 
 
The Royal BMckhounds. 269 
 
 Prior to this last appearance in public, an oppor- 
 tunity was afforded me of looking over the Royal 
 Kennels at Ascot Heath, and observing the healthy 
 state and splendid condition of the Queen's Hounds. 
 The season has been an especially trying one, from 
 the fact of rabies breaking out and causing the loss 
 of several of the pack. At once the hounds were 
 stopped from hunting, and every precaution taken 
 under these trying circumstances. Goodall was 
 strongly advised to have the entire pack destroyed ; 
 but the noble Master, Lord Hardwicke. having the 
 fullest confidence in the judgment and experience 
 of his huntsman, allowed him to follow his own 
 course, the result being so far satisfactory that, on 
 the occasion of my visit, no hounds could be seen in 
 a healthier state, and, judging from appearances, I 
 should say there is every reason to believe that, by 
 the care and attention that was paid, the disease 
 was thoroughly stamped out. It would, indeed, 
 have been a signal disaster, if so fine a lot of animals 
 had been sacrificed in a scare. Fortunately, Lord 
 Hardwicke gave them a chance, and saved from 
 destruction a pack of matchless hounds. 
 
 I doubt whether any master in the United King- 
 dom could produce a finer lot than those paraded 
 on the flags for my inspection — notably, General, 
 Ganymede, Reveller, Scorpion, Wizard, Whitebait, 
 Baronet, Marplot, Boreas, Captor, Flora, Fair Maid, 
 Governess, and Folly. The season has been so 
 interfered with by frost and snow that the sport has 
 been greatly curtailed, though some capital runs 
 have been shown, especially one from Brick Bridge, 
 the deer being uncarted at Westley Mill, in a snow- 
 
270 Hark Away. 
 
 storm, running tlirongh Binfield Park, by Bill Hill, 
 leaving Wokingham on the left, and on to Bearwood 
 Park, then crossing the Loddon to Shinfield, where 
 he was taken, after a capital gallop of two hours and 
 ten minutes. A good judge who was out on this 
 occasion remarked, " I never saw a better run either 
 with fox or stag." This was a very handsome, un- 
 tried animal, named Festivity, in consequence of his 
 making his dehut the day following the Duke of 
 Connaught's wedding. 
 
 Another crack run was shown from the Warren 
 House, Lord Hardwicke and Baron Ferdinand Roths- 
 child being present. The deer was uncarted in Mr. 
 Benning's field, going away at a rattling pace, 
 leaving Buckhurst Park on the right, making for 
 Wokingham, then bearing for Reading, over Bear- 
 wood Park, finally being taken at Arborfield, after a 
 capital chase of three hours. Goodall met wdth a 
 fall on the occasion, and Lord Hardwicke hunted the 
 hounds during the rest of the day. When I mounted 
 my horse at Windsor, the morning was not promising, 
 and I soon felt " the icy fang and churlish chiding of 
 the winter's wind " as I trotted sharply away through 
 Slough, past Salt Hill, reaching Maidenhead Thicket 
 at the moment the deer-cart appeared on the scene. 
 An immense concourse of people had already as- 
 sembled — a motley crew — but all bent on having a 
 jolly day, and seeing, for once in a way, the meet of 
 the Royal Buckhounds. In addition to the vast 
 number of foot people, the roads were lined wdth 
 carts, gigs, wagonettes, and one four-in-hand, which 
 had been tooled over from Slough. 
 
 Of the horsemen, it might be said that they 
 
The Royal Bttckhounds. 2 7 1 
 
 resembled a regiment of very irregular cavalry — 
 numbers careering about on sorry-looking steeds in 
 a strange and erratic manner ; but these were the 
 many — the few well-known sportsmen being Lord 
 Carington and Mr. Frank King, representing the 
 Melton division ; Mr. Shoolbred, the Rugby ; and Mr. 
 Wilhs, the regular riders with the Royal pack, whose 
 ardour for the sport is not diminished, though for 
 forty long years he has followed the fortune of the 
 Queen's to my certain knowledge ; Mr. Willis, jun., 
 seeking a little relaxation after his college studies, 
 which, however, did not appear to have injured his 
 constitution ; Mr. Douglas, of Hounslow, from whom- 
 1 was sorry to receive a not very satisfactory report 
 of the condition of Lord Hardwicke, the injuries 
 received in the fall he met with a few days since 
 having been serious ; Mr. Frank Sherborne, of Bed- 
 font, as well as several ladies, who were not to be 
 daunted by a crowd, including Miss Parsons, Mrs. 
 Brock, and several others, with whose names I am 
 unacquainted, and one fair, smiling girl, on a light 
 bay horse, who seemed to thoroughly enjoy the 
 sport, and who will be best described in the lines of 
 Wordsworth, — 
 
 " A creature not too bright or good, 
 For human nature's daily food ; 
 For transient sorrow's simple wiles, 
 
 Praise, blame, love, kisses, tears, and smiles." 
 
 Little time was lost in uncarting the deer, which 
 was an untried animal, good enough for the occasion, 
 as the crowd surrounded and mobbed him, boys 
 on the topmost trees yelled at him, and men 
 on horseback, families in four-wheeled chaises, and 
 
272 Ha7% Away. 
 
 youths on bicycles pursued him relentlessly, until he 
 got into the open ; then Goodall, having contrived 
 to give the multitude the slip, laid on the hounds, 
 and they went away at a racing speed for about 
 fifteen minutes, when the deer, which had met with 
 an injury, having spiked himself in the shoulder, was 
 run into and taken at the vicarage adjacent to 
 Knowle Hill. This was sufficient to amuse the 
 holiday folks, and it is well that the custom should 
 be kept up, as it tends to popularise the sport by 
 allowing the public once or twice in the year to join 
 in hunting the stag. Of course there were many 
 spills, several ardent sportsmen, whose experience 
 evidently was limited, coming to grief. Fortunately 
 they were more frightened than hurt, though one 
 adventurous youth, on a long-tailed, out-of-condition 
 brute, had a narrow escape, the animal rearing in a 
 lane, and falling back with his rider into a ditch, 
 fortunately without injuring him. The presence of 
 bicyclists on such occasions is not to be eagerly 
 desired, as riding a very fine fresh young horse upon 
 which Mr. Sherley had mounted me, I found that he 
 arched his neck, eyeing them suspiciously, rendering 
 caution necessary, and I was not sorry when I had 
 passed safely by them. Of course all the dwellers in 
 the adjacent villages were in a state of excitement. 
 One youngster, a four-year-old, having eluded its 
 mother's watchful care, ran straight across the road 
 in front of my nag, then arose the " Hurried question 
 of despair, ' Where is my child ? ' and echo answers 
 ' Where ? ' " However, in this case the fears of the 
 alarmed parent were promptly allayed, as I pulled 
 up sharp, and the youngster escaped. Having 
 
The Royal Buckhou7ids. 273 
 
 shaken off a portion of the crowd, Goodall turned 
 out a second deer. This time " Maid of the Mist," a 
 hind that has frequently shown good sport, was 
 uncarted at Shottesbrooke Park, which he crossed, 
 and then made for Lawrence Waltham, ringing 
 about, running into Round Wood, and on to White 
 Waltham, with frequent checks, whilst the enormous 
 number of horsemen pressing on the hounds gave 
 them but a poor chance. A check taking place in 
 the road leading to Maidenhead, and having followed 
 the hounds for an hour and a-quarter, I pulled up 
 and trotted back to Windsor. 
 
 Thus terminated the season of the Royal Buck- 
 hounds, and it is greatly to be regretted that the 
 noble Master should have been prevented by the 
 unfortunate accident that has happened to him from 
 attending this annual festival. It is not expected 
 that on such an occasion much sport can possibly be 
 shown ; and it is simply a parade, resulting in much 
 amusement to the lookers-on. The eccentricity of 
 costume is delightful. One gallant hunter, though 
 booted and spurred in orthodox style, had crowned 
 the edifice with a rink cap made of far ; whilst an 
 enthusiast had mounted a venerable grey cart-mare, 
 which he belaboured most lustily, shouting all the 
 way he went, evidently believing that the correct 
 thing was to halloo like mad when going a-hunting 
 Turning away from the hounds, I trotted back to 
 AVindsor, encountering rain, hail, and sleet, the wind 
 blowing bitterly cold the while. Disconsolate plea- 
 sure seekers were compelled to bend their steps 
 homewards; youths in flannels, bearing bats and 
 bags, had been compelled to relinquish cricket; jolly 
 
2 74 
 
 Hark Away 
 
 young watermen were to be seen returning in a 
 melancholy frame of mind ; and mothers of families, 
 having tied their handkerchiefs over the Easter 
 bonnet, dragged the hapless - looking youngsters 
 through the heavy falling rain to the nearest rail- 
 way station. 
 
CHAPTEE XXXIY. 
 
 OUR MODERN STAGE-COACHES. 
 
 F the many pleasing diversions that are 
 provided for the British public at this 
 period of the year, there is not one 
 more popular or deserving of success 
 
 than that of coaching. Fine weather is the one 
 
 thing to be desired, and when 
 
 " From brightening fields of ether fair disclosed, 
 Child of the sun, refulgent summer comes, 
 In pride of youth, and felt through Nature's depth," 
 
 there is no more delightful pastime or better mode 
 of beguiling the tedious hours than taking your seat 
 on one of our modern stage-coaches, and, with an 
 artist on the bench, being tooled along at the rate 
 of ten miles an hour. The clatter of the hoofs of 
 four high-stepping steeds, the mellow winding of the 
 horn, and the cheery companionship of your fellow- 
 passengers, cannot fail, unless you are of a morose 
 turn of mind, to quicken the pulsations of your 
 heart and enliven your spirits, whilst spanking along 
 one of the pleasant routes that are offered for your 
 selection by the spirited proprietors of these well- 
 appointed vehicles. 
 
276 Hark Away. 
 
 The enterprise of our modern Jehus, however, is 
 not confined to the sultry hours of summer-tide, for 
 the St. Albans coach has performed its journeys 
 through frost and snow ; and that capital coachman, 
 Major Dixon, was to be seen handling the ribbons 
 throughout the whole of this unparalleled winter; 
 whilst the energetic Captain Hargreaves did the 
 journey to and from Uxbridge, though bitter blew 
 the blast. Now that 
 
 " Surely mnter passes off, 
 Far to the north, and calls his ruffian blasts," 
 
 any lover of the amusement may indulge his fancy 
 to the fullest extent by journeying to the White 
 Horse Cellar, Piccadilly, where he will find the 
 ]\lessrs. Banks at their post, who will put him up to 
 the time of day, and in the pleasantest manner point 
 out the different journeys, giving the names of the 
 coachmen and all necessary particulars. Already he 
 will have a choice of several first-rate coaches. If 
 he desires only to take a short trip, he can jump up 
 on the Dorking and sit by the side of that well- 
 known performer, Sir Henry de Bathe, or that clever 
 whip, Lord Arthur Somerset ; and he need not fear 
 to entrust himself to a tyro such as Mr. Hunt, who, 
 though new to coaching, has yet had plenty of ex- 
 perience with his own teams, having been perfected 
 in the art, if I mistake not, by Ben Hubble, one of 
 the smartest whips in creation — to use a Yankee 
 term for a proficient. If he selects this journey he 
 will pass through the prettiest parts of the county of 
 Surrey, going via Clapham, Mitcham, Morden, Epsom, 
 Leatherhead, and Mickleham, As the season advances 
 
Oiir Modem Stage-coaches. 277 
 
 the country in this direction, especially in the im- 
 mediate vicinity of Box Ilill and Dorking, will be 
 found to be lovely. 
 
 If he desires merely a short afternoon's ride, then 
 the Thames Ditton coach, the proprietor of which is 
 Mr. Peter Robinson, ought to suit him, travelling 
 as it does through Kew, Richmond, Twickenham, 
 Bushey Park, Hampton Court, and East Moulsey, 
 reaching Thames Ditton after a journey of an hour 
 and fifty minutes ; or if he prefers to journey in the 
 direction of Hertfordshire, he will find Selby's coach — 
 the Tantivy — ready to convey him to St. Albans, in 
 first-rate style, with promptitude and despatch worthy 
 of the old coaching days. Should, however, he be a 
 thorough-going lover of the art of driving, and desire 
 to go on for a regular downright old-fashioned piece 
 of road work, then he must mount the Defiance, and 
 trust himself to that skilled coachman, Mr. Carleton 
 Blyth, who has entered on a big thing, having pro- 
 vided no less than 125 first-class coach-horses and 
 two coaches, built by Hollands, in their very best 
 style — which is not to be excelled by any builder in 
 London — in order to perform the now-a-daj^s extra- 
 ordinary journey between the two Universities, the 
 distance between Oxford and Cambridge being 
 certainly not less than 112 miles, the coach being 
 timed to do the distance in twelve hours, including 
 stoppages and a halt of twenty minutes at the White 
 Horse Cellar for luncheon. 
 
 Such a venture is enough to take one's breath away. 
 The capital embarked is no small sum, and the return 
 must be to an extent uncertain ; but Mr. Blyth is a 
 true lover of driving, and, in my opinion, should he 
 
278 Hark Away, 
 
 drop a thousand or two over his amusement, it is a 
 far more sensible way of spending money than back- 
 ing Windgall, by Spavin out of Splint, at a gate- 
 meeting, and being picked up by the Ring, or shaking 
 your elbow at the Hawks, or punting and playing 
 whist at the Roysterers' Club. At any rate, he Avill 
 have some fun for his mone}^, which wall not be the 
 case if he indulges in the before-named pleasing 
 little ways of getting rid of spare time — at least, not to 
 any great extent, for the pace is usually very fast, and 
 the result, my experience teaches me, unsatisfactory. 
 
 Starting from the Mitre at Oxford, the Defiance, 
 passing through Wheatley, Tetsworth, Stokenchurch, 
 High Wycombe, Gerrard's Cross, Uxbridge, Hayes, 
 Southall, Acton, Shepherd's Bush, reaches the White 
 Horse Cellar at 2*50; then, after halting twenty 
 minutes for refreshment, it starts again, going by 
 way of Tottenham, Edmonton, Waltham Cross, Hod- 
 desdon, Wadermill, Bustingford, Royston, and Harl- 
 ston, arriving at the Bull, Cambridge, at 9 o'clock 
 P.M., doing the distance, after deducting sixty 
 minutes for stoppages, in eleven hours, being at 
 the rate of ten miles an hour. 
 
 This is a great undertaking, and everything has 
 been done to make the arrangements perfect, while 
 no expense has been spared to ensure a thorough 
 success. Prior to the starting of these coaches, an 
 opportunity was afforded of looking over them whilst 
 in the manufactory of Messrs. Holland ; and it is not 
 saying too much to describe them as the perfection 
 of stage-coaches for style, execution, finish, and good 
 taste. The majority of those which ^^dll be put on 
 the road this year are to be supphed by the same 
 
Otir Moder^i Stage-coaches. 2 79 
 
 well-known firm, at whose establishment in Oxford 
 Street may be seen other private coaches, two of 
 which attracted my attention, namely, one built for 
 the Duke of Hamilton, and the other for Mr. Gordon 
 Bennett. If the horses selected by Mr. Blyth are to 
 be judged from one team that I saw at the Cellar, 
 they will leave nothing to be desired. 
 
 On the 12th of this month, Mr. Walter Shoolbred's 
 extremely well-appointed coach will run as usual to 
 Guildford and back, and will be an excellent oppor- 
 tunity for anyone i-iding through this pleasant jour- 
 ney of witnessing the excellent coachmanship and 
 style in which the thing is done by this spmted 
 proprietor. The teams working between London 
 and Guildford will, I may venture to predict, be well 
 chosen, even-stepping and good-looking, and will do 
 the distance punctually to the moment, as was the 
 case last year, when the way in which time was kept 
 throughout the distance was very remarkable. 
 
 Colonel Stacey Clitherowand Mr. Freeman will put 
 their coach on the Brighton road in due course, 
 affording an opportunity for those tired with the 
 monotony of the journey by rail of varying the 
 mode of travelling to the far-famed City by the Sea. 
 Lord Helmsley and Baron Schroeder will work the 
 road between London and Sevenoaks, affording an 
 excellent opportunity of viewing the scenery of the 
 most beautiful part of the lovely county of Kent. Mr. 
 Bailey will reappear with his well-appointed mail- 
 coach, and do the distance between Piccadilly and 
 Windsor in the same excellent style as it was done 
 last year. This will be found a most delightful trip, 
 the coach passing through Richmond, Twickenham, 
 
2 8o Hark Away, 
 
 Busliey Park, Hampton, and Staines. Anotlier coach 
 is announced to start from the Horse Shoe, in Tot- 
 tenham Court Road, to Virginia Water, and may now 
 be seen at Messrs. Hollands'. 
 
 The Hirondelle, from Enfield to Hitchin, which has 
 proved so great a success for the last two or three 
 years, it is expected will reappear again this season. 
 To the lover of the art of driving, another oppor- 
 tunity will be offered of seeing a thoroughly well- 
 appointed turn-out, admirably horsed, and beautifully 
 tooled ; no better coachman or more business-like 
 stage-coach is to be found on any road than that so 
 admirably worked by Colonel A. P. Somerset, of 
 Enfield Court. The horses selected to work the 
 Hirondelle are invariably, or with only one or two 
 exceptions, chesnuts, showing blood, stepping well 
 together, and performing their journey at a slapping 
 good speed. From the buckle of the reins to the 
 point of his whip everything is perfect. What 
 Colonel Somerset does, or desires to be done, must 
 be thoroughly up to the mark or he will not be 
 pleased. 
 
 The ride through Hatfield Park is most enjoyable, 
 and is a privilege especially accorded to the pro- 
 prietor of the Hirondelle, making a pleasant change 
 from the dusty road to the shady avenue of Lord 
 Salisbury's extensive domain. AVhen the limes are 
 in full leaf and the fern fully grown, to trot gently 
 through the park is delightful ; large herds of fallow 
 deer lift up their heads, wondering who it is that 
 intrudes on their privacy, and innumerable rabbits 
 scuttle away to their burrows, whilst fine old cock 
 pheasants may be seen sunning themselves in the 
 
Our Modern Stage-coaches, 281 
 
 noontide rays, or pluming themselves after a summer 
 shower in this fine old ancestral demesne. Nor 
 must the good cheer which awaits you on arrival 
 at the Sun at Hitchin be omitted to be noticed ; for, 
 after such a pleasant drive, nature will demand 
 support, and the pigeon pies, roast ducks and green 
 pease, roast beef of Old England, and gooseberry 
 tarts vividly recall the good old coaching days that 
 were believed to have been entirely things of the 
 past; but now by the exertions of the proprietors 
 of the modern stage-coach are revived with spirit, 
 affording much pleasure to the traveller, if not 
 realising extravagant profits for the owners. 
 
 On the whole, therefore, the prospects of coaching 
 for the ensuing season may be considered in the 
 ascendant. Doubtless such good examples will be 
 followed by other enterprising spirits. In such case, 
 the man ambitious of emulating such whips as are 
 at present in the field should put money in his purse 
 and not be afraid to spend it, as it is no use doing 
 things in a half-hearted way ; and then he should go 
 to Hollands' for his coach; to George Cox, of Stam- 
 ford Street ; Blackman's, of Knightsbridge ; or the 
 Andover and Weyhill Company's establishment at 
 Cricklewood for his nags, and he will find every- 
 thing to his mind ; and, further, if he wants the aid 
 of a professional to show him how the thing should 
 be done, he should engage the veteran whip, Harry 
 Ward, who will speedily teach him how to handle 
 the ribbons in a style becoming a coachman of one 
 of our modern stage coaches. 
 
CHAPTER XXXV. 
 
 THE CLOSE OF THE HUNTING SEASON. 
 
 IFTER a T\rinter of unexampled severity^ 
 which greatly curtailed the amount of 
 sport, the season closed with some 
 capital runs, notably with the Duke 
 of Beaufort, the Duke of Grafton, and the North 
 Warwickshire Hounds. Notwithstanding that the 
 opportunity of seeing many of the principal packs 
 was so greatly reduced by the long-continued 
 frost, I contrived to ride with fifteen different lots of 
 first-class hounds, finishing up the year with the 
 Duke of Grafton, the North Warwickshire, and the 
 West Kent. Having been invited to visit Newport 
 Pagnell, I embraced the opportunity, and soon 
 found myself in comfortable quarters at the very 
 hospitable residence of Mr. Hives, with the prospect 
 of a first-rate mount, and the chance of a good 
 day's sport ; the fixture for the ensuing day being 
 Astwell Mill, some six or seven miles from Towcester. 
 The morning was such as we have now nearly 
 got accustomed to — dull and dreary, with a cold 
 north-east wind blowing freshly. The suggestion 
 that I s"bould go to cover in a brougham exactly 
 
The Close of the Hunting Season. 28 
 
 o 
 
 fitted in -^vith my inclination, and as the distance 
 from Newport Pagnell to Towcester was fully twelve 
 miles, abundant opportunity was afforded for dis- 
 cussing an excellent cigar, as well as many good 
 things in the hunting line that I and my companion, 
 Mr. Willis, had dropped in for, during the forty years 
 we have met in the hunting field. No wonder 
 that the time sped fleetly and pleasantly, as we 
 travelled along at a rattling pace, by way of 
 Stony Stratford, to Towcester, where onr horses 
 awaited us. 
 
 It is always a matter of speculation when I see 
 a strange horse brought out, as to what are his 
 peculiarities or pleasant little ways of disporting 
 himself. This time, however, I rode a brown horse 
 with a character, " The Veteran," recently purchased 
 from that good judge '' Wise," of Eton — a name 
 familiar to hundreds of sportsmen — and well he 
 maintained his reputation, carrying me in right 
 good form as close to the tail of the Duke of 
 Grafton's clipping pack as the pace would permit. 
 A pleasant trot brought us to the meet, where a 
 large "field" was in waiting. First and foremost 
 was His Grace the Duke of Grafton, who had passed 
 us on our way as he drove to cover in a phaeton 
 drawn by two clever steppers. Next I recognised 
 Lord Valentia and Lord Ellesmere, the Hon. Percy 
 Barrington, the Hon. Captain Grosvenor, Mr. Arthur 
 Byass and Mrs. Byass, an elegant horsewoman, 
 who rides fearlessly and well to hounds, mounted 
 upon a clever chesnut that looked all over .a hunter ; 
 Captain Oliver, who though too lame from a fall to 
 be able to mount a horse, yet attends every meet 
 
2 §4 Hark Away. 
 
 on wheels, and sees more sport than many who 
 ride to honnds ; Mr. and ]\Irs. Bull, Mr. Morgan of 
 Billesdon Park, Mr. Poole Ward, Mr. Tolley, Captain 
 Fitzroy, the Hon. Mr. Pennant, Colonel Pennant, 
 Mr. John Foy, Mr. W. Freeman, Mr. Blencowe, of 
 Brackley, who though a welter-weight truly, riding 
 eighteen stone, yet goes as straight as a bird; 
 the Rev. R. Knightley, Mrs. Pilgrim, ]\Irs. Ball, Mr. 
 Higgins, Captain Higgins, Mr. Fred. Willis, and Mr. 
 Hives, but the distance from Newport Pagnell being 
 so great, Mrs. Hives did not put in an appearance, 
 and I lost the opportunity of witnessing her way 
 of going across this stiff country on the clever little 
 grey mare, late the property of the ex-Queen of 
 Naples, which she pilots with great courage and 
 discretion when hounds go the pace. 
 
 It was a pleasing picture that met the sight, as I 
 rode up to the piece of rising-ground, where Frank 
 Beers had taken up his place, with his celebrated 
 pack around him, looking as blooming and fit to go 
 as hounds could be wished, accompanied by his two 
 able whips, T. Smith and George Cole, all being 
 exceedingly well mounted. A very fine lot of 
 hounds are those of his Grace, maintaining to the 
 fullest extent the historical reputation that this pack 
 has so long and deservedly attained ; and one thing 
 is quite clear, wliich is the fact of their going, when 
 on good terms with their fox, at a speed which I 
 do not remember ever seeing surpassed. 
 
 The first cover, " Hallithorne," was drawn blank, 
 as also was the " Colonel's " cover, but Gommery's 
 Holt held a fox, and " Gone away ! gone away ! " was 
 the cheery sound that quickly was heard from the 
 
The Close of the Himting Season, 285 
 
 woodland side, and we galloped away for thirty 
 minutes, running a ring, and finally pulling down our 
 fox in Plumpton Avood, when the cry of " Who-hoop, 
 who-hoop ! " made the welkin ring. One good man 
 went wrong, getting into a brook, but as he seemed 
 quite content with his position, and time pressing^ 
 he was left alone in his glory to get out as best he 
 could. After this we trotted off for Weedon Bushes, 
 not neglecting, however, to stop by the way at 
 Oakley Bank, to accept the hospitable offer of re- 
 freshments, which Mr. Aris delights to proffer when- 
 ever he has an opportunity. Neither this cover, 
 however, nor Braddon Spinnies, nor even Kingthorn 
 w^ood, held a fox this day; however, better luck 
 was in store for us. 
 
 When we reached Ascot Thorns, soon the cheery 
 note of the horn, and the cry of " Gone away ! gone 
 away ! " was heard, for a resolute fox was quickly on 
 foot, and went away at a clinking pace in the 
 direction of Bugbrooke ; doubling back sharp when 
 he came to the railway, where I viewed him in the 
 same field with the hounds ; running back eventually 
 to Ascot Thorns, where he went to ground. There 
 was scarcely any scent ; but when the hounds got 
 on good terms with their fox, they ran him for twenty 
 minutes in first-rate form, giving us a sharp gallop 
 across a stiff line of country, which would infallibly 
 have ended in a kill, had we had a more auspicious 
 day. Being carried in first-rate style, my horse 
 taking his fences in grand form, I enjoyed the day's 
 sport greatly. The country though stiff is always 
 practicable, and the hounds are handsome, clever, 
 handy, and persevering; whilst Frank Beers does 
 
2 86 Hark Away, 
 
 his best to show sport, and generally succeeds in his 
 endeavours. 
 
 A fall of snow prevented my riding with them a 
 second time, and I shall have to wait until next 
 season to confirm the impression that they made 
 upon me. However, I saw enough to enable me to 
 say that no smarter or better-looking lot of hounds 
 are to be met with than those of the Duke of 
 Grafton. 
 
 The fixture on the occasion of my riding with the 
 North Warwickshire was Hillmorton, three miles 
 from Rugby — the cream of the country hunted by 
 these fine hounds being separated by the Watling 
 Street Road only from those of the Pytchley. 
 Many have been the crack runs that have been 
 witnessed from this favourite cover over the big 
 grass fields in the vicinity. On my arrival at Rugby 
 I made my way at once to that most comfortable of 
 hotels, the Royal George, to give it its full title, 
 ■where I found, as usual, the house crowded with a 
 distinguished party of eager and expectant sports- 
 men, including, amongst others. Baron and Baroness 
 Briedback, Count Batthyany, Mr. W. N. Heysham, 
 Mr. James Shell, Mr. E. DalgKsh, Mr. Haig, who 
 travelled with his horses from Scotland, arriving at 
 four in the morning, when he at once prepared for 
 the day's work, neither man nor horse taking any rest. 
 
 As usual, when I visit this sporting locality, I 
 paid a visit to Mr. Darby, who, before I had time to 
 sit down, proffered me a mount on one of his tip-top 
 nags, which I accepted promptly, knowing that I 
 was certain to find myself on the back of a clipper ; 
 nor were my anticipations doomed to disappoint- 
 
The Close of the Hutiting Season. 287 
 
 ment, for when I mounted " Regalia," a bay mare, 
 well up to my weight, I felt satisfied that I was 
 bound to be in a good place, if my heart did not 
 fail me when I came to a yawner. Trotting up to 
 Hillmorton village, I found a great number of 
 well-known men and many ladies assembled, with 
 AVheatley, the clever huntsman of the North 
 AVarwickshu^e, and his grand pack of hounds, on the 
 village green, and Jack Press and Walter Dale, his 
 two good whips, in attendance. Amongst the 
 many well-known performers with these hounds, 
 I found Mr. Lant of Nailcote Hall, the Master of 
 the North Warwickshire; Captain Myddleton, who 
 on the previous day was hunting in Ireland, crossing 
 over and travelling all night in order to be present 
 at this crack meet ; Lord Mount garret, the Honour- 
 able Gilbert Leigh, Count Almasy, Sh* John Rae 
 Reid, Mr, John Arkwright, Mr. Bromley Davenport, 
 General Cureton, General Bloomfield, Colonel 
 Saarsfield-Greene, Colonel Ruck-Keene, Mr. J. A. 
 Craven, Mr. Muntz, Mr. J. Y. Robins, Mr. H. Everard, 
 Colonel and Miss Fitzroy, Messrs. W. Selby and 
 Wedge, Captains Woodrop, Walker, Garrett, and 
 Yere Close, Mr. Sidney Hobson, Mr. Greaves, 
 Captains Radford and Atkinson, Mr. Shoolbred, Mr. 
 Edward Petre, Mr. Scott Murray, etc., with a large 
 contingent of ladies, including Baroness Briedback, 
 Mrs. Pritchard Rayner, an excellent performer ; Mrs. 
 Jones, Miss Lancaster, Miss Tempest, Miss Penning- 
 ton, etc.; whilst \Yill. Goodah, the huntsman of the 
 Pytchley, not satisfied with the four days a-week 
 with his own hounds, had a holiday outing at Hill- 
 morton, and being devoid of the cares of office? 
 
288 Hark Away. 
 
 expressed himself at the close of the day as having 
 thoroughly enjoyed the day's sport. 
 
 Scarcely had the hounds been throAvn into Hill- 
 morton covert, v^^hen a rattling view-halloo was heard, 
 and we were away at a stinging pace; crossing 
 the brook, in which several of the eager sportsmen 
 took a bath, away over the old steeplechase course, 
 turning to the right, and making for Mr. Churnside's 
 cover, where the hounds threw up their heads, and 
 were unable to do anything more with their fox. 
 Returning to Hillmorton, little time elapsed ere we 
 were on the line of a second fox, which broke away, 
 taking the same line as the first, and crossing the 
 brook; then changing his mind, he turned to the 
 left, crossed the old course, running nearly up to 
 Clifton; then passing Cook's cover, he made his 
 way at a racing pace nearly to Barby, where he ran 
 to ground in a friendly drain, where we left him. 
 
 Next we drew Cook's cover, finding and chopping 
 a fox in a very brief space of time. Then away to 
 Bilton Grange ; once more we hear the cheery cry 
 of " Tally-ho I tally-ho ! " then " Gone away, lads ! 
 gone away !" and we raced away very fast, indeed, 
 up to Bunker's Hill, then on to Lester's piece, over 
 the large grass fields up to Thurlaston, running 
 across the avenue, and finally losing our fox in 
 Cawston. This was a rattling good run ; the ground 
 rode light ; the fences were fair ; the pace severe. 
 " Regalia " was fully equal to the occasion, carrying 
 me delightfully, no matter what the fence was that 
 presented itself; finally taking some ugly-looking 
 rails, with a deepish drop on the other side, in a 
 style that convinced me that I was riding a clipper, 
 
The Close of the H tinting Season. 289 
 
 such as I have rarely, if ever, met the equal of 
 amongst the many first-class nags I have had the 
 good fortune to lay my leg across during the last 
 two or three seasons. 
 
 Returning to the George, I found congenial com- 
 panions and the best of everything, and I am more 
 convinced than ever that there are no better hunting 
 quarters, or a more accessible and cheery place to 
 enjoy sport than the pleasant town of Rugby. 
 
 Having received a pressing invitation to be present 
 at one of the last meets for the season of the West 
 Kent Hounds, I journeyed to Eynesford, where my 
 trusty friend, Richard Russell, the secretary of the 
 hunt, was in waiting, in order to drive me to " The 
 Franks " at Horton Kirby, a fine old Elizabethan 
 mansion, the residence of Mr. Power. The morning, 
 fortunately, was fine — a foretaste of spring, in fact — 
 and the river Darent, which meanders through the 
 beautiful grounds, sparkled in the merry, merry sun- 
 shine. Groups of men in scarlet, ladies in habits, 
 and lookers-on were dotted all over the extensive 
 and beautifully kept lawns ; whilst George Bollen, 
 the clever and persevering huntsman of this sporting 
 pack, sat on his horse on the farther side of the 
 rapidly flowing stream, whilst his hounds disported 
 themselves on the grass, or crossed the water and 
 mingled with the company, making up an exceed- 
 ingly pretty picture. An elegant breakfast was 
 prepared in the beautiful suite of rooms of this 
 magnificently furnished and venerable mansion, to 
 which the numerous visitors were bidden by Mr. 
 and Mrs. Power, who entertained their many guests 
 with profuse hospitality. Amongst the company I 
 
290 Hark Away, 
 
 found the Honourable Ralph Nevill, the Master of 
 the West Kent ; Mr. Barclay Field of Ashurst Park, 
 Mr. Fitch Kemp, Mr. Jackson and Mr. Walter 
 Jackson, Messrs. Russell, Greig, etc. 
 
 The hounds were then thrown into an adjacent 
 cover, and promptly a view-halloo was heard, with a 
 musical chorus from the eager hounds, as they rattled 
 their fox through the extensive covers. Reynard, 
 however, declined to leave his favourite haunts in 
 the woodland wild, and finally went to ground ; but 
 his cunning availed him not, for a spade was 
 employed to dig him out from his hiding-place, and 
 he was soon transferred to a sack, to be turned down 
 in due time before the pack. Then we moved 
 away to another cover hard by, and again the cry 
 of " Tally-ho ! tally-ho ! " was heard, and after a 
 little while a fine old fox broke away, running 
 across three or four large fields, entering a deep rail- 
 way cutting, and then making his way into the 
 station yard, where he was headed and hustled 
 about; but at last succeeded in getting up the 
 slopes of the line, and went away for about fifteen 
 minutes at a rattling pace over the grass fields^ 
 following the course of the river, the fences being 
 stiff, with sundry tall flights of rails, that took some 
 negotiating. Finally, we killed our fox in the cover 
 at the back of " The Franks." This was a merry 
 spin whilst it lasted, and had the fox not been 
 badgered and bothered at the railway station, he 
 would not have succumbed so easily. Then we 
 trotted away to Lullingstone Park, the seat of Sir 
 William Hart Dyke, who had joined us, where the 
 fox that had been dug out was turned down ; and 
 
The Close of the Hunting Season, 291 
 
 he led iis a merry dance across this beautiful domain, 
 being finally run into and killed, after a sharp burst. 
 After this another fox was found, and we ran him 
 for a considerable time, fijially losing him in a cover 
 in the vicinity of Otford. 
 
 Then comes the last scene of all, the fijial meet of 
 the Surrey Staghounds at Penshurt Station. 
 
 Being on a visit to one of the cheery inhabitants 
 of Tunbridge Wells, I required but little inducement 
 to attend at the uncarting of the deer at this pretty 
 village. Many well-known men attended on this 
 occasion to witness the performances of this first- 
 rate pack of staghounds, amongst whom I noticed 
 the Earl of Lewes, Lord George Nevill, Mr. Nicholls, 
 the master ; Mr. Tamplin, of Brighton, the Honble. 
 C. Fitzwilliam, Mr. Fitch Kemp, Mr. Spiers, Messrs. 
 Cramp, Bradshaw, etc. Amongst the ladies was 
 Miss Russell, who rode gallantly through the run, 
 charging the deep brook, her clever nag skimming 
 the surface like a bird ; Mrs. Nye Chart, etc. 
 
 " Whittlebury ;" being uncarted, the hounds, 
 after the usual amount of law had been given, 
 were laid on and run for forty minutes, over 
 a splendid line of country, nearly all grass, with 
 plenty of big fences. 
 
 On arriving at Colonel Streatfield's, the hounds 
 were whipped off. After this, the pace was slower, 
 and the deer made for " Blackham," then, turning to 
 the left, he crossed Lord Hardinge's park, passed 
 the Chafi"ord Paper Mills, where those who were 
 able to live with the hounds had their work cut out. 
 Some stiff stiles and a couple of brooks had to be 
 negotiated, Miss Russell being the only lady who 
 
292 Hark Away, 
 
 got over them. Then away they galloped in the 
 direction of " Bedboro," by "Ashover" cover, 
 through Mabledon on to Tnnbridge, the deer finally 
 being taken in a stream near Hildenboro'. 
 
 Miss Kennedy, whom I have frequently seen going 
 in grand form with the South DoAvn Hounds, went 
 extremely well, but gave up before the deer was 
 taken. Mr. Willie Bradshaw rode well for a be- 
 ginner, as did many of the "field," who made the 
 most of their last day's sport, thus ending the season 
 with a clinking good run little short of three hours. 
 
 Looking back on the year's sport, abbreviated as it 
 has been by so protracted and severe a winter, yet 
 there have been plenty of good things, with most 
 packs. 
 
 Short and sweet is my description of the season ; 
 and I can never remember seeing larger fields, 
 finer hounds, better horses, or harder riders, during 
 my experience, which extends over half a century ; 
 nor do I ever remember hunting to be more popular, 
 or foxes more plentiful, or owners and occupiers of 
 the laud better disj)osed towards the grandest 
 and manliest of our national amusements. In my 
 opinion, no sport equals it ; and though the vigour 
 of youth has long since waned, yet " still in our 
 ashes live the wonted fires," and I cannot see a 
 hare jump from her form, a fox break from cover, 
 or a wild stag rise from his heathery couch, without 
 experiencing a thrill of excitement and a joyous 
 sensation throughout my whole frame. Long, there- 
 fore, may fox-hunting flourish, promoting, as it does, 
 good fellowship amongst sportsmen, encouraging 
 the breeding of horses, and causing a yearly ex- 
 
The Close of the Hzmting Seaso7i. 293 
 
 penditiire of at least two millions, whilst affording 
 infinite delight to those whose taste leads them to 
 indulge in manly pastimes. Farewell then, for a 
 w^hile, to the neighing steed, the baying hound, and 
 the cheery cry of the huntsman ; for, though it 
 is to be hoped that the returning season will show 
 increased prosperity to the chase, it is now time to 
 cry — '• Who-HOOP." 
 
CHAPTER XXXYL 
 
 THE MEET OF THE FOUR-IN-HAND. 
 
 lESTERDAY witnessed the first meeting 
 of the Fonr-in-Hand Club, at the nsnal 
 trysting-place, the Magazine, in Hyde 
 Park, hard by that turgid pool known as 
 the Serpentine. A lovely morning gave promise of 
 a genial day — a promise that was, in truth, loyally 
 and royally performed, for the weather was all that 
 could be desired ; while the presence of Royalty 
 added an additional charm to a most enjoyable 
 gathering of the elite of the fashionable world. 
 
 Hyde Park on this occasion was seen to the 
 greatest possible advantage ; for, after an un- 
 paralleled and apparently interminable winter, we 
 have, while standing upon the very threshold of 
 summer, at length received a long overdue instal- 
 ment of spring. The venerable elms, which are the 
 glory of the park, hesitatingly, and by slow degrees, 
 are unfolding their leaves ; a forward rhododendron, 
 anxious to anticipate its many companions, is seen 
 blooming alone. The emerald green of the lawns, 
 the trimly-kept borders, and the cheery but limited 
 allowance of sunshine, gave an inviting aspect to 
 this pleasant resort ; and it was no wonder, there- 
 
The Meet of the Four -in- Hand. 295 
 
 fore, that the banks of the Serpentine were thronged 
 with visitors on horseback, in carriages, and on 
 foot. Greater numbers I have seen assembled to 
 witness this fine exhibition of coaches and horses, 
 which is not to be equalled in any city in the world, 
 but I have never seen so orderly and staid an 
 assemblage as this which was present to witness the 
 performances of the members of the F.H.D.C. on 
 their opening day. 
 
 The first to appear upon the scene was Lord 
 Poltimore, by whose side was seated that capital 
 sportsman and pleasant companion, Major Paynter. 
 The team, consisting of two smart-looking browns, 
 and a grey and a bay horse, came up in good form, 
 and took up their prominent position in a style that 
 was unexceptionable. Succeeding Lord Poltimore, 
 came Sir Thomas Peyton, whose admirable team 
 of coaching - looking greys attracted the usual 
 amount of attention which invariably greets their 
 appearance. Next to arrive was Count Miinster. 
 tooling his grand team of handsome chesnuts in first- 
 rate style, as became a coachman who had so many 
 fair passengers entrusted to his charge. 
 
 Soon after, Sir Henry Meysey-Thompson drove up 
 with his good-looking team — three dark browns and 
 a black mare — which, if I recollect rightly, were, as 
 regards the leaders, bought of Mr. George Rice. 
 This team and turn-out rank amongst the very 
 best of the club, and being closely followed by that 
 of Sir Henry Tufton, there was little to choose 
 between them, though, taken on the whole, for 
 symmetry, style of going, handiness, and handsome 
 appearance, I must award, before all, the first prize 
 
296 Hark Away, 
 
 to the latter gentleman, as representing the F.H.D.C. 
 on this occasion. 
 
 Whilst the different coaches were arriving, and 
 "were being marshalled into position by Inspectors 
 Bradley and Frazer, who performed their duties 
 most skilfully, and with the greatest good temper 
 and tact, three carriages containing the Royal 
 visitors and suite, who honoured the meeting with 
 their presence, drove up to the spot where the 
 coaches were assembled. In the first carriage were 
 their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of 
 Wales, by the side of the latter was seated the Em- 
 press of Germany, and vis-a-vis to her Majesty the 
 Crown Prince of Denmark. Standing by the side 
 of the Royal carriage, containing these illustrious 
 personages, I could not fail to notice the appearance 
 of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales ; and I 
 cannot call to mind any period, from the time of 
 her first entry into London, when she has looked in 
 such good health, and seemed to take so much 
 interest in any proceeding as she did on this occasion. 
 It must have appeared strange, I should imagine, to 
 the illustrious lady seated by her side, that there 
 should be no escort, no police ofiicers, nor any re- 
 tinue, accompanying the Prince and Princess at so 
 great a gathering as this. Attended only by their 
 equerries, and the ladies and gentlemen in waiting, 
 their presence was acknowledged simply by the 
 respectful salutations of the numbers surrounding 
 the courtege, not a cheer being given, not the 
 slightest disorder occurring, or the least confusion 
 visible amongst the throng who attended to witness 
 the exhibition that is annually provided by the 
 
The Meet of the Fottr-in-Hand. 297 
 
 members of this long-established club, which affords 
 so vast an amount of pleasure to the numberless 
 admirers of coaching who attend these festive 
 gatherings. Nor were these the only members of 
 the Royal family who were present ; for their Royal 
 Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh 
 drove up in an open carriage, drawn by four 
 clever ponies, ridden by postillions, with outriders 
 preceding. 
 
 The coaches being marshalled into position, were 
 started in the following order : — First, the Treasurer 
 of the Club, Lord Aveland, who, in the absence of 
 his Grace the Duke of Beaufort, the President, 
 headed the procession, followed in succession by Sir 
 Henry Tufton, General Dickson, Count Munster, 
 Lord Poltimore, Mr. H. W. Eaton, Colonel Stacey 
 Clitheroe, Sir Thomas Peyton, Colonel Williams, 
 Major Percival — who drove Colonel Ewart's drag ; 
 Viscount Castlereagh, Captain Needham— tooling 
 the coach of the 1st Life Guards ; Sir Henry Meysey- 
 ThompsOn, Captain Bastard — a thorough good 
 coachman, who performed on the coach of Mr. Vil- 
 liers, handling four handsome, young, and rather 
 raw bay nags in a very workmanlike form ; Lord 
 Londesborough — Avith a coach-load of distinguished 
 passengers, handling his handsome, well-appointed 
 team in his customary scientific manner; Lord 
 Charles Beresford, and last, and certainly not least, 
 Lord Carington, whose blood-like and good-looking 
 team, though in the rear this day, are usually found 
 as they should be, in the front rank. The number 
 attending was small — seventeen in all ; but I never 
 remember seeing a meeting more successfully carried 
 
 U 
 
298 
 
 Hark Away. 
 
 out. Many were the absentees, who, it is to be hoped, 
 will be present at future meetings. Lord Maccles- 
 field, the Earl of Sefton, the Marquis of Waterford, 
 Captain Whitmore, the Marquis of Worcester, Lord 
 Arthur Somerset, Viscount Macdufi", Mr. Anstruther 
 Thompson, the Earl of Bective, Colonel Chaplin, 
 Viscount Cole, Mr. K. Wombwell, and others, being 
 conspicuous by their absence. The journey this 
 day was limited to a drive round the park, in order 
 to give the Royal visitors an opportunity of seeing 
 to the best advantage the handsome coaches, 
 magnificent teams, and good coachmanship of the 
 different members of the Four-in-Hand Club. 
 
CHAPTER XXXVIL 
 
 THE COACHING CLUB. 
 
 As yet the trembling year is unconfirmed, 
 And Winter oft at eve resumes the breeze, 
 Chills the pale morn, and bids his driving sleets 
 Deform the day delightless." 
 
 AINFULLY alive to the foregoing views 
 of Thomson, who, in his "Ode to Spring," 
 was yet constrained to admit that it was 
 not always a season of ethereal mildness, 
 I drew my "auld cloak" round me as I journeyed 
 towards Hyde Park, in order to be present on the 
 occasion of the first meeting of the Coaching Club, 
 Avhich was fixed for Wednesday last, at the accus- 
 tomed trysting place, the Magazine, on the banks of 
 the somewhat muddy-seeming and treacherous pool, 
 known as the Serpentine. A dull, heavy morning 
 was this ; frequent and heavy storms of rain and 
 hail, culminating in a terrific downpour, with an 
 accompaniment of thunder and lightning, effectually 
 spoilt the pleasure of the day's proceedings, and 
 turned that which is usually a gala day into a miser- 
 able fiasco. Instead of throngs of gaily-dressed 
 ladies hastening towards the appointed place of 
 
300 Ha7'k Away. 
 
 meeting, a limited number of winter-clad, fur- 
 bedecked females, whose charms were hidden be- 
 neath waterproofs and ulsters, were to be seen 
 plashing along the oozy footpaths ; whilst those 
 who appeared in carriages were muffled up as 
 though they were going to face a Siberian winter, 
 and the fair damsels who were mounted on their 
 steeds wended their way through mud and dirt, 
 looking as if they had been riding across a heavy 
 country at the tail of a pack of foxhounds. This 
 was the state of things when I reached the Maga- 
 zine, where 1 found only two coaches in position, the 
 occupants being closely muffled up, so that scarce a 
 glimpse of the fair faces or a glint from the spark- 
 ling eyes of the hooded beauties could be discerned. 
 In fact, it was as dismal a look-out as could well be 
 imagined for the opening day of a meeting which 
 usually attracts so many lookers-on. By degrees 
 the nineteen members, who were bold enough to face 
 the ruffian blasts of the most deplorable of May days, 
 appeared on the scene, and in due course were 
 formed into line, and at the signa to move on, 
 started in the following order : — First, the noble Vice- 
 President of the Coaching Club, Lord Carington, 
 driving his four blood-like, quick-stepping nags in 
 his accustomed form; his well-appointed blue and 
 red coach, by Peters, being thoroughly up to the 
 mark. Next followed Colonel Ferguson, tooling his 
 blue and yellow coach, one of Holland's make, 
 steadily along; succeeded by Captain Foster on a 
 similar drag as regards make and colour. Then 
 came Mr. Deichmann, with his well-appointed coach 
 of Holland's build, and like colour as the two pre- 
 
The Coaching Chtb. 301 
 
 ceding, handling in quiet fashion the four first-class 
 compact and handsome coach-horses, which trotted 
 along in excellent style. Then appeared Sir T. 
 Peyton handhng his four well-matched greys in a 
 style worthy of his time-honoured name as a mem- 
 ber of the coaching world, recalling old days, during 
 which the veteran whip, Sir Henry, was to be seen, 
 when coaching was at its lowest point, still true to 
 his colours, though the times were sadly out of joint, 
 owing to the introduction of the steam-engine as a 
 motive power ; followed by Sir Clifford Constable in 
 his lake and red coach, by Peters ; Mr. F. C. Banbury 
 in his neat brown and yellow drag, by Holland; and 
 the Honourable G. Paulet in his blue and red, also 
 by the same well-known maker — a very neat, or, I 
 may say more properly, handsome turn-out ; closely 
 followed by Mr. W. E. Oakeley, Mr. Walter Long, 
 and Mr. Henry Brassey, who, as usual, exhibited a 
 stylish and well-appointed coach, and a useful and 
 handsome team. These were succeeded by Colonel 
 Thursby and the Earl of Onslow, both having Hol- 
 land's coaches, colours blue and red, — in my opinion 
 the neatest combination for this class of vehicle. 
 Major Stapylton, in a green and red by the well- 
 known clever builders, " Barkers." Sir Henry Meysey- 
 Thompson, with a blue and red by Holland, and an 
 excellent team ; and Sir Henry Tufton, whose well- 
 appointed turn out, and very first-class team of 
 handsome horses, invariably attract a large share of 
 attention on such occasions ; Lord Charles Beresford, 
 Mr. H. J. Trotter, and Mr. Carter Wood, with his 
 team of clever looking roans, making up the number 
 of good men and true who were not to be deterred 
 
302 Hai'k Away. 
 
 from joining in the exhibition by a trifle of bad 
 weather. 
 
 Consequent partly iipon the disastrous state of 
 the weather, the attendance was reduced to this low 
 ebb. In vain we watched for the advent of his 
 Grace the Duke of Beaufort, the President of the 
 Coaching Club, and the staunch supporter of the art 
 of whipcraft. Many were the regrets expressed at 
 his absence from the gathering, as well as that of 
 his son, that first-rate coachman, Lord Arthur 
 Somerset. Not a scion of this noble family put in 
 an appearance ; not even that good workman, Colonel 
 Arthur P. Somerset, whose clipping team of chesnuts 
 always attracts the greatest amount of attention, 
 and whose mode of handling four horses is a treat 
 to behold. Wanting on this occasion, also, was Mr. 
 Arthur Byass, whose topping team of handsome 
 chesnuts is usually to the fore ; Captain Whitmore, 
 whose beautifully-matched and clever-stepping greys 
 invariably command the admiration of the by- 
 standers and judges of coachmanship ; Mr. Murietta, 
 with his handsome, carefully-selected lot ; and sundry 
 other well-known artists, who, in the teeth of such a 
 discouraging condition of the elements, did not care 
 to join in the meeting. Some of the members of the 
 Coaching Club, no doubt, were pursuing the duties of 
 their calhng, by attending to the comfort of the as 
 yet limited number of passengers, for whose accom- 
 modation the various stage coaches start daily on 
 their different journeys; but the falling off of artists 
 on the bench, idle spectators, curious critics, admirers 
 of the horse, and saunterers about town, resulted 
 from the unspring-like policy of the clerk of the 
 
The Coackino- Club. 
 
 ^» 
 
 weather, instigated by a Tory Government (at least, 
 so it is believed by a certain class of old women), 
 who, having successfully baffled the enemies of their 
 country, are now stirring up an elemental strife as a 
 means of distracting attention from more serious 
 matters. It is an Englishman's privilege to grumble ; 
 and, even if it were not, an excuse might be offered at 
 the present crisis of the season. After seven months 
 of severe, even savage weather, we seem as far from 
 sunshine as ever, our belief in the traditional glories 
 of springtide is utterly destroyed, and fear of the 
 gloomy predictions that such a state of things will 
 continue until Midsummer, terrifies even strong men. 
 But how about the trade of London? What is to 
 become of milliners, mantua-makers, tailors (the 
 hatters must be having a good time of it), drapers, 
 and all the various businesses that depend upon 
 fashion ? How can the fair one exhibit her perfec- 
 tions at a cricket match, play at lawn-tennis, attend 
 a garden party, pose herself gracefully in a croquet 
 encounter, watch the exertions of her many admirers 
 in a struggle for superiority in a polo match, or 
 visit those pleasant places, those rural retreats, the 
 Orleans Club, Hurlingham, or its rival, the Ranelagh,. 
 in such tempestuous times as these ! Fancy seeing 
 the object of your adoration walking on the verdant 
 lawns at these delightful places % It absolutely 
 makes one shiver at the idea of possible cough or 
 cold in the head (colds have an unbecoming effect 
 on noses, be it remarked), and other ills that flesh is 
 heir to. Ah ! it is a bad time indeed for the young 
 beauty who has made her cUbiit in the fashionable 
 
304 Hark Away, 
 
 world, a miserable disappointment ; for the time has 
 arrived which should find her — 
 
 " Flushed by the spirit of the genial year, 
 
 Whilst from her virgin cheeks a fresher bloom 
 
 Shoots, less and less the live carnation round ; 
 
 Her lips blush deeper sweets, she breathes of youth ; 
 
 The shining moisture swells into her eyes 
 
 In brighter flow ; her wishing bosom heaves 
 
 With palpitations wild, and all her jdelding soul is love," 
 
 but not in such weather as this. 
 
CHAPTER XXXYIIL 
 
 A RECOLLECTION OF THE ORLEANS CLUB. 
 
 HITHERSOEVER the Australian Cricket- 
 ers may wander in their travels in pur- 
 suit of the pleasant task they have set to 
 themselves, at no place will they meet 
 with a warmer or more gracious reception than 
 that which was accorded to them by the members 
 of the Orleans Club. 
 
 A fairer and brighter scene than that which pre- 
 sented itself at the match between the Antipodean 
 Team and the members of this distinguished club, it 
 would be impossible to imagine. It is said that, 
 driven to despair by the long-continued rains, the 
 biting east mnds, the tropical storms, and the 
 miserable weather which prevailed throughout the 
 entire spring. Captain Womb well, the presiding 
 genius of the place, was overheard appealing to the 
 spirit of the storm iu the following words : — 
 
 " Ye fostering- breezes blow ! 
 Ye softening dews, ye tender showers, descend ! 
 And temper all, thou world-reviving sun, into the perfect year ! " 
 
 The effect of such an impressive invocation was 
 palpable to all who roamed through the pleasant 
 
3o6 Hark Away. 
 
 grounds on this memorable occasion ; for a more 
 perfect summer's day lias never been experienced. 
 
 Calmly reposing under the shade of a noble 
 chestnut tree, whose drooping branches swept the 
 ground, you surveyed contentedly tlie pleasant 
 scene. Punctual to tlie appointed time, the Au- 
 stralian competitors appeared on the ground, having 
 been tooled down to Orleans House by Captain 
 Wombwell ; and the business of the day commenced 
 with but little delay. A considerable number of 
 spectators had already assembled, to be added to, 
 hour by hour, until there was gathered a vast as- 
 semblage, who applauded a hard hit or a clever 
 piece of fielding, to tlie echo, w^hilst ever and anon 
 the music of the splinter-bars and the tramp of 
 horses announced the arrival of a well-known drag. 
 
 Among the early arrivals, I observed Major Jary, 
 driving his neatly-appointed coach and four useful 
 nags, accompanied by a full load of ladies and 
 gentlemen ; followed by Captain Whitmore, whose 
 handsome team of beautifully-matched and clever- 
 stepping greys attracted the usual amount of atten- 
 tion, as they trotted up to the space set aside for 
 the members of the Coaching Club. Next to appear 
 was the Duke of Beaufort, accompanied by the 
 Countess of Westmoreland (who sat by his Grace's 
 side). Lord Arthur Somerset, and a party of well- 
 known visitors ; his Grace handling the excellent 
 team of three bays and a light-brown in a style 
 worthy of the President of the Four-in-Hand and 
 Coaching Clubs. Then came Sir Thomas Peyton, 
 driving four well-matched business-like animals — 
 greys, as a matter of course ; followed by the Earl 
 
A Recollection of the Oideans Chib. 307 
 
 of Sefton, coaching liis neat team in good form, 
 and taking np position in the space provided for 
 members of the Four-in-Hand Club ; whilst that 
 allotted to the drags of members of the Orleans Club 
 was occupied by one only — namely that of Mr. Boul- 
 ter. From time to time the number was increased, 
 until there were some thirteen or fourteen in all, 
 each having a full load of passengers, who, seated 
 on the coaches, or descending from their lofty 
 eminence, placed themselves beneath the shade of 
 the splendid trees in the vicinity of the cricket- 
 ground. 
 
 At two o'clock the luncheon-bell dispersed the 
 company for a while, and the resources of the club 
 were taxed to the utmost, yet I heard of no one 
 being sent empty away. After this pleasant re- 
 fection, play was resumed, the admirable "fielding" 
 of the Australians eliciting great and deserved ap- 
 plause. By this time, a large number of the great 
 world had collected around the ground, Avitnessing 
 the endeavours of the strangers from afar to shoAV 
 how the thing is done in their distant home. Others 
 stroll through the lovely grounds, resting beneath 
 the grand old cedars, which afford '* a deep immen- 
 sity of shade" for the wearied pleasure-seeker; 
 whilst many are indulging in a game of lawm- 
 tennis, or roaming through the noble suite of 
 elegantly-furnished and comfortable rooms ; whilst 
 carriage after carriage arrives to swell the numbers 
 attending this pleasant gathering. Now it is the 
 Countess of Cardigan, in her barouche drawn by 
 four clever-looking bays, ridden by postillions in 
 livery, that stops the way ; then Mr. Arthur Byass, 
 
3o8 Hark Away. 
 
 driving his excellently-appointed coach and four 
 first-class chesnuts, draws up to the portico of the 
 club, bringing a large party to dine, and afterwards 
 to attend the ball, given in honour of the Australian 
 visitors. Mrs. Arabin, in her open carriage, drawn 
 by two of the most stylish and best-stepping bay 
 horses in London, is to be seen watching with 
 interest the exertions of the club eleven to main- 
 tain their ground ; whilst Major Paynter and Capt. 
 Mydleton appear as contented with the present state 
 of things as they are with the pleasures of Melton in 
 due season. And thus we pass the pleasant time, 
 whilst the excited cricketers bowl and bat, toiling 
 hard to beat one another, until at length the first 
 innings is over, the Australians being somewhere 
 about fifty a-head of their opponents. Then the 
 visitors disperse, some taking tea in the shady 
 parts of the gardens, others playing at the various 
 games provided for their amusement, or, ascending 
 the bridge that crosses the road running between 
 the garden and the river, to look on the swiftly 
 flowing Thames ; whilst the sound of music o'er the 
 waters borne gives notice of the coming of the old 
 City Barge, bearing a goodly freight of pleasant- 
 looking folks towards Richmond. Now you may 
 observe the elegant toilettes of many handsome 
 women, who are seen to the greatest advantage as 
 they stroll over the close-shaven laAvns, or rest 
 within the shadow of the bower, " Where wood- 
 bines flaunt and roses shed a couch, whilst Evening 
 draws her crimson curtains round." 
 
 Tuesday. — Again the weather is all that could be 
 desired, the glare of the sun being tempered by 
 
A Recollection of the Orleans Chtb. 309 
 
 passing clouds and a south-westerly wind. Again 
 there is a large gathering of Society as well as of 
 the public, who avail themselves of the rare oppor- 
 tunity of having a peep at the matchless grounds 
 of the Orleans Club, and witness the generous 
 rivalry of the first-rate players contesting for the 
 honour of victory. The band of the 8th Hussars 
 adds greatly to our pleasure, whilst the brilliant 
 play of the Orleans Eleven, especially the wondrous 
 "slogging" of Mr. Thornton, who sends the balls 
 flying at a more exalted height and to a greater 
 distance than any player I have seen before, causes 
 the close of the day's work to be the most exciting 
 of all. Had time permitted, the Orleans Eleven 
 Avould probably have been the victors ; but, in con- 
 sequence of the engagement of the Australians to 
 play elsewhere on the morrow, the wickets were 
 drawn at six o'clock. Thus ended two days' 
 thorough enjoyment, as was evinced by the ex- 
 pression of satisfaction, not only on the part of the 
 Australian visitors, but of everyone who was pre- 
 sent at this successful endeavour of Capt. Wombwell 
 to provide an entertainment worthy of the Club. 
 The result was a complete success, due principally, 
 I am willing to believe, to the exertions of the 
 popular manager and his amiable and zealous lieu 
 tenant, Mr. Knowles. 
 
 
CHAPTEK XXXIX. 
 
 EIDERS IN THE ROW. 
 
 FTER a winter of unparalleled severity 
 and protracted duration, spring lias 
 passed away and midsummer arrived^ 
 without our experiencing one thoroughly 
 genial day. No wonder that an entire stop has 
 been put to the enjoyment of every description of 
 out-door amusement. Instead of ethereal mildness, 
 the once boasted accompaniment of spring, spring, 
 beautiful spring — read hail, rain, snow, frost, fog, 
 thunder, lightning; and in lieu of mirth and May- 
 poles — Macintoshes and melancholy. The meetings 
 of Epsom and Ascot were held under a cloud, and a 
 dense and dropping cloud too. Cricket, coaching, 
 lawn-tennis, polo matches, garden parties, picnics, 
 visits to Richmond, Hurlinghan, the lianelagh, and 
 Orleans Clubs have been effectually put a stop to 
 by the disastrous behaviour of the elements. Only 
 let there be a gathering of those on pleasure bent, 
 and " Then comes the Father of the Tempest forth, 
 wrapt in black glooms," and the multitude is dis- 
 persed by the persistent downpour that quickly puts 
 an end to all enjoyment. 
 
 Consequent upon this stormy state of things, but 
 
Riders in the Row. 3 1 1 
 
 few opportunities have been afforded of enjoying a 
 ride in the Row. Once or twice there has been a 
 prospect of fair weather, but even then the attend- 
 ance of those accustomed to take their evening 
 exercise in Hyde Park, has been sadly short of its 
 usual proportions. All we have to depend upon 
 now is hope, and we may be happy yet — at least for 
 the brief remainder of the London season. Should 
 anyone have chafed under the trials and tribulations 
 of these tempestuous times, remember that some 
 allowance should be made for that unlucky wight 
 — who having, regardless of expense, sought the com- 
 bined talent and aid of Smalpage, Tautz, and Lin- 
 coln and Bennett, in order to render himself worthy 
 of the occasion — a friend having placed at his dis- 
 posal a chesnut hack, by " Make Haste," with perfect 
 manners, high courage and elastic action, and being 
 aware that he will at any rate be the observed of 
 one observer — one bright particular star amongst 
 the many luminaries that shed a lustre over the 
 gatherings in the Row — remember, I say, that some 
 allowance should be made for his feelings, when an 
 envious shower drives the frequenters of that fashion- 
 able resort to their firesides, and sends him home- 
 wards mud-bespattered and woe-begone, dripping 
 and disconsolate. Such has been the hapless con- 
 dition of some I have known, and as a fellow-feeling 
 makes one wondrous kind, I have sympathised with 
 these sufferers. The only things that are grateful 
 for the daily downpour are the trees and shrubs, which 
 flourish with the utmost luxuriance, whilst the some- 
 what dingy sheep, who do the pastoral in the Park, 
 are literally living in clover, revelling in the abund- 
 
312 Ha7^k Away, 
 
 ance of herbage which the copious showers have 
 caused to crop up. 
 
 Once or twice whilst riding in the Row I have met 
 with a brief spell of fair weather, sufficient to have 
 induced a tolerable sprinkling of the habitues of 
 Hyde Park to dare the treacherous and deceitful 
 elements. First, I observe Lord Calthorpe riding 
 his splendid chesnut horse, one of a thousand ; and 
 I opine that his lordship is no indifferent judge of 
 horse-flesh, when I observe the movements of this 
 grand animal, and remember that I have on several 
 occasions seen him driving in his well-appointed cab 
 a handsome bay, an extremely good mover, exactly 
 suited to his work. Of all the vehicles for London 
 work, give me a cab, by a first-rate maker, and a 
 horse such as I saw Lord Calthorpe driving on the 
 morning alluded to. Next I see the well-remem- 
 bered form of Mr. Mackenzie Grieves, on his showy 
 blood horse, and my mind reverts to bygone times, 
 and the Bois de Boulogne. Then Lady Parker canters 
 by, giving a sunny smile and pleasant recognition to 
 the friend riding at my side, and I call to mind 
 several clinking runs with the Royal Buckhounds, 
 Avhen I've seen her ladyship go the pace, with cour- 
 age, skill, and discretion. Next, passing at a walking 
 pace, I note Lord and Lady Breadalbane ; greatly ad- 
 miring the magnificent bay horse that is ridden with 
 such ease and grace by her ladyship. Then comes 
 Colonel Cecil Forester, riding a steady cob, and 
 visions of far-off days come across me, when Richard 
 Howard Vyse was captain, and Sir Charles Slisgsby 
 and Sir Robert Sheffield were lieutenants in the Blues, 
 and I was a not unfrequent visitor at the mess. 
 
Riders i7i the Roi 
 
 zu. 
 
 Next to attract my attention was Lord Cork, 
 accompanied by Ins daughter on a thorough -bred 
 bay of high courage, requiring considerable nerve 
 on the part of the youthful equestrienne, who, 
 however, seemed quite at home on her somewhat 
 impetuous steed. Coming along at a rapid rate is 
 Miss Kingscote, riding an eager little horse which 
 she managed with nerve, curbing, but not without 
 difficulty, the somewhat fiery nag. Accompanying 
 her daughter is Lady Emily Kingscote, with Lord 
 Rocksavage in attendance; a noble young sportsman, 
 who many a time and oft I have seen going the 
 pace over the heather-clad hills, the verdant vales, 
 and leafy combes of Devon and Somerset, or 
 traversing th'e vast expanse of heather-clad moor- 
 land when hunting the wild red deer across 
 Exmoor, in the autumn of the year. Then passes 
 an excellent horseman, one I have seen chasing 
 the wily fox with the West Kent, pursuing the timid 
 hare with his freshly acquired pack of harriers, or 
 coursing the red deer along the glades of Bridge 
 Park. Ah ! a dangerous man to follow is Lord 
 George Nevill across a stiff country ; quiet as he 
 looks when cantering along the Row with a party of 
 ladies, he will in all probability bring you to grief 
 if you choose him for a pilot, and I speak from ex- 
 perience. Then there passes another good man, 
 Captain Mydleton, who at times may be seen giving 
 an Empress a lead across the big fields of Leicester- 
 shire at the tail of the Pytchley. Following the strh g 
 of riders in the Row is Sir Watkin Wynn on a sedate 
 weight carrier, a good walker and doubtless pleasant 
 hack, or he would not be carrying that good judge. 
 
314 Hark A way. 
 
 Colonel Harford on a hunter-like grey moves quietly 
 along ; and then I observe another neat rider, Mr. B. 
 W. Lubbock, who I have seen when hunting from 
 Melton riding in right good form with the Quorn, 
 the Belvoir, and the Cottesmore. Then Lord Alger- 
 non Lennox riding a little horse goes steadily by ; 
 and ]\Ir. Harvie Farquhar, Mr. Villiers, and the Messrs. 
 Dresden are seen taking their customary exercise in 
 the Row. But now appears upon the scene a grace- 
 ful rider, mounted upon a tall, well-mannered horse, 
 which she handles with skill; of commanding stature, 
 elegant and beautiful, is this lady — only to be 
 adequately described in the language of the poet — 
 ' Her form is fresher than the morning rose, when 
 the dew wets its leaves; unstained and pure as 
 is the lily or the mountain snow," and I recognise, if 
 I mistake not, the youthful Countess of Lonsdale. 
 Conspicuous amongst the best mounted men in the 
 Row is Colonel Farquharson, riding a very handsome 
 little horse, which, if I remember rightly, was pur- 
 chased recently at a very high figure. 
 
 Then as I draw uj) beneath the shade of one of 
 the overhanging trees — not by any means in order to 
 be out of the sun, for it did not deign to make itself 
 visible on this occasion, but for the purpose of obser- 
 vation — I note a lady and gentleman riding together. 
 Extremely handsome is the former, faultlessly dressed, 
 beautifully mounted on an extremely good-looking 
 chesnut ; whilst the cavalier, evidently, a heau 
 sahreur of the first water, handles his superb bright 
 chesnut horse in a way that shows him to be a 
 horseman of no ordinary qualifications. Sure such 
 a pair were never seen, so justly formed to meet by 
 
Ride7^s in the Row. 315 
 
 nature — "Hers the mild lustre of the blooming morn, 
 and his the radiance of the risen day." I say to 
 myself — wondering who this distinguished couple 
 can possibly be. 
 
 Owing to the recent loss of the head of the Roths- 
 child family, the different members who are usually 
 to be found riding in the Row have been conspicuous 
 by their absence. Lord Granville has on several 
 occasions been found taking a constitutional ride, 
 as also Mr. Bass, who may be seen pursuing the even 
 tenor of his way. Whilst many other habitues of 
 the Row take their pleasure anything but sadly ; 
 indulging in fact in swinging good gallops, to the 
 evident embarrassment of the mounted police officer, 
 who is detailed for the duty of restraining the ardour 
 of the too impetuous riders, who occasionally exceed 
 in a moment of excitement the bounds of modera- 
 tion. But there are one or two more regular 
 frequenters of the Row, conspicuous by the quality 
 of the horses they bestride, notably Mr. Sheward 
 on Aristocrat, a perfect chesnut hack, who, having 
 retu'ed from business, now enjoys his otiimi cum 
 dignitate, and takes his pleasure in the Park ; 
 whilst Mr. George Cox exhibits the perfections of 
 the favourite chesnut mare which carries him in such 
 perfect form. 
 
 Of the attendance in the morning in the Row, 
 though vast numbers of pedestrians and many 
 equipages have, on some occasions, been seen, the 
 riders have been more remarkable for quantity than 
 quality. The impossible weather deterring many 
 from taking their customary exercise ; whilst, on 
 several occasions, when a goodly gathering has 
 
3 1 6 Ha rk A way. 
 
 assembled, an outrageous down-pour has disjjersed 
 the congregation of fashionable and well-dressed 
 folks sans ceremonie. Notably this has been the 
 case at the last meetings of the Four-in-Hand and 
 Coaching Clubs. The astounding storm of hail, rain, 
 thunder, and lightning, which effectually damped 
 the pleasure of the latter meeting, put to flight 
 numbers of riders Avho would otherwise have 
 been seen in the Row, after the departure of the 
 coaches. 
 
 The number of teams that were tooled to the 
 Alexandra Park was greatly diminished, and an oppor- 
 tunity was afforded of seeing several of the drags 
 to advantage when they left the line and drove 
 through the Park ; especially the beautifully matched 
 team of greys, wonderfully wxll turned out, and 
 admirably driven by Captain Whitmore ; the blood- 
 like quick - stepping nags of Sir William Eden; 
 and the powerful team of chesnuts driven by Mr. 
 Arthur Byass, by whose side sits Mrs. By ass, who I 
 have seen riding right well over the big fences, 
 when going Tv^th the Duke of Grafton's crack 
 pack. Well mounted, good nerve, graceful figure, 
 light w^eight, courage, and discretion are qualifi- 
 cations that make this lady a dangerous person to 
 follow over a stiff line of country when the pace is 
 severe ; and 1 recall an occasion when I saw the 
 heels of her clever chesnut in the air, going over 
 a rasper, and landing cleverly on the other side ; 
 it being my turn next, and having such an example 
 before me, I could not turn aside. Fortune favours 
 the brave, and, notwithstanding the disadvantages 
 of much difference in weight, and a total absence 
 
Riders ill the Row. 
 
 17 
 
 of grace in respect to figure, I yet managed to follow 
 my leader safely. 
 
 In such large gatherings as those which are to 
 be seen in Hyde Park, when the day is propitious, 
 there are of course oddities, and people who out- 
 herod fashion itself. I cannot say I admire one of 
 the features of the day, which, when carried to 
 excess, savours of the ridiculous. Very long men, 
 with very long spurs, riding very little ponies, with 
 very short tails ; nor do I like to see a lady and her 
 husband riding long - tailed skewbalds, without 
 shape, action, or manners, having only an eccen- 
 tricity of colouring as a recommendation, for I say 
 to myself — " Ducroiu redivivus,''^ and pass on. Again, 
 I do not like to see two or three young ladies going 
 at a racing pace when the Row is crowded; it 
 disturbs the equanimity of elderly people, and 
 excites their horses to inconvenient action. 
 
 Certainly when the day is fine, and the Park 
 crowded, there is nothing more delightful than to 
 ride in the Row ; an opportunity is then afforded 
 of seeing the notable ones of the world of fashion 
 at the fullest advantage ; enabling the attentive 
 observer to admire the number of beautiful women, 
 and take note of the stalwart men, splendid equi- 
 pages, and grand horses, nowhere to be equalled. 
 Drawn up by the side of the Row, on one occasion, 
 was an admirably, appointed barouche, containing 
 a lady and her daughters. The elder, a girl of 
 eighteen years, " Beauteous as vision seen in dreamy 
 sleep," quietly but elegantly dressed, representing 
 a perfect specimen of our English maidens of 
 high degree, whom I will back for elegance, and 
 
3 1 8 Hark Away. 
 
 beauty, against the damsels of any land in the 
 world, and at long odds too. 
 
 At length '-' the evening shades prevail," and the 
 riders in the Row disperse, and as I wend my way 
 through Eaton Square, I see Lord Macduff tooling 
 his handsome team in a workmanlike style ; and I 
 carefully observe the turn-out, having heard that it 
 was considered by a first-rate judge to be very 
 nearly, if not quite, the best of the season, and I see 
 little reason to disagree with that opinion. But who 
 is this I suddenly come upon ? Surely it is the Rev. 
 John Russell, the best known and most respected 
 man in Devonshire. A fine horseman still, though 
 he has numbered more than fourscore years, and one 
 of the best and most ardent sportsmen that ever 
 lived. Inquiring of me respecting a certain horse he 
 is thinking of purchasing, I said he is a charming 
 little horse, exactly suited in every way to carry 
 you, only it is fair to say that if any one attempts to 
 pass him whilst galloping to hounds, he will lay 
 hold of you and pull pretty hard. " Ah ! " was his 
 reply, "I have a capital remedy for that, which is 
 riding to cover some thirty miles on an average, 
 which steadies them a little." Pretty well for an 
 octogenarian ! This most popular, and, I may say, 
 venerated clergyman has many calls on his time. If 
 any one is ill or in trouble, he is always ready to 
 leave his home at Swimbridge to attend to their 
 wants. 
 
 On this occasion, however, he had travelled to 
 London on a far pleasanter errand, namely, to join in 
 the holy bonds of matrimony a thorough sportsman 
 and light-hearted companion, with whom I have 
 
Riders in the R 
 
 ozu. 
 
 319 
 
 often ridden with the Devon and Somerset, who, 
 having k)st his heart, when following the stag, to a 
 most delightful Devonshire lady, thus wisely secures 
 the object of his affections. A fortnight hence his 
 reverence, I am told, will have to return to London 
 to unite a certain noble lord, also well known with 
 the Devon and Somerset, to a fair young girl of rank 
 and fashion. I have in my mind's eye one or two 
 more, who, I think, will require the assistance of Mr. 
 Russell, for I noticed several hunting "in couples" 
 when I w^as chasing the wild deer over hill, dale, and 
 moor in the lovely counties of Devon and Somerset. 
 
 COLSTON AN'D SON, PEIKTEKS, EDINBURGH. 
 
(T 
 
AXtt.uflae<»v<.'Ocvx->Af**stii<y»WteV»^ 
 
 , kv^ ^v^o.vs%N)c^wcc«aK;miMa>x-«ji«u«cN^ 
 
-ffi 
 
V ?' 
 
J' 
 
 ■V 
 
 I I 
 
 i it f i'