The Coming of the Countess of Yarborough 



keeping foxes down even to the satisfaction of exacting farmers. 

 At the time of which I write, the Brocklesby Hunt, sound as 

 it was for all practical purposes, lacked the leadership of an 

 M.F.H. able to attend to his duties as such, which in a county 

 such as Lincolnshire, as in fact in all hunting counties, promotes 

 good fellowship in the hunting field. 



In the case of the Brocklesby Hounds this was, perhaps, 

 more noticeable, as the successive Earls of Yarborough were 

 not only the owners of the splendid packs of hounds by which 

 that part of the county was hunted, and as such, hereditary 

 Masters of their hounds, but were also the landlords of the vast 

 Brocklesby estates. Even when our invalid M.F.H. was able 

 to show himself at the covertside, I well remember how his 

 presence was hailed with delight, and how courteous and kind 

 he was to every one ; especially singling out we three children, 

 who were all allowed to hunt directly we could ride, for he and 

 our father had been great friends. 



One special hunting day, when the writer, then five or six 

 years old, was the one small female person out with the hounds, 

 I remember a gentleman coming up to me, and in the kindest 

 manner telling me to come with him and he would show me 

 the fox — always a much- coveted sight. He was riding a very 

 small hunter, almost a pony, and I soon felt quite at my ease 

 with him, especially as his mount being hardly taller than mine, 

 our heads were almost on a level, a fact which made conversa- 

 tion flow more easily, as may readily be imagined. Moreover, 

 he was dressed in ordinary plain clothes, with straps to his 

 trousers, and this combined with a charming Pelham manner, 

 which the present Earl inherits in a marked degree, made him 

 appear less formidable, and a much more friendly companion 

 than had he been red-coated and top-booted. 



Although I had seen much touching of caps and hat-liftings 



43 



