126 MEMOIR OF 



breeches on" (he always wore them and top- 

 boots), "and I've made up my mind to sit 

 here till my skin comes through them to the 

 bare boards, before I give a verdict against 

 Jack Russell." In five minutes afterwards the 

 case was compromised, to the relief and entire 

 satisfaction of Captain Adney. 



Some years afterwards I was present myself 

 when Russell received the following letter from 

 a farmer on the North Molton side of his 

 country ; it ran thus : 



" Sir John Rissell, 



" Yeur honour will plaize to cum up 

 to Ben Twitching wi' th' dogs : us be ate out o' 

 they voxes. Mistiss kipth on a-telling up and 

 zeth us shan't ha' a Geuse to kill, cum 

 Chrismus. But I've a zaid I'd gi' her a new 

 gown to mak' up for't ; zo her han't a vexed 

 zo mich zince. But do 'ee cum & gi' us a 

 bit o' sport. Sir. 



"Yeur honour's humbl Sarvent, 



To give a catalogue of all the farmers' 

 names who hunted with Russell and became 

 eventually the staunchest fox-preservers, would 

 now be a long and difhcult task ; for so many 

 were they that the list would at least hll a 

 column or two of the Times. A few, however, 

 must not be omitted ; such good men and true 

 for instance, as Mr. Peter Tanton, of Wrays 



