84 MEMORIES OF THE SHIRES 



It is a general rule in the Shires that if a hunts- 

 man wants first cut at a fence, he must make use of 

 his opportunity, or others will be over before him ; 

 but this was an occasion when no one seemed anxi- 

 ous to usurp the huntsman's right of going first. 

 Firr turned his horse half round and exclaimed, as if 

 to himself, " Ah ! I wish Capt. A. was here ; he 

 would soon show us the way over." The remark had 

 the effect it was intended to have, and Mr. B. dashed 

 gallantly at the timber, levelling it to the ground, 

 and taking a heavy fall. The huntsman then rode 

 on after his hounds, whilst the fallen sportsman 

 gathered himself together and remounted his horse. 

 These men had probably often been guilty of over- 

 riding hounds, so that it was a masterly stroke 

 of Firr's to make use of their jealousy to further his 

 own progress. 



Coming down to my own time, I find it difficult 

 to speak of men critically who are still taking their 

 part in the hunting field. The " Bell " at Melton 

 sheltered a party of young men who always held 

 a foremost position when hounds ran. There was 

 Mr. (Buck) Barclay, who is still one of our leading 

 lights, Count Charles Kinsky, Count Kaunitz, and 

 Mr. Alfred Brocklehurst, the latter a finished horse- 

 man and a very quick man to hounds ; but they 

 were all first rate. I think the hardest and most 

 determined man across country of that period was 

 Mr. Edmund Leatham, for when hounds ran there 

 was nothing big enough or strong enough to stop 

 him ; but though he possessed a firm and graceful 

 seat, his hands were heavy. This did not prevent 

 him from following the pack wherever they went, 

 and nearly always getting to the end of a run ; but 



