24 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



afford to continue, so that he was obliged to give 

 up the country, though much pressed to go on 

 hunting it with a subscription. The hounds were 

 lent for one season, 1870-71, to Mr. John Coupland, 

 and they were hunted by Jem MacBride ; after 

 which Mr. Coupland bought the Craven hounds, 

 and Mr. Musters took his own back to Nottingham. 



" Another of the old school of sportsmen whose 

 going days were over just as I appeared on the 

 scene in Leicestershire was Mr. Gaskin, who lived 

 at Sysonby Lodge, a hunting-box on the Kettleby 

 and Melton road. The old gentleman knew every 

 yard of the country with gates and gaps, so that he 

 could trot about and get a bird's-eye view of all 

 that was going on. With him rode a second 

 horseman armed with a hatchet and saw ; and 

 directly they came to a fence that had been 

 mended up, he would say, 'John, here is one of 

 our gaps made up. Clear it all out, clear it all out 

 at once ! ' Instead of a hunting-crop he carried a 

 thick oak walking-stick, and if his horse would not 

 stand stiU whilst his servant was reducing the fence, 

 he would crash it down on his head, shouting, 

 ' Whoa, won't you stand still ! ' In his younger 

 days it was said he went well to hounds, thoroughly 

 enjoying the ride, but when he was reduced to 

 trotting about to look on at the rising generation 

 negotiating a strongly fenced country, he would 

 set his teeth and grin with delight, exclaiming, 

 * Look at the lunatics, John ! look at them ! ' ' 



"Time flies," continued Frank, musingly. " I have 

 lived long enough to see many of the best-known 



