34 A HISTORY OF SHORT-HORN CATTLE. 



Mr. Bates may be called a prejudiced wit- 

 ness. He was a man of very decided convic- 

 tions; dogmatic to the last degree. While it is 

 not probable that Hubback held, Atlas-like, in 

 his day the whole future of the breed upon his 

 shoulders there is no doubt that he imparted 

 a quality and refinement of character that had 

 been comparatively rare prior to his appear- 

 ance. 



Short-horn history abounds in cases where 

 outstanding merit has failed of adequate ap- 

 preciation, but the story of Hubback, summar- 

 ized below, probably surpasses all others of 

 its class.* He was thus described by Coates: 

 " Head good, horns small and fine, neck fine, 

 breast well formed and fine to the touch, shoul- 



* John Hunter, the breeder of Hubback, was a brick-layer and lived at 

 Hurworth. He had once been a tenant farmer and bred Short-horn cattle 

 which, when leaving his farm to live at Hurworth, he sold all off, 

 excepting one choice little cow he took with him, and as he had no pasture 

 of his own for her to graze in she ran in the lanes of the town. While 

 there she was put to "George Snowdon's Bull," also in Hurworth. From 

 him the cow dropped a bull calf. Soon afterward the cow and calf were 

 driven to Darlington market and there sold to a Mr. Bassnett, a timber 

 merchant. Bassnett retained the cow but sold the calf to a blacksmith at 

 Hornby, five miles out from Darlington. The dam of the calf taking- on 

 flesh readily would not again breed and after some months was fattened 

 and slaughtered. Growing to a useful age, the young bull in 1783 was found, 

 at six years old, in the haads of a Mr. Fawcett, living at Haughton Hill, 

 not far from Darlington. 



Mr. Wright (a noted Short-horn breeder) says that Charles Colling, 

 going into Darlington market weekly, used to notice some excellent veal, 

 and upon inquiry ascertained that the calves were got by a bull belonging 

 to Mr. Fawcett of Haughton Hill. This bull, then known as Fawcett's Bull, 

 and some years afterwards called Hubback, was at the time serving cows 

 at a shilling each (about twenty-five cents). Charles Colling, however, as 

 the merits of the beast were talked over between himself and others, did 

 not appear particularly impressed with them. But Robert Colling and his 

 neighbor, Mr. Waistell of All-hill, who had also seen the Dull, thought bet- 

 ter of him and more accurately measured his value. The two, soon after 



