NOTES TO THE 



Note io, p. 8. 

 Little Ireland kept up, like his namesake the nation. 

 Mr. Ireland Blackburne of Hale. 



Note i i , p. 9. 

 The Maiden who rides like a man. 



Joe Maiden was Huntsman to the Cheshire Hounds from the year 

 1832 to 1844. In that capacity, as far as my experience extends, I 

 have never seen his equal. He was moreover as pleasant a companion 

 to ride home with after a run as any gentleman could desire. After 

 continuing in Mr. White's service for two years, and after having acted, 

 during the interval, as Host of the Bluecap at Sandiway Head, he was 

 engaged in 1846 by Mr. Davenport to undertake the North Stafford- 

 shire Hounds. During the time that he hunted the North Warwick- 

 shire, under Mr. Shaw, he met with the accident which crippled him 

 for the remainder of his life, slipping with one leg into the boiling 

 copper. Suffering more severely from the effects of this as he ad- 

 vanced in age, he underwent the amputation of his leg in the year 

 1856. He died on the 20th of October 1864, aged 69, and was buried 

 at Maer. 



So long as this fine old fellow was able to cross a saddle with his 

 wooden limb, I generally heard from him at the beginning of every 

 hunting season, and within two years of the time of his death I 

 received from him the following letter : 



" WOLSTANTON, 



"Nov. 17, 1862. 



" Sir, — I have taken the liberty of sending you a list of our hounds. 

 It has been the worst scenting season I ever saw, our best day was on 

 Friday last. 



" These hounds will be leaving here shortly to go to Trentham, the 

 seat of the Duke of Sutherland. I don't go with them. I shall stop 

 here the winter, and I don't intend going with hounds any more. I 



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