KEIR TO FIFE KENNELS. 343 



nearly in the centre of the country, and it is only 

 necessary to go to Nottingham, two fields away, in 

 order to find a fox. Lomond Hill is hardly two miles 

 off, and when it does require routing, about four times 

 a season, every hound that is fit bears part. Forty- 

 four couple were in it one day, and after working 

 among six brace of foxes for eight hours, a brace 

 were killed, and a brace marked to ground. 



Its hunting stable was principally filled with Irish 

 horses bought in Perth. " The Dentist" had knocked 

 out the teeth of a dealer, for a standing testimony 

 against ginger. There, too, were Snapdragon, Crino- 

 line (a fine lengthy mare, but not so dear to Fred as 

 Kathleen), the big Victor Emmanuel, the lop-eared 

 chesnut Kangaroo (and a trimmer if he were not 

 touched in the wind), and Ben with a knee bound 

 up, which "is no disgrace to a Fife hunter.'' Strange 

 horses always cut themselves on the curb place in 

 Fife. The ditch on the taking-off side is 1J yards 

 from the wall, and if they drop short they don't get 

 their hocks over. Walker always obviated this by 

 going as hard as he could, and clearing everything. 

 Captain Thomson's horses were at Charleton, and from 

 the Lothians they can be seen with a good telescope, 

 at exercise along the sands. The slashing chesnut 

 " Highlander/' bought out of a drove at Brechin, 

 would be good to tell at that distance, if sixteen-three 

 and six feet and five have anything to do with it ; and 

 so would Gladiator and the six-season grey Unicorn. 

 Highlander was by Ferneley, the property of Lord 



