TOM HODGSON 99 



able barrier, which will effectually prevent the horsemen 

 from pressing upon hounds. I hunted with them several 

 times after the Christmas of their first season, and was 

 particularly struck with Mr. Hodgson's conciliatory 

 manner with his field. On one occasion the hounds were 

 running their fox in a plantation near Beau Manor ; 

 there was a green ride near the side of the covert, 

 in which was the greater portion of the field and 

 into which the hounds brought the scent a very 

 ticklish one just in front of the leading horseman. 

 They carried it on along the side some trifling distance 

 to where there was a gateway leading short out of the 

 covert, and to a sportsman attentive to the working of 

 the hounds it was quite probable the fox had turned 

 through the gate, therefore pressing on them at that 

 crisis might have occasioned a check. Very fortunately 

 the leading man observed it, and pulling up his horse 

 held up his hand, as a caution to those who were close 

 to him, which had the good effect of inducing them to 

 slacken their pace. The hounds, having room, turned 

 the scent beautifully, and Mr. Hodgson riding up to 

 the gentleman who had evinced so much care thanked 

 him for having done so. Such courteous bearing on 

 the part of a master of hounds has a great effect in 

 keeping a field in order. Mr. Hodgson adopted a pecu- 

 liarity of costume when in Leicestershire as a master of 

 hounds by wearing a brown instead of a scarlet coat. 

 This he was said to have chosen because, having hunted 

 his hounds in person when in the Holderness country, 

 they should not recognise their former huntsman when 

 that trust was deputed to another. 



Mr. Hodgson only continued in the country two 

 seasons, and on his retirement it was taken by Mr. 

 Greene, of Rollestone, whose popularity and influence 

 rendered him hi every respect admirably calculated to 

 occupy the ostensible and honourable distinction; he 

 was the first country gentleman who ever had these 

 hounds, and under his management everything was 

 conducted with the utmost satisfaction. But within 



