The Royal B2ickho2tnds. 93 



seventy-two horses, and a trainful — a bumper, in 

 fact — of sportsmen. An animated scene was this, 

 and at any rate showed that the popularity of the 

 Queen's is not on the wane. 



First I recognise Mr. Edmund Tattersall, looking 

 hale and hearty ; Mr. F. Spiers, who is a good man 

 to hounds ; Mr. Pierce, whom I see occasionally 

 going the pace across the Devonshire hills and dales ; 

 Mr. Bowen-May ; Mr. Willis, a veteran rider with 

 these hounds, whom I remember a constant attend- 

 ant on them forty years since. Then it is time to 

 move on to Salt Hill ; the road is lined with carriages 

 and horsemen, numbering many more than I have 

 seen for some years past. At half-past eleven 

 o'clock, or thereabouts, Goodall rode up with fifteen 

 couple of hounds, in magnificent condition, and I 

 Avas glad to see the Royal huntsman in the saddle 

 again, looking fit as a fiddle, which I know his 

 numerous friends will consider welcome tidings. 

 Now, I see Frank Sherborne, a rattling good man 

 across country; Mr. Douglas, of Hounslow, who has 

 ridden for many years with the pack ; Mr. Nevill, 

 Mr. Lever, Mr. Briant, and — is it possible? Mr. Edwin 

 James, Mrs. Herbert of Muckross, Miss Johns, and 

 several other ladies, and a host of men, many ex- 

 tremely well mounted — better, in fact, than I have 

 seen for some years. 



The usual mob waited upon the deer cart, and 

 accompanied it to Bayliss Court Farm, where the 

 deer, Honesty by name, was uncarted coram ijopuli, 

 and the many-headed received him w^ith the usual 

 courtesies. Fortunately it was a stout-hearted ani- 

 mal, and was not bewildered by the cordial, if some. 



