42 HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS. 



did not allow the grass to grow under its feet. 

 At the best of times Treacle, as his name denotes 

 never galloped any pace ; but Charles Tabor lost 

 no time standing about ; hewas always on the go. 

 At three o'clock, unless hounds were running, 

 the order was given for " home." We were a 

 large party who went out from this side then, 

 and when the command went forth, off we all 

 started. Charles Tabor ruled the pace. When 

 he said we will " spuffle " we spuffled — and 

 what torture that sort of jog-trot is to a woman 

 too ! And no one ever ventured to suggest the 

 idea to deviate from the acknowledged short- 

 cuts home. He was, I may say, without excep- 

 tion, the most agreeable companion I ever met, 

 and I picked up a store of valuable information 

 which I have never forgotten. We all had to 

 price every field of cattle we passed. He was 

 a first-rate farmer : his men used to say he could 

 see more galloping across a field than any other 

 man would find out walking round for a fort- 

 night. An amateur agriculturalist was one day 

 pointing out some poor, wretched-looking 

 beasts ; they were in a pasture not good enough 

 to keep a mouse ; he told us they were suffering 

 from liver complaint. " Yes," repHed Charles ; 

 " I see : bilious with too rich living ! " 



For two or three years before his death he 

 could only manage to trot ; galloping made him 

 breathless. When at last he was forced to give 

 up entirely, his absence caused a gap in our 

 midst which has never been filled. His sound 

 common-sense made him a power in Rochford 

 Hundred. 



