1 6 NIM ROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



to repeat on such practical knowledge as his. It relates to the 

 progress of its growth, which, he informed me, is as follows : 



In the first ten years one part. 



In the next five and a half one part. 



In the next six and a quarter two parts. 



In the next six and three-quarters four parts. 



I am also of my own knowledge able to state a rather singular 

 proof of the rapid growth of this tree, where it likes the soil. A 

 brother-in-law to me built an entrance lodge to his domain in 

 North Wales, in which no other wood was used but larch of only 

 twelve years' growth ! 



Previously to my setting out for the North, a report had 

 reached me that Mr. Surtees was unwell, and I was prepared to 

 find him not the same " Anthony Surtees" that I had seen him 

 during the jovial fortnight I spent in his society at Sedgefield, 

 when on my Yorkshire Tour ; but I am happy to say, that 

 although he may feel something of the non sum qiialis eram 

 about himself, from the knocks and thumps to which we fox- 

 hunters are subject in addition to having seen nearly half a 

 score of Christmas-days since then I saw not the slightest 

 alteration in either his appearance or his spirits. I can only say, 

 that, following the example set me by mine host, and by the help 

 of sundry other irresistible allurements, I drank more claret 

 during the five or six days I spent at Hamsterley, than I had 

 done in that space of time for many a long day before. 



On Tuesday, the fourth of November, Mr. Surtees, jun., and 

 myself went to meet Sir Matthew White Ridley's hounds at 

 Oakwood-gate, about ten miles from Newcastle, on the Carlisle 

 road, and about the same distance across country from Ham- 

 sterley. To reach it we had two rivers to cross, the Derwent 

 and the Tyne, which latter being full we made the passage in a 

 horse-boat of by no means the safest construction, at a place 

 called Wylam. Sir Matthew Ridley's hounds were the only 

 pack in these parts that I did not hunt with in my former visit 

 to the North, and of course I was very anxious to have a sight of 

 them, though, from reasons unnecessary to mention here, it was 

 deemed advisable to take a peep incognito. Indeed, as Mr. 

 S-urtees was going to hunt during the beginning of the season in 

 the South, and had remained beyond his time at his father's for 

 the purpose of receiving me, he had no hunters at Hamsterley, 

 so it was arranged that we should go out in mufti, as the soldiers 

 call it, on our hacks, and see as much from such mounts as we 

 could. We arrived at the place of meeting before the hounds, 

 and as we sat upon the toll-bar watching the arrivals, my com- 



