NIMROLfS NORTHERN TOUR. 19 



man could desire to hunt in. Either large grass, or light stubble, 

 fields the former chiefly with by no means difficult fences, 

 constitute the character of it, and on that subject no more need 

 be said ; but I was given to understand, that a great part of the 

 country hunted by Sir Matthew Ridley's hounds wears the same 

 favourable features. 



It would be presumptuous in me to offer a remark on the form, 

 character, or performances of these hounds, from the short time 

 they were in my presence, and from the mere bird's-eye, conse- 

 quently indistinct, view I had of them in chase ; and especially 

 so, as with our first fox, when I was able to see them in their 

 work, one of those unlucky, but too frequent mishaps occurred, 

 from which neither fox-hunting nor anything else is free : 

 namely, an error in judgment on a doubtful point. Neither can 

 I say more respecting their huntsman than I have said, except- 

 ing that, with his first fox, he had recourse to an expedient new 

 to me, but which answered extremely well ; and which I wonder 

 is not oftener resorted to than it is, in covers of great extent. 

 When he was sure his fox had broke cover, it was not that, as 

 Scott says, he 



-Gave his bugle-horn a blast 



That through the woodlands sounded far and wide ;" 



but he brought forth the most extraordinary notes I ever heard 

 produced by that instrument, which were very well understood 

 by his hounds. In fact, I took it for a scream, and observed to 

 Mr. Surtees, " What an extraordinary pipe Mr. Boag has'!" " It is 

 his horn? said Mr. Ridley, who stood just before us in the ride. 

 " His fox is away." 



Of the "turn out" of the Northumberland hounds, I have not 

 much to say, but the servants' well-cleaned leathers and boots, 

 particularly at this early period of the season, when little worse 

 for wear, gave it a neat appearance ; but I cannot say so much 

 for the nags. As for the mare Boag rode, unless she be one of 

 those prodigies which we do now and then meet with in the field, 

 lapped in a coal-black skin, with a bushy mane and a thick tail, 

 I should have expected her to have cried out for her " black- 

 mamma," if the pace had been good ; for she looked to have 

 mistaken her calling. Respecting the man upon her back, there 

 could be no mistake about him, for he has quite the look and 

 character of a sportsman, and bears a striking resemblance to 

 another sportsman, and a brother huntsman the celebrated Mr. 

 Osbaldeston. In fact, in size, form, seat on his horse, cut of his 

 coat, sit of his cap, and even in profile, he is almost a fac-simile 



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