NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 59 



Rochester-house ; from that to the roof of the house itself, and 

 then fell, exhausted, into the mouth of the hounds, at the end of 

 exactly fifty-five minutes, at the very best pace, and with only 

 one trifling check. 



The reporter to the Kelso Mail of this fine run, stated, that 

 " not more than half a dozen sportsmen, out of a large field, were 

 in at the death," but he is a little under the mark here. Lord 

 Archibald Seymour and myself counted sixteen horsemen in all, 

 but some of them had the appearance, from their horses and 

 their trousers, of having "joined cry" on the road. Of those 

 known to ourselves were the following : Sir David Baird, Mr. 

 George Baillie of Mellerstain, Mr. Todd (his cousin), William- 

 son, and the first whipper-in, Frank Collison, and the duke's 

 head groom. Lord Eglinton was with them till about the last 

 half dozen fields, when, having cut his horse's leg at a wall, he 

 pulled up ; and that fine horseman, Mr. Robert Baillie, was 

 absent from a similar cause. The absence of Mr. Campbell, of 

 Saddell, may be accounted for in a few words. Sixteen stone 

 over such a country, and at such a pace, was too much even for 

 Elcho Castle, and I believe .Scotland owns not many better 

 nags, or many better men on their backs than his owner is. 



I must now account for myself being one of the few out of the 

 many who saw the finish of this fine day's sport ; and hereon 

 hangs a tale. Lord Elcho with his usual kindness told me he 

 would get me a mount for the duke's day, and that a horse would 

 meet me at cover. By a mistake about a letter, however, no 

 horse came, and I was making myself as comfortable as such 

 trying circumstances would admit of, when a boy rode up to me, 

 on a horse in splendid condition, as well as looking all over like 

 what he was, and with the usual touch of the hat, said, " Please, 

 sir, you are to ride this horse." " Whose horse is he ?" was the 

 natural question. " Lord Elcho's," replied the boy. " Then," 

 resumed I, "it does not please me to ride him; where is his 

 lordship ?" " Yonder," answered the boy, " going home." 

 Clapping spurs to my hack, I was in two minutes alongside him. 

 But remonstrance was in vain ; all that I could get from him 

 was, that he insisted upon my riding his horse, and that if I 

 would not ride him, he would instantly send him home. 



My brother sportsmen will enter fully into my feelings on this 

 occasion. In the first place I was depriving a man passionately 

 fond of hunting of the chance of a good day's sport, and as it 

 happened I did deprive him of one just to his liking, and one in 

 which he would, without doubt, have signalized himself. 

 Secondly, I was aware it was the first time of his seeing the 

 duke's hounds in the field for the season a matter of no small 



