NIM ROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 139 



afterwards told me of a wonderful escape for his life, that he had 

 when riding Vixen, the particulars of which I cannot at this 

 moment recollect. 



Having never seen either Andrew or his hounds in the field, I 

 must of course be silent as to their merits ; but the following 

 anecdote of the former amused me, and it is in character with 

 the dash of the fox-hound, the principal feature in his nature after 

 all. " Why stop those hounds ?" said Sir David Baird to him 

 one day, as a whipper-in was endeavouring to do so, it being 

 suspected foey were on a wrong scent. "Never heed him, Sir 

 David," observed Andrew ; "//*'// no stop them if they are on 

 a fox." 



Although unable to speak, from personal observation, to the 

 merits of Mr. Baillie's fox-hounds, I may safely record them, on 

 the authority of those well able to appreciate them, and they are 

 * generally well spoken of in Scotland. Their character, indeed, 

 is thus neatly sketched by the able pen of Nim North. " His" 

 ( Mr. Baillie's) " hounds are very large, of^ a capital sort, having 

 been crossed with the best packs in the kingdom, and can go as 

 fast as any I know of ; and you may depend upon it, require a 

 good horse and a good rider to stick to them. His establish- 

 ment is maintained in first-rate style without any subscription 

 huntsman, two whippers-in, &c. They are all well-mounted, for 

 he breeds for the turf, and when they do not turn out racers, he 

 puts them into the hunting stable." In another place this writer 

 does justice to the master and his men. " Like master like 

 man," says he, "all Baillie's men are very civil, and Andrew 

 Lumsden, the huntsman, uncommonly so." 



The morning following this, to me, most agreeable evening, 

 was passed very much in the manner in which most mornings 

 are passed at the houses of fox-hunters, on non-hunting days. 

 The first step was to the stables, which are most commodious 

 and excellent ; and although not filled as they were wont to be 

 when the kennel was also filled, contained some good hunters, 

 the property of the two only sons then remaining at home. In 

 one of these stables, I passed a delightful hour, when listening 

 to Mr. Baillie, seated on the corn chest and recapitulating some 

 of the proceedings of the Mellerstain hounds, and those who 

 followed them in former days. Amongst others, the following 

 anecdote amused me, "You may find some of my blood, ;; said 

 he, " in your friend Lord Kintore's kennel ; and," added he, 

 " you may perhaps hear his lordship, as a friend of mine once 

 heard him, holloaing 'Have at him, old Baillie/ to a hound in 

 chase ; and, * old Baillie again] at another good hit." He then 

 spoke of the Hon. John Elliott, of whom Nim North speaks so 



