NIMROUS NORTHERN TOUR. 171 



of strength. The men have four horses a-piece, about the 

 average number, but some of them must always be out of work 

 from the circumstance to which I have alluded namely, the 

 cutting nature of the stone. Walker's favourite horse was a low, 

 but very thick, chestnut, purchased out of a Highland drove, for 

 the sum of thirty pounds a most extraordinary animal for his 

 size. He is or perhaps I should write, was, for he had awfully 

 looking legs, rather rounder than mill-posts, when I last saw him 

 an admirable fencer, with fully sufficient pace, and as stout as 

 steel ; and although, of course, nothing can be known of his 

 blood, his skin denotes that he has not many blots in his es- 

 cutcheon. The switch tail is the order of the day in this stable, 

 which is a great disfigurement in horses not in tip-top condition ; 

 and that of the Fife stud is but of the middling order. I think 

 the captain, who orders these matters, puts too much faith in Dr. 

 Green. 



The Fife hounds, as will be seen by the list, have been bred 

 with great care, and without regard to trouble in going from 

 home for blood. And, unlike the man's razors, meant only for 

 sale, they are drafted with an eye to business, and not to please 

 the eye. They are not a show pack not an even lot but with 

 the exception of Climbank, Limner, and one or two other plainish 

 hounds, but too good to be drafted,* they are such as all sports- 

 men must be pleased with. They stand well on their legs ; I 

 do not indeed recollect to have seen one faulty in this very 

 material respect for all rough countries ; and there are many 

 very perfectly formed hounds in the pack, for example, Reveller, 

 Brevity, Milliner, Lavish, Caroline, Caution, Nosegay, Melody, 

 Dauntless, and Belfray the last-named bitch quite perfection 

 in my eye for the Fife country short-legged, and good in all 

 her acting parts. Dauntless is likewise a most valuable bitch ; 

 I saw her one day guide the scent through the horses in a style 

 very rarely equalled. 



Some seasons back, in 1827 I believe, this kennel received a 

 great acquisition in a present to Crane, from his old master, Sir 

 Richard Puleston, of two stallion hounds, viz., Mulciber and 

 Comus, the latter by his Lucifer, out of his Cowslip. There 

 was only one Mulciber hound in work when I was in Fife, but 

 the Comus hounds are and have been all clever and good. 

 Among the nine couples of young hounds also, are several of the 

 right sort Ajax and Archer (brothers) for example; Merlin. 

 Marplot, Boxer, &c., &c. But of all the blood-thirsty animals J 



* Climbank and Limner are capital workers, got by Lord Kintore'f 

 Rubicon, who, Walker says, never did wrong. 



