NIM ROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 205 



William Mollison (commonly called Willie), who has been 

 brought up in his stables, and, from the lessons of that best of 

 all teachers, experience, is become a perfect master of his busi- 

 ness. Nor is this all ; he has not only plenty of hands, but 

 plenty of strength in his stables, for Lord Kiritore adopts a plan 

 which, though not generally adopted, it is to be wished were 

 adopted oftener than it is, with those who can conveniently afford 

 it. He does not dismiss his helpers in the slimmer months j by 

 which means, having little to do during that period, the men re- 

 cover their bodily strength against the next season, and each is 

 then nearly equal to a man and a half for be it known, reader, 

 that there are few more debilitating daily tasks allotted to those 

 who must live by the sweat of their brow, than that of helper in 

 a hunting stable ! 



There is one system pursued in these stables during the winter 

 months, which is, I think, deserving of notice. William Molli- 

 son only opens those of the horses not at work, twice in the 

 course of the day, and not three times, as is the usual practice. 

 His plan is this : Instead of the horses being exposed in their 

 exercise to the chilling effect of the first dawn of the morning 

 generally the coldest period of the whole twenty-four hours 

 they remain in the stables till the men have had their breakfast, 

 and are consequently not shut up till a little before mid-day. 

 The curtains being then drawn, and all kept quiet, they have a 

 long " shut up" as it is called namely, six good hours, during 

 which they not only can repose themselves undisturbed, but they 

 return to their food with increased appetite, by reason of their 

 having been somewhat the longer without it. I must own that, 

 although I never tried it, I see sound argument in favour of this 

 stable management during the three dark and dreary months of 

 winter, with horses that work hard, from a knowledge of the 

 restorative powers of undisturbed rest, both with horse and man ; 

 as also of its sedative effects in allaying excitement, by whatever 

 cause produced. 



Having mentioned Bolivar, Provincial, and White Stockings, 

 it may not be amiss to repeat, what I believe I once before stated, 

 namely, that, with the exception of Clinker, The Clipper (by 

 Julius Cassar, not the original Clipper), and Panza,* these horses 

 were sold, when Lord Kintore gave up his hounds, for a season, 

 for more money than any three hunters were ever sold for, all 

 being out of the same mare, as these were, and bred by Lord Pan- 

 mure. And this reminds me of an anecdote of one of them, 



* These three horses fetched 1900 guineas ; and 1200 were afterwards 

 refused for one of them (Clinker). 



