112 ON THE GRAMPIAN HILLS. 



rising five years old, whose eager behaviour kept his 

 rider well employed to control his anxiety to be first 

 and foremost in the flight; Mr. Willet, jun., of 

 Wyke, riding a remarkably clever cob, the property 

 of Mr. Farnell Watson, who, many of those riding 

 with his crack pack of staghounds will regret to hear, 

 is temporarily indisposed, and at present unable to 

 appear with them, but whom we all hope to see in 

 the saddle again very shortly; Mr. Warner, of the 

 18th Hussars, very well mounted, whom I observed 

 going a burster over some timber, clearing the lot 

 in wholesale fashion ; and Mr. Druce, on a big bay 

 horse, which I noticed taking a stile in unusually 

 good form. This specially attracted me, and riding 

 up to this gentleman, lifting my hat, I said : 

 "I have not the pleasure of your acquaintance, 

 though I have that of your horse, having ridden him 

 with the Quorn in a clipper from Gartree Hill, when, 

 necessity compelled me to charge much against my 

 inclination a tall, stiff, newly-erected flight of posts 

 and rails, over which he carried me like a bird/' 

 When the Earl of Lonsdale gave up the Cottesmore 

 hounds, he, I was told, presented this nag to Cannon, 

 from whom Mr. Druce obtained him a singular 

 piece of good luck, as a better horse I never rode. 

 Mr. and Miss Cave, Mr. Dearie, Mr. Forster, Mr. 

 Stollery, on his clever jumper, the well-known gray 

 that he has ridden for the last four or five years, 

 and many others were also there. As soon as the 

 convivial proceedings were concluded the hounds 

 moved off, drawing first a large field newly turned 

 up; next a piece of osiers, then a turnip-field, 

 when up jumped a merry brown hare, which went 



