164 KEMINISCENCES OF A SPOKTSMAN. 



these field sports, there are few counties to he compared 

 to it. In fox-hunting, during two seasons, I have had 

 some excellent runs with Mr. Humphrey Sturt's hounds, 

 particularly in the vale of Blackmoor, and coursing and 

 hare hunting in perfection on the downs near Bland- 

 ford, and between Dorchester and Bridport. The woods 

 and covers are extensive in various parts of the county, 

 well stocked with hares and pheasants, and generally 

 in the winter afford good woodcock shooting. I need 

 not mention snipe shooting after the anecdote I have 

 related of Mr. Sturt's feat in one day. In the heather 

 about Wareham and Poole, the blackcock is sometimes 

 found, which comes from the New Forest. As regards 

 fishing, there are several good trout streams, and one 

 which runs by Bere towards Wareham. I have killed 

 with a mayfly in this stream trout weighing between 

 three and four pounds, and when in season they are 

 yellow and most excellent flavour. In the river which 

 skirts the town of Dorchester, a few miles below it, I 

 killed trolling with a small trout a pike weighing seven- 

 teen pounds. When I had finished trolling I put the 

 remainder of my bait down his wide throat, which made 

 him weigh nearly nineteen pounds, and when the man 

 at the King's Arms, Dorchester, where we had our mess, 

 cut open the pike, he exclaimed, " See what a destruc- 

 tive monster this is amongst other fish." We had this 

 pike baked with a pudding in his belly. 



In Canada forty years ago snipes were so numerous 

 that four gentlemen shot in one day in the island of 

 Chateau Bicker, in three hours and half 169 snipes, and 

 in one day the same party shot 552 snipes. They were 

 all first-rate shots. A friend of mine who resides in 

 Gloucestershire told me that his son was one day 



