Captain fcoratto 1flo99 251 



Kennedy; for if they met on equal terms I f< It per- 

 fectly certain he would not have the ghost of a chance 

 with his lordship. This led ultimately to a match being 

 made between Mr. Coke and myself, to come off at 

 Holkham the following year. Terms : Mr. Coke, 

 to name the two ' beats ' ; a day to intervene between 

 the first and second day's shooting, to allow the 

 partridges to settle, when we were to change beats ; to 

 start as early as we pleased ; to load our guns ; to hunt 

 the dogs and pick up all the birds killed ; to be allowed 

 two attendants, to help us in any way except picking up 

 the birds, hunting the dogs, or loading, as before named. 



On my way to Holkham, the following year, I paid 

 a visit to ' the Squire ' at Ebberston. I had lost by 

 madness most of my good dogs, and those I had brought 

 with me were indifferent, ill-broken animals. With his 

 usual kindness ' the Squire ' said he would lend me his 

 dogs, and I went out for a day or two with them to get 

 acquainted with them. I can say that in Yorkshire 

 they were perfection ; but it proved quite another case 

 in Norfolk. The dogs were sent off to Holkham, and 

 * the Squire ' and I followed, he having agreed to act as 

 my umpire. The day after our arrival the two beats 

 selected by Mr. Coke were pointed out to us. I t 

 with Mr. W. Coke for the choice, and he won the t 



Next morning we were up before daylight. I was 

 accompanied by Captain Greville, R.N., as Mr. Coke's 

 umpire. Never shall I forget my start. I entered a 

 turnip-field, and away went ' the Squire's ' fleet, high- 

 bred dogs, and, almost before they had got half-way 

 down the field, away went (I really believe) four or five 



