126 THE POST AND THE PADDOCK. 



His wonderful talents stood him in good stead in the 

 Peninsular War, where he was on the Duke of Wel- 

 lington's staff, and at times entrusted with the draw- 

 ing up of despatches. He had gained some little 

 experience of bloodshed at home, as in 1807 he fought 

 a duel with Martin Hawke, in a field by the roadside, 

 as they were returning in their drags from the York- 

 shire election. On this occasion he was wounded 

 near the elbow joint, and on perceiving it he imme- 

 diately ran up to his opponent, and said, " Hang it, 

 Hawke, you've winged me ; but give me your hand. 33 

 They were great rival whips, and some ill blood on 

 the point, as well as election matters, brought about 

 this extempore determination to resort to thirty paces 

 and the saw-handles. About this time he also got 

 up a prize-fight at Blyth Whitewater, Mr. Gully 

 doing duty as bottle-holder. His fighting dog " Jack" 

 won no less than 104 battles ; and when Lord Camel- 

 ford was very pressing to buy him, it was agreed 

 between them to pay for him by weight. He was 

 accordingly put into the scales after a hearty meal 

 of tripe, and was found to weigh 421bs. ; but it was 

 thought derogatory to barter such a piece of gallant 

 stuff for coin, and hence a gun and a case of pistols, 

 which were valued at eighty-four guineas, formed the 

 medium of exchange. The way in which he trained 

 his pig to run a match, by feeding it at a certain 

 trough, which he choose for the goal, was especially 

 characteristic ; and anything connected with a race, 

 if it were but two rival drops of rain on a window- 

 pane, he loved beyond compare. As a gentleman 

 rider ^he also excelled, but his great delight was to 

 " put up " Buckle as often as he could, though he 

 chose the wrong horse for him (Sir Launcelot) in 

 Staveley's St. Leger. He called one of his fillies 

 Miss Buckle, but LuckVall was the best animal he 

 ever had in his stud, which could also boast of win- 

 ners in Quid, Stockton, Little Joey, Peter, and Off- 



