340 THE POST AND THE PADDOCK. 



must allow his hounds to be as good as they could 

 be. 



There was another pack in those days the counter- 

 part of Sir Thomas Mostyn's, which were Lord 

 Vernon's. They were many years under the manage- 

 ment of Mr. George Talbot, who split on the same 

 rock as Sir Thomas, namely, his dread of tongue. 

 They were a fine powerful pack, though inclined to 

 be rather upright in the shoulders. With a good 

 scent they could split him up in the best form, but 

 when they got into difficulties the weak points came 

 out. When they were stopped by sheep, or from, 

 any other cause, and the chase hounds held them- 

 selves on and got on the line, they would not cry the 

 scent, but whimpered like hedge-sparrows, so that 

 the line hunters could not hear them, and they were 

 always slipping one another. 



The Grafton hounds in olden times, some three- 

 score years ago, were managed by old Joe Smith, 

 and were different from any hounds of the present 

 day. They were rather round than deep in their 

 bodies, had good legs and feet, were very stout, but 

 wild as hawks. No fox could live before them if he 

 hung, and they did not change ; but over the open, 

 when the morning flash was on them, they could not 

 hold it, and could never pinch him. They ran by 

 ear more than by nose ; and when they got to a ride 

 half the pack would leave the cry, hop round to the 

 next ride, cock up their ears till they heard the 

 others bringing it on, and then throw themselves in 

 at his brush. In the latter days of Joe Smith, Tom 

 Rose hunted them, and for many years afterwards 

 had the whole control over them. He bred them 

 much larger, but never altered their character. He 

 was a fine joyous old fellow as ever cheered a hound, 

 and no one knew better what he was about. Being 

 once asked why he bred his hounds so wild "Why?" 

 says he ; " I'll tell you why. Nine days out of ten I 



