50 ^^ Nimrod's'' Northern Tour. 



with a back as broad as those of three of our dandies put 

 together ; mounted on a finely-shaped chestnut horse, looking 

 very like a hunter to carry a heavy seventeen stone man, which 

 he had then on his back ; with a keen eye in his head, and a 

 very intelligent countenance and strong to be sure in the dialect 

 of his country, but looking very much like a sportsman, and 

 therefore claiming my respect. 



" There was a very large field of sportsmen assembled at 

 Croft Bridge on this day — amounting to at least one hundred, 

 which is a very unusual circumstance with this pack, Mr. 

 Lambton's hounds, however, were gone from Sedgefield and 

 Lord Darlington's were a long way off : so it was supplied by 

 the gentlemen of those hunts, many of whom had come a long 

 distance for the occasion. I am happy to add, some of them 

 were well requited for their pains. 



" We proceeded to draw Dinsdale Wood, a covert of some 

 size and situated on a steep hanging bank. Before throwing in 

 his hounds, Mr. Wilkinson did me the honour of asking me 

 to accompany him into the wood and see him find his fox. 

 This invitation I readily accepted, and so far I was most grati- 

 fied. He found his fox almost instantly, and in excellent style 

 his hallos were capital, and his ear unusually quick. This was 

 not all. We had a very baffling fox on foot — very unwilling to 

 break — and his turns were short and frequent. The pack and 

 their Master, however, were quite a match for him and for 

 about five minutes the scene — witnessed only by ourselves — 

 was enchanting. ' Have at him, Music, good bitch,' halloed 

 Matty. * By Jove, th' ast better gang away, for thou'lt die if 

 thou don't. Have at him, Cruiser, old fellow, but thou'll have 

 his head in thy mouth before night.' Oh, that I could give his 

 view-halloes on paper, but that can't be done. They were 

 enough to raise a man from the dead. 



