KIRBV GATE ;^2>3 



The horses travelled up by the road to London on Thursday 

 and were quartered for the night at Shackles, for the purpose 

 of being near to Wilkinson and Kidd, the saddlers, whose aid 

 was required in a few repairs to saddles, &c., and on Friday 

 morning came down by the half-past ten. train to " Syston," and 

 thence by road, reaching here at 5 o'clock the same evening, 

 &c., &c. 



(Mr. Vickerman's hunting wardrobe having gone astray he 

 writes : " I must make my dSii/ here this season in a shooting 

 jacket." He then goes on to describe his horses.) They look 

 in excellent condition and I feel just the reverse, causing 

 Beckington, who is a kind-hearted fellow, to express his fears 

 that I may not be strong enough to steer them over the 

 " tremendously big places," as he styles them, abounding in this 

 country, especially "Cognac" whom I have not yet tackled 

 with hounds. To add to my personal disadvantages on Friday 

 morning while cutting the loaf I cut the top of my forefinger 

 of my left hand to the bone and into the nail, so that I have 

 yet to try whether I shall be deprived of the use of my bridle 

 hand. Some little time after the accident and while standing 

 by the fireplace alongside my brother Frank, who had just tied 

 some lint round the finger, I suddenly fainted, dropping as if I 

 had been shot, falling over the standard of the fender and 

 should have gone with my head into the fire but for Frank's 

 promptness, who clutched me by the coat and landed me on my 

 back on the hearthrug. So much for my condition. 



Our meet this morning was Kirby Gate. Here I found the 

 Ouorn assembled for the first day of the season and the scene 

 was certainly beautiful and exciting, though I had scarcely 

 health and spirits to enter into it. We drew Cream Gorse, tall 

 and thick, where several foxes were at home, and after a 

 ringing run of an hour by Thorpe Trussels and Ashby Pasture, 

 got back to the gorse. 



(Sport does not appear to have been very grand, but 

 " Carlow " seems to have gone very well, exciting general 

 notice and admiration, particularly of a rough-rider of Billesdon, 

 Tomlin, who was in raptures with his make, shape and style 

 every time he came alongside him). By riding right-handed I 

 fortunately got through the day without hurting the same 

 finger, &c. I own that I was rather disappointed with the 

 country to-day, it was more hilly, the fields were smaller, and 

 the fences more cramped than I had anticipated. There were, 

 of course, fine horses, ofood riders, and men of o-entleman-like 

 appearance. Mr. Greene, of Rolleston, the Master, is a light 



