"cognac" takes a stiff line of stiles 353 



generally get more falls in a day in this country than during a 

 season in their stiffer country. 



In consequence of Captain Bateson's horses coming to the 

 Harborough, Lord Archibald St. Maur not sending as many 

 as he at first intended, my horses are shifted into much more 

 comfortable quarters, &c. 



It is rather a disappointment that so few of the regular 

 Meltonians are here yet. The continued dry weather no 

 doubt intimates that they may safely stay away without much 

 fear of losing any good sport. Lord Wilton, Mr. Gilmour, 

 Mr. Leslie, and other old stagers have not yet arrived. Mr. 

 Crawfurd is too ill to come, but is recovering from his dangerous 

 attack. A man of his wealth, coupled with his amiability and 

 liberality, would be missed in any country he had been in the 

 habit of frequenting. Lord Forrester has not yet come to 

 Belvoir, and until he arrives to take the mastership of that 

 pack, I hear there will be no meets within reach of Melton. 

 This is unlucky again, for the Belvoir is the pack which the 

 Meltonians rely upon for Mondays and Wednesdays through- 

 out the season. 



Monday, November i6th. Lord Forrester having come 

 down to take the mastership of the Belvoir, we had a meet 

 at Croxton Park. In a run from Clawson Thorns just after 

 crossino- the Nottinorham Road, Mr. Vickerman's horse 

 "Cognac," distinguished himself by taking a stiff line of stiles. 

 The first was a poser, strong and stiff, with a wide, dry ditch 

 before it, and frightened away the whip and the field. Goodall 

 by this time had got a field to my right, I put " Cognac " at 

 the stile steadily and determinedly, and he cleared it very 

 cleverly, got into the line of the hounds, going most delight- 

 fully and luxuriously bang by himself with the hounds alone 

 and taking all the other stiles and fences beautifully. At a 

 footbridge over a place wider than usual he put his foot on 

 the bridge and hopped over to the other side and then cleared 

 the low stile on the farther side with another jump. In this 

 manner I got on to Broughton Hills and up to a stone house 

 recently erected by a Mr. Johnstone, on the very top of the 

 hill called Little Belvoir, and commanding an extensive pros- 

 pect, it is said, as far as Lincoln Minster, &c., &c. On 

 describing the line to Mr. Mason, he told me that he recollected 

 it perfectly, and that a certain gentleman, naming him, had 

 had three or four falls in taking the self-same line of stiles a 

 season or two ago. 



(Unforeseen business engagements cropping up, Mr. Vicker- 



23 VOL. U 



