FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 107 



ten or twelve cows, the whelps in the spring have 

 all the best milk, and nothing but a little sky- 

 blue is allowed for the house. I was also informed 

 that it has been his practice to keep a tame fox 

 which would run about the house and buildings 

 for the edification of the puppies as soon as they 

 were able to follow him. He keeps but four 

 hunters for himself and Tommy, and his stable 

 system is this : His horses are never physicked, 

 neither are they galloped in their exercise — 

 having, as he observes, ' plenty of galloping 

 when they hunt.' 



'' Death and its terrors kick the beam when 

 put into the scale against Matty Wilkinson's 

 passion for the chase. Although he cannot swim, 

 no, not even a little, he has crossed that rapid 

 and deep river, the Tees, at least forty times in 

 his life after the hounds, and has had some hair- 

 breadth escapes. Very soon after I was in his 

 country, he was in the greatest danger of being 

 drowned. He plunged into this stream when 

 swelled with rain, and was unhorsed in the middle 

 of it. Fortunately catching hold of one of the 

 stirrups, his horse dragged him out, but I believe 

 it was what he called ' a very near go.' When 

 he had run his fox to ground he coolly laid himself 

 down on his back, and held up his heels to enable 

 the water to run out of his boots. 



'' I very much fear this gallant sportsman will, 

 one of these days, change time for eternity in 

 his attempts to cross this rapid river. Indeed, 

 on his late escape, his brother Lozzy seriously 



