THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



such severe exercise. It will render him superior to fatigue, 

 and, barring accidents and epidemics, superior also to disease.' 



Mr. liahy. — ' But, Mr. Sonierby, I am at a loss to know 

 how you get over such fences as I saw in the country between 

 Harborough and Melton ; many of them appeared impracticable, 

 or " stoppers," as I am told they are called in the fox-hunting 

 world.' 



Mr. Somerhy. — ' Wh}^ in the language of one of the oldest 

 sportsmen, and hardest riders, in the Belvoir Hunt, we send 

 our hearts over first and then folloto them in the best way 

 we can.' 



Mr. Raby. — ' You must get many falls, every year.' 



Mr. Somerby. — ' Of course we do ; but we think nothing of 

 falls. Show me the man who says he never gets them, and I 

 will tell him he seldom sees hounds — at least few good runs ; 

 and this in any country. But, to quote another of our best 

 men (singulivs in arte, I was going to say), " Falls go for nothing, 

 provided you don't let go your horse ; but a man looks very 

 small, running across a field, in a red coat, booted and spurred, 

 crying out, ;S7ojj my horse ! — pray, sir, stop my horse ! " The 

 answer generally is, " It would be a pit}^ to stop him, sir — he 

 is going so beautifully." ' 



Mr. Raby. — ' I am really ashamed of catechising you thus, 

 but the fact is, exclusive of the pleasure I myself derive from 

 your description, this second boy of mine, whom you saw the 

 other day with my harriers, has a great wish to become a fox- 

 hunter. Let us fill our glasses, drink a bumper to Mr. Meynell 

 and " the Noble Science," and then, perhaps, you will have the 

 kindness to give us a short account of a run with his hounds.' 



Mr. Somerby. — ' I will with pleasure comply with your 

 request ; more especially as it is joined in by my young friend 

 there, whose attention to the hunting of your excellent harriers 

 very forcibly struck me. But he must not think lightly of 

 hare-hunting ; Mr. Meynell enters all his young hounds to hare, 

 altlwugh he expects them to be steady to fox afterwards ; which 

 will, no doubt, be the case with your promising son. I know 

 not, then, that I can do better than relate the particulars of 

 the very last run I saw with Mr. Meynell's hounds, rendered 

 more than commonly interesting, perhaps, by the part I myself 

 performed in it : — 



' It was a beautiful morning for scent — at least, so it 



35 



