THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



given to Frank Ylahy by Mr. Warde himself, who was delighted 

 at the sight of so promising a young sportsman in his country ; 

 indeed, he honoured him with peculiar notice. 



Sir John being engaged to dine that day at the Abbey, 

 Frank and himself proceeded homeward together, but not a 

 word could be heard of 'old Preston,' nor, indeed, of a good 

 many more of the field, who had been stopped by the Stark 

 brook. 



In the course of the evening, the health of Mr. Warde 

 being drunk, himself and his hounds became the topics of 

 conversation, and thus did Sir John Inkleton speak of 

 them : — 



' It may be presumptuous, perhaps, in me,' said this sporting 

 and gentlemanlike young baronet, ' to give a decided opinion of 

 a pack of foxhounds, it being evident that my experience has 

 been chiefly confined to those I hunted with when at Oxford, 

 and very good they were. Still, there is something in the 

 character of Warde's hounds which strikes the eye, and fixes 

 the attention of even a common and inexperienced observer, 

 previously to seeing them at work, as being animals superior 

 of their kind, as respects shape and power. Their style of 

 hunting is equal to their high form ; and as you masters of 

 harriers,' addressing himself here to Mr. Raby, 'pride your- 

 selves on overcoming difficulties in chase, and liunting your 

 game to deatJi, under the most unfavourable circumstances, I 

 wish you had been with us to-day. There were many obstacles 

 in our way : — First, the scent was excellent in the burst, 

 because the fox ran straight, and he had not too much the 

 start of us. Secondly, the country was excellent, until after 

 we crossed the Stark, when a change of soil occurred, which 

 is much against hounds in chase. Thirdly, we were twice 

 brought to check by sheep, which, having a good fox on foot, 

 threw us again behind. Then, to crown all, we had rather 

 an unusual occurrence in that country — four fallows to cross 

 in succession, which required the most patient hunting to 

 enable us to hold on. 



' The finish, however, was a glorious one. Bothered by 

 the thirty-five minutes' burst, and a good hour's close hunting 

 afterwards, the fox tried the earths at Hamden Wood, and 

 finding them shut, laid himself down in the cover, and broke 

 before the pack in view, liaving been beautifully hunted to his 



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