THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



were a field or two a-head, runnini*' with a brcast-hi*;!! scent at 

 the time.' ^ 



With the exception of the Captain, who eared nothing about 

 liounds, and wliose attention was chiefly attracted to the move- 

 ments of the four greys, and the masterly style in which they 

 were handled by their driver, this interesting description of a 

 run with Mr. Meynell's hounds, together with the extraordi- 

 nary incidents which occurred in it, was listened to with much 

 delight ; more especially by the two young ones, who glanced 

 a signiticant look at each other, towards the conclusion of it, 

 as much as to say, ' TJud is the counti^y, and those are tlie 

 Jiounds for us.' Sir John, indeed, began to reflect whether he 

 were not pursuing a losing game by keeping six hunters in his 

 own country instead of twice six in Leicestershire, and enjoy- 

 ing fox-hunting in ijerfection. But there were reasons which 

 more than counterbalanced this very strong inducement on his 

 part. Independently of a wish to reside on his own property, 

 in compliance with the death-bed request of his father, his pas- 

 sion for the road quite equalled that for the chase, and for this 

 purpose he could nowhere be so well situated as at home, for 

 reasons that have already been detailed. 



But to return to the journey down the road. The first stop 

 was at Hounslow, where, according to the usage of those days 

 — slow compared with the present — the bearing reins were 

 let down, and the noses of the horses plunged into a bucket of 

 cold water, with a swallow or two each, and most refreshing 

 must it have been to them, after toiling through ten miles of 

 dust, for there were no watered roads in those days. A glass 

 of sherry and a biscuit were also partaken of by the party, and 

 onward they proceeded towards the course. At the point at 

 which the roads branch off— just outside of the town of Houn- 

 slow — the Baronet exclaimed, pointing to the Oxford flnger- 

 post : — 



' That is my old road. There are my old associations ' ; 

 and, turning himself round towards Hargrave, and afterwards 

 towards his yovmg friend on the box, he added, ' there, no 

 doubt, are yours also. There stands the " Magpies " on the heath, 

 where I first milked the bull, and there is to be seen Jack 

 Bailey, my faithful friend and preceptor, coming up with his 

 coach ; and an out-and-out coachman he is. And next, old 



^ This is a fact. 



128 



