THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



Peyton, and Steplien Gl^ame ; to Messieurs Cecil Forester, 

 Thomas Cliohnondeley, Loraine Smith, Cliikle of Kinlet, 

 Cliarles Meynell, Harvey Aston, John Musters, Thomas Asshe- 

 ton Smitli, Lindon, Langton, John Hawkes, John Lochley, and 

 Jacob Wardel]. 



But he was nearly lost in admiration at the splendid sight 

 that presented itself. In addition to the gratification of seeing 

 what was considered the crack pack of foxhounds of all 

 Europe, in the crack country, with John Raven as their 

 huntsman, of whom he had heard such a character from 

 Mr. Somerby, together with the above-named galaxy of sports- 

 men, and at least 150 well-mounted men besides, several of 

 whom were eminent men in this line — independently of all 

 this, I say, he saw no less than six splendid teams — the noble 

 master's amongst them — that had been driven to cover by their 

 owners, as was very much the fashion of those highly aristo- 

 cratic, as well as ' truly sporting days.' And why should I not 

 name them ? They were the teams of Lords Sefton and Foley ; 

 of the Honourable Martin Hawke ; of Sirs Henry Peyton and 

 Stephen Glynne ; and of Mr. Harvey Aston. In fact, he had 

 now before his eyes, what were, in those days, popularly con- 

 sidered, hounds, horses, men, and country, not to be equalled in 

 any part of the world, and that, it must be allowed, is saying 

 a great deal. 



Although foxes in Leicestershire were not at this time so 

 plentiful as they are at present, the amount of noses on the 

 Quorn kennel door averaging little more than fifty brace, and 

 this with, perhaps, the best hounds in England, — a smart 

 little empty vixen went gallantly away from Cream Gorse this 

 morning, in less than ten minutes after the pack were thrown 

 into it, and none the slower for one of John Raven's thrilling 

 view-halloos as she crept out of the gorse nearly under his 

 own horse's feet. ' Possunt, quia posse videntiir' being the 

 Leicestershire men's motto, they only waited for some part of 

 the hounds to get upon the scent before they were all at their 

 speed, determined to be with them, let whatever might oppose 

 them ; in other words, to go till they fell, or their horses could 

 no longer go. And this was the way in which they did go, at 

 least such of them as came under the notice of our hero, who 

 thus noted them in his book, and sent a copy of his remarks 

 to Sir John : — 



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