BEiyVOiR Hunt. 87 



CHAPTER X. 



Hunting. 



It was during tlie latter part of 1877 that 

 death removed, at the ripe age of eighty, a 

 sportsman who formed a connecting link 

 between the past and present generations — 

 Michael Ashwell, a farmer and land owner of 

 Barrowby. In the days when Goosey had con- 

 trol of the Belvoir pack Mr. Ashwell used to ride 

 a gigantic black horse, who, it was said, would 

 top a gate or walk over a hurdle with equal 

 facility, and he had many a tussle with the 

 renowned Assheton Smith, to the disgust of 

 the latter, whose over-bearing jealousy at that 

 time could scarcely brook any man in the 

 same field with him. Mr. Ashwell was at one 

 time associated with Tom Walker, when 

 '' Peter Simple " and '' The Kicker " were in 



