112 LIFE OF MYTTON. 



sants were as thick as sparrows at a barn door, 

 and the hares rvmning about Hke rabbits. The 

 team consisted (not of highly broken pointers, but) 

 of four keepers and three stable-boys, who kept 

 singing out as the pheasants got up, — " cock — hen 

 — cock — heit — cock — //r;/." Pheasants and hares were 

 of course slaughtered in abundance, but don't let 

 us call this sporting. There was also a good deal 

 of wild fowl, and very excellent fishing. Mr, 

 Mytton always made a point of killing fifty brace 

 of partridges the first day of the season with his own 

 gun; and I was once at Halston when he killed that 

 number further on in the year. A neighbouring 

 gentleman had betted him fifty guineas against the 

 performance, but paid forfeit over night. This, 

 however, did not satisfy the Squire. His fame as 

 a shot was called in question, so he went forth 

 with his keepers, and performed the task in about 

 six hours ! 



Barring Scotland, few gentlemen had better moors 

 than Mr. Mytton had ; and when I say that the 

 annual income of his Merionethshire estate, on which 

 they were, was Soo/., and that it consisted of little 

 less than sheep-walk, its great extent may be ima- 

 gined, and, consequently, the extent of the moors. 



