Mr. As she ton Smith. 1 1 7 



the end of it, that if the fox had been like those he 

 had been used to hunt in other countries, he ought to 

 have been killed twice over by that time. I chanced 

 that day to be exceedingly well mounted by a friend ; 

 and, as I could then ride a little, I was close to 

 hounds through the whole run. Amongst the fences 

 in the Pewsey Vale, I could keep alongside of Mr. 

 Smith well enough ; but I was surprised to find how 

 he beat me in quickness over the open downs, just 

 where my comparative youth and lightness ought to 

 have given me an advantage ; but though I was not 

 thirty, and he upwards of sixty years old, I could not 

 get down the steep dips, nor swing up to the top of 

 the opposite hills so straight and quick as he could. 

 Perhaps, however, it is fair to add, that I did not 

 distress my horse ; whereas Mr. Smith brought two 

 horses to stand-still, and one of tJiem twice, in the 

 course of the day, which was a very long one, and 

 comprised more work than the fine run with which it 

 commenced. 



The other Mr. Smith is an old friend of mine. I 

 have recorded, in my second letter, the occasion when 

 I first observed him with hounds ; but that was not the 

 beginning of my acquaintance with him and his family. 

 I hunted with him occasionally while he occupied the 

 Craven country. I have no hesitation in saying that, 

 of all the huntsmen I ever saw, Mr. Smith had the 

 greatest natural capacity for the work.* Nor do I 

 think that many of those who knew him in the field 



* I speak of nothing later than the year 1834 ; and, therefore, 

 do not include any comparison with the successful gentlemen 

 huntsmen who may have appeared in the field since that time, . 

 such as Mr. G. Montagu, of Caversham, or Lord Macclesfield. 



