RAILWAY ACCOMMODATION 233 



appears to be an obstacle not to be overcome. A man 

 experiences very little fatigue when travelling fifty or 

 sixty miles in a first-class railway carriage : he may 

 enjoy his repose all the way, if so inclined ; and, by 

 taking a suit of clothes to exchange for those in which 

 he has been hunting — a very necessary precaution — he 

 is perfectly comfortable. If he has had the good fortune 

 to see a good day's sport, he may dream of it over 

 again in the greatest luxury of enjoyment. 



On the point of economy much is gained by keeping 

 the horses down the line. The expense of taking a horse 

 dowii and returning from thirty to forty miles, including 

 return-ticket, gruel, &c., will average from fifteen to 

 twenty shillings; taking it at seventeen and sixpence 

 twice a week, allowing an interval of three or four 

 weeks' frost, it may be computed at thirty pounds for 

 the season ; half that sum given to an experienced 

 trustworthy groom, as additional wages, would 

 ensure the services of a man who may be de- 

 pended upon. If two or more friends engage stabling 

 in the country and keep their horses together, one head 

 groom will take charge of the whole establishment, and 

 with a number of helpers in proportion to the number 

 of horses, the expenses will be again diminished. This 

 plan has been adopted by some of my acquaintance, 

 and it has worked quite satisfactorily. There are also 

 several hunting livery-stables where horses are taken 

 great care of and where, for a stated sum, everything 

 is provided, including a man to take them to covert. I 

 refrain from enumerating any, because frequent 

 changes must of necessity take place : those which were 

 in the highest repute last season may be superseded by 

 others; and it is ver>^ easy for any sportsman, after 

 having selected the countn^^ he intends to hunt in, to 

 make local inquiries for the most suitable accommoda- 

 tion. 



There is another plan which I would suggest avail- 

 able to those who desire to hunt from London, pro- 

 viding they are not disposed to encumber themselves 



