40 NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



light plough, and was soon lost. We had two brace of foxes more on 

 foot in the course of the day, but could do nothing for want of the need- 

 ful. In fact it was not a hunting day ; and perhaps well for me it was 

 not, for I found the horse I rode had no pretensions to following hounds, 

 and particularly in that country, where wind and speed — of which he 

 possessed neither — were wanted. One of the beauties of fox-hunting, 

 however, consists in the pleasure of the day not being entirely dependant 

 on good sport, which neither hounds nor country can command ; and the 

 agremens of society also make some amends. For example, an excellent 

 anecdote was this day told me of that celebrated sportsman, the late Mr. 

 Baird (father of Sir David), who for many years kept hounds in Scotland. 

 There is in the neighbourhood of Greenburn — or speaking more classic- 

 ally, as the place is renowned in history, — there is in Lammermuir a 

 very high hill called Cockburn Law, which, however, foxes often face 

 before hounds. On one of these occasions, a smart young writer from 

 Edinburgh brought his horse to a standstill in attempting to follow them 

 over it, and being a tyro in the art, thought he was dying on the spot. 

 *' Oh Mr. Baird," exclaimed he, as that gentleman gave him the go by, 

 ** what can be the matter wdth my horse ?" ** Nothing at all, sir, replied 

 Mr. Baird, " he has only got Cockburn Laio in his throat.''* A better 

 definition of a blown horse, and an inexperienced horseman, could not 

 possibly have been given, and the readiness with which it was pro- 

 duced added to its effect. ^* How did you get over that stile?" said I 

 myself, some years back to a London gentleman, whom I had left making 

 his third attempt to leap one, at the top of a sticking hill with the Surrey 

 subscription hounds. " Not at all," was his reply ; "and is it not very 

 odd ? for my horse leaps the bar in the top pole, in the ride of the stables 

 where he stands.'' " By no means odd," said I, '' there are no Surrey 

 hills in that ride." 



