56 NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



packs of grouse. Mr. Grieve did not lose his character this day ; for, 

 although mounted on a thorough-bred weed of a thing that could have 

 run away from every horse out, over the hills, but had no pretensions to 

 be called a hunter — indeed he did not call him one — he char2,-ed a p,'ate 

 with him on a road, and fell neck and croup over it, getting- rather a 

 hard squeeze, which he felt for some days. 



I have but little to say of these harriers of Mr. Hume's, which ap- 

 peared to be nearly as wild as the country in which they hunted, and so 

 far characteristic ; nor was the whipper-in by any means an exotic, for 

 he looked as if just fresh from the toils, or what coachmen call a " fresh 

 catched one." But there was something of the lusus about the mare 

 he rode, as well as about himself; for although from her appearance she 

 ought to have been leading lime to the farm in a one-horse cart, she 

 galloped well and fast. Now that is the sort of animal to breed a hun- 

 ter to carry weight, by a well bred horse, because her coarse points do 

 not impede her action, and there is no carrying weight without coarse 

 points. 



Although it could not be said of this day, 



" That Phoebus befriended our earlier roam," 

 or, that 



" Luna took care in conducting us home :" 



yet amends were made in the evening by an agreeable dinner party at 

 Dunse-castle, which was enlivened by the presence of several young 

 ladies who were staying in the house, in addition to those of Mr. Hay's 

 own family ; and after various songs from one of them — a very superior 



