NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 83 



way/' said Williamson to me, as he put his horn to his mouth, and gave 

 them one blow, and I found the good-natured hint was to show me the 

 pass through a deep morass, over which the hounds were streaming 

 away at the moment with a breast high scent. Luckily for the field 

 there were two of these passes, and luckily for me I took the one to- 

 wards which the pack were leaning, which saved me some distressing 

 ground. " We are in for it," said 1 to Mr. Campbell, of Saddell, as he 

 was gently passing a rotten wooden bridge over the boundary drain of 

 this morass, which tottered under the weight of himself and his horse 

 almost to its fall ; '* what a temendous pace they are going !" But 

 over what kind of ground were they going? Over fine, sound turf, 

 which scarcely would bury a horse's shoes? No — but over a large, 

 rough moor, very sticky in some places, and very soft in others, and 

 greatly in favour of the hounds over the horses, in their work. " By 

 heavens but there will be a tale to be told to-day," said J to myself, as I 

 leaned towards Frank Collison, who was stealing along upon a thorough 

 bred one, rather sinking the wind at the time, and apparently in a good 

 line. " Surely," said I to him when I got along-side him, " Mr. Camp- 

 bell can never hold on at that pace, although he is upon Elcho- Castle !" 

 But there were others at that time going with the hounds of whom a 

 similar prediction might have been made. Amongst them was Mr. 

 M'Dougall Grant upon one of Mr. King's horses, going quite the ultra 

 pace. He will go as long as he can go, thought I to myself, but Mr. 

 King's condition will not stand that pace in November. And he did go 

 as long as he could go; and after the third fall, stood still. Now as the 

 country we went over has been accurately stated in the Kelso Mail, by 

 one who must have had a proper knowledge of it, whereas 1 had none, it 

 would be useless for me to speak of it further than to state, that, at March- 

 mont, which was about the fourth point our fox made, and up to which 



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