84 NIMROD'S NOIITIIERN TOUR. 



place the pace had been desperately severe, there was a slight check, 

 and the first. The consequence of this was as I had predicted; the 

 field became very select; but having been admirably piloted by Frank 

 Collison, I was just in time here to see the hounds cross a road in the 

 park under the nose of the horse of the duke's head groom, who had 

 been going the same line with myself*. 



But here the scene changed. Previously to the check at Marchmont 

 the country had been in great part open — at least there had not been 

 much fencing, although it had been particularly severe for the horses, 

 and they had been going upwards of half an hour at the very top of 

 their pace ! The next point was Fogo Muir, which we skirted, but 

 where the hounds were put together in so masterly a way by Wil- 

 liamson, that barring an open earth, the game was won. Nevertheless, 

 severe as had been the pace, and severe as had been the country, the 

 tale of tales was yet to be told. The deep — the strongly enclosed vale 

 of Merse was below us, and this resolute and finely-winded fox boldly 

 entered it — as much as to say, " none dare follow me.'^ But neither 

 hounds nor men were to be daunted. The pace appeared to mend as 

 the country became more severe — the usual effect of getting upon a 

 better description of soil — and several of the horses that were not told 

 out before began to cut it now. Of falls there were many. Mr. 

 M'Dougall Grant got three; Sir David Baird three, if not four; and 

 Lord Eglinton two, in one of which his lordship was in an awkward 

 situation, being unable to extricate himself from his horse. A most 

 amusing scene however took place directly afterwards between Sir 

 David Baird and himself. They both came together up to a iion- 



* His grace's head groom, Matbew, is almost always out on one of ihe duke's 

 horses, and an excellent horseman he is. 



