280 NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



drafter in all respects, and appears to me to be a rigid observer of faults 

 — particularly that of running somewhat wide in chase. For a quick 

 eye to, and knowledge of, hounds at first sight, he is perhaps unequalled 

 in the present age, being a second Cyrus in a kennel, as I have already 

 stated on the authority of Walker and Scott*. His lordship is not fond 

 of tall hounds ; but insists upon the requisites of substance, with bone ; 

 and I consider his standard to be about that of Mr. Lambton's kennel, 

 between which and his own there is a very strong resemblance, and that 

 I think is saying enough. His pack is at present reduced in size to 

 suit his countries (for he has two kennels), which only admit of three 

 days a week, and generally require, from the nature of them, the 

 season to be shut up early in March. Moreover, his Turriff country is 

 particularly favorable to the working of hounds without danger of 

 laming them, which is no small advantage. 



Before I quit this part of my subject, I wish to notice a circumstance 

 relating to Lord Kintore's hounds, as the fact in question cannot be too 

 widely spread for the benefit of all other masters of packs. They were 

 attacked in the middle of last season with kennel lameness, and to such 

 an extent as to oblige their owner to give up working them ; for, to use 

 his own words, in a letter to myself, " they tailed over a country like 

 a flock of sheep through a gap." He attributed the cause of this 

 misfortune to an incautious use of badly harvested straw for their beds, 

 having never before had lameness in his kennels. It gives me pleasure, 



* Allusions to what I read in my youth will sometimes importune me, and I find 

 it difficult to suppress them. It appears this peculiar talent always attracted notice. 

 Cyrus is said to have known every soldier in his army. Themistocles is said to have 

 been able to call every citizen of Athens by his name. On the other hand, Scaliger, 

 in his comments on the Iliad, asks, how it happens that Priam, after so many years' 

 siege, should yet be unacquainted with the faces of the Grecian leaders? 



