306 NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



He had been introduced to me as Colonel Gordon, and yet I heard my 

 host perpetually calling him '' Park." " How can this be V said I to 

 myself; ** I must have miscomprehended my friend." I found out, 

 however, upon inquiry, that it is usual, in Scotland, to call gentlemen 

 by the names of their places, as well as by their proper names. A 

 moment's consideration suggests the propriety of this distinction — as 

 without it the Campbells and the M'Gregors would be very difficult to 

 particularize ; and if the Jones's and Williams's of Wales, as well as the 

 Smiths of England, were thus registered amongst their acquaintance, it 

 would save a multitude of questions. " Pray what Mr. Jones may you 

 want?" said the porter of Jesus College, Oxford, to the Mr. Jones who 

 inquired for his cousin. " Mr. John Jones," said the inquirer. '* There 

 are eleven Mr. John Jones's in college," replied the porter. 



About nine o'clock it was announced to us, as we sat over our wine, 

 that *' the lamps were lighted ;" and now quite a new scene presented 

 itself. This was the sight of a pack of fox-hounds on their beds, by the 

 reflection of patent lamps, with very bright reflectors ; and I must say 

 I never witnessed a more interesting sight of a like description than this 

 was. The dog-hounds took but little notice of us on our entrance ; 

 most of them, indeed, appeared to regard us as intruders on their repose, 

 and never raised their heads from the comfortable position in which they 

 had placed them*; but, as it were to mark the characteristic difference 

 of the sexes, the bitches, with few exceptions, leaped down from the 



* It is possible some of my readers may never have seen a pack of fox-hounds in 

 this situation — in a state of repose for the night; and I wonder it has not attracted 

 the notice of an artist, for it would make a beautiful and interesting picture. Their 

 bodies appear as it were dove-tailed into each other ; and they seem absolutely to 

 place themselves with a view to the comfort of their neighbours as well as to that of 

 themselves, especially in allowing them to make pillows of their carcases for their 

 beads. 



