NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 381 



the hounds." I confess I was surprised at the pace the Captain's horse 

 (a grey of very fine form, and an old favourite), carried him the burgt, 

 as it was first-rate, and many large fallows crossed, which are no jokes 

 with such a weight as his. He was absolutely at one time fairly run- 

 ning away with him. But what will not blood and bone and the groom- 

 ing of old William Cross achieve ! I again rode the Duchess. We had 

 a party at dinner in the evening at Cask, and " passed a jovial night"— 

 the Captain in great force, giving us, in the very best style, his old 

 friend Tom Marson's song of, 



" I ride as good a galloway as any man in town ; 

 He'll trot you sixteen miles an hour, I'll bet you half a crown ; 

 He's sich a one to bend the knee, and tuck his haunches in ; 

 And to throw the dirt into your face, he never deems a sin." 



Monday 16th. Met at Boynd's-mill. Drew Anchabar cover blank. 

 Found in Tullow, and went away beautifully, but he turned short into 

 Bog- side cover, a very large one, without rides, but with plenty of deer. 

 Our huntsman finding he was not gone on, wisely left him, being aware 

 of the allurement of the haunch^ which is as grateful to a fox-hound, as 

 to an alderman. We found again in Fortrie-gorse, and hereon hangs a 

 tale. Lord Kintore wishing the fox to take a certain line, over a very 

 fine country, ordered Philip to try and head him, but that was no go. 

 " Forward," he wrent, where he listed, and made his point for Logg-hill 

 cover, where, after a prodigiously sharp burst, a trifling check occurred. 

 We, however, soon saw him break again, with about five couples of 

 hounds on the scent, and here I saw our huntsman do, what it would be 

 well for fox-hunting if it were oftener done than it is, " Get to their 

 head, Nimrod, and stop 'em," cried Lord Kintore — blowing his horn 

 back at the time, whilst he sent Joe to bring on the tail, who were still 

 in the cover — " let's have the body ofhoundSy or none." And hence 



