414 NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 



as well as the operations carried on in them, at this manufactory of 

 sulphuric acid and of soap? Their magnitude is expressed in a few 

 words: Buildings, covered with glass, extend over ten acres of ground, 

 and a hundred tons of coals are consumed every day throughout the year. 

 We found the exhalations emitted, in some of the apartments we walked 

 through, extremely irritating to our lungs, although Mr.Tennant himself 

 did not appear to be affected by them, and several of the workmen were 

 sitting at dinner in the midst of them — proving the truth of the adage, 

 that ** use becomes second nature." The sulphuric acid is chiefly for 

 exportation, and was to be seen in great quantities, in jars, hermetically 

 sealed for the purpose ; and, as a single specimen of the capital expended 

 in the making of it, we were shown one retort, of French manufacture, 

 and holding only seventy gallons, which cost £1,400. It was formed of 

 platina, the only metal which will stand the required heat. 



Tuesday, 12.— Met at Houlston-gate, and found in a very fine whin 

 cover on the side of the hill. It was a beautiful find, and the hounds 

 showed themselves to advantage by turning very short back on the scent 

 in the cover, and forcing their fox to fly the country at once. The pace 

 was very good at first, and also at other parts of the run, which lasted 

 three hours ; and had his lordship happened to have heard my holloa, as 

 I viewed him, dead beat, at the last, we should no doubt have killed him. 

 This was the most difficult run to ride to that I ever experienced, owing 

 to the ground being, as it were, checkered, that is, covered with snow 

 in one place and bare in another. We often lost sight of the hounds 

 altogether, when they would otherwise have been plain to be seen ; and 

 in short, at one time, they were invisible to every man in the fields 

 although there was no lack of hard riders, and the country good enough 

 for any thing. It was a hard day for horses; I rode " Scott's horse," 



