NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 423 



no person rejoices less, that " the time of the singing birds is come and 

 the voice of the turtle is heard," than the gentleman of whom I am 

 speaking. It is, undoubtedly no very pleasing reflection for a master 

 of hounds to indulge in, on his road to cover, that although every thing, 

 on his part, is equal to produce a good day's sport, and that the finding 

 his fox is a moral certainty, still all attempts at sport shall be baffled by 

 a hot sun and a harsh wind, which were precisely the characteristics of 

 this day. 



I find, by my note book, that we found our first fox in a fine whin, 

 and killed him in the same. A second went away, and after hunting 

 him two hours, with a wretched scent, but still almost " to death" — for 

 he was seen to lie down — we unfortunately changed to a fresh one, 

 which gave him time to recover himself, and he beat us. 



I rode one of Bob's horses called Dimcan, of whom John Winter 

 gave me the following character. " Don't fear him, sir, he'll not 

 give you a fall, for, if he can't jump over a place, he'll wade through it.'* 



Another circumstance occurred which created a smile : whilst pick- 

 ing out a cold scent, in the middle of a rough grass field, all the pack 

 being at work, a brace of hares jumped up in view. Not a hound 

 noticed them, on which I heard Mr. Lambton say to one of the field. 

 *'/ hope the Professor saiu that.'* I did see it; and I agree with 

 Lord Kintore in thinking, that any wild animal jumping up in the view 

 of hounds, in a moment of disappointment and baffle, such as this was, 

 puts their steadiness from riot to the test, and, if unnoticed, confirms it. 



Had the scent served, we should have had some fun this day, for 



