1822] AULD LANG SYNE 79 



1822-1823. 



The famous Nelly, by Mr. Heron's Bluclier, out of his 

 Needful, who traced back to the old Mr. Meynell's Quorn 

 hounds, was killed this season, but whether kicked or 

 jumped on he does not say, though he complains more 

 than once of hounds being " disgracefully over-rode." 

 Reveller, too, was killed by a kick. They started the 

 season with thirteen horses, to carry the master and his 

 two men (for he seems to have dispensed with a second 

 whipper-in). The horses were Forester, Feeble, Sultan, 

 Needwood, Fanny, Sailor, Moses, and Aaron, the great 

 black horse, Patriot, General, who took the place of the 

 brown mare ; Violante, who was put by for two seasons, 

 and Pigg. These names are only given because the horses 

 lasted so long at Hoar Cross, and they are useful for 

 reference. Mr. Meynell was very soft-hearted where his 

 horses were concerned, and could not bring himself to 

 believe that an old favourite was past his work. It seems 

 almost incredible, but, unless they stuck to the same 

 names, Aaron and Pigg, not young horses at this time, 

 were still to the fore, when Joe was huntsman fourteen 

 years later. 



A ]}ropos of the second whipper-in, there is the first 

 mention in this season of " little Tom " beino- out on 

 " Landor's mare," and a very good day it was. A curious 

 incident happened during cub-hunting. They killed an 

 old vixen at Loxley, and she turned out to be one " that 

 had been twice brought with cubs to Hoar Cross, and 

 turned out there, and once to Sudbury." 



The opening day was at Longford. On the 25th they 

 ran at such a pace from Walton Wood, by Catton, and 

 killed in the river below Drakelowe, after twenty-six 

 minutes, that all the horses were beat. Mr. Landor had 

 a rattling fall. But in the same country, on the 9th of 

 January, after they had been stopped a great deal by 

 frost, they had an extraordinary run of four hours and 

 three-quarters. 



