MR. TREVOR YATES. 133 



about the year 1846. Before this period, his fine judgment and excellent horse- 

 manship had made him famous with Mr. Meynell Ingram's Hunt, as being a 

 •' maker " of high-class hunters, some of which he sold at very high prices to the 

 members of the Hunt. As the owner and huntsman of a fine pack of harriers, 

 he had, of course, every opportunity of making young horses perfect ; yet that 

 he enjoyed hunting for its own sake, every one who has ever ridden with him 

 knows full well. ... To what grand perfection he got his pack, an account of 

 many runs, by the few of his hunting friends now left, might be given in ample proof. 

 A correspondent tells us of one (whether with a bag fox or hare is immaterial) 

 when the run was from the Duke of York, on the Ashborne and Buxton road, to 

 Warslow Hall, the seat of Sir John Crewe, nine miles from point to point, and 

 crossing the rivers Dove and Manifold. Again, finding at Bradbourne, they 

 killed at Bonsai, after a run, without a check, for two and a half hours. His 

 hounds and himself were so famous that Lord Chesterfield invited him to come 

 and try his skill at an outlying stag that his Lordship's staghounda were unable 

 to take. Our friend was invited to breakfast at Bretby Hall, and between twenty 

 and thirty gentlemen in " red " were there, and first one and then another asked 

 him, " Well, Yates, do you think you can take him ? " Now, up to a certain 

 point, a better tempered sportsman never lived ; but at last a certain gentleman, 

 who was not a great favourite in the hunting-field, came to him and said, " Ah t 

 Yates, do you think your little dogs can take the deer to-day ? " So " Old 

 Trevor," rising from his chair to go to his hounds, replied with one of his looks, 

 " Well, if I cannot, I will cut every hound's throat when I get home." The 

 result was, after a splendid run of two hours, the stag was brought to bay, with 

 a most select field at the finish. Lord Chesterfield was so pleased that he ofiered 

 Mr. Yates another run, which took place shortly afterwards, the stag being un- 

 carted in a field near Ashbourne, and taken, after a splendid run of three hours, 

 within a mile of Belper. 



So highly was Mr. Yates esteemed as a sportsman, and such was his con- 

 sideration for wheat and seeds, or anything else that might sustain unnecessary 

 damage, that he was welcome wherever he went. One of his best runs took 

 place when, invited by Mr. Watts-Russell, he went to Ham Hall, and, finding a 

 hare at Thowley Hall, killed her, after a run of two hours and three-quarters 

 at Caldon Mill. He sold this famous pack afterwards to Prince de Joinville. 

 He afterwards hunted a pack for the Squire of Okeover, and the distances ho 

 rode to his meets would hardly be believed by our railway-hunting sportsman 

 nowadays ; but a keener sportsman and finer horseman the present generation 

 would have a difiiculty in finding. With all his love of sport, a more industrious 

 or more intelligent practical farmer did not live. Up between four and five 

 o'clock in a morning, he would, before starting with hounds, be amongst his 

 servants, sharing the milking and giving general directions. The eye of the 

 master was never wanting, and his crops were the best, and his land the cleanest 

 in the district, and he was (all farmers know what is meant by the expression) 

 a good neighbour. His hospitality was genial and hearty, but never over- 

 strained ; there was a welcome so long as his friends would stay, but no undue 

 pressure beyond what was convenient to them. For many years increasing 

 infirmities, the result of years of hard work and exercise, had prevented him 

 mounting a horse, but it was cheerful and delightful to hear him tell tales of hia 

 huntmg days with Old Squire Meynell, and of the horses he had sold to the 

 Admiral, and other good sportsmen, who went out to hunt, as well as to ride ; on 

 the diff'erence between which pursuits old Trevor was wont to express himself 

 very strongly. 



