174 THE MEYNELL HOUNDS. 



FitzHerbert. Mr. Wilmot had a wonderful horse they 

 called Jesuit. He sold him to Captain Drury, a hard- 

 riding heavy-weight, who lived at Hilton Cottage, and 

 then he gave up hunting and went to live at Bradbourne, 

 near Ashbourne. So I bought Jesuit. He was by the 

 one-eyed Doctor Foster, out of a half-legged mare, and a 

 wonderful performer, could go a fair pace, and keep on all 

 day, but he wasn't much to look at — a narrow animal 

 with a ewe neck, straight shoulders, and a short back. I 

 rode him once. That was enough," he said dryly, with his 

 eyes twinkling. 



"Why?" 



" Well, I was in bed for three days afterwards. He 

 ran away with me, and he jumped in and out of a planta- 

 tion, whether or no, without with your leave or by your 

 leave. I never was so stiff and sore and bruised in all my 

 life. So I entered him at Derby for the Midland Steeple- 

 chase (seventy -five pounds — a good stake in those days). 

 There were a lot of good horses running. W^ill Archer, father 

 of Fred, was riding mine, and all the others refused at the 

 brook. It was a great, wide place, with a tremendously 

 big hurdle in front of it. Jesuit came tearing at it, pulling 

 very hard, and shaking his head which he carried right up 

 under his rider's cap. Every one thought he must fall ; 

 but, at the last moment, he steadied himself, landed well 

 over, and was away again in a moment. He always gained 

 ground at his fences. Archer saw his advantage, kept 

 pegging away, and won." 



This is the only scrap preserved of memories which 

 would have proved a veritable gold mine. 



The following accounts of the actual sport of these 

 years have been selected as the most interesting. 



BeUs Life, December 26th, 1852 :— 



Mr. Editor, — Athough a novice in the art of writing, and fearing to prove 

 wearisome both to yourself and your readers, I cannot let pass a very magnificent 

 day's sport I had the pleasure of witnessing with Mr. Meynell Ingram's hounds 

 on Thursday, December 16th. The meet was at Drakelowe, and the known 

 hospitality of its kind master and mistress, as well as the great favour these 

 hounds have obtained through their late prowess in the field, assembled a great 



