4 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



day. I could hear the pulsation of my temples as I could that of my 

 horse's heart. 



The fences in the Market Harborough country are the strongest in 

 Leicestershire. The richness of the soil throws the quick to a great 

 size ; and to guard against the bullocks in the summer season, very 

 few weak places are to be found. If a horse be not a superior 

 fencer, and good at timber, he has no business there. The inclosures 

 also are large, which is very trying to horses. An anecdote on this 

 subject is related of Mr. Smith. He observed to a friend of his that 

 " he never saw him out in the Harborough country." His friend 

 replied, that " he did not like it, the fences were so large." — " Oh," 

 said Mr. Smith, " there is no place you cannot get over, with a fall." 

 Perhaps, however, he thought rather more of a fall than Mr. Smith 

 did. 



The first year I was in Leicestershire was the last of Mr. Meynell's, 

 and the first of Lord Sefton's hunting the Quorn country. In 

 mentioning the name of Mr. Meynell, I feel a degree of respect due 

 to it, which all sportsmen must acknowledge and appreciate. So 

 long as fox-hounds and fox-hunters are to be found in England, it 

 will never be forgotten ; neither is there a kennel which is not, at 

 this moment, indebted to him for some of its best blood. As, how- 

 ever, I may have occasion to mention the name of this justly 

 celebrated sportsman again, I shall only add, that, as a master of a 

 pack of fox-hounds, Mr. Meynell never has been excelled. In- 

 dependent of his knowledge of everything relating to hounds and to 

 hunting, his conduct in the field was such as should be handed down 

 as an example worthy the imitation of every master of fox-hounds. 

 From his rank in life, and from the sphere in which he moved — to 

 say that he was well bred and polite to his equals, and to his friends, is 

 saying nothing ; but towards every man who hunted with his hounds 

 he conducted himself with that general urbanity and condescension 

 which alone secure to a person in his situation the esteem of the 

 country, and, with it, the foxes. In his time, a man's life was not 

 more secure from violence and murder than was that of a fox. 



To every man who is a fox-hunter, it is well known how much it 

 is requisite for a master of hou.nds to stand well with the yeomen 

 and farmers of his country. They have much in their power, and 



