60 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



them, in which horses can be exercised in tempestuous weather. 

 The kennel, which is a very good one, and abundantly supplied with 

 running water, is within two hundred yards of the stables, and close 

 to the huntsman's house, on the Brighton road-side. 



It is well known in the sporting world that Colonel Jolliffe has 

 been master of fox-hounds upwards of twenty years, for more than 

 ten of which he hunted them himself. Never having seen him in 

 that capacity, I can only speak from hearsay ; but I understand from 

 those who have, that he was esteemed a very skilful huntsman, but 

 not without a fault. His fault, however, was on the right side with 

 fox-hounds — that of being given to make his casts rather too quick 

 over a light scenting country. He however, like Shaw in Leicester- 

 shire, would recover his fox by a chefd-'oeuvra worth all the old- 

 fashioned casts at the moment, and by which he gained much credit 

 in the field. He has a most melodious pipe, with a very sportsman- 

 like appearance ; and, having so large a property in the country, is 

 the man of all others who should hunt it. In addition to this, he 

 has always been extremely popular in the field, and looks like an 

 English gentleman. He has for some years resigned his post to 

 his servant Eotfey, who was educated under him as whipper-in ; and 

 who may be called a superior huntsman, both in kennel and in the 

 field. 



When I meet with a character in my travels, I cannot pass him 

 over ; and of this genus I must class Mr. Eoffey. As I have before 

 observed, every situation in life serves to form one, and a huntsman, 

 above all, cannot hide his talent in a napkin : his calling will not 

 suffer him to do so. "Every block, however, will not make a 

 Mercury," nor will every fellow with a wide throat and a good 

 voice make a huntsman. Nature is too sparing of her gifts for 

 this; but we may all say with David, " He made us, and not we 

 ourselves." 



Eoffey has lived with Mr. Jolliffe upwards of twenty years, and 

 has been a good and faithful servant. Taking the liberty of calling 

 one day to see his kennel, I will do him the justice to say I never 

 saw hounds looking cleaner or in better condition than his were ; 

 and their sport this season has been brilliant. As the fixtures for 

 this pack are given out in the name of " the Merstham Hounds," I 



