126 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



throiigh a hole, or by leaping a very high timber fence. The creep 

 was quite out of the question, as the ground was boggy, and the 

 boots would have been "done for the day; " so three Oxford men 

 (one of whom I understood to be a Lancashire Hornby) charged the 

 timber one after the other. It consisted of four oaken rails, as 

 strong as the ribs of a ship, and the taking off none of the best. 

 "I am ten years too old for this in cold blood," said I, so went 

 quietly round to the upper side of the covert. Notwithstanding all 

 this nerve in "larking," with which no doubt Oxford as usual 

 abounds, I did not see many of the young ones what I call quick 

 and decisive in getting to their hounds — no George Foresters or 

 young Peytons amongst them at present I fear. Lord Dorchester 

 is very hard, and will be a workman in time, as he is strong on his 

 horse, and afraid of nothing. 



Were I to see a man, and be told he was the son of an Arch- 

 bishop, I should look at him as I should look at any other man ; but 

 anything got by old Tom Oldaker must demand superior respect 

 from me. Knowing, that one son of his hunted, and the other 

 whipped-in the Old Berkeley hounds, I took the first opportunity of 

 seeing them, which was on the 16th of February, at Lew Heath, 

 three miles from Witney, in their new country, lately hunted by Mr. 

 Codrington. The blood of old Tom did honour to him on this day — 

 for never was there a finer finish to a morning's diversion ; and, I 

 am bold enough to say a finish which but few would have accom- 

 plished ; for, after running our fox ten miles over a country with 

 only a ticklish scent, Henry and Eobert Oldaker killed him in 

 seventeen hundred acres of wood — being part of Which wood Forest — 

 where he stood for upwards of two hours before their hounds ! By 

 what I could learn from many who were present, there is no similar 

 instance to this upon record, all other ho'unds having been stopped 

 before, or as soon as they got into this large forest. To the credit 

 of the Old Berkeley hounds it should be added, that they never 

 quitted their fox for a moment, turning as short after him as harriers 

 upon a trail ; and the perseverance and activity of the men were the 

 admiration of every one. A harder day than this for hounds and 

 the servants cannot well be imagined. 



I must hark back to the Barley-mow near Brackley in North- 



