NEW FOREST 173 



I saw one very pretty thing with Mr. Nicoll's pack, running him 

 to ground in twenty-five minutes. The pace was quick enough to 

 shew hounds to advantage, and also to shew what following them in 

 the New Forest is. The first part was over the open, and the latter 

 among trees and bushes, where the quick turning and flying to scent 

 and cry was beautiful to those who could see it. I also saw a great 

 deal of excellent slow hunting on days in which hounds could have 

 hunted nowhere else ; but in all rough ground like the Forest, there 

 is what is called " a side scent," from the game so often touching 

 with his sides as well as with his pads, and which is very favourable 

 to hounds. This description of sport, however, is beautiful to 

 behold, and in some measure suitable to mid-day hunting in the 

 month of April, when the sun is often hot and oppressive. 



Mr. Nicoll hunts his own hounds, assisted by two whippers-in, all 

 very well m.ounted. Indeed, I do not know when I have seen a 

 more Useful stud of hunters than Mr. Nicoll's ; and Sir Bellingham 

 Graham — who was then staying with him — offered him a large sum 

 for one of them. His weight is a welter, but he rides hard and well 

 across the Forest ; and, save and except he has to skirt a bog, or is 

 well planted in the middle of one, he is never away from his hounds. 

 One of his whippers-in, Joe, took my fancy much, a good rough- 

 looking fellow, born in the Forest, and about as hard as one of its 

 native oaks. His language to his hounds is somewhat unique — all 

 in the mono syllable , whose "breath is short and strong;" and his 

 cheer, when drawing, was compared by a wag to a man in an emetic 

 with the dose not quite strong enough for him. Notwithstanding 

 this, Joe is a clever fellow in his way, and a useful industrious 

 servant. 



Mr. Nicoll is but a young master of fox-hounds, and consequently 

 a young huntsman ; but he is a man of quick parts, and soon made 

 himself perfect in the science. He has, however, taken no small 

 pains to become so, devoting great part of his time to his kennel ; 

 and I scarcely know where he pleased me most — there, or in the 

 field. He is an excellent feeder, and looks to essential points, in 

 shape and make. He is not like some masters of hounds, all for 

 legs and feet, nearly regardless of other form, but has an eye to 

 points for speed and lasting. His style of hound struck me as being 



