248 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



around it, abounding with pheasants and fox coverts, both most 

 strictly preserved by her Ladyship, is the property of the Countess 

 of Darlington. 



It is not often that a wrinkle is to be given to masters of fox- 

 hounds, but the kennel at Newton House, I think, affords one. 

 There is a passage leading from the feeding to the lodging room 

 which is made to hold water, about six inches deep on the level. 

 This, on hunting days, is filled with broth from the copper, and 

 hounds pass through it in the evening, after they have been fed. 

 The consequence is, they lick their feet dry ; and the healing 

 properties of a dog's tongue to a sore are very well established. 



Perhaps I cannot do better than here give a brief account of the 

 Earl of Darlington as a sportsman. To the title of sportsman who 

 can have a better claim ? It is as legitimate as his Earldom, and we 

 must pay reverence to his name. 



I have already said that Lord Darlington has kept fox-hounds, 

 and has hunted them himself, for thirty-six years ; and it is posi- 

 tively asserted that, unless prevented by illness — an unusual 

 occurrence with him — or a call of the House of Lords on some im- 

 portant occasion, he has only been absent from them in the field 

 three times in that number of years. Neither does he on this 

 account — fond as he is of racing — ever attend the Newmarket 

 October Meetings. A pleasing recreation, they say, is no task; but 

 if proof were wanting of his extreme attention to his duty, it wall be 

 had in the first page of his book, called " 0])eTations of the Baby 

 Pack," published every year, in which it will ibe found that he goes 

 through all the drudgery of cub-hunting — as the old song says — 

 " sleep and a downy bed scorning." As a specimen, I will tran- 

 scribe the two first hunting days of the season before last. 



" Wednesday, August 31st. — At seven o'clock, I tried Lady "Wood, 

 and only found one fox, and soon lost him. Found again in the 

 whin, ran to the wood, and soon killed a cub bitch fox. Very hot 

 dry morning. Had twelve couples of young hounds, eight couples 

 of the two-year-olds, and ten and a half of the oldest hounds ; in all 

 thirty couples and a half. Eode Sir Harry ; Dick, Panegyric ; Will, 

 Eavenswood; and George, Bosphorus." Proli imdor ! my Lord, to 

 put a whipper-in upon Panegyric in such weather as this ! 



