YORKSHIRE 253 



Lord Darlington's, I might go a point too far, but their condition 

 was very level, and I never savr a sounder pack of hounds in my life 

 or one more full of bone. 



During our walk out with the hounds, Lord Darlington related to 

 us a singular anecdote of the instinct of a fox-hound. In his father's 

 life-time, a hound called Gleaner was sent from Yorkshire to the 

 then Duke of Bolton, of Hackwood Park, near Basingstoke in 

 Hampshire ; and in the almost incredible space of sixty hours he 

 was back at his kennel in Yorkshire. 



When we had done with the hounds, we devoted an hour to the 

 stables, which, though not equal in space or magnificence to those 

 at Eaby, are in every respect sufficient, and hold about thirty 

 hunters, besides coach horses. It is worthy of remark, that with 

 the exception of a pony of the Countess's, I never saw a hack either 

 here or at Eaby. Everything goes a hunting, or in harness ; but of 

 the stud I shall speak hereafter. Three of the hunters were going off 

 this day to London to the hammer, but we had a saddle put on one 

 of them, and gave him a gallop in the grounds, which ended by 

 Sir Bellingham purchasing him for his own stud. Lord D. made 

 us laugh when he told us he sold that horse solely to oblige the 

 ladies. "A better hunter," said his Lordship, "no man need 

 ride ; but he put his foot into a grip one day with my boy, 

 and came down, which the Ladies attributed to his having only 

 one eye." 



Speaking of the Ladies, "Pray, my Lord," said I, as we were 

 walking out with the hounds after feeding, " is not your kennel here 

 very near to the house? Does not the savour of the boiler 

 sometimes find its way into the drawing-room?" — "It may," 

 rephed his Lordship, " hut we are all too loell bred for fox-hunting to 

 mind that." — At all events, " a concord of sweet sounds," must 

 often titillate the Ladies' ears. 



I cannot here let pass an anecdote of Dick the whipper-in, as it is 

 so truly characteristic of the ruling ixission, and also of the attach- 

 ment men have to hounds when cradled in a kennel. It so 

 happened that we were all — and a pretty large party — seated at the 

 breakfast table, when Lord Darlington made his appearance. Next 

 to the usual inquiries after his Lordship's health, the question was 



