256 NIMROU'S HUNTING TOUR 



this day on a horse he gave Mr. Harvey Combe a longish price for ; 

 and on another day I met Mr. EadcHffe of this regiment in tlie field, 

 who is a member of Mr. Farquharson's Hunt, and a very pretty 

 performer. 



Wednesday, 22nd, met Lord Darhngton at Tanfield Bridge, which 

 crosses the river Eure, and had a beautiful find. The fox being 

 asleep on the bank, and jumping up among the hounds, had hard 

 work to get away. However, he only lived half an hour, the pack 

 being close at his brush. This country requires notice. It goes by 

 the name of Piccadilly, with the pleasant addition of Piccadilly 

 with the pavement broken up. For stones, this eclipses all stony or 

 flinty countries I have ever seen, and the worst part of Hampshire 

 is a fool to it. Thank Heaven, however, it is of small extent, as it 

 is surrounded by land of a different description. We found again 

 and again — again and again — in all five foxes ; some on Sir Belling- 

 ham's, and some on Mr. Staveley's land ; but we could do no good, 

 although one took us within half a mile of the town of Eipon. 



Thursday, 23rd. Nothing to be done in the hunting way ; so I 

 got upon my hack and rode to Eipon, celebrated in the annals of 

 England for its manufactory of spur-rowels ; and hence a brave 

 man is called a man of mettle — " of steel as true as Bipon roivels ! " 



Friday, 24th, met Lord Darlington at Butcherhouse Bar, on the 

 great North road. The day was tempestuous, and we were 

 intercepted by snow-storms ; so the only thing worth notice was, we 

 found two brace and a half of foxes, and killed a brace. We had 

 ten minutes, I remember, awfully fast from Pickhill whin, one of 

 the finest coverts I ever saw, but too near the rivers Swale and 

 Wisk to produce any certainty of sport ; though when hounds do 

 run they must go fast in that country, as the land is rich, with a 

 good deal of grass. 



After hunting on this day. Sir Bellingham Graham and myself 

 dined at Thorp Hall, the seat of Mr. Mark Milbanke, M.P. for 

 Camelford. — I have given it as my opinion that the most complete 

 hunting seat I ever saw is Newton House ; and I think, if I were 

 asked whether in my walk through life I had seen a more complete 

 residence for a country gentleman of from six to ten thousand a-year 

 than Thorp Hall, I should be inclined to say I had not. In fact, 



