260 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



hour of dinner. The trio was composed of Mr. Wilham WilHamson 

 (brother to Sir Hedwith) ; Mr. Harland, of Sutton Hall, Yorkshire ; 

 and a Derbyshire gentleman by the name of Hurt. They were kind 

 enough also to express their regret that I had lost a great treat on 

 that day ; for having gone out at one o'clock into a low country, 

 they had seen a beautiful run of thirty-five minutes, with a kill, and 

 the riding not much amiss. Being on their road to Whitworth, the 

 seat of Mr. Duncombe Shafto, where they were engaged to dinner, 

 they took their leave with the assurance of shewing me a good 

 day's sport on the morrow. This was a promising commencement 

 of my visit to Durham, and a flattering reception in a land of 

 strangers . 



"When I awoke the next morning, I found the ground so hard that 

 there was no possibility of hunting, so took another nap. My 

 slumbers, however, were light, being disturbed by dreams of frozen 

 oceans, mountains of ice, and all the horrors of the Arctic regions ; 

 for I had never before been even thus far North, and I considered 

 this was only the beginning of an inclement season. 



The specimen I had in the three members of the Sedgefield Hunt 

 brought me to the resolution of spending a few days at the Club, 

 hunting or no hunting ; so despatched my clothes, and followed 

 upon my hack. Encouraged by the sudden alteration of the weather 

 the day before, I found the servants in their red coats and caps 

 ready for a start, and several gentlemen booted and spurred ; but 

 all in vain. There was every appearance of a month's shut-up. 



On my arrival at Sedgefield, I lost no time in paying my respects 

 to the master of the hounds, whom I found — sportsman-like — taking 

 up his abode in a small lodging, next door but one to the inn where 

 the Club dined, and where he may be said to be near his work, as 

 the kennel is also adjoining the inn yard. He accosted me with great 

 kindness ; assured me he would do all in his power to make my 

 visit agreeable, and to induce me to repeat it another season, whilst 

 he lamented the awkward prospect then before us. 



Mr. Lambton's pack being one of very high character, it was 

 natural that I should feel anxious for a sight of them, and in a very 

 short time we were in the kennel. He was also good enough to 

 say, that, although we could not hunt, he would take out the whole 



