YORKSHIRE 271 



hunted fox, which they had been running hard for fifty minutes, and 

 was then dead beat. He was killed at the end of a splendid chase 

 of one hour —in which the powers and condition of this beautiful 

 pack were displayed to the admiration of the few who lived with 

 them to the last ; and which will long be remembered in the county 

 of Durham as a proof of what a victory can be achieved by fox-hounds, 

 with a good fox before them, over the best horses and the best riders 

 in the country." 



Some ludicrous scenes occurred in this run ; and as, after all, life 

 is but an entertainment, and we all act some part in the play, I am 

 quite certain that Mr. John Davison, of Chester-le-street — one of the 

 best-tempered men in the world, and a member of the Lambton Hunt 

 — will have no objection to being brought on the stage, and add his 

 mite to the amusement of the audience. 



It so happened, that on this day Mr. Davison sent to covert a very 

 clever bay horse ; and, on my making a remark on him to one of his 

 friends, he told me he believed he was for sale, and might be pur- 

 chased well worth the money. When I saw him again, with Mr. 

 Davison on his back, I liked him better, and asked his price. The 

 answer was, " Two hundred and fifty guineas ! " Now, although we 

 are told " money makes the mare to go," it has not always that effect 

 upon a horse ; for Mr. Davison came to a standstill, in spite of my 

 more than once calling him, "Come along, two hundred and fifty 

 guineas ! " This, however, was nothing, for he had plenty of com- 

 pany ; but I heard afterwards, that about half an hour before the fox 

 was killed the two-hundred-and-fifty-guinea-horse reposed himself on 

 the ground in no very pleasing attitude — his affrighted master stand- 

 ing over him, with his hands clasped, and in an audible voice 

 emphatically exclaiming, " By G — d, he's dead ! ! " I am happy to 

 say, however. Death did not claim him this time, but only gave Mr. 

 Davison a hint not to bring so nice a horse into the field again, so 

 totally unfit to go through a severe run with hounds ; and I hope 

 this hint may not be lost upon others. 



Not having been quite up to the mark, I was very much fatigued 

 with this run, and no wonder. We had been galloping over a deep 

 and severe country for two hours all but a few minutes ; and I should 

 think we had been over at least two hundred fences. The con- 



