YORKSHIRE 293 



horses but among some strong stubs. " Tak time, lad," said Matty. 

 The lad "■■' did take time, and did it like a workman. Towards the end 

 of our gallop we came to another still worse place. It was high and 

 stiff, and near to a tree. Matty rode up to it, and not liking it, 

 stood looking at it. " Shall I try and pull down those strong 

 binders'? " said I. " No, no," replied Matty, " we'll gang at it; " 

 and over he went at a good hand gallop. All his fences but this 

 were taken either at a stand or in a walk. In his gallop he stood up 

 in his stirrups, reminding me much of the New Forest Harbin, and 

 I think there is very little difference in the waistbands of their 

 breeches. Caesar wished Cassius were fatter, but here this wish 

 were vain. 



This certainly was a good run, and a good finish. We drew again, 

 and three foxes all broke covert at the same moment ; but we did 

 nothing worth speaking of, although they tasted one of them. 



After hunting this day I had the pleasure of dining at Hutton 

 Bonville, near Northallerton, the seat of Colonel Towers. Birds of 

 a feather flock together ; and here I was under the roof of a man as 

 fond of hounds and everything belonging to them as myself. His 

 father kept fox-hounds thirty-five years at his own expense ; and 

 his lady is the davighter of Mr. Baker, of Ekmore Hall, near 

 Durham, one of the keenest sportsmen of his own or any other man's 

 day. Worse is the luck, he is now past the age of man ; but is still 

 to be seen by the covert's side when the place of meeting is near 

 Ekmore ; and only three years ago he rode Jenny Horner at Middle- 

 ham for the Hunters' Stakes (gentlemen riders), and won his race in 

 style. 



Saturday, 16th. — Having left two horses at Norton Conyers, I met 

 Lord Darlington's hounds on this day at Pirby, about three miles 

 from Newton House. It rained very hard when I left Hutton 

 Bonville, and when I got to the place of meeting I found neither 

 great-coat nor mud boots had had the desired effect. I was " spoiled 

 for the day," as the dandies have it. We had no sport in the 

 morning — great part of which was passed by Mr. Milbanke's fire- 



* This reminds me of an anecdote of a capital old sportsman — Johnny Wynne 

 of Ryton — in Sir Richard Puleston's country. He rode a very good black horse 

 about fifteen seasons, but he never called him anything but " the colt." 



