302 NIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



Where is the tongue — where is the pen — where is the pencil that 

 can describe to the life ? It would be a vain attempt to do so here ; 

 and my readers must either journey to Durham, or picture to them- 

 selves Mr. Matthew Wilkinson. They will see before them, or they 

 may fancy they see, an English sportsman of the old stamp — keen 

 beyond words ; resolute and daring in his favourite pursuit ; and of a 

 frame not of the doubtful gender, but manly and powerful, and 

 formed for hardships — not quite so heavy as the great John Ward, 

 nor with a countenance quite so expressive. 



Mr. M. Wilkinson is esteemed a very superior huntsman as far as 

 the working of his hounds is concerned, as also assisting them in 

 recovering a scent. His great weight, however (full seventeen 

 stone), precludes the possibility of his always being in his place ; 

 though every one I conversed with agreed, that, from his great 

 knowledge of the country, and of the usual line of his foxes, he 

 creeps up to his hounds, when at fault, much sooner than might be 

 expected. This is the result of a quick eye and a good share of 

 brains, with each of which Mr. W. is very well furnished. Of his 

 management in the kennel I can say nothing ; nor can I say much 

 of the condition of his pack, any farther than that their elbows were 

 clean, and that is as much as can be generally said of hounds that 

 work as hard as his do ; but I thought the hounds themselves did 

 credit to his judgment. They are fine slashing animals, with great 

 power and bone, and are allowed to have as much hunt in them as 

 their owner has zeal ; and truly that is in abundance. Tattler, 

 Cruiser, Juggler, and Music would be an ornament to any pack. 



I am not well qualified to speak of the Hurworth country. Some 

 of it, I was informed, is very good, as indeed was that part which 

 I rode over from Dinsdale wood ; but, generally speaking, it is 

 narrow and limited, and much interrupted by the Tees. The sub- 

 scription, I understand, amounts only to 175/. per annum, which 

 may perhaps with good management find meal for the hounds, as 

 the pack is small, only consisting of twenty-six couples of hunting 

 hounds, and this year not more than four couples to come in. Days 

 of hunting, Mondays and Fridays. 



I have now done with Mr. Matthew Wilkinson and his hounds. 

 Long may he live to enjoy his favourite sport ; and, when he is gone, 



