YORKSHIRE 307 



Thursday, otli. — Met the Duke of Eutlaud's hounds at Stowc 

 Wood, about twelve miles from Melton, a woodland country, but 

 looking much like the land of fox-hunting : — a very large field, and 

 drew a great tract of coimtry without touching on a fox — partly, 

 perhaps, owing to Lord Lonsdale's hounds having run through 

 several of the coverts on the preceding day. When we did find, 

 however, we could not get on ; for we had two enemies to contend 

 with — a harsh wind and hot sun. The hounds hunted to admira- 

 tion, and looked in their usual good form ; but April hunting is 

 generally a failure. 



No sooner is a thorough-bred hunter seen in Leicestershire than 

 he is sold, if his owner is disposed to part with him. I rode 

 Shamrock at Stowe Wood, and the following morning he became 

 the property of Mr. Middlcton Biddulph — at a pycmiiMi of course, as 

 they say on 'Change. 



Friday, 6th.— Met Mr. Osbaldeston at Six Hills. Pound in 

 Cussington Gorse, the fox taking a beautiful line, as if thinking of 

 Melton Spinney ; but there was not an atom of scent. To my 

 surprise we drev/ Munday's Gorse blank, and a vast deal of country 

 besides, persevering till five o'clock. Amongst a host of sportsmen 

 from all parts of His Majesty's dominions, was Sir Edward Mostyn, 

 on the Clipper, for which horse he gave six hundred guineas. He 

 is certainly a very grand animal, although Nature has somewhat 

 defaced her work by giving him white stockings. Went with 

 Mr. Osbaldeston to Quorn, and, although past seven o'clock when 

 we arrived there, looked over the young hounds before we fed. 



Saturday, 7th. — Met the Quorn hounds at Widmerpool Inn. We 

 were a long time finding a fox this day. At half-past three o'clock, 

 however. Lord Kancliffe's wood at Bunny produced us a good one, 

 and we had half an hour very sharp, but lost him. I rode a 

 charming horse of Mr. Osbaldeston's, called Blucher, and had the 

 pleasure of hearing Mr. Biddulph say he would not take three 

 hundred guineas for little Shamrock, although he ran away twice 

 with him in the run. In the skurry, that straight-forward one. 

 Captain Frederick Berkeley, got a damper in a brook, Init it was a 

 yawner. 



Good hounds and sport are not naturally co-existing circumstances. 



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