:]4() XIMROD'S HUNTING TOUR 



morning was most propitious ; Nature appeared in very gay attire ; 

 and, exclusive of ladies, upwards of three hundred horsemen, from 

 all, parts of England, formed the motley group. Amongst these, the 

 following conspicuous characters composed Mr. Nicoll's party : the 

 great John Ward ; the no less celebrated John, commonly called 

 Jack Wormald ; Mr. Spurrier ; Mr. Foljambe, master of the 

 Lincolnshire fox-hounds ; Sir Harry Goodricke, and Sir Bellingham 

 Graham. Mr. John Moore, as usual, was also in the neighbourhood 

 (at Mr. Compton's) ; a considerable party of sporting men at the 

 Inn at Lyndhurst ; and Billy Butler, being his forty-second 

 appearance. The Leicestershire dons did not bring their own 

 horses, but were very respectably mounted by Mr. Tilbury, who 

 sent eight hunters to Lyndhurst for their use. 



To give an account of sport with hounds on this occasion will not 

 do now ; but on the first day we were saved from one of the evils 

 attending April fox-hunting, by the keen eye and activity of Mr. 

 Foljambe, who jumped off his horse just in time to save a vixen fox 

 which gave suck from faUing prey to the pack. After the hounds 

 were taken away by Mr. Nicoll, she was put down, and, although 

 apparently injured by a gripe on her back, she trotted away as if 

 nothing had happened. 



April fox-hunting never can be good ; but this was a most scent- 

 less week, even in the New Forest, where hounds generally catch a 

 scent by some means. To cut the matter short, we had but one 

 pretty run out of four days' meeting ; but we saw a deal of good 

 hunting — picking it out by the inch — and we witnessed great skill in 

 oiu' huntsman. I remember saying to myself, the second day we 

 were out with a very perplexing scent, " Well, considering our 

 huntsman told us last night, that, to make a huntsman perfect, hia 

 lips should he scived together, I never saw hounds lifted better tlmn 

 these have been this day." To say he lifted them off the (jround 

 would be too figurative an expression ; but he certainly did it to a 

 charm, and his scream was thrilling and good. However, we might 

 as well say Horace was a stupid fellow, and Demosthenes no spokes- 

 man, as to say Mr. Nicoll is not a huntsman ; for he is one : but 

 what cannot a master-mind like his accomplish — particularly when 

 directed principally to one point ? 



