IIEMIXISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 109 



hang in the thorny and most severe quarters of Odell 

 great wood, and other woods like it, I took the hint 

 from the effect it has in a gorse cover, and gave the 

 fox to the hounds in the midst of the bushes. What 

 effect all this had on the woodland foxes, the sequel 

 of this " true history" will show. 



The first of September approached ; and I remem- 

 ber dining at Bletsoe, just before its arrival, with 

 Mr. St. Leger. Mr. Magniac, from Colworth, dined 

 there, whom I had known as a hard rider, with 

 my stag-hounds, on a famous grey mare, and who 

 always loved hunting, and did his best to support 

 it on every occasion. He had covers at Colworth, 

 which were a sure find, and the foxes beautifully 

 preserved : a hospitable, kind-hearted gentleman, 

 who supported me well, — independently of the Oakley 

 Club, — throughout my stay in that country; and 

 I confess that one of the regrets that attended my 

 departure was, that I should have him no longer 

 for a neiohbour. Besides Mr. Mao-niac, there were 

 several others ; and as usual the conversation after 

 dinner turned on sport. Mr. St. Leger, rather 

 slightingly of my supposed bag on the first, asked 

 me what I expected to get ; adding I was deceived 

 if I thought there was much there. I replied that 

 I should do very well, and thought I should bag as 

 much, perhaps, as he did, or anybody in the room. This 

 was received with exclamations of derision, when, as 

 I heard that Mr. St. Leger did little else in the 

 sporting line but shoot, though always with a cigar 

 in his mouth, I added to my previous rashness, by 

 saying I was sure I should beat him. I said this 

 because I never saw a man do much at anything 

 who did two things at once, particularly when one 



