RIOT INDUCED BY A HUNTSMAN. 175 



man to go to, came out and sat round my horse's 

 legs, where I was most happy that they should sit 

 till the insane men who were wronging them were 

 tired, and had come to their right understanding. 

 My anger may be more easily guessed than described, 

 when Mr. Wilkins and a whipper-in came flying round 

 the corner ; and the word was, " Damn 'em, pitch 

 into 'em all ! " I believe they were nettled still with 

 a petty jealousy, that the hounds had sought me out 

 for safety. I told them they were all mad together, 

 and I wished to go away, not to see it ; but had I 

 gone I should have had to have put up half the pack 

 at my lodgings, for every bush had a hound in it 

 peeping out to see whom they could with safety fol- 

 low. After what I have narrated, I think I am jus- 

 tified in saying that the experience I had of him, 

 did not raise Stephens much in my opinion as a 

 huntsman. I saw no man, in fact, while Mr. Wilkins 

 had the hounds, that I should have retained in my 

 service a day, unless they had strangely altered their 

 conduct in the field with hounds as well as elsewhere, 

 except young Ball, whom they had from me. He 

 was first a helper in my stable, and knowing old Tom 

 Ball, who whipped in for Lord Tavistock, before I 

 took the country, I put him up occasionally as second 

 whipper-in. He was a fine horseman, and had he re- 

 mained with me I should have had no hesitation in 

 promoting him, as I approved highly of what I saw. 

 He was with Mr. Wilkins, under Jack Stephens, for 

 some time, and then left for other service, and I lost 

 sight of him. 



In these Reminiscences I am averse to touching on 

 anything unless it has to do with sport ; if sport be 

 mixed up with other passages of life, then I feel no 



