230 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN. 



elsewhere, and had sent him to tell me to come 

 and " not make any more useless noise." When 

 this message was delivered to me, neither of my 

 brothers knew that I had made anything but an 

 useless noise, and, as they had not had a shot, I 

 Avas highly amused when I reached them, carrying 

 at my "back the geese, and saw their disappointed 

 faces • but there was no more allusion to " an useless 

 noise.'" J^ver after that I declined to go goose- 

 shooting, and amused myself on goosing days with 

 my greyhounds. On any day during the period I 

 have mentioned Lord Fitzhardinge has it in his 

 power to say " he will go goose-shooting," as much 

 as he has it in his power to determine he will phea- 

 sant shoot, or anything else. At times, and in hard 

 weatlier, the geese number many thousands, and the 

 noise they make then when they rise is astonishing. 

 They get used to the shepherds or cow-herds, and to 

 the under keepers or " runners," as they are locally 

 called, and will let them come within forty or fifty 

 yards of them ; and, on horseback in a red coat, I 

 myself have ridden among them in about that dis- 

 tance, or certainly within eighty yards. A very 

 strange sight it is to see on those rich grazing 

 meadows, which carry immense droves of cattle, 

 thousands of wild geese mingled with cows and 

 oxen,' and often have I longed to be allowed to 

 stalk them with what in Pool Harbour would be 

 termed a great shoulder-gun ; oh, what a sweep 

 might in that way be had at them ! I am almost 

 afraid to say what I think, supposing the day 

 to be favourable, and the geese in what is called 

 "good humour" for it. Lord Malmsbury, Lord 

 Ossulston, and myself, could kill. I mention their 



