308 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN 



Men who are nervous and fidgety, and who on that account 

 will not be still at places where they are desired to stand, are for 

 ever getting into danger. A very good illustration of this was 

 afforded by my worthy friend Mr. Minasi, who was always under 

 the idea that he was likely to be shot. We were posted near 

 each other once, in a wood at Spetchley Park, near Worcester, 

 the property of my brother-in-law, Mr. Robert Berkeley, where 

 there was a good deal of ground game. Having taken up our 

 positions, although I kept sight of the oak tree under which I 

 had left Mr. Minasi, on taking my place I called out to him to 

 answer me, that I might still be the better assured of his locality, 

 and received in reply the words " Here I am." Well assured of 

 his position, I shot game each side of him, rattling the shot I 

 have no doubt in his vicinity, but taking care that they went in 

 a safe direction. I had just reloaded, and was on the point of 

 firing again, when I heard the words, " Here I am," directly from 

 the spot towards which my gun was levelled, and had they been 

 uttered half a second later, I should to my horror have bagged 

 my friend as well as the rabbit. Having told Mr. Minasi, then, 

 " to keep where he was," the ground game again began tumbling 

 all round him, and very soon after the words " Here I am " arose 

 in a new place, and it was the greatest possible mercy that this 

 nervousness and change of position had not led to a serious 

 accident. Not long after this my friend, from some other hand, 

 received a shot in the upper lip. 



Spetchley is a beautiful place for game, combining first-rate 

 pheasant, hare, and rabbit-shooting, with very good partridge- 

 shooting ; its park affords some excellent venison, and its little 

 lake some wild-fowl. The best partridge-shooting I ever had 

 was at Prestwood, the beautiful seat of Mr. John Foley, also in 

 Worcestershire, than which I know not a more enjoyable place 

 in the kingdom. It has around it a very handsome park, 

 beautifully situated for deer, if it pleased its owner to have 

 them, while at the same time there is water enough for wild-fowl 

 and pike-fishing to any amount, provided its resources on that 

 head were developed and nursed. I am perfectly convinced that 



