MR. SPONGE'S SPORTING TOUR. 2S9 



thing — some for show — some for fashion — some for health — some 

 for appetites — some for coffee-housing — some to say they have 

 hunted — some because others hunt. 



Mr. Jogglebury Crowdey did not hunt from any of these motives, 

 and it would puzzle a conjurer to make out why he hunted ; indeed, 

 the members of the different hunts he patronised — for he was one 

 of the round-about, non-subscribing sort — were long in finding 

 out. It was observed that he generally affected countries abound- 

 ing in large woods, such as Stretchaway Forest, Hazelbury Chase, 

 and Oakington Banks, into which he would dive with the greatest 

 avidity. At first people thought he was a very keen hand, anxious 

 to see a fox handsomely found, if he could not see him handsomely 

 finished, against which latter luxury his figure and activity, or want 

 of activity, were somewhat opposed. Indeed, when we say that he 

 went by the name of the Woolpack, our readers will be able to ima- 

 gine the style of man he was : long-headed, short-necked, large- 

 girthed, dumpling-legged little fellow, who, like most fat men, made 

 himself dangerous by compressing a most unreasonable stomach into 

 a circumscribed coat, each particular button of which looked as if 

 it w r as ready to burst off, and knock out the eye of any one who 

 might have the temerity to ride alongside of him. He was a puffy, 

 Avheezy, sententious little fellow, who accompanied his parables with 

 a snort into a large finely -plaited shirt-frill, reaching nearly up to 

 his nose. His hunting-costume consisted of a black coat and 

 waistcoat, with white moleskin breeches, much cracked and darned 

 about the knees and other parts, as nether garments made of that 

 treacherous stuff often are. Hi3 shapeless tops, made regard- 

 less of the refinements of "right and left," dangled at his horse's 

 sides like a couple of stable-buckets ; and he carried his heavy iron 

 hammer-headed whip over his shoulder like a flail. But we are 

 drawing his portrait instead of saying why he hunted. Well, then, 

 having married Mrs. Springwheat's sister, who was always boasting 

 to Mrs. Crowdey what a loving, doating husband Springey was 

 after hunting, Mrs. Crowdey had induced Crowdey to try his hand, 

 and though soon satisfied that he hadn't the slightest taste for the 

 sport, but being a great man for what he called gibbey-sticks, he 

 hunted for the purpose of finding them. As we said before, 

 he generally appeared at large woodlands, into which he would 

 ride with the hounds, plunging through the stiffesfc clay, and forc- 

 ing his way through the strongest thickets, making observations all 

 the while of the hazels, and the hollies, and the blackthorns, and, 

 we are sorry to say, sometimes of the young oaks and ashes, that 

 he thought would fashion into curious-handled walking-sticks ; 

 and these he would return for at a future day, getting them with 

 as large clubs as possible, which he would cut into the heads of 

 beasts or birds, or fishes, or men. At the time of which we are 



