LETTER XVI. 171 



suit, and, with the assistance of dirt and grease, had be- 

 come of a most sombre hue. The hounds, too, were 

 nearly all dark colours also, and the the whippers-in as 

 to costume quite on a par with their leader. The country 

 was dirty enough, and taking them altogether, men, 

 horses, and hounds, the most dark looking lot I had ever 

 met with. They had, however, their merits — the men 

 knew their business, as they had been rather a long time 

 at it, and the hounds were the finest and cleverest I had 

 ever seen. All they required was another huntsman. 



After the salutations of the morning had passed, my 

 reverend friend (who was a good judge of hounds) began 

 scanning my pack over, casting certain lowering looks at 

 the whippers-in, who were rather dandies in their way, 

 and not at all suited to his taste. The hounds, he re- 

 marked, were a fairish lot to look at, but not to be com- 

 pared to their pack ; this I, of course, admitted. He 

 then observed that we should find this a different country 

 to our own, and must not expect to kill many foxes* 

 " No doubt, Sir, we have everything against us, but I 

 hope you will not be able to laugh at us when we leave 

 you." I then asked him a few questions about the 

 coverts we had to draw, foxes, &c., and their line of 

 running, to all of which he gave me ever}^ information in 

 his power, but with a sneering manner, which plainly 

 said, " You are no favourite with me." This I of course 

 expected : we all like our own things best, and I little 

 thought to make a convert of one who was a stickler for 

 the old school. 



As soon as our field had assembled, which was a large 

 one for that country, all wishing to have a look at the 

 strangers, we proceeded to business, by going to the ex- 



