180 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



already from want of blood) — you must excuse us if we 

 do just step in towards the end of the day, and turn the 

 tide, should it be in our power. You may depend upon 

 our silence and orderly conduct up to this point." 



Sending for Jim, I gave my orders for the next day 

 about the horses, and that he was to go also. I could 

 see how pleased he was with this arrangement. Mr. 

 Slowman was rather nervous in the morning, having, I 

 think, taken an over-dose of aqua vitce the night before, 

 and possibly a trifle of hot-and-hot after breakfast. He 

 had the character of sacrificing pretty largely at the altar 

 of Bacchus ; but running a fox over the mahogany and 

 over the open are very distinct affairs ; and he who does 

 the first very well will generally fail in the other. No 

 man can drink hard and work hard. I knew two sport- 

 ing characters once, who kept a pack of scratch hounds, 

 which would run anything, from a rabbit to a red deer, 

 and, when no game was to be found, sometimes a red 

 herring — anything for a gallop. These worthies could 

 not ride over a fence without being well primed at start- 

 ing with strong brandy and water. They would then 

 go at anything ; but as soon as the powder was out they 

 were all abroad, and could not go on without fresh 

 priming at some public-house — nerves they had none. 



Mr. Slowman having marshalled his pack, we all rode 

 on quietly together to the place of meeting, about five 

 miles from the kennel, my attention being occupied with 

 the hounds, in looking them well over, and asking their 

 names. The fixture being a favourite one, we had a 

 good muster ; but I observed that dark colours prepon- 

 derated over scarlet. My reverend friend appeared 

 pleased to see me accompanying his old favourite, and 



