First Whipper-in. 173 



Lord Herbert improved his stud and used to knock along, 

 but his hunting career with the South Durham hounds was 

 Hmited, unfortunately. He had two greys, one I have 

 mentioned and the other Sir William Eden bought. 



One day. Lord Herbert asked me what sort of sport 

 we'd been having, and, after giving him details of our pro- 

 ceedings, I hoped that he had been enjoying good sport in 

 Ireland, which he answered, with a smile, " that he and the 

 present Marquis of Londonderry had divided eighteen falls 

 there in one week ! " A pretty good record. 



Very few ladies hunted in those days. I can only 

 remember Lady Aline, Mrs. Ord, Mrs. Gourley, from Hartle- 

 pool, with a little boy in a velvet hunting cap, whom I 

 blooded, and who wouldn't leave us till the hounds went 

 home : Mrs. Thompson of Dyke House, who rode a grey, 

 and one or two more. 



Mr. George Metcalf Watson, who lives at Maltby now, 

 was an enthusiastic hunter then ; he never was a break-neck 

 rider, but was very fond of hunting and saw a lot of sport, 

 as did his brother, who came out with us at this period. 

 Then there was Mr. R. C. Denton, who seldom missed a 

 day ; he had a very good black mare with a lot of quality, 

 and she went, I believe, to carry the Marquis of Zetland, 

 to whom she gave great satisfaction. Mr. Denton had also 

 a thick-set bay mare, " a little big 'un," which carried him 

 wonderfully well. He was a keen 'un in the hunting field — 

 went well; bred some good horses, and was altogether a 

 downright sportsman. A good sort was his brother, Mr. 

 John P. Denton, who occasionally hunted with us on an 

 animal of gigantic proportions, which was more like a giraffe 

 than a hunter, and which we called the " Clothes-horse." 

 Mr. John was always in wonderful spirits, and could turn 



