First Whipper-in 193 



Claxon's place was a very fine rider, and no mistake, but 

 not quite the huntsman for our country; we had good 

 sport in the November of his only season, especially during 

 the week of November 21st, when we met at Trimdon on 

 the Monday, Travellers' Rest on the Wednesday, and Great 

 Stainton on the Friday. Again at Trimdon on January 

 25th, 1888, we had two clipping runs, the first of an hour 

 and ten minutes, and the second of forty minutes. Gilson, 

 I remember, rode "Periwinkle" this day, a little bay mare, 

 which I fancy Mr. George Lambton afterwards got to ride 

 as a hack at Newmarket ; she was a wonderful good and 

 well made little animal, something after the style of Mrs. 

 Ord's favourite mare " Sweetsound," with short back and 

 broad quarters — a little big 'un. I was mounted on a little 

 chestnut mare — four years old, and not of much account, 

 and she tired pretty soon, but did not come down, though 

 I expected her to do so at every fence towards the finish. 

 On the whole I may say my hunting career was pretty free 

 from accidents ; in addition to the slight one already men- 

 tioned, I had a nasty one against Humbleknowle covert 

 during Sir William's second mastership. The mare I was 

 riding (an old chestnut mare we got off Mr. R. Denton) 

 swung herself round after jumping a fence, and caught my 

 toe against the gate post (the gate was standmg open) ; I 

 thought I was only stunned for a moment, but when I tried 

 to put my toe into the iron again I found that my leg 

 was broken : so I turned the mare's head, after telling the 

 second whipper in (Jim Hughes) about it, homewards and 

 rode back to Rushyford ; on the way my leg swelled, and 

 I thought that I should have to stop to have my boot cut 

 off, but I persevered on and got home, when I had my 

 breeches and boots cut off. George Hirst, a sporting farmer, 



