First Whipper-in. 201 



and that was his secret and main gift. He was a gallant 

 fellow, too, as he aferwards entered the horse and rode 

 himself at the Sedgefield Steeplechase, and got a roll, too. 

 He came from Lord Macclesfield's and hunted the Durham 

 county for seven seasons, and the South Durham for two 

 seasons. He was huntsman in the year 1871, when the 

 whole of the pack had to be destroyed owing to the out- 

 break of dumb madness, after which a fresh pack was got 

 together by presents of drafts of odd couples from countries 

 all over England, which accounted for their being rather a 

 scratch lot when I came first into the country in 1874. I 

 have always heard that Dowdeswell was a good man over 

 the country, and had a fine hunting voice, and that he 

 never went better than when mounted on his old favourite 

 " Blueskin,"* which carried him so many seasons ; when 

 we came to Hardwick he had " Oatmeal " and " Lightning," 

 and a big brown horse with two white hind legs that 

 Mr. Harvey gave to farmer Waugh of Newtown Ketton 

 in 1875. Tommy Dowdeswell used to crack a lot about 

 "Oatmeal" and "Lightning," and won a jumping prize 

 at Sedgefield with the latter; he was a very good weight 

 carrying hunter, but a trifle slow, and with a cove like me 

 on his back he was lost for want of a turn of speed. 



Talking of Sedgefield there was always a sporting lot 

 of farmers and tradesmen in that ^district ; amongst the 

 former was Mr. R. F. Trenholm, of Butterwick, who was 



♦ Mr. Harvey was travelling by rail one day when two young men who were in the same 

 carriage, and strangers to him, began to abuse Dowdeswell alike as a huntsman 

 and horseman. After listening for some time Mr. Harvey turned round and said, 

 " Young men, you may be good riders, and are probably well mounted, but I '11 back 

 Dowdeswell to ride old "Blueskin" against both of you over five miles of fair 

 hunting country, and what is more he shall give you both twenty minutes start!" 

 They looked at each other in silence, and got out of the carriage at the first 

 stopping station ! 



