"Lai Jack? 105 



could not go to the Newcastle Royal. Mr. Allan 

 Pearson's " Blue Joe " is by Joe, and the blood is so 

 diffused through the dales, that Mr. Nelson is " almost 

 beat to get a tup not akin to him." The Joe ewes 

 have been great winners in his hands, and it is upon 

 them rather than tups that he depends on show-days.* 

 Old Talleyrand, with his somewhat coarse coat, and 

 mane like a lion, came out of his pasture to greet us. 

 So did General, who had more of the Exmoor style 

 about him, and a very pretty lot of prize ewes. 



Pure-bred shorthorns have found their way to this 

 quiet lake-head. Cent.-per-Cent., by Booth's Wel- 

 come Guest, came, as his smart name would almost 

 denote, from Mr. Jefferson. St. George was there 

 from Nunwick Hall, and the herd were " as far bred 

 as a deal of folks," which is true enough. They have 

 won at Keswick and Cockermouth, and walk the 

 twelve miles to victory in the good old fashion. De- 

 licate as they may be deemed, there were turkeys in 

 the farmyard, and there, too, was " Lai Jack," from 

 Borrowdale, one of the most affectionate of foxes. 

 He is generally kept on porridge to prevent any 

 offensive smell ; but he seemed on that day to have 

 had a slight dividend from the Christmas black- 

 pudding preliminaries. The lake foxes are a great 

 nuisance, and Mount Beale in Burton's Combe is per- 



* Mr. Nelson showed but did not win at the Carlisle Royal, where 

 Mr. Robinson, of Orton, swept the board. Among the other great 

 breeders and showers are Mr. George Irving, of Wythop Hall (the 

 owner of Sportsman, of Mr. Allan Pearson of Lorton's breed) ; Mr. T. 

 Pearson, of Ennerdale ; Mr. George Brown, of Troutbeck, Ambleside ; 

 Mr. William Robson and Mr. Robert Briggs, of Wasdale Head 

 ("master of them all once"); Mr. Allan Pearson; Mr. C. Rawson, 

 of Nether Wasdale ; the Ritsons of Caldbeck ; Mr. John Tyson, of 

 Gillerthwaite, Ennerdale ; Mr. John Tyson, of Torr House, Ennerdale ; 

 Mr. Joseph Roger, of Threlkeld, Eskdale ; Mr. Ralph Tyson and Mr. 

 John Birkett, of Seathwaite, Borrowdale ; Mr. John Clarke, of Butter- 

 mere ; and Mr. John Sanderson, of Thornthwaite, near Keswick, &c. 

 Of these, Mr. John Tyson will lamb from 800 to 900 ewes, Mr. Nelson 

 about 600, and the rest from 500 to 400. 



