Fifth Duke of Oxford. 217 



getting none of the ruins of Rivaulx Abbey, a little 

 further down the valley. The Griff Farm, the scene 

 of Old Anna's glories, to which we were bound, lies 

 about a quarter of a mile from the park, along a field 

 route, lined at intervals with those dark green holly 

 trees peculiar to this Riding, and which catch a 

 stranger's eye at once from their enormous size. Ear 

 however, came into play before eye, when we at last 

 neared the box of the Fifth Duke of Oxford, and 

 were saluted with a roar quite worthy, in its depth and 

 tone, of a Libyan King of Beasts. He looked the 

 character to the life, with that shaggy lion-like old 

 head and mane, as he was at last led forth, snorting, 

 in blinkers. The fine length, beautiful touch, and rare 

 union of hip, loin, and rump take the eye as much as 

 ever ; but although he had been reduced some twenty 

 stone since he wore the Chester and Northallerton 

 prize ribbons, his day of usefulness, like his temper, 

 was gone. Feeding for show had done its fatal work. 

 The 5/. prize at the Cleveland Show was his maiden 

 one at two years old. In 1856 he took the bronze 

 medal, -.which is equivalent to an H. C. at Paris ; and 

 at Rotherham that year he only bowed to Grand 

 Turk. His son Skyrocket, from Swift, who faced 

 Prince Imperial in the next place, did not serve till he 

 was banished for penance to some poor land at 

 Cockayne, adjoining the moors ; and it was his fate to 

 stand at the head of that splendid class of old bulls, 

 at the Leeds Royal, with Royal Turk as his second. 

 In the winter of that year he was presented to the 

 poor of that town, and finished his career in the soup 

 caldron. 



Lord Feversham was not exactly a sportsman, 

 although he lent a solid support to the Bedale and 

 Sinnington packs. We never remember meeting his 

 lordship on any race-course but Doncaster, and then 

 he would generally see the St. Leger from about the 

 centre of the " Badsworth Gallery." He was not 



