THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 33 



and distinct, as well as cheerful and musical in the ex- 

 treme. His scream, or view-halloo, is, indeed, wonderful, 

 thrilling through the heart and nerves of all who are 

 within hearing of it. He is as great a favourite with the 

 farmers, as he is popular among his equals ; and he has 

 secured the esteem of the former by the following praise- 

 worthy conduct : Although he is very punctual to his 

 time of throwing off, and would not wait more than ten 

 minutes for a duke, he will wait twenty for some graziers, 

 whose horses he sees at the cover's-side, when he knows 

 there is a cattle-fair in the neighbourhood, at which their 

 presence is required. He here shows that acuteness and 

 right judgment which are conspicuous throughout his 

 entire character, and have led to the eminence he has 

 attained, as the master of a pack of foxhounds in the 

 finest country in England." 



Mr. Baby. " I am delighted with your description of this 

 fine sportsman ; will you favour me with some account of 

 his establishment ? " a question suggested by Frank, who 

 whispered in his father's ear that he should like to know 

 the name of Mr. Meynell's huntsman. 



Mr. /Somei%. " With the greatest pleasure. I shall 

 not feel weary of recapitulating scenes and circumstances 

 which have ;been, and I hope will continue to be, the 

 source of the chief pleasure of my life. Mr. Meynell has 

 two packs of hounds ; one called the young, and the other 

 the old pack ; the latter consisting of hounds of three 

 years old and upwards, none of two years old being 

 admitted into it, unless a very high opinion be enter- 

 tained of their steadiness and abilities. The young pack 

 are hunted twice a week, in woodlands as much as possible, 

 and in the least popular covers, having a few steady old 

 hounds to assist them ; and it is to the old pack that the 

 best parts of the county are assigned, in which they meet 

 four days in the week, when the weather permits. 



" The name of Mr. Meynell's huntsman is John Raven, 

 a man of good parts, and of peculiarly sportsmanlike 

 appearance. He has the eye of a hawk, the voice of a 

 stentor, is a good sportsman, and not to be excelled in 

 horsemanship. (At these words Frank's eye glistened. 

 and he was heard to heave a sigh as much as to say, 

 How I should like to see that man !) His two whippers- 

 in are equally effective with himself ; but, strange to 

 say, one of them (Jones) has but one leg, having suffered 



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