THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 59 



present itself to the bull-terrier, who leaped from the bank 

 on his prey, and a terrible conflict commenced. The otter 

 instantly dived below the surface, carrying the dog with 

 him ; and, had not the severity of his bite obliged the 

 otter to let go his hold, Lion would have been very shortly 

 drowned. But the animal had received a wound from 

 the strong jaws of Lion, which so crippled his powers r 

 that in less than half an hour from the time he was first 

 fouud, Mr. Wright exhibited him on his spear-head, to- 

 the great joy of the party, and particularly of Frank 

 Raby, who, to use the words of Taplin, one of the sporting 

 authorities of that day, was " ecstatic with delight." Un- 

 able to find another, the sportsmen returned to their 

 homes, Frank and the huntsman having been previously 

 refreshed by the honest-hearted master of this small pack. 



" Well, Frank," said Mr. Raby to him, 011 his return, 

 " how do you like otter-hunting ? " " Oh, very good fun," 

 he replied ; " but not so good as hunting with our own 

 hounds, because it is so soon over, for one reason ; and 

 again, I don't much like hunting on foot. But, papa, I 

 could have told all about it from those lines Mr. Egerton 

 read to us last night, in the library, from Someville's 

 ' Chase.' It is quite curious how well he described every- 

 thing I saw with Mr. Wright's hounds. What a sports- 

 man Mr. Someville must have been, eh, papa ! " 



" Why," replied Mr. Raby, " I am unable to speak de- 

 cidedly on that point ; but he was an amiable man, and 

 a good country gentleman ; although, by his liberality 

 exceeding his means, he greatly injured his estate, but not 

 his family, for he had none. Doctor Johnson, however, 

 who lately wrote his life, as a poet (the Doctor, I presume, 

 could say nothing of him as a sportsman,) allows him one 

 merit that of setting a good example to men of his own 

 cla>s, by devoting part of his time to elegant knowledge ; 

 and showing, by the subjects which his poetry has adorned, 

 that it is practicable to be at once a skilful sportsman and 

 a man of letters a hint which I trust, Frank, you will 

 take to yourself. But the Doctor could not let him off 

 without a slap. He says ' He writes very well for a gentle- 

 man.' " 



" Well," resumed Frank, " I shouldn't wonder but 

 Wilkius, who drives the Balloon coach, had been reading 

 what Dr. Johnson said of Mr. Someville ; for, on my 

 asking him, the other day, if Sir John Inkleton was not a 



