THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 183 



Kaby ventured to walk through the grounds of Quorndon 

 Hall (for such is the name of this celebrated hunting-box), 

 celebrated as having been the property and residence of 

 Mr. Meynell, and purchased of him by Lord Sefton and 

 found it exactly what Mr. Somerby had represented it to 

 be ; namely, a complete residence for a sportsman, afford- 

 ing all necessary accommodation, though divested of un- 

 necessary ornament, and pretending to nothing beyond 

 the residence of a quiet country gentleman. The grounds, 

 however, he found rather prettily laid out, having the 

 advantage of the river Soar running through them ; not 

 that there is much to admire beyond the fact of its being 

 water which makes all scenery agreeable in the still and 

 even flow of a deep Leicestershire stream. 



The next day to this was one of intense interest to our 

 hero, who was to make his first appearance with hounds 

 in Leicestershire, having been informed by a letter from 

 Mr. Somerby, that he had taken stables and apartments 

 for him at Melton Mowbray, and that he should have much 

 pleasure in paving the way to his arrival thither, by intro- 

 ducing him to some of the leading characters of the Quorn, 

 and also of the neighbouring hunts. He felt a buoyancy of 

 heart almost inexpressible on the occasion ; in fact, he 

 never before felt it beat so high, for, although fearless 

 in his person, he could not divest himself of the notion 

 that riding to hounds over Leicestershire, and amongst 

 Leicestershire men, was something very different to what 

 he had hitherto seen it in what Leicestershire men call 

 the " provincials." His master-passion, however, was well 

 roused on the occasion, and, without indulging himself in 

 the absurdity of being able to " dare impossibilities," was 

 determined to do his best. 



The fixture was Cream Lodge Gorse, in the township of 

 Great Dalby, and no misnomer either, forasmuch as it is 

 in the cream of the Quorn country ; and a horse called 

 Gentleman, one of the two purchased at Tattersall's, was 

 sent forward by our young sportsman for the occasion, he 

 himself following on his hack, his carriage having been 

 despatched to Melton with his luggage. On his arrival at 

 the cover, he was immediately met by Mr. Somerby, and, 

 in the course of the day, introduced by him to the follow- 

 ing leading characters of those truly sporting days : 



To Lord Sefton, of course, as master of the hounds, and 

 also to Mr. Meynell, who, although no longer a master, 



