252 THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



" I have been elected a member of the Stratford Hunt 

 Club, which dine together every day, at the head inn in the 

 town, the room in which they dine being honoured with 

 the title of one of Shakspeare's plays. Mr. Corbet gives us 

 his company every Thursday, when numerous visitors are 

 added to our party, and he generally gives us a dinner at 

 his house once in the course of the week. We have great 

 fun in the ' Tempest,' for that is the name of our room ; 

 but beyond a bottle of claret, and the wine drunk at 

 dinner, nothing like excess is committed. Great part of 

 the 'fun' proceeds from handicapping our horses, and 

 sporting our hands when the award is made ; but beyond 

 a few pounds hazarded in this way, and five or ten pounds 

 on a rubber at whist, nothing like gambling is practised 

 in the ' Tempest.' But perhaps the most interesting part 

 of my letter may be a description of some of the leading 

 members of this celebrated hunt. First, then, let me tell 

 you, there are two brothers, by the name of Cannons, 

 Warwickshire men, who are absolute prodigies in the 

 field, the younger one especially, whose name is Robert. 

 'The elder rides, at least, seventeen stone and a half, and 

 Robert sixteen stone ; notwithstanding which, not a light- 

 weight in the country can beat them ; in fact, Robert is 

 -decidedly the best man in the hunt, let the pace or the 

 -country be what it may. But what surprises me is, in 

 the first place, the extraordinary sort of eagle-eye this man 

 I mean the younger Cannons has to a country, when 

 making his way over it with hounds, and also when re- 

 turning home after hunting, when he may be called the 

 oracle of the field. ' Which is the best way ? ' says one. 

 *Ask Robert Cannons,' is the answer invariably given. 

 Then his coolness, when hounds are running, also 

 astonishes me. He never appears to be in a hurry, much 

 less in a nutter ; and I have already derived more instruc- 

 tion from seeing him ride to hounds than I have hitherto 

 derived from all former experience. And, added to all 

 these good qualities, as a horseman in the field, he has 

 the most beautiful and light hand on his horse I have 

 ever yet beheld ; he never is seen quarrelling with, or 

 molesting him in any way, but, as though they were 

 incorporated with each other, they go sailing along, like 

 a ship before the wind, and very nearly as straight. In 

 fact, few fences can stop this fine sportsman for such he 

 likewise is by reason of the weight of metal himself and 



