THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 353 



relating to you a run I saw yesterday, in the Atherstone 

 country. The beautiful pack of bitches met at Sibson. 

 The morning was immoderately stormy, and, as far as 

 human foresight extended, perfectly inimical to scent and 

 sport ; but the result proved how fallible is human judg- 

 ment ! We drew the wolds and Welsborough Gorse blank. 

 "\Ve then proceeded to Sutton Hambion, and the hounds 

 had scarcely been in the cover a minute before the electric 

 sounds of ' Tally-ho ! ' ' Gone-away ! ' were audible, and 

 the fox broke in the most gallant style. The moment 

 the hounds were laid on the scent, it was evident we were 

 in for a run ; and away they went, with heads up, and 

 sterns down, to Bosworth, where the hounds, and a few 

 of the first-flight men, got a view of the fox. It was but 

 a peep, however, and away we went again, the hounds 

 appearing bent upon conquest the pace up to this 

 moment having been a flyiiuj one. He then made his 

 line for Kirkby, leaving the Gorse to the left, as if 

 Burbage Wood were his next point ; but the hounds 

 pressed him so hard, that he went farther a-field ; and, 

 to come to the end of my story, he was killed at the end 

 of one hour and fifty-five minutes, during which time 

 nothing occurred which could be called a check. The 

 country being awfully deep, and the pace throughout 

 fast in the extreme, several disasters occurred, and 

 veterinary surgeons were in request, on the morrow, in 

 more directions than one. 



" By-the-bye, I do not recollect having told you that I 

 hunted one week in Yorkshire, with the hounds of the 

 far-famed Earl of Darlington. He has a noble establish- 

 ment of hounds and horses, a most extensive country, 

 and he performs the office of huntsmen both in the field 

 and in the kennel. He is a superb horseman over a 

 country as well, and altogether a sportsman, being one 

 of the leading men in the north on the turf. He is, like- 

 wise for I had the honour of passing two days with him 

 at his castle one of the most lively and agreeable com- 

 panions I ever met with over a bottle of claret, abounding 

 with anecdotes, and having a most agreeable manner of 

 relating them. What think you of his feeding his hounds 

 in a smock-frock ? which I saw him do twice. I hope some 

 day to do the same by mine, that is, when I have them 

 to feed. His Lordship also keeps a diary of each day's 

 sport, written with much spirit, and showing that his 



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