A HUNT WITH THE EARL OF LONSDALE 155 



Lord Lonsdale was riding the grey horse White 

 Cap, the big dog-hounds, keen and alert, swarming 

 round the heels of their huntsman's horse as he 

 moved awa^-^ from the fixture. In type and appear- 

 ance they were identical with the Belvoir, though 

 the standard of height is nearly an inch bigger than 

 the Duke of Rutland's. All the hunt staff were on 

 bang-tailed chestnuts of a thoroughbred stamp, 

 and never so much as a wisp of mane was to be 

 seen on any of them. Lord Lonsdale's system of 

 hunting hounds is by voice and whistle, though at 



The Earl of Lonsdale on White Cap. 



the same time he is a good performer on the horn ; 

 and by the way they fly to him, it is easy to see he 

 wins their hearts and confidence. 



The hunt moved across to Ruston Blackthorn, 

 a large tract of woodland, but even the deep notes 

 of his lordship's voice and diHgent search of the big 

 dog-hounds failed to charm a fox from his lair. 

 The prospect of a scent was none of the best, owing 

 to the bright sunshine and the parched state of 

 the ground, but there was a business-hke air about 

 the hunt that foreshadowed stirring events directly 

 the supreme moment arrived. The master's grey 

 horse, recently purchased at Mr. E. D. Morgan's 

 sale for 625 guineas, was handy as a lady's-maid, 



