is:37] THE FIRST WILL SMITH. G7 



the following extract from the old huntsman's diary may- 

 be of interest, as showing how the Brocklesby pack were 

 managed during the first half of the nineteenth century : — 



"I have this year given up my old Primo mare, my last cub-hunter, in hope 

 she may carry Lord Yarborongh, who is now selecting small horses to carry him, 

 as the doctors recommend him to ride small horses and not to attempt a large 

 leap. Four horses liave been bought to prepare for his lordship, but I think none 

 so likely as the old mare. She so perfectly knows her business, but goes near the 

 ground, which his lordship never likes. But horses fourteen and a half high, with 

 power and action, and quiet, are difficult to meet with. I this j'ear experience a 

 difficulty through having parted with my son William in the spring, he having 

 gone to Lord Lonsdale, and during the summer I have not been able to get a 

 whipper-in, though I have written to all the huntsmen I know. 



" From this time the second whipper-in is to dress his horse after hunting, 

 which has not been the case for many years ; but a more uncomfortable circum- 

 stance to him is that, after dressing his liorse, he has to cook his own dinner, 

 being allowed wages and board wages, and not allowed access to the Hall, a 

 comfort which men in liis situation have ever before experienced. When I was 

 whipper-in I dressed my horse after hunting, and attended the stable afterwards : 

 but we had always a good hot dinner provided. But now they are to cook for 

 themselves, which must be after dressing their horses. I am now taking John 

 Backhouse as second whipper-in, who has assisted me during the summer. He 

 has for the last three or four years been helper, and has ridden the young horses ; 

 he has a wife and family at Keelby. He so far is quite as handy as I can 

 expect." 



Cub-hunting would have commenced earlier but that 

 the staff were short of hacks, and the ground was very 

 hard for some time. Then came some welcome rain, and 

 the young hounds entered well, it being recorded that 

 they were remarkably free from riot and never once killed 

 a hare. They were out twenty-two mornings and killed 

 twenty-four foxes; but, thanks to the new system of earth - 

 stopping (before referred to, and against which Smith never 

 ceased to revile), no fewer than fifteen were marked to 

 ground, many of which they must otherwise have caught. 

 The staff continued to ride their hacks till October 27th, 

 though the season proper opened on October 16th. A 

 meet was fixed at Cuxwold for November 3rd, to oblige 

 Sir Eichard Sutton and Colonel Lowther ; but the former 

 could not come, being very unwell. 



Nearly every day during the early part of the season 

 one finds in the diaries an outcry against the new system 



