94 THE BROCKLESBY HOUNDS. [18G4 



vapid a life for Nimrod Long, and his heart sighed for the 

 excitement of the chase and the duties of the kennel. So, 

 having mentioned the matter to "The Druid," 1859 

 found him installed as second whipper-in to the Belvoir, 

 where a vacancy had unexpectedly occurred. The 

 following year he was promoted to be Jim Cooper's first 

 lieutenant, and at the end of the season, in 1861, he went 

 as first whipper-in and kennel huntsman to Major 

 Fletcher, who then hunted the South Berks country. He 

 left the next year to take the post of huntsman to the 

 Essex Union, under the Mastership of Mr. D. R. Scratton, 

 where he showed some excellent sport and did no little for 

 the good of the pack during his two years of office. 



Nimrod Long left Mr. Scratton and went to Brock- 

 lesby on May 6th, 1864, and he remained there, showing 

 the best of sport, and getting together a grand pack of 

 hounds, till he retired from service in 1877. 



Cub-hunting in 1864 began on April 22nd, at Waterhills, 

 Jack Hastings being Long's whipper-in, and Tom Smith, 

 now huntsman to the Bramham Moor, the second whipper- 

 in. There was only a poor scent, but Long managed to 

 register a kill on his first morning with the historic pack. 

 Old Will Long had several days with the hounds during 

 October, being mounted either by Lord Yarborough, Mr. 

 W. Wright, of Wold Lenton, or Mr. Quickfall, of Waltham. 

 Hounds were out thirty-six times during the cub-hunting 

 season, killing fifteen brace and marking five and a half 

 brace to ground. 



The first day of the regular hunting season, October 

 31st, was marked by some extraordinary occurrences. 

 Laceby Cross-roads had been the fixture, and a fair day's 

 sport had resulted in one fox being killed, and another 

 run to ground. It was to Jack Hastings' horse, Chanticleer, 

 a young thoroughbred, that the unusual event happened. 

 The first whipper-in was cantering across a grass field, 

 when his horse stopped suddenly, and fell on his knees, 

 and it was found on examination that he had broken both 

 pastern joints. Captain Larking also took a bad toss. 



