42 The Hunting Countries of England. 



were long hunted as one : and^ while this was the 

 case Lincoln was almost always chosen as the head- 

 quarters of the master. Sir Richard Sutton lived 

 there during his term of office ; so did Lord Henry 

 Bentinck ; and so did Mr. Chaplin, when he kept two 

 packs and found eight days sport in the week for the 

 country. Indeed, whether as master, or as one inde- 

 pendent of all ties of place or position, it would be 

 difficult to point to any other spot to pitch your tent 

 with a view to hunting with the two packs. 



Lincoln is less than three hours and a half from 

 King^s Cross. Be careful how you handle Bradshaw 

 when you meditate a first visit there : or the Great 

 Northern may entice you an hour further round by 

 Spalding and Boston. Your way is by Peterboro 

 and Grantham, and by this route you may practise 

 your eye all the while over a hunting country, before 

 coming once again into more active contact with 

 the half -forgotten fences. Thus may you brush off 

 much of the six months^ rust that have accumulated 

 on your perception, sharpen again the instinct 

 that was before so keen, revive your memory, 

 and reanimate the spirit that for months has lain 

 dormant. 



The Burton and Blankney countries are in many 

 respects very similar. The high tableland known as 

 the Cliff runs north and south through both of them ; 

 and so does the stiff clay valley between it and the 

 wolds. Light plough, divided by stone walls into 

 fields of many acres, covers the limestone of the Cliff, 

 which is much narrower in the Burton country (in 

 parts only three or four miles across) than where it 



