68 The Hunting Countries of England. 



your way_, and how to avoid the muddy, fresh granited 

 roads. Geography is not — may we be pardoned for 

 saying ? — the strong point of the Meltonian. Each 

 has his own way to covert ; but it by no means always 

 happens that he has one to take him home. It does 

 not chime in with his creed to know the country — 

 and the creed is not altogether an unsound one. 

 When hounds are running, he will ride best to them 

 who can attend solely to what they are doing, and 

 blind himself to the direction the fox may be taking. 

 Thus will novelty never be wanting, and enjoyment 

 reaped where others are grumbling because they have 

 ridden this line before. 



Melton, then, commands the Quorn on Mondays and 

 Fridays, and on Thursday there is either a byeday 

 with that pack, or the Cottesmore are in reach, or 

 else Mr. Tailby is in the north of his country. On 

 Tuesdays the Cottesmore, and on Wednesdays the 

 Belvoir, are always at hand; while on alternate 

 Saturdays these packs take it in turn to be close to 

 Melton. Thus, it will be seen, the six days are pretty 

 well occupied ; and, unless you wish to have Melton 

 all to yourself for a day, you must have horses enough 

 to carry you on all six. Half a dozen thoroughly 

 seasoned, and conditioned, hunters will see you through 

 the winter, with luck ; especially if a fortnight's frost 

 comes at the time you could best do with it. But 

 with this number, and with everything in your favour, 

 you will often have to come home early in the day 

 and miss many an afternoon gallop. Two horses a 

 day (besides the hack who, from some extraordinary 

 combination of virtues, is able to come out nearly 



