374 The Hunting Countries of England. 



borne Chace^ and, lastly _, a rough bat sportiog district 

 on tlie verge of the New Forest. The Yale occupies 

 the west of the country; and the best of it — from 

 Shillington to Gillingham — runs up between Stur- 

 minster and Shaftesbury, to dovetail in with the South- 

 and-West Wilts and the Blackmoor Yale. It thus 

 forms a close and valuable addition — almost an 

 integral part — of the pleasant hunting grounds for 

 which Sherborne — the Melton of the west — is the 

 chief resort and base. Sherborne and its immediate 

 surroundings have already been dealt with in these 

 sketches, under the head of the Blackmoor Yale. 

 But its vicinity bears so directly upon any description 

 of Lord Portman^s country, that it is impossible to 

 avoid allusion here. The largest and the hardest 

 riding field that comes out with Lord Portman (it 

 would be hard to find one to surpass it anywhere in 

 the latter respect) is when his hounds are in the vale, 

 within reach of Sherborne. Nor is it difficult to 

 appreciate the causes that tend to the popularity 

 enjoyed by Sherborne. Not only is it within eas}' 

 reach of anywhere west of London; but, while offering 

 unusually good country and ample hunting, it does 

 not call for anything like the exaggerated stud that 

 is held necessary for a campaign at certain quarters in 

 the Midlands. At Sherborne, I am led to believe, a 

 man starting with half a dozen sound and well-con- 

 ditioned horses (or, if he have luck, with even one or 

 two less) may see all the sport, and see it as well as 

 his fellows. The luxury o£ a second horse is very 

 much the exception; and is, indeed, held to be almost 

 superfluous. The distances to covert are not great. 



