136 



CHAP. V. 



A Day with the Hounds. — Opening the Campaign. — All fair 

 in War. — Bone versus Blood. — Blood versus Bone. — Cha- 

 racters in the Field. — H. H. doing the Honours. 



Shortly after sending the above general ideas 

 of mine to my friend^ cub -hunting was over ; the 

 regular fixtures were given out; and, as I had 

 proposed, I prepared to have a ride with my friend 

 with hounds, as I before had on the road, and in 

 Hyde Park. I invited him to spend what time he 

 could spare with me, of course giving, as a reason, 

 the pleasure his society would afford me. My 

 motive, however, was this; I thought it better 

 he should show any want of hunting habits in a 

 strange country, than in his own. I engaged a 

 comfortable stable for him with a coach-house for 

 a box at a small inn close by, not having a 

 vacant stall at my own place; sooth to say, I 

 seldom had, live where I would. 



He sent down four horses ; the bay we have 

 so admired before, the memorable grey, and two 

 my friend had bought for him, l3oth as nice 

 specimens of hunters as could be seen, and, to the 

 credit of my selection of a stud groom from the 

 hack stable, all in tip-top condition. I hardly 



