180 HUNTING TOURS. 



a suit of clothes and a sbilling in his pocket. 

 He soon got into the service of the Duke of 

 Dorset, and was initiated in the mysteries of 

 whipping-in to a pack of harriers in Kent ; 

 where he also attended his Grace as pad 

 groom. But in consequence of an unfortu- 

 nate and fatal accident which befel the Duke 

 in Ireland, the establishment was broken up. 

 Hills then got an engagement to ride second 

 horse and assist in whipping - in for Mr. 

 Maberly, among the hills and flints of Surrey, 

 where his elder brother, Tom, was huntsman. 

 When little more than eighteen he grained a 

 step as kennel huntsman and head whip to 

 Colonel Wyndham, remaining there till the 

 breaking up of the establishment in 1826, 

 whereupon he came to London, and the Duke of 

 Beaufort offering him a vacant second whip's 

 appointment, although it might be considered 

 a retrograde movement, he had the good sense 

 to undertake it ; William Long at that time 

 being huntsman, and William Todd first whip. 

 At Badminton, Hills continued five seasons, 

 when he engaged himself to the late Earl 

 Ducie, then the Hon. H. Moreton, who had 

 just commenced hunting the Vale of White 

 Horse. Here he had a fine opportunity of 



