VERY EARLY HUNTING DAYS 9 



Jerewsalem," he directed and I obeyed, with the 

 result that I greatly surprised my mother by flying 

 across the low banks all round the cottage and 

 that r now considered myself fit to hunt with 

 any pack. 



The bad times fell on Ireland when I was very 

 small. I can remember going to church and 

 seeing a fox nailed on the door — and the buzzing 

 of excitement and horror. 



Such a weird httle church with only ten pews 

 in it. Shut up, I think, now or only used once a 

 year or so. 



I can remember Mr. Jack Gubbins's staghounds. 

 I was too small to hunt with them, but if they 

 enlarged near I was allowed to let out the deer. 

 Such a thrill of delight when the big beast hopped 

 out. They used to have mild little gallops of 

 twelve and fifteen miles in those days, I believe. 

 They are only a dim memory to me. 



There is one hunt recorded when they enlarged 

 at Rathmore ; the deer jumped the demesne wall 

 at Carass and at about five o'clock went through 

 Nartenan, quite a fifteen-mile point from Rathmore, 

 on to Mellon and swam the Shannon. Mr. Gubbins 

 came through about half an hour afterwards and 

 finally followed in a boat, but the deer, taken in 

 Clare, either died of exhaustion or was drowned 

 coming back. 



Hunting days were coming now. Had I not 

 got a saddle ? Something which covered me was 



