The Sport of Our ^Ancestors 



things at all. Timber-fences, such as rails, stiles, and gates, 

 but particularly rails, are oftener leaped in Leicestershire 

 than in any other country, by reason of the great height 

 which the quickset fences attain — a height which, in some 

 places, nothing but a bird can surmount ; brooks also 

 abound, amongst the widest of which are the Whissendine ; 

 the Smite, or Belvoir ; one under Stanton Wood ; another 

 under Norton by Galby ; and a fifth near Woodwell Head. 



At the conclusion of the last century, Mr. Meynell was 

 master of these Quorn hounds, since which time they 

 have been in the hands of the following conspicuous sports- 

 men : Earl Sefton, the late Lord Foley, Mr. Thomas 

 Assheton Smith, Sir Bellingham Graham, Mr. Osbaldeston, 

 Lord Southampton, the late Sir Harry Goodricke, Sir 

 Francis Holyoake Goodricke, and Mr. Errington, the second 

 son of Sir Thomas Stanley, Bart., of Cheshire, who now 

 has them. 



The town of Melton furnishes an interesting scene on 

 each hunting morning. At rather an early hour are to be 

 seen groups of hunters, the finest in the world, setting out 

 in different directions to meet different packs of hounds. 

 Each sportsman sends forward two. On one is mounted 

 a very light but extremely well-dressed lad, who returns 

 home on his master's cover hack, or in the dickey of his 

 carriage, if he has happened to be carried to cover in the 

 more luxurious fashion. On the other hunter is a per- 

 sonage of a very different description. This is what is 

 called the ' second-horse man ' ; he rides the second horse, 

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