HAVnCK TO ST. BOSWELL^S. 225 



of trees round them to bring them within the arson 

 clauses. Cessford is, after all, the great cover of the 

 hunt. It is a grand wild moor in Roxburghshire, with 

 rare foxes, and nothing but grass hills on their inva- 

 riable line to Bludie Laws. The sport is generally 

 best in the spring, and February is a capital month. 



On Monday they hunt the west side by Riddell 

 and Mount Teviot, on Tuesday the Jedburgh, on 

 Thursday the Kelso, and on Saturday the Leader 

 Water. Will always says that he never had a 

 greater treat than seeing his Grace ride Paymaster 

 over the walls in the Riddell country, and he adds, 

 " If the country was half up to his knees he would 

 go as well as ever, and still make good his fence.^^ 

 In fact, he thinks the brown quite the best he ever 

 saw, and for ten seasons he never gave his Grace a 

 fall. The grey racer Richmond, Stuffie Major, and 

 Stuffie Minor were all WilPs particulars, and so were 

 Sam Slick and Snip, which figure respectively in the 

 Grant and Train pictures ; but the roan mare Sofa 

 was his delight, and ^' lost neither pace nor pluck for 

 twelve seasons. '^ 



Mr. Hodge, the stud groom, succeeded Mr. Marshall 

 six years ago, and has just completed thirty years of 

 service in the Buccleuch family ; and Charles Sharpe, 

 brother to Teddy Sharpe, the Newpiarket jockey, is 

 the " Dick Christian^^ of the stables. The horses 

 move with the hounds between St. BoswelFs and. 

 Dalkeith, and generally leave the former place about 

 April 25th. The stables are beautifully kept, and 



2^Q 



