40 WITH HOUND AND TERRIER. 



With the Staff College Drag, when General 

 Leir — now Leir-Carleton — was the Master, I have 

 had some capital spins. General Leir was a bold 

 rider, and was well known with the Blackmore 

 Vale Hounds. The young and ardent spirits who 

 chiefly composed his field were stopped by nothing, 

 and when they could get a good bit of country 

 over which to run the drag, the pace was a thing 

 to be remembered. 



With Mr Deacon, who was showing grand sport 

 in Hampshire, I was often out on Saturday, this 

 being his day for our side of the country. My 

 father was a great admirer of Mr Deacon, who 

 was a beautiful rider and a first-rate sportsman. 

 It was a stony, cold scenting country over which 

 he hunted, with a good deal of plough and strong 

 woodlands that lay close together. Mr Deacon, 

 nevertheless, conquered all difiiculties, for he under- 

 stood the business of hunting hounds so well that 

 he knew when the road to success lay in breaking 

 through rules, as well as when the carrying- out of 

 time-honoured maxims would bring the best result. 

 Few men have been more noted for their bold and 

 successful casts, and he had the reputation of being 

 one of the best gentlemen huntsmen of his day. 

 Mr Deacon was also a successful hound -breeder. 

 For a difficult country like his he believed in having 

 young hounds, and directly a hound began to potter 

 he drafted him. His pack was in consequence 

 remarkably fast and handy, and as the Master 

 himself was so persevering that he would never 



