90 WITH HOUND AND TERRIER. 



a testimonial from the members of the hunt, 

 which took the form of a painting by Pierce 

 of himself and Lady Olyn on horseback, the 

 latter mounted on her favourite Halsey, and 

 some of the best hounds of the pack round 

 them. 



Press remained on with Sir Pichard for eleven 

 years, and was soon recognised as one of the 

 first huntsmen of his time. He was also a 

 first - class hound - man, and of his marvellous 

 influence over his hounds I have already spoken. 

 An amusing story of his resources in the field 

 is told by one who often enjoyed a gallop in 

 the Yale. It was early in the year, when Sir 

 Pichard met at Henstridge Ash. The first 

 coverts to be drawn were those of Inwood, 

 and Press, finding that there was no scent 

 and no chance of sport, took his precautions 

 to have a good day to his credit in spite of 

 difiiculties. In the first covert into which 

 hounds were thrown they chopped a fox 

 almost under the nose of the horse of the 

 only member of the field who happened to be 

 within sight. Press was down in a moment, 

 and as he took the fox from hounds he looked 

 round, and seeing but the one man near, he 

 exclaimed, " Not a word, sir, if you please," 

 and springing back into the saddle, he put the 

 fox up on the highest branch of a fir-tree he 

 could reach. Then with a touch on his horn 

 he gathered and lifted hounds cleverly out of 



