68 COVERT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



Rubbing House at !N"ewmarket town end to the starting-post of 

 the Beacon Course, against Mr. Meynell's Eichmond and a bitch, 

 whose name is not preserved, when Eichmond was beaten by up- 

 wards of a hundred yards, and Meynell's bitch never came in at 

 all. The ground was crossed in a few seconds more than eight 

 minutes. Threescore horses started — twelve reached the end, 

 and the twelfth was Eib, a King's Plate horse, ridden by "Will 

 Crane. Seven to four was bet upon Mr. Meynell's hounds 

 before starting, and the match was for 5001. Col. Thornton's 

 Merkin challenged to run any hound of her year, five miles over 

 Newmarket, giving 220 yards, for 10,000 guineas, or to give 

 Madcap 100 yards, and run the same distance for 5000 guineas.^ 

 Merkin's trial was four miles in seven minutes and half a second, 

 and she was sold in 1795 for four hogsheads of claret, and the 

 seller to have two couple of her whelps. After this there was 

 some tall talk with Madcap and his brother Lounger, who went 

 as a stallion-hound to the Duke of ^Northumberland, and hound- 

 racing fell into abeyance, I hope never to be revived, for the 

 fox-hound is far too noble an animal to share the fate of the race- 

 horse, and come into the hands of the "six to four" element. 



1^0 doubt objection will be taken to the time of these trials as 

 incorrect and exaggerated, but I must observe that men like 

 Col. Thornton do not risk 10,000Z. or 5000Z. without having 

 pretty reliable data to go upon, and consequently, though 

 perhaps not quite correct, they are near enough to prove the 

 immense speed of the fox-hound at that early date, when he had 

 not come into general use as a fox-hound more than from forty 

 to fifty years. I must also say it appears strange that, while the 

 Duke of Queensbury's cricket-ball and carriage matches should 

 pass unquestioned, so much doubt is thrown on the performances 

 of horses and hounds in these old times. 



One other argument I shall bring forward in proof of my 

 assertion that the fox-hound was as good then as now — at least 

 in outward form and appearance — and the artist shall bring his 

 pencil in proof. Let any judge of hounds look at Eingwood, a 



