92 COVEllT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



pleasant time in riding over it, unless lie had a pilot very- 

 well up in local geography. There is also another part which I 

 have scarcely seen, having been only on. the borders of it, con- 

 sisting of low meadows or marshes, all grass, and divided by 

 drains and cuttings of considerable width and perfectly fabulous 

 depth. The only time I was ever near this part, JSTimrod Long 

 said as a caution, " If you get your horse into one of the drains, 

 you will never get him out again alive." My answer was, 

 "That is merely a question of my being able to hold him ; 

 unless he runs away with me, I can answer for his not getting 

 in." 



Eorturiately hounds do not often run over this jDart, and 

 when they do, it is generally a case of having it pretty much to 

 themselves, as few attempt to ride to them. Such things, how- 

 ever, have been done, and, unless I am much mistaken, there is 

 a small picture in the smoking-room at Brocklesby, representing 

 one of the Smith family (I fancy it is the one who was afterwards 

 killed in the hunting-field) sailing along alone in liis glory, in a 

 good run which occurred over these same marshes, when he was 

 the only man near the hounds. It is not so much the country 

 they hunt as the whole turn-out which so forcibly strikes a 

 stranger on first meeting the Brocklesby. There is a sportsman- 

 like character in the whole thing, a total absence of the patent 

 leather and nosegay element, which tells you at once that every 

 man comes out to hunt, and not for the sake of showing his 

 boots and breeches. The late Earl of Yarborough, from want 

 of health and other causes, was not a constant attendant in 

 the field, although, from what I have seen of him on the 

 flags, I incline to the opinion that he took great interest in 

 keeping up the character and efficiency of what may be termed 

 an hereditary pack, while, from remarks that fell from him in 

 selecting and drafting the entry, it was evident that he was 

 quite au fait as to the qualifications necessary to make a high- 

 class fox-hound. 



The Countess of Yarborough was (I believe I may write still 



