28 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



There is an amusing letter written by Mr. Cockburu 

 in 1848, the then owner of Bellaport, to his friend Mr. 

 Henry Clive, of Styche, who was one of the good old sort 

 of English gentlemen fox-hmiters. Mr. Cockburn evidently 

 had not much sympathy with fox-hunting, and he wrote 

 to say that he would only allow his coverts to be drawn 

 on certain conditions, his idea beino; that a fox must be 

 made to go a certain way, and get off his estate as quickly 

 as possible, and on to his neighbours'. 



How different this has been at Bellaport in the present 

 owner's time ! Mr. Colville, who now owns the estate, is 

 himself fond of hunting and everything connected with 

 sport, and having married Miss Agnes Davenport, who 

 was so well known in the hunting-field as a beautiful 

 horsewoman, the Bellaport coverts became a tower of 

 strength to the Hunt, and often gave us a good gallop in 

 the afternoon on the Wdore side. 



Mr. Henry Clive, to whom Mr. Cockburn's letter was 

 written, was one of Mr. Davenport's best supporters. He 

 was a fine rider, and one of the great features of his riding 

 was, you never saw much of him in a run, but as soon as 

 hounds checked he was there. He took his own line over 

 a country, and was not looking to others to pilot him. 



Another good sportsman about this time was the Rev. 

 Henry White, of Charnes. He was fond of hunting and 

 seeing his friends, whom he entertained most hospitably ; 

 but the peculiarity about his style of riding was, that as 

 soon as hounds went away from a covert with a fox, Mr. 

 White generally put his horse's head in the opposite 

 direction. It used to be a great joke, on meeting him 

 out hunting, to consult him about the weather. The first 

 man would say, " Good morning, Mr. White ; we shall 

 have a fine day, and seems like a good scenting one." 

 Mr. White would answer, " I don't think so ; looks more 

 like rain and a bad scent." The second man, " Good 

 morning, Mr. White ; I fear we shall have a wet day and 

 a bad scent." Mr. White would remark, " I think it looks 

 more like being fine, and a good scent." You never could 



