148 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



Anecdotes of the 



the fox ! Could any thing be more provoking ? A few 

 weeks prior to this period, I met the York and Ainsty 

 fox-hovmds at Skehon Springs, near York. We found 

 in Overton Wood, a cover of very considerable extent ; 

 which renard seemed very unwilling to leave. At 

 length, he broke away, and faced the open country in 

 the direction of Beningborough ; but, at a short distance 

 from the wood, he crossed a lane, where several secon- 

 dary sort of sportsmen were waiting ; who rode over the 

 scent in all directions : and though the pursuit was con- 

 tinued for more than half an hour, the hounds were 

 unable to run well up to their fox, (owing no doubt to 

 the circumstance just mentioned) and we of course lost 

 him. However, Naylor, the huntsman, kept his temper ; 

 though he informed me, that, some time before this 

 period, he had broken out into a great rage, in conse- 

 quence of a gentleman, not merely riding over the scent, 

 but also over the best hound in the pack, and killing it ! 

 I have met with several huntsmen who possessed good 

 sense, who were not altogether destitute of what is un- 

 derstood by the word genius ; but who, however, had 

 received scai'cely a common village education. The 

 famous Dick Knight, who was huntsman to Lord Althorp, 

 and who, with his favourite horse (Contract) is repre- 

 sented in a well-known series of engravings, was as 

 illiterate as possible, but occasionally elicited something- 

 like strokes of genius. This man was a great favourite 

 with his master ; was a desperate rider ; and one who 

 excelled in low games at cards, in which he passed most 

 of his leisure hours. The features of Dick Knight's face 

 were by no means prepossessing ; yet they were strongly 



