Fox-httnting 3 3 



Holbrook, Somerset, and was for six years 

 under the huntsman there, James Treadwell. 

 He early acquired such a reputation as a 

 whip that, in the words of a famous hunting 

 parson, the Rev. Mr. Blackbourne — now an 

 octogenarian — he was so good that he " could 

 whip hounds into your pocket." From 

 there Shepherd went for two seasons to Lord 

 Yarborough as second whip, under Tom 

 Smith. Then Mr. Conyers, of Copthall, near 

 Epping, offered him the place of first whip, 

 and with him he remained for nearly seven 

 years. Yorkshire and Lord Middleton next 

 obtained his services as first whip, but a 

 record of twenty-one blank days drove so 

 keen a man as Shepherd from the country 

 after the one season. "^ This was probably 

 a lucky accident for him, as Mr. Scratton, of 

 the Essex Union, then off'ered him his first 

 place as huntsman, and it was in this country 

 that he enjoyed what he always considers was 

 the finest run of his life. On this particular 

 day Shepherd found his fox just by the 



* This country now lias an abundance of foxes. 



C 



