1845.] OF HAMPSHIRE. 167 



from the game so often touching with his sides 

 as well as with his pads, and which is very 

 favourable to hounds. This description of 

 sport, however, is beautiful to behold, and in 

 some measure suitable to mid-day hunting in 

 the month of April, when the sun is often hot 

 and oppressive. 



" Mr. Nicoll hunts his own hounds, assisted 

 by two whippers-in, all very well mounted. 

 Indeed, I do not know when I have seen a 

 more useful stud of hunters than Mr. Nicoll's ; 

 and Sir Bellingham Graham, who was then 

 staying with him, offered him a large sum for 

 one of them. His weight is a welter, but he 

 rides hard and well across the Forest ; and, 

 save and except he has to skirt a bog, or is 

 well planted in the middle of it, he is never 

 away from his hounds. 



" One of his whippers-in, Joe, took j oe 

 my fancy much. A good rough-look- Pe am * 

 in a- fellow, born in the Forest, and about as 

 hard as one of its native oaks. His language 

 to his hounds is somewhat unique ; all in the 

 monosyllable, whose ' breath is short and strong,' 

 and his cheer, when drawing, was compared 

 by a wag to a man in an emetic, with the dose 

 not quite strong enough for him. Notwith- 

 standing this, Joe is a clever fellow in his way, 

 and a useful, industrious servant. 



