GEORGIAN STAG-HUNTING 



41 



where the deer left the water, and speaking to them in a 

 sporting-Hke style.' 



His Majesty's hounds hunted from September '25 — 

 Holyrood Day— till the first Saturday in May. On Holy- 

 rood Day they at that time always met at Charity Farm, 

 Billingbear. Either harvests must have been earlier than 

 they are now, or this was all grass or forest country. 

 Tuesdays and Saturdays were the hunting days, and in 

 Christmas and Easter weeks they hunted alternate days. 

 Crowds of foot people used to come out these holiday weeks, 

 and we hear of their delight and amazement ' at the leaps of 

 unprecedented height and exhibitions of uncommon strength ' 

 of an unnamed deer in and out of the back-gardens and 

 drying-grounds of Staines. Then, as now, a great many 

 people drove after the Buckhounds, the 'surrounding spot,' 

 as a contemporary scribe calls the turn-out, being embellished 

 and ' beautifully variegated ' with carriages containing ladies 

 of the first distinction. I dare say the lemon-yellow post- 

 chaises and the gay curricles and their smart cargoes looked 

 very nice ; and one day his Majesty was given an opportunity 

 of exhibiting in a ' striking and public manner ' his proper 

 sohcitude for the ladies. It was in October, 1793, and the 

 ground was iron-hard. Prince Adolphus, a distinguished 

 stranger, was out. The deer ran indifferently, and the hard 

 ground lamed half the horses. A Mr. Grifhn Wilson, how- 

 ever, drove his lady in a phaeton after the hounds in so daring 

 a fashion that the king, who was a little out of humour, 

 asked him whether he thought he had driven fairly or not. 

 Mr. Wilson seems to have had nothing to say in reply to so 

 pointed a question, whereon the king proceeded to say that 

 whatever right a gentleman had to his own neck, he had 

 none to hazard a lady's. This improving of the occasion 

 met, we are told, with very general approval. 



The ladies, however, were not always out in carriages. 



