54 ASSHETON SMITH. 



dark chestnut, with immense power for his height, 

 and equal to carry almost any weight. 



Of the late Assheton Smith it would be almost 

 superfluous to write more, since so much has been 

 already written by other pens besides my own. 

 That he was a most fearless, determined performer 

 across country all will admit who have ever ridden 

 with him ; but I have seen better horsemen, and 

 in my humble opinion he got too many falls. His 

 seat in the saddle was loose and careless, like that 

 of many enthusiastic huntsmen, who are generally 

 too intent on their hounds to pay much attention 

 to their horse, or where he is going ; but of his 

 pluck there could be no doubt, and he was un- 

 questionably one of the cleverest huntsmen of his 

 time, combining the utmost quickness with the 

 greatest patience. 



I have often seen him with his own hounds, 

 both in difficulties and when things went well, and 

 I never saw any man handle his pack more scien- 

 tifically than Assheton Smith. He was not afraid 

 of his hounds, which so many huntsmen really are, 

 although they will not confess it. He would trust 

 them anywhere. They were not cooped up and 

 huddled together by whippers-in round his horse's 

 heels, but had free scope to trot along as they 

 pleased when going from covert to covert, and the 



