48 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



all the way, and told Gillard afterwards that it was 

 the best gallop he had seen since Cxoosey's days. 

 The squire of Aswarby rode the best of cattle, all 

 being big bang-tailed horses as nearly thoroughbred 

 as possible, looking as if they were cast in the 

 same mould. Old Tom Wincup was the stud 

 groom at Aswarby, and he was most successful hi 

 the art of conditioning hunters, so that there were 

 few studs to equal that of Sir Thomas AVhichcote's 

 in excellence, and many of their portraits from the 

 brush of the elder Ferneley are to be seen hanging on 

 the walls of the dining-room at the Hall to this day. 

 During; the month of IMarch, when the hours 

 of sunlight lengthen out, the opportunity is 

 generally taken by strangers from a distance to 

 enjoy a hunt with a neighbouring pack. Amongst 

 those who came to enjoy a good day's sport from 

 Cottam Thorns and the Normanton coverts were 

 JNIr. George Fitzwilliam and his huntsman George 

 Carter, also JMr. Chaworth INIusters, who was able 

 to congratulate Frank on a good performance after 

 an old dog fox who led the pack for one hour and 

 fifty minutes before he was caught. Just at this 

 time the famous master of the South Notts was 

 out of harness, which enabled him to have a day or 

 two with the Belvoir, and on these occasions he 

 always put up with Frank, discussing many a good 

 day's sport with him. To be in the service of four 

 excellent masters does not fall to the lot of many 

 in a lifetime, but Frank Gillard is one of those who 

 can own to this, and perhaps illustrates the old 

 adage that " A good master makes a good servant." 



