66 HUNTING REMINISCENCES 



H. Bromley, Sir R. G. H. Clarges, General Reeve, 

 General JNIildmay Fane, Colonel J. Reeve, Colonel 

 H. Fane, Colonel P. Dundas, Rev. Thomas 

 Heathcote, Mr. John Litchford, Mr. A. Wilton, 

 INI. P., jNIr. W. E. Norton, and twenty-eight others. 

 One morning at the end of September, during 

 the cub-hunting season, Gillard received a mysteri- 

 ous wire asking him to change the fixture from the 

 Lincolnshire side of the county to nearer Melton. 

 After much wire-pulling it turned out to be no 

 less illustrious personage than the Empress of 

 Austria, and of course a royal request amounted 

 to a command, so the meet was changed from 

 Boothby to Three Queens at 8 x\.m. The Empress 

 duly arrived with her suite of four gentlemen and 

 a lady, having chartered a special train from 

 London to Melton that morning. This was the 

 first occasion that the Empress of Austria enjoyed 

 a day's hunting in England, and after looking about 

 for a house in Leicestershire without being suc- 

 cessful in her search, she betook herself to Che- 

 shire. On her morning's cub-hunting with the 

 Belvoir she wore a tall hat and rode a good- 

 looking bay hunter, a present from the late Lord 

 Dudley, who was said to have given a long figure 

 for him. The Empress remarked, after casting a 

 very critical glance over the pack of twenty-three 

 and a half couple, " Why, you have all lady hounds 

 out this morning ! " This was a fact, but an excep- 

 tion to the rule which was for a few small dog 

 hounds to always run with the lady pack, and 

 Gillard was surprised that it was noted so quickly. 



