A BAG FOX 127 



the perfection of a hunter, six years old, and could 

 carry thirteen or fourteen stone over anything that 

 any horse in England could do, ' b^it that she made 

 a little noise ' ; no roarer, ' but ivhistled a bit ; and if 

 I took care not to press her too hard in deep ground 

 I should never discover it.' 



My two hunting patrons, with myself, jogged on 

 to the meet. It is superfluous to say I tried my new 

 mount in all her paces, and found her simply perfect ; 

 she walked like ' Jine grande dame^ and as most good 

 judges will say, ' if they walk well, they can do every- 

 thing else well.' Although I was not a bruising 

 rider, I could go fairly well to hounds, and was 

 anxious to see how the new purchase performed, 

 which I could do much better if some one else in 

 whom I had confidence rode her first. On arriving 

 at the meet, a hare was soon found, and after going 

 over a few fields, with some moderate fencing, 

 which the mare jumped faultlessly, we killed our 

 hare, and as the mare pulled a little, everyone came 

 round and were astonished at her beauty and the 

 style of her performance. I asked an old friend of 

 mine, T. W. Morris, of Bedgrove, a light weight, 

 and one of the best men I ever saw across a country, 

 to exchange mounts with me, as I wished to see her 

 perform with a really good man on her back. He 

 consented, and we trotted on with the hounds, to 

 commence that most unsportsman-like act, viz. to 

 hunt a ' bagman ' or bag fox. This was the 

 practice at that time with Lord Lonsdale, and the 

 sport with this pack produced some of the most 



