Olden Times. 75 



fearful havoc in the ranks of the Pytchley Hunt ; 

 a few veterans, however, have escaped his grasp. 

 Amongst those who are gone, we will mention two or 

 three. 



Peter Allix was a first-rate performer, a few Cracks of 

 and ever where he should be. By his the Hunt, 

 friends he was familiarly called " Scratch-face :" as, if 

 a weak place in the fence was not handy, he would 

 rather take a bulfinch than lose his ground. Felton 

 Hervey was a beautiful horseman, quiet and gentle, 

 with undeniable nerves ; and was always in the right 

 place. Frederick Ponsonby, who was more an fait at 

 facing a bayonet than a brook, met with an extraordi- 

 nary accident. Lord Althorp mounted him on a bay 

 horse, curiously marked with white spots, which he 

 bought of Lloyd, of Aston. The hounds were running 

 quick, and they came to a brook with a high bank on 

 the opposite side. He put him at it so hard, that he 

 could not blink it, and literally broke his neck against 

 the opposite bank. The Colonel was flung on the 

 other side, holding the rein, which he pulled, thinking 

 to get him out, when he found he was as dead as a 

 stone. Sir Thomas Salisbury was a great addition to 

 the circle ; he had ever a smile on his countenance, 

 and was always in good humour. He did not look 

 much at the work of hounds, but was a good horse- 

 man ; and his main object was to get as much as he 

 could out of his horse without upsetting him. Two 

 maxims he invariably pursued : one was never to go 

 over ridge and furrow ; and the other never to go into 

 a field of swedes, which from their holding the wet 

 caused the ground to be always deep. Of course the 

 hounds often slipped him, but he trusted to a skirt, or 

 to their turning to him ; but happen what might, he 

 never abandoned his horse. Roberts was a good 

 horseman, and a hard rider. His best, a bay horse, 

 was got by a half-bred stallion, out of a thoroughbred 

 mare, a hard puller and difficult to ride, but he went 



