360 Silk and Scarlet, 



best, was principally kept up by the drafts from Lord 

 Henry Bentinck's. When the late Lord Alford suc- 

 ceeded him, he had a large draft from the Duke of 

 Rutland's ; but since then they have bred their own, 

 and principally used the Belvoir and Fitzwilliam 

 stallions. Barrister, that mightiest of jumpers, by Fitz- 

 william Bluecap, has been the sire of many very good 

 hounds ; but still the Pillager blood has been the chief 

 stay to Charles Payne. Pillager ran six seasons, and 

 never had a whip except to put him from the trough ; 

 and at present there are twenty couple, principally tan 

 hounds, related to him. He was by Juggler by Lons- 

 dale Senator from Playful (an own sister to Burton 

 Contest), whom Mr, Payne got along with Prophetess 

 in a draft. Helicon, Hotspur, and Prosper have been 

 all great Pillager dogs, and Pliant by Pillager especi- 

 ally distinguished herself in a run of thirty-five minutes 

 from Lord Spencer's cover to Sulby Reservoir. The 

 fox ran alongside it, and then dashed in midway, and 

 while the other hounds all got to the middle, and cast 

 themselves right and left, she was the only one that 

 crossed at once, and got half a mile past Sulby Hall, 

 towards Marston Hills, before the body of hounds 

 could get on terms with her. The fox, however, was 

 so washed that they never enjoyed it after. 

 Twelve Hours Pillager died rather suddenly in his 

 in Geddington sixth season, and hence Will Goodall, 

 Chace. \^\io rather fancied him, never got a 

 chance. It was inflammation of the liver and not a 

 hard day, which killed him, but he went through one 

 calculated to kill a dozen packs. This was early in 

 August, 1853, and the scene a twenty-five acre planta- 

 tion near Geddington Chace, close by the high road 

 from Kettering to Stamford. They found at a quarter 

 past five, and after being at it three hours with their 

 first fox, changed on to a shabby little vixen, who 

 slipped like a witch through the briars and sedge ; and 

 when she had been headed three times, fairly defied 



