362 Silk and Scarlet. 



some" In this spirit he wouldn't lift his hounds a 

 yard ; and a flock of sheep bringing them to a check, 

 his fox got a field ahead, and though they once spoke 

 to it on the road between Harboro' and Welford, they 

 never could hunt him afterwards. " The Hunsbury Hill 

 Devil" was another of Mr. Musters's " difficulties" for 

 three seasons ; and generally took off by Wootten and 

 Delapre. On the last occasion, Will Derry tried to 

 head him at a gate ; but he would stop for no one, 

 and led them right through Brayfield Furze and 

 Yardley Chase nearly to Olney Bridge, where they 

 lost him. They gave him such a dusting that day, 

 that he appeared no more at Hunsbury Hill, which 

 had then some capital lying, and it was thought that 

 the dark-coloured fox which George Carter killed with 

 the Duke of Grafton's next day, travelling in the direc- 

 tion of Newport, must have been the old Pytchley hero 

 in banishment. 



. The importation of foxes has increased 



' to a very great extent, and it is said that 

 in one year about a thousand were in Leadenhall 

 market. The supply comes principally from Holland. 

 It does not do to enquire where all of them come 

 from, but it is certain that Essex is fearfully stripped, 

 and Norfolk as well. A great many have come from 

 Scotland, and Ireland has of late become rather an 

 importing than an exporting country. 



The largest order ever executed, was for a celebrated 

 ex-master of hounds in one of the Southern countries. 

 Philip Castang, the well-known Leadenhall dealer, had 

 an unlimited commission to stock the country, and in 

 three weeks, by writing to Holland, France, Germany, 

 and Scotland, he got together about seventy-five 

 brace, dogs or vixens, just as they chanced to come, 

 small ones at twelve and sixpence, and large at fifteen 

 shillings. As it was a remarkably good order, and he 

 did not wish to give time to have it limited by post, 

 he divided them into fourteen lots, and packed them 



