A Merry Time in the Midlands. 253 



performer; Major Furness, Messrs. Wedge, Solomon, 

 A. Benn, E. St Jolin, Hazlehurst, Block, Cameron, 

 and F. Shoolbred, witli a large party hailing from 

 the George, consisting of the well-known and widely- 

 esteemed Mr. W. N. Heysham, Mr. Sheil, Capt. 

 Osborne, Mr. Hamilton Osborne, Capt. Spilling, Mr. 

 Walmisley, and Mr. Entwistle, and last, but by no 

 means least, a select party of ladies, who hunt regu- 

 larly and ride hard with these hounds, comprising 

 Lady Evelyn Riddell, Mrs. Tempest, Miss Elmhirst, 

 Miss Davy, Miss Caldicott, Miss Lancaster, Miss 

 Langham, Miss Fitzroy, Miss Govey, Miss Darby, 

 Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Upperton, Mrs. Craven, etc., whilst 

 the landed interest was fully represented by Messrs. 

 John Gee, George Gill, H. Atterbury, W. Daniels, J. 

 W. Balling, and H. Broomfield. On my last visit 

 to the Pytchley, I said, speaking of the hounds, that 

 I was not much struck with their appearance, but 

 I hasten to qualify that opinion on second thoughts. 



On that occasion it was a damp, foggy, depressing 

 morning, when you could not see fifty yards ahead, 

 with a drizzling mist, which made one feel cantan- 

 kerous, and consequently I looked upon them with 

 a distorted vision. Now that I saw them surrounding 

 Will Goodall, who, with Tom Goddard and Charles 

 Issacs, looked in excellent form, I considerably modi- 

 fied my opinion as to the merits of this pack. 



The huntsman of the Pytchley is a very fine horse- 

 man and an excellent sportsman, as becomes one of 

 that well-known name ; whilst his two whips are very 

 hard and good men across country, and are spoken 

 of as valuable hunt servants, who will be heard of 

 hereafter, when they have gained further experience. 



