Sir Tatton Sykes. 229 



did not grudge thirteen hundred for her own brother, 

 Colsterdale. His original intention was to buy her 

 half-brother, Loup-Garou, and he went to Cawston 

 paddocks to look at him, but thought him too light 

 below the knee. In his judgment of horses Sir Tatton 

 was very much what Jem Hills was in hounds — he did 

 not want them large and showy, but they must be 

 thoroughly active and workmanlike. He was asked 

 to form one of the bench at Middlesboro', but he de- 

 clined on account of his failing sight, and speaking 

 from what he remembered of the horses from time to 

 time, we gleaned that Saunterer, although rather light- 

 boned, was more after his own heart than any of the 

 cracks in that ring. For Kingston he had a great 

 fancy, and if Mr. Blenkiron had not got the first refu- 

 sal, he would have given 3000/. for him. 



His opinions were invariably given in the most 

 gentle way, and prefaced with " I may be wrong, sir" 

 Unlike Mr. Bates, he was a listener rather than an 

 expounder in his pastures. He loved to get the best 

 judges in Yorkshire and the racing world there, and to 

 hear their judgments (which he never forgot) on the 

 yearlings, as they were brought out one by one, and 

 perhaps called for again, and compared in couples, 

 Snarry always putting in a good word for a Daniel, 

 more especially when Fandango began to " starve" 

 him. Sometimes Sir Tatton would move an adjourn- 

 ment of "the taste committee" to the road, and the 

 wayfarer, who had doubtless just passed some four- 

 year-olds in the breaking bits, under Grayson's charge, 

 would suddenly find himself pulling up close to a 

 laurel hedge, to let a couple of young rivals, Rifleman 

 and Daniel, swing past him at full trot. Perhaps Ben 

 Morgan (a great favourite with the baronet) and the 

 hounds would call at this juncture, and hound shows 

 would be talked over while the ale was sent for to the 

 court-yard, and Ben would call up Warrener and his 

 lovely Languish to give an account of themselves, and 



