FAVOURITE WHIPS — DICK BURTON. 163 



than Dick could not be seen, nor one more active either in 

 the kennel or field. His quickness in getting hounds to cap 

 and halloo from such big spinnies as Collingbourne, Doles, 

 and Doyly woods was marvellous ; and his hark halloo, or 

 as he pronounced it, ^' yaich holler,'^ hit a hound as hard as 

 whipcord. Tigress was his especial plague, who, though 

 first-rate in chase, was " such a one for hare," and always 

 lianging. Once, when the hounds were running short with 

 a sinking fox, a person clad in a long black coat, with a very 

 missionary look about him, and evidently thinking scorn of 

 the fun, inquired of Dick what the dogs were then doing. 

 " Why, sir," said Dick, throwing a keen glance up and 

 down the inquirer's person, " they are preaching his funeral 

 sermon." 



At another time, after a capital run, those who were 

 lucky enough to be up, came to a sudden, and as they 

 feared, a fatal check ; when Dick perceived a shepherJ's 

 boy with his hat off, pointing forward. Dick rode up, laid 

 hold of the boy and placing him before him on the saddle, 

 galloped on to the point, where the fox was viewed, and 

 killed him just getting into a large covert. Nothing but 

 quickness would have saved the run. Dick lived twenty- 

 two years with Mr. Smith ; his other masters were 

 Mr. Osbaldeston, Lord Southampton, Earl Ducie, and Lord 

 Henry Bentinck. He is now (1860) enjoying a green old 

 age, *' frosty but kindly," at his old haunts near Quorndon. 

 When Dick heard that Mr. Smith had been to see E-arey 

 and his tamed zebra, he observed, *' Ah ! if Mr. Earey had 

 known my old master at twenty-five, to have tamed him 

 would have been much more wonderful a task. I recollect 

 him in those days," added the old huntsman, " riding a 

 horse in Leicestershire called Agonistes. He gave him four 

 falls before we found a fox. The last fall was over four 

 strong draw-rails into a slow hole. The gentlemen laughed 

 at him. Mr. Smith says, 'If I find a fox in Keythorpe 

 spinnies, I will beat every one of you.' They found, had 



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