© 



16 THE BEST SEASON OX RECORD. 



tliroiigli the retreat from Burgos. See what foxhunting 

 can do towards prolonging health and life ! 



Another veteran was there too, of humbler degree, and 

 whose past history is linked with less stirring events — 

 but whose presence in the hunting field ^vas almost an 

 equally strong protest against the power of the arch 

 enemy Time. This venerable foxhunter hails from the 

 village of Long Clawson ; and cannot have lived less 

 than the three score and ten of man's allotted allowance. 

 During the years of my brief experience I have never 

 missed seeing this grizzly veteran at the covertside, 

 whenever hounds have met in his Immediate neighbour- 

 hood ; and his mount has been the same since I first 

 knew him. An acquaintance cemented by such oppor- 

 tunities of intercourse led me to risk the charge of im- 

 pertinence and to inquire how long he had been carried 

 by the same animal. " Fourteen seasons," he promptly 

 answ^ered, " and he'll carry me, I hope, a good many 

 more yet." The sanguine nature of the reply will, I 

 trust, be found justified by events — and the old man and 

 his tiny donkey in attendance on the Duke's hounds for 

 years to come. 



