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diff --git a/40301-0.txt b/40301-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..77a2a9f --- /dev/null +++ b/40301-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7697 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40301 *** + +BOOKS FOR SPORTSMEN + +PUBLISHED BY + +BELLAIRS & CO., + +9 HART STREET, BLOOMSBURY. + + +IN SCARLET AND SILK. Recollections of Hunting and Steeplechase riding. +By FOX RUSSELL. With two drawings in colour by FINCH MASON. 5s. net. + +NEW SPORTING STORIES. By G. G. 3s. 6d. net. + + _The Times_ says:--"New Sporting Stories are written by a man who + evidently knows what he is writing about.... The sketches are + short, racy and to the point." + +TRAVEL AND BIG GAME. By PERCY SELOUS and H. A. BRYDEN. With +Illustrations. [_In the Press._ + +THE CHASE: a Poem. By WILLIAM SOMERVILLE. Illustrated by HUGH THOMSON. +5s. net. + + In this fine old poem now ably illustrated by Mr Hugh Thomson are + the original lines, quoted by the immortal Jorrocks-- + + "My hoarse-sounding horn + Invites thee to the chace, the sport of kings, + Image of war, without its guilt." + +GREAT SCOT THE CHASER, and other Sporting Stories. By G. G. 3s. 6d. +net. + + _The Daily Telegraph_ says:--"G. G. is a benefactor to his + species." + +CURIOSITIES OF BIRD LIFE. By CHARLES DIXON, Author of "The Migration of +Birds." [_In the Press._ + +ANIMAL EPISODES AND STUDIES IN SENSATION. By GEORGE H. POWELL. 3s. 6d. +net. + +TALES OF THE CINDER PATH. By an Amateur Athlete [W. LINDSEY]. 2s. 6d. +net. + +REMINISCENCES OF A YORKSHIRE NATURALIST. By the late W. CRAWFORD +WILLIAMSON, LL.D., F.R.S. Edited by his wife. 5s. net. + + + + +ENTERTAINING BOOKS + +PUBLISHED BY + +BELLAIRS & CO., + +9 HART STREET, BLOOMSBURY. + + +A MAN AND A WOMAN. Faithfully presented by STANLEY WATERLOO. 3s. 6d. +net. + +BEYOND ATONEMENT. A Story of London Life. By A. ST JOHN ADCOCK. 4s. 6d. +net. + +A HUSBAND'S ORDEAL; or, the Confessions of Gerald Brownson, late of +Coora Coora, Queensland. By PERCY RUSSELL. 3s. 6d. net. + +A BRIDE'S EXPERIMENT. A Story of Australian Bush Life. By CHARLES J. +MANSFORD. 3s. 6d. net. + +EIGHTY YEARS AGO; or, the Recollections of an Old Army Doctor, his +adventures on the fields of Quatre Bras and Waterloo, and during the +occupation of Paris, 1815. By the late Dr GIBNEY of Cheltenham. Edited +by his son, MAJOR GIBNEY. 5s. net. + +THE SOLDIER IN BATTLE; or, Life in the Ranks of the Army of the +Potomac. By FRANK WILKESON, a Survivor of Grant's last campaign. 2s. +6d. net. + +NEPHELÈ. The Story of a Sonata for violin and piano. By F. W. +BOURDILLON. 2s. 6d. net. + +A DARN ON A BLUE STOCKING. A Story of To-day. By G. G. CHATTERTON. 2s. +6d. net. + +THE MYSTERY OF THE CORDILLERA. A Tale of Adventure in the Andes. By A. +MASON BOURNE. Illustrated. 3s. 6d. net. + +THE LURE OF FAME. By CLIVE HOLLAND, Author of "My Japanese Wife." 3s. +6d. net. + +THE OLD ECSTASIES. A Modern Romance. By GASPARD TOURNIER. 4s. 6d. net. + +THE TANTALUS TOUR. A Theatrical Venture. By WALTER PARKE, joint-author +of "Les Manteaux Noirs," and other comic operas. Illustrated. 2s. 6d. +net. + + + + +SPORTING SOCIETY + + +[Illustration: GOING TO COVER. By R. CALDECOTT.] + + + + +SPORTING SOCIETY + +OR + +_SPORTING CHAT AND SPORTING MEMORIES_ + +STORIES HUMOROUS AND CURIOUS; WRINKLES OF THE FIELD +AND THE RACE-COURSE; ANECDOTES OF THE STABLE AND +THE KENNEL; WITH NUMEROUS PRACTICAL +NOTES ON SHOOTING AND FISHING + +FROM THE PEN OF + +VARIOUS SPORTING CELEBRITIES AND +WELL-KNOWN WRITERS ON THE TURF AND THE CHASE + +EDITED BY +FOX RUSSELL + +Illustrations by Randolph Caldecott. + +_IN TWO VOLUMES--VOL. I._ + +LONDON +BELLAIRS & CO. +1897 + + + + +CONTENTS + + + + PAGE + +THE INFLUENCE OF FIELD SPORTS ON CHARACTER 1 + By Sir COURTENAY BOYLE + +OLD-FASHIONED ANGLING 21 + By Captain R. BIRD THOMPSON + +PARTRIDGE DAY AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS 36 + By "AN ELDERLY SPORTSMAN" + +SIMPSON'S SNIPE 53 + By TERENCE LE SMITHE + +PODGERS' POINTER 80 + By BEN B. BROWN + +THE DEAD HEAT 101 + By "OLD CALABAR" + +ONLY THE MARE 134 + By ALFRED E. T. WATSON + +HUNTING IN THE MIDLANDS 155 + By T. H. S. ESCOTT + +A MILITARY STEEPLECHASE 171 + By Captain R. BIRD THOMPSON + +HOW I WON MY HANDICAP 181 + Told by the Winner + +THE FIRST DAY OF THE SEASON AND ITS RESULTS 193 + By "SABRETACHE" + +A DAY WITH THE DRAG 210 + By the EDITOR + +STAG-HUNTING ON EXMOOR 221 + By Captain REDWAY + +SPORT AMONGST THE MOUNTAINS 237 + By "SARCELLE" + +A BIRMINGHAM DOG SHOW 251 + By "OLD CALABAR" + +HUNTINGCROP HALL 268 + By ALFRED E. T. WATSON + +A DOG HUNT ON THE BERWYNS 286 + By G. CHRISTOPHER DAVIES + +SOME ODD WAYS OF FISHING 298 + By G. CHRISTOPHER DAVIES + +SHOOTING 306 + By Captain R. BIRD THOMPSON + +[Symbol: asterism] "THE DEAD HEAT," by "OLD CALABAR," was originally +contributed by the veteran sportsman to the pages of "BAILY'S +Magazine," and is here reproduced by the permission of the Proprietors. + + + + +THE INFLUENCE OF FIELD SPORTS ON CHARACTER + + +Field sports have been generally considered solely in the light of a +relaxation from the graver business of life, and have been justified by +writers on economics on the ground that some sort of release is +required from the imprisoned existence of the man of business, the +lawyer, or the politician. Apollo does not always bend his bow, it is +said, and timely dissipation is commendable even in the wise; therefore +by all means, let the sports which we English love be pursued within +legitimate bounds, and up to an extent not forbidden by weightier +considerations. + +But there seems to be somewhat more in field sports than is contained +in this criticism. The influence _of_ character on the manner in which +sports are pursued is endless, and reciprocally the influence of field +sports _on_ character seems to deserve some attention. The best +narrator of schoolboy life of the present day has said that, varied as +are the characters of boys, so varied are their ways of facing or not +facing a "hilly," at football; and one of the greatest observers of +character in England has written a most instructive and amusing account +of the way in which men enjoy fox-hunting. If, therefore, a man's +character and his occupations and tastes exercise a mutual influence +upon each other, it follows that while men of different dispositions +pursue sports in different ways, the sports also which they do pursue +will tell considerably in the development of their natural character. + +Now, the field sport which is perhaps pursued by a greater number of +Englishmen than any other, and which is most zealously admired by its +devotees, is fox-hunting. It is essentially English in its nature. + + "A fox-hunt to a foreigner is strange, + 'Tis likewise subject to the double danger + Of falling first, and having in exchange + Some pleasant laughter at the awkward stranger." + +And it is this very falling which adds in some degree to its popularity; +_suave mari magno_, it is pleasant to know that your neighbour A.'s +horse, which he admires so much, has given him a fall at that very double +over which your little animal has carried you so safely; and it is +pleasant to feel yourself secure from the difficulties entailed on B, by +his desire to teach his four-year-old how to jump according to his +tastes. But apart from this delight--uncharitable if you like to call +it--which is felt at the hazards and failures of another, there is in +fox-hunting the keenest possible desire to overcome satisfactorily these +difficulties yourself. Not merely for the sake of explaining to an +after-dinner audience how you jumped that big place by the church or led +the field safely over the brook, though that element does enter in; but +from the strong delight which an Englishman seems by birthright to have +in surmounting any obstacles which are placed in his way. Put a man then +on a horse, and send him out hunting, and when he has had some experience +ask him what he has discovered of the requirements of his new pursuit, +and what is the lesson or influence of it. He will probably give you some +such answer as the following. + +The first thing that is wanted by, and therefore encouraged by, +fox-hunting, is decision. He who hesitates is lost. No "craner" can get +well over a country. Directly the hounds begin to run, he who would +follow them must decide upon his course. Will he go through that gate, +or attempt that big fence, which has proved a stopper to the crowd? +there is no time to lose. The fence may necessitate a fall, the gate +must cause a loss of time, which shall it be? Or again, the hounds have +come to a check, the master and huntsmen are not up (in some countries +a very possible event), and it devolves upon the only man who is with +them to give them a cast. Where is it to be? here or there? There is no +time for thought, prompt and decided action alone succeeds. Or else the +loss of shoe or an unexpected fall has thrown you out, and you must +decide quickly in which direction you think the hounds are most likely +to have run. Experience, of course, tells considerably here as +everywhere; but quick decision and promptitude in adopting the course +decided on will be the surest means of attaining the wished for result +of finding yourself again in company with the hounds. + +Further, fox-hunting teaches immensely self-dependence; every one is +far too much occupied with his own ideas and his own difficulties to be +able to give more than the most momentary attention to those of his +neighbour. If you seek advice or aid you will not get much from the +really zealous sportsman; you must trust to yourself, you must depend +on your own resources. "Go on, sir, or else let me come," is the sort +of encouragement which you are likely to get, if in doubt whether a +fence is practicable or a turn correct. + +Thirdly, fox-hunting necessitates a combination of judgment and courage +removed from timidity on the one side and foolhardiness on the other. +The man who takes his horse continually over big places, for the sake +of doing that in which he hopes no one else will successfully imitate +him, is sure in the end to kill his horse or lose his chance of seeing +the run; and on the other hand, he who, when the hounds are running, +shirks an awkward fence or leaves his straight course to look for a +gate, is tolerably certain to find himself several fields behind at the +finish. "What sort of a man to hounds is Lord A----?" we once heard it +asked of a good judge. "Oh, a capital sportsman and rider," was the +answer; "never larks, but will go at a haystack if the hounds are +running." + +It is partly from the necessity of self-dependence which the fox-hunter +feels, that his sport is open to the accusation that it tends to +selfishness. The true fox-hunter is alone in the midst of the crowd; he +has his own interests solely at heart--each for himself, is his motto, +and the pace is often too good for him to stop and help a neighbour in +a ditch, or catch a friend's runaway horse. He has no partner, he plays +no one's hand except his own. This of course only applies to the man +who goes out hunting, eager to have a run and keen to be in at the +death. If a man rides to the meet with a pretty cousin, and pilots her +for the first part of a run, he probably pays more attention to his +charge than to his own instincts of the chase; but he is not on this +occasion purely fox-hunting; and, if a true Nimrod, his passion for +sport will overcome his gallantry, and he will probably not be sorry +when his charge has left his protection, and he is free to ride where +his individual wishes and the exigencies of the hunt may lead him. + +What a knowledge of country fox-hunting teaches! A man who hunts will, +at an emergency, be far better able than one who does not to choose a +course, and select a line, which will lead him right. Generals hold +that the topographical instinct of the fox-hunter is of considerable +advantage in the battle-field; and it is undoubtedly easy to imagine +circumstances in which a man accustomed to find his way to or from +hounds, in spite of every opposition and difficulty, will make use of +the power which he has acquired and be superior to the man who has not +had similar advantages. + +Finally, fox-hunting encourages energy and "go." The sluggard or lazy +man never succeeds as a fox-hunter, and he who adopts the chase as an +amusement soon finds that he must lay aside all listlessness and +inertness if he would enjoy to the full the pleasures which he seeks. A +man who thinks a long ride to cover, or a jog home in a chill, dank +evening in November, a bore, will not do as a fox-hunter. The activity +which considers no distance too great, no day too bad for hunting, will +contribute first to the success of the sportsman, and ultimately to the +formation of the character of the man. + +Fishing teaches perseverance. The man in _Punch_, who on Friday did not +know whether he had had good sport, because he only began on Wednesday +morning, is a caricature; but, like all caricatures, has an element of +truth in it. To succeed as an angler, whether of the kingly salmon, or +the diminutive gudgeon, an ardour is necessary which is not damped by +repeated want of success; and he who is hopeless because he has no +sport at first will never fully appreciate fishing. So too the tyro, +who catches his line in a rock, or twists it in an apparently +inexplicable manner in a tree, soon finds that steady patience will set +him free far sooner than impetuous vigour or ruthless strength. The +skilled angler does not abuse the weather or the water in impotent +despair, but makes the most of the resources which he has, and +patiently hopes an improvement therein. + +Delicacy and gentleness are also taught by fishing. It is here +especially that-- + + "Vis consili expers mole ruit suâ, + Vim temperatam di quoque provehunt in majus." + +Look at the thin link of gut and the slight rod with which the huge +trout or "never ending monster of a salmon" is to be caught. No brute +force will do there, every struggle of the prey must be met by +judicious yielding on the part of the captor, who watches carefully +every motion, and treats its weight by giving line, knowing at the same +time--none better--when the full force of the butt is to be +unflinchingly applied. Does not this sort of training have an effect on +character? Will not a man educated in fly-fishing find developed in him +the tendency to be patient, to be persevering, and to know how to adapt +himself to circumstances. Whatever be the fish he is playing, whatever +be his line, will he not know when to yield and when to hold fast? + +But fishing like hunting is solitary. The zealot among fishermen will +generally prefer his own company to the society of lookers-on, whose +advice may worry him, and whose presence may spoil his sport. The +salmon-fisher does not make much of a companion of the gillie who goes +with him, and the trouter does best when absolutely alone; and nothing +is so apt to prove a tyrant, and an evil one, as the love of solitude. + +On the other hand, the angler is always under the influence, and able +to admire the beauties of nature. Whether he be upon the crag-bound +loch or by the sides of the laughing burn of highland countries, or +prefer the green banks of southern rivers, he can enjoy to the full the +many pleasures which existence alone presents to those who admire +nature. And all this exercises a softening influence on his character. +Read the works of those who write on fishing--Scrope, Walton, Davy, as +instances. Is there not a very gentle spirit breathing through them? +What is there rude or coarse or harsh in the true fisherman? Is he not +light and delicate, and do not his words and actions fall as softly as +his flies? + +Shooting is of two kinds, which, without incorrectness, may be termed +wild and tame. Of tame shooting the tamest, in every sense of the word, +is pigeon-shooting; but as this is admittedly not sport, and as its +principal feature is that it is a medium for gambling, or, at least, +for the winning of money prizes or silver cups, it may be passed over +in a few words. It undoubtedly requires skill, and encourages rapidity +of eye and quickness of action; but its influence on character depends +solely on its essential selfishness, and the taint which it bears from +the "filthy" effect of "lucre." + +Other tame shooting is battue shooting, where luxuriously clad men, who +have breakfasted at any hour between ten and twelve, and have been +driven to their coverts in a comfortable conveyance, stand in a +sheltered corner with cigarettes in their mouths, and shoot tame +pheasants and timid hares for about three hours and a half, varying the +entertainment by a hot lunch, and a short walk from beat to beat. Two +men stand behind each sportsman with breech-loaders of the quickest +action, and the only drawback to the gunner's satisfaction is that he +is obliged to waste a certain time between his shots in cocking the gun +which he has taken from his loader. This cannot but be enervating in +its influence. Everything, except the merest action of pointing the +piece and pulling the trigger, is done for you. You are conveyed +probably to the very place where you are to stand; the game is driven +right up to you; what you shoot is picked up for you; your gun itself +is loaded by other hands; you have no difficulty in finding your prey; +you have no satisfaction in outwitting the wiliness of bird or beast; +you have nothing whatever except the pleasure--minimised by constant +repetition--of bringing down a "rocketter," or stopping a rabbit going +full speed across a ride. + +The moral of this is that it is not necessary to do anything for +yourself, that some one will do everything for you, probably better +than you would, and that all you have to do is to leave everything to +some person whom you trust. Or, again, it is, get the greatest amount +of effect with the least possible personal exertion. Stand still, and +opportunities will come to you like pheasants--all you have to do is to +knock them over. + +But it is not so with wild-shooting. Not so with the man, who, with the +greatest difficulty, and after studying every available means of +approach, has got within range of the lordly stag, and hears the dull +thud which tells him his bullet has not missed its mark. Nor with him, +who, after a hurried breakfast, climbs hill after hill in pursuit of +the russet grouse, or mounts to the top of a craggy ridge in search of +the snowy ptarmigan. Not so either with him, who traverses every bit of +marshy ground along a low bottom, and is thoroughly gratified, if, at +the end of a long day, he has bagged a few snipe; nor with him, who, +despite cold and gloom and wet, has at last drawn his punt within +distance of a flock of wild duck. In each of these, endurance and +energy is taught in its fullest degree. It is no slight strain on the +muscles and lungs to follow Ronald in his varied course, in which he +emulates alternately the movements of the hare, the crab, and the +snake; and it is no slight trial of patience to find, after all your +care, all your wearisome stalk, that some unobserved hind, or unlucky +grouse, has frightened your prey and rendered your toil vain. But, +_en avant_, do not despair, try again, walk your long walk, crawl +your difficult crawl once more, and then, your perseverance rewarded by +a royal head, agree that deer-stalking is calculated to develop a +character which overcomes all difficulties, and goes on in spite of +many failures. + +The same obstinate determination which is found in this, the _beau +ideal_ of all shooting, is found similarly in shooting of other +kinds; and it is a question whether to the endurance inculcated by this +pursuit may not be attributed that part of an Englishman's character +which made the Peninsular heroes "never know when they were licked." + +It is objected by foreigners to many of our national sports that they +involve great disregard for animal life. "Let us go out and kill +something," they say, is the exhortation of an Englishman to his friend +when they wish to amuse themselves. Sport consists, they hold, in +slaughter; sport therefore is cruel, and teaches contempt for the +feelings of creatures lower than ourselves in the scale of existence. I +do not wish to enter into this question, which has been a source of +considerable controversy; but I would say three things in reference to +it. First, that it is difficult to answer the question, Why should man +be an exception to the rule of instinct--undoubtedly prevalent +throughout the world--which leads every animal to prey upon its +inferior? Secondly, that every possible arrangement is made by man for +the comfort and safety of his prey--salmon, foxes, pheasants or +stags--until the actual moment of capture, and that every fair chance +of escape is given to it; and thirdly, that whatever the premises may +be, the conclusion remains, that there is no race so far removed from +carelessness of animal life and happiness as the English. + +There are, however, other field sports which do not involve any +destruction of life, and which, from the general way in which they are +pursued, may fairly be called national. Foremost amongst these is +racing. + +Were racing freed from any influence, other than that which +distinguished the races of past epochs, the desire of success; were the +prize a crown of parsley or of laurel, and the laudable desire of +victory the only inducement to contention, the effect on the men who +are devoted to it could not be otherwise than for good. In modern +racing, however, the element of pecuniary gain comes in so strongly, +that the worst points of the human character are stimulated by it +instead of the best, and the improvement of horseflesh and the breed of +horses is sacrificed to the temporary advantage of owners of horses. To +say, now, that a man is going on the turf, is to say, that he had +almost be better under it; and though a few exceptional cases are +found, in which men persistently keeping race horses have maintained +their independence and strict integrity in spite of the many +temptations with which they are assailed, yet, even they, have probably +done so at the sacrifice of openness of confidence and perhaps of +friendship. Trust no one is the motto of turfites. Keep the key of your +saddle-room yourself; let no one, not even your trainer, see your +weights. Pay your jockey the salary of a judge, and then have no +security that he will not deceive you. The state of the turf is like +the state of Corcyræa of old. Every man thinks, that unless he is +actually plotting against somebody, he is in danger of being plotted +against himself, and that the only safety he has lies in taking the +initiative in deceit. The sole object is to win-- + + "Rem + Si possis recte, si non quocunque modo rem." + +Take care you are not cheated yourself, and make the most of any +knowledge of which you believe yourself to be the sole possessor. + +What is the result of such a pursuit? what its moral? The destruction +of all generosity, all trust in others, all large-mindedness: and the +encouragement instead, of selfishness, of extravagance, and of +suspicion. + +The man whose friendship was warm and generous, who would help his +friend to the limit of his powers, goes on the turf and becomes warped +and narrow, labouring, apparently, always under the suspicion, that +those whom he meets are trying, or wish to try, to get the better of +him, or share, in some way, the advantages which he hopes his cunning +has acquired for himself. + +A thorough disregard for truth, too, is taught by horse-racing; not, +perhaps, instanced always by the affirmation of falsehood, but +negatively by the concealment or distortion of fact. An owner seldom +allows even his best friend to know the result of his secret trials, +and in some notable cases such results are kept habitually locked in +the breast of one man, who fears to have a confidant, and doubts the +integrity of everyone. Whether this is a state of things which can be +altered, either by diminishing the number of race-meetings in England, +or by discouraging or even putting down betting, I have no wish to +consider; but that the present condition of horse-racing and its +surroundings is very far removed from being a credit to the country, I +venture to affirm. + +Cricket is another field sport, the popularity of which has rapidly +increased; partly from the entire harmlessness which characterises it, +and leads to the encouragement of it by schoolmasters and clergymen, +and partly from the fact that it is played in the open air, in fine +weather, and in the society of a number of companions. I do not propose +to inquire whether there is benefit in the general spreading of cricket +through the country, or whether it may not be said that it occupies too +much time and takes men away from other more advantageous occupations, +or whether the combination of amateur and professional skill which is +found in great matches is a good thing; but I wish, briefly, to point +out one or two points in human nature which seem to me to be developed +by cricket. + +The first of these is hero-worship. The best player in a village club, +and the captain of a school eleven, if not for other reasons unusually +unpopular, is surrounded by a halo of glory which falls to the +successful in no other sport. Great things are expected of him, he is +looked upon with admiring eyes, and is indeed a great man. "Ah, it is +all very well," you hear, "but wait till Brown goes in, Smith and +Robinson are out, but wait till Brown appears, then you will see how we +shall beat you, bowl him out if you can." His right hand will atone for +the shortcomings of many smaller men, his prowess make up the +deficiency of his side. Or look at a match between All England and +twenty-two of Clodshire, watch the clodsmen between the innings, how +they throng wonderingly round the chiefs of the eleven. That's him, +that's Abel, wait till he takes the bat, then you'll "see summut like +play." Or go to the "Bat and Ball" after the match, when the eleven are +there, and see how their words are dwelt on by an admiring audience, +and their very looks and demeanour made much of as the deliberate +expressions of men great in their generation. Again, see the reception +at Kennington Oval of a "Surrey pet" or a popular amateur, or the way +in which "W. G." Grace is treated by the undemonstrative aristocracy of +"Lord's," and agree with me that cricket teaches hero-worship in its +full. What power the captain of the Eton or the Winchester eleven has, +what an influence over his fellows, not merely in the summer when his +deeds are before the public, but always from a memory of his prowess +with bat or ball. There is one awkward point about this; there are many +cricket clubs, and therefore many captains, and when two of these meet +a certain amount of difficulty arises in choosing which is the hero to +be worshipped. In a match where the best players of a district are +collected, and two or more good men, known in their own circle and +esteemed highly, there play together, who is to say which is the best; +who is to crown the real king of Brentford? Each considers himself +superior to the other, each remembers the plaudits of his own admirers, +forgets that it is possible that they may be prejudiced, and ignores +the reputation of his neighbour. The result is a jealousy among the +chieftains which is difficult to be overcome, and which shows itself +even in the best matches. + +On the other hand, the effect of this hero-worship which I have +described, is to produce a harmony and unity of action consequent on +confidence in a leader which is peculiar to cricket. Watch a good +eleven, a good university or public school team, and see how thoroughly +they work together, how the whole eleven is like one machine, "point" +trusting "coverpoint," "short slip" knowing that if he cannot reach a +ball, "long slip" can, and the bowler feeling sure that his "head" +balls, if hit up, will be caught, if hit along the ground, will be +fielded. Or see two good men batting, when every run is of importance, +how they trust one another's judgment as to the possibility of running, +how thoroughly they act in unison. Such training as this teaches +greatly a combination of purpose and of action, and a confidence in the +judgment of one's colleagues which must be advantageous. + +The good cricketer is obedient to his captain, does what he is told, +and does not grumble if he thinks his skill underrated: the tyro, proud +of his own prowess, will indeed be cross if he is not made enough of, +or is sent in last; but the good player, who really knows the game, +sees that one leader is enough, and obeys his orders accordingly. + +There are other lessons taught by cricket, such as caution by batting, +patience and care by bowling, and energy by fielding; but I have no +space to dwell on these, as I wish to examine very briefly one more +sport, which, though hardly national, is yet much loved by the +considerable number who do pursue it. Boating is seen in its glory at +the universities or in some of the suburbs of London which are situated +on the Thames. It is also practised in some of the northern towns, +especially Newcastle, where the Tynesiders have long enjoyed a great +reputation. + +By boating, I do not mean going out in a large tub, and sitting under +an awning, being pulled by a couple of paid men or drawn by an +unfortunate horse, but boat-racing, for prizes or for honour. The +Oxford and Cambridge race has done more than anything to make this +sport popular, and the thousands who applaud the conquerors, reward +sufficiently the exertions which have been necessary to make the +victory possible. + +The chief lesson which rowing teaches is self denial. The university +oar, or the member of the champion crew at Henley, has to give up many +pleasures, and deny himself many luxuries, before he is in a fit state +to row with honour to himself and his club; and though in the +dramatist's excited imagination the stroke-oar of an Oxford eight may +spend days and nights immediately before the race, in the society of a +Formosa, such is not the case in real life. There must be no pleasant +chats over a social pipe for the rowing man, no dinners at the Mitre or +the Bull, no _recherché_ breakfasts with his friends; the routine +of training must be strictly observed, and everything must give way to +the paramount necessity of putting on muscle. In the race itself, too, +what a desperate strain there is on the powers! How many times has some +sobbing oarsman felt that nature must succumb to the tremendous demand +made on her, that he can go no further; and then has come the thought +that others are concerned besides himself, that the honour of his +university or his club are at stake, which has lent a new stimulus and +made possible that final spurt which results in victory. + +The habits taught by rowing, whether during training or after the race +has commenced, lead to regularity of life, to abstemiousness, and to +the avoidance of unwholesome tastes, and their effect is seen long +after the desire for aquatic glory have passed away. + +Such are some of the most prominent influences of English field sports, +and as long as amusements requiring such energy, such physical or +mental activity, and such endurance as fox-hunting, stalking, and +cricket, are popular, there is little fear of the manly character of +the English nation deteriorating, or its indomitable determination +being weakened. + + + + +OLD-FASHIONED ANGLING + + +Angling is, I think, one of the most popular of British field sports; +certainly, for one book written about any other kind, there must be +half-a-dozen on the subject of fishing. I met lately with a most +amusing old book on the "Art of Angling," published in 1801; and +illustrated with very quaint old wood engravings of both fresh and sea +water fish. It commences with a long anatomical and physiological +description of fish, giving an account of their habits, method of +feeding, &c. For this last the author draws considerably on his own +imagination. For instance, he declares that mussels and oysters open +their shells for the purpose of catching crabs, closing them when one +creeps in, and thus securing their prey. The oyster also is declared to +change sides with each tide, lying with the flat shell uppermost one +time, and the convex the next. After this the author goes regularly +through the alphabet, treating everything connected with fresh-water +angling under its respective initial letter. + +I suppose that at this time there were few, if any tackle shops, for +most elaborate directions are given for making lines. These were to be +of horse hair, and twisted in a "twisting instrument," whatever that +was. The hair was to be with the top of one to the tail of the other, +so that every part might be equally strong, and turned slowly, so as to +allow it "to bed" properly; the different lengths were to be tied +together either "by a water knot, or Dutch knot, or a weaver's." The +line was to taper, beginning with three hairs down to a single one, +where the hook was whipped on. + +The rod, as a matter of the greatest importance, is duly treated. The +wood was to be procured between the middle of November and Christmas +Day; the stock or butt to be made of ground hazel, ground ash, or +ground willow, not more than two or three feet long. The wood chosen to +be that which shot directly from the ground--not from any stump--and +every joint beyond was to taper to a top made preferably of hazel, +though yew, crab, or blackthorn might be used. If it had any knots or +excrescences, which were to be avoided if possible, they must be +removed with a sharp knife. Five or six inches of the top were to be +cut off, and a small piece of round, smooth, taper whalebone spliced on +with silk and cobbler's wax, and the whole finished with a strong noose +of hair to fasten the line to. This was for an ordinary rod; the best +sort was made as follows:--A white deal or fir board, thick, free from +knots, and seven to eight feet long, was to be procured, and a +dexterous joiner was to divide this with his saw into several breadths; +then with a plane to shoot them round, smooth, and rush-grown or taper. +One of these would form the bottom of the rod, seven or eight feet long +in the piece. To this was fastened a hazel six or seven feet long, +proportioned to the fir; this also rush-grown, and it might consist of +two or three pieces, to the top of which a piece of yew was to be fixed +about two feet long--round, smooth, and taper; and, finally, a piece of +round whalebone, five or six inches long. Some rings or eyes were to be +placed on the rod in such a manner that when you laid your eye to one, +you could see through all the rest. A wheel or winch must be fixed on, +about a foot from the end of the rod, and, as a finish, a feather +dipped in _aqua fortis_ was passed over it, so as to make it a pure +cinnamon colour. "This," the author adds, "will be a curious rod if +artificially worked!" + +The subject of fly-making, and how and when to use flies, is treated +most exhaustively--no less than twenty-four pages being devoted to the +subject. The materials named for fly-dressing are very good indeed, and +very much the same as used now; but when the author tries to explain +the _actual_ method of using them he utterly fails. Anyone who +attempted to tie flies in the way explained would produce most +extraordinary specimens. + +The author has taken very great pains, not only in naming the flies to +be used each month, but the actual time of day for them, and the hours +between which they must be used. Worms for bait are described and named +with great exactness, and the best way to catch and keep them, also how +best to scour them previous to use. I think, however, the method +recommended for scouring one kind would be too much for any but a +_very_ enthusiastic angler--namely, to put them in a woollen bag, and +keep them in your waistcoat pocket. Few persons could stand that, I +think. + +Many recipes for different sorts of pastes are given, but it is hard to +believe that any fish would take them--"bean flour, the tenderest part +of a kitten's leg, wax and suet beaten together in a mortar," scarcely +sounds alluring; neither does a mixture of "fat old cheese (the +strongest rennet), suet, and turmeric," appear to be very nice. To any +of these pastes you may add "assafoetida, oil of polypody of the oak, +oil of ivy, or oil of Peter." Well, I do not suppose that they would +make much difference. + +A great number of recipes for unguents, to smear over the worms used so +as to make them more attractive, are given; and most extraordinary they +are:--assafoetida, three drachms; camphire, one drachm; Venice +turpentine, one drachm; beaten up with oils of lavender and camomile, +is one recipe. Another is, "mulberry juice, hedgehog's fat, oil of +water-lilies and oil of pennyroyal," mixed together; but the most +elaborate one is as follows:--"Take the oils of camomile, lavender, and +aniseed, of each a quarter of an ounce; heron's grease and the best of +assafoetida, each two drachms; two scruples of cummin seed finely +beaten to powder; Venice turpentine, camphire, and galbanum, of each a +drachm; add two grains of civet and make into an unguent. This must be +kept close in a glazed earthenware pot, or it loses much of its virtue; +anoint your line with it and your expectation will be abundantly +answered. Some anglers, however, place more confidence in a judicious +choice of baits and a proper management of them, than in the most +celebrated unguents." I think the concluding paragraph is delightful. I +suppose it did at length dawn on the author's mind that people might +object to carrying about such hideously stinking compositions. + +The angler is told that "his apparel must not be of a light or shining +colour, but of a dark brown, fitting closely to the body, so as not to +fright the fish away." The impediments to our anglers' recreation are +named. "The fault may be occasioned by his tackle, as when his lines or +hooks are too large, when his bait is dead or decaying. If he angles at +a wrong time of day, when the fish are not in the humour of taking his +bait. If the fish have been frightened by him or with his shadow. If +the weather be too cold. If the weather be too hot. If it rains much or +fast. If it hails or snows. If it be tempestuous. If the wind blows +high or be in the east or north. Want of patience and the want of a +proper assortment of baits." Anglers are also warned "never to fish in +any water that is not common without leave of the owner, which is +seldom denied to any but those that do not deserve it." Another +direction is given that would greatly horrify any Blue Ribbon army man +who might see it, namely, "if at any time, you happen to be over-heated +with walking or other exercise, you must avoid small liquors as you +would poison, and rather take a glass of brandy, the instantaneous +effects of which in cooling the body and quenching drought are +amazing." + +The laws as to angling and fishing generally are quoted at considerable +length and seem most of them to be aimed at preventing immature fish +being taken and preserves damaged. The penalties did not err on the +side of clemency. By 5th Elizabeth, destroying any dam of any pond, +moat or stew, &c., with intent to take the fish, was punished with +three months' imprisonment and to be bound to good behaviour for seven +years after; also by 21st Elizabeth, "no servant shall be questioned +for killing a trespasser within his master's liberty who will not +yield; if not done out of former malice. Yet if the trespasser kills +any such servant it is murder." + +I fancy the following, if carried out now, would rather astonish many +fish dealers in the city of London:--"Those that sell, offer, or expose +to sale or exchange for any other goods, bret or turbot under sixteen +inches long; brill or pearl under fourteen; codlin twelve; whiting six; +bass and mullet twelve; sole, plaice, and dab eight; and flounder +seven, from their eyes to the utmost extent of the tail; are liable to +forfeit twenty shillings, by distress, or to be sent to hard labour for +not less than six or more than fourteen days, and to be _whipped_." I +suppose most, if not all, of these enactments are now repealed, but if +not, and they were enforced, a considerable sensation would be created +by them. + +One paragraph is very remarkable, as showing that over ninety years +ago, the same views were promulgated, relating to the profit that might +be obtained from fish in ponds, as have been brought forward in the +_Times_ and other papers during recent years. Our author says: "It +is surprising that, considering the benefit which may accrue from +making ponds and keeping of fish, it is not more generally put in +practice. For, besides furnishing the table and raising money, the land +would be vastly improved and be worth forty shillings an acre; four +acres converted into a pond will return every year a thousand fed carp +from the least size to fourteen or fifteen inches long, besides pike, +perch, tench, and other fish. The carp alone may be reckoned to bring +one with another, sixpence, ninepence, or perhaps twelvepence apiece, +amounting at the lowest rate to twenty-five pounds, and at the highest +to fifty, which would be a very considerable as well as useful +improvement." Exactly; this has been written and pointed out in the +papers year after year. + +There are wood-cuts of every fish and full directions how to angle for +them. For pike, trolling, live baiting, fishing with frogs, are all +lengthily described; and also a curious sort of spinning, the motion +being caused by cutting off one of the fins close to the gills and +another behind the vent on the contrary side. I am sorry to say the +author winds up by full directions for snaring and snatching. + +It seems curious to be told that good places for roach fishing are by +Blackfriars, Westminster and Chelsea Bridges, or by the piles at London +Bridge; but that the best way by far was to go below the bridges and +fasten your boat to the "stern of any collier or other vessel whose +bottom was dirty with weeds," to angle there, as "you would not fail to +catch many roach, and those very fine ones." The sailors on board +colliers must have been a very different set in those days from what +they are now. I fancy anyone trying to tie his boat to the stern of a +collier, whether for fishing or any other purpose, would have a pretty +hot time of it. The Thames, of course, is mentioned as one of the +rivers where salmon were caught, though the localities are not named. +Exact particulars are given for fishing for eels, but in those days +they must have been a very amiable sort of fish, not at all like the +obstinate and perverse creatures they are now, if they allowed +themselves to be caught by sniggling in the way mentioned. You were to +"get a strong line of silk and a small hook bated with a lob worm; next +get a short stick with a cleft in it, and put the line into it near the +bait; then thrust it into such holes as you suppose him to lurk in. If +he is there, it is great odds that he will take it." The stick was then +to be detached from the line and the eel allowed to gorge the bait. You +were not to try and draw him out hastily, but to give him time to tire +himself out by pulling. All I can say is, that if anyone ever managed +to get an eel out in this way he must have had an uncommon share of +luck. My own experience shows me that when an eel gorges your bait and +gets into his hole, it is quite hopeless to attempt to get him out, and +the only plan is to pull until something gives way, and that is never +the eel, but usually your hook, and sometimes the line. + +Our author having given every kind of advice and direction about +angling, adds the following admonition:--"Remember that the wit and +invention of mankind were bestowed for other purposes than to deceive +silly fish, and that, however delightful angling may be, it ceases to +be innocent when used otherwise than as a mere recreation"; and he +winds up all he has to say about fresh-water angling thus:--"The editor +having gone through the English alphabet, takes the liberty to tell +gentlemen that the best way to secure fish is to transport poachers." A +very wise piece of advice, no doubt much acted on in those days. + +In the second part of the book, devoted to sea fish, no directions are +given for fishing, but merely descriptions of them, and very curious +some of these are. We are told of dolphins, that "they sleep with their +snouts out of water," and that "some have affirmed that they have heard +them snore; they will live three days out of water, during which time +they sigh in so mournful a manner as to affect those with concern, who +are not used to hear them." + +Another fish, the "sea-wolf, taken off Heligoland, is a very voracious +animal, and well furnished with dreadful teeth. They are so hard that +if he bites the fluke of an anchor you may hear the sound and see the +impression of his teeth." Certainly the engraving of it makes it an +awful-looking thing, with a body like a codfish and an enormous head, +with a huge mouth full of teeth like spikes. When the herring fishery +is mentioned, it is curious that the author gives a full account of the +Dutch fishery but passes over the English with a very brief notice. The +account of the former is remarkable. Their vessels were a kind of +barque called a buss, from forty-five to sixty tons burden, carrying +two or three small cannon; none were allowed to steer out of port +without a convoy unless they carried twenty pieces of cannon amongst +them all. What can have been the use of this regulation I cannot +imagine. A pirate would never attack a fishing-boat, and against a +vessel of war they would have been useless. The regulations for fishing +were very distinct. No man was to cast his net within 100 fathoms of +another's boat; whilst the nets were cast, a light was to be left in +the stern; if a boat was by any accident obliged to leave off fishing, +the light was to be thrown into the sea, and when the greater part of +the fleet left off fishing and cast anchor, the rest were to do the +same. + +Of the English fishery, the date of its commencement, the size of the +nets and the names of the different sorts of herrings are merely given; +these names are very curious, I wonder whether they are known on the +coast now. Six sorts are given,--the Fat Herring, the largest and best; +the Meat Herring, large, but not so thick as the first; the Night +Herring, a middle-sized one; the Pluck, which has been hurt in the net; +the Shotten Herring, which has lost its spawn; and the Copshen, which +by some accident or other has been deprived of its head. When the whale +fishery is mentioned, here too the description given relates entirely +to the Dutch. As to the English it only says that in 1728 the South Sea +Company began to work it with pretty good success at first, but that it +dwindled away until 1740, when Parliament thought fit to give greater +encouragement to it. The discipline in the Dutch whale fleet seems to +have been very good; the following are some of the standing +regulations:--In case a vessel was wrecked and the crew saved, the +first vessel they met with was to take them in and the second half of +those from the first, but were not obliged to take in any of the cargo; +but if any goods taken out of such vessel are absolutely relinquished +and another ship finds and takes them, the captain was to be +accountable to the owner of the wrecked ship for one-half clear of all +expenses. If the crew deserted any wrecked vessel, they would have no +claim to any of the effects saved, but the whole would go to the +proprietor. However, if present when the effects were saved and they +assisted therein, they would have one-fourth. That if a person piked a +fish on the ice, it was his own so long as he left anyone with it, but +the minute he left it, the fish became the property of the first +captain that came along. If it was fastened to the shore by an anchor +or rope, though left alone it belonged to its first captor. If any man +was maimed or wounded in the Service, the Commissioners of the Fishery +were to procure him reasonable satisfaction, to which the whole fleet +were to contribute. They likewise agreed to attend prayers morning and +evening, on pain of a forfeit at the discretion of the captain; not to +get drunk or draw their knives on forfeiture of half their wages, nor +fight on forfeiture of the whole. They were not to lay wagers on the +good or ill-success of the fishing, nor buy or sell with the condition +of taking one or more fish on the penalty of twenty-five florins. They +were likewise to rest satisfied with the provisions allowed them and +never to light candle, fire, or match, without the captain's leave on +the like penalty. These regulations were read out before the voyage +commenced and the crew were then called over to receive the customary +gratuity before setting out and were promised another on return in +proportion to the success of the voyage. The vessels went north leaving +Iceland on the left, to parallel 75°, but some, the author says, +ventured as far as 80° or 82°. I fancy he had rather vague ideas on the +subject of North latitude, as it was not until 1827 that Sir E. Parry +reached 82°, the farthest point north ever attained up to that time. + +Amongst other fish "stock fish" is mentioned, which is described as +"cod fish caught in the North of Norway by fishermen who cut holes in +the ice for the purpose. On hooking one, as soon as they pulled it out, +it was opened, cleaned, and then thrown on the rocks where it froze and +became as hard as a deal board, and never to be dissolved. This the +sailors beat to pieces, often calling it fresh fish, though it may have +been kept seven years and worms have eaten holes in it." But if the +letter-press is curious, the engravings with which the book is +illustrated are still quainter. The fish, whether minnows or salmon, +reach the same length; the only difference being made in their breadth, +even the whale is merely represented as rather thicker and with two +little men with axes in their hands walking on it. The author +undoubtedly took great pains in compiling his work, and in spite of all +eccentricities there are many hints and suggestions that are useful +even nowadays. + + + + +PARTRIDGE DAY AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS + +BY AN ELDERLY SPORTSMAN + + +The world advances--good. Having accepted which tenet, it would be +unreasonable to deny that the pleasures and indulgences of the world +advance also. Luxury is one of the pleasures and indulgences of the +world. Therefore luxury advances. The syllogism is complete and sound; +there is fault in neither major nor minor premiss; and we have +therefore arrived at the ultimate conclusion that luxury is on the +move--that is, has increased. I have seldom come across a more perfect +illustration of my argument than in the early days of this month of +September. I am not an old fogey; I do not set up pretensions to a +claim for talking, with a kind of accompanying sigh, of the days "when +I was a boy," when "we managed things so much better," &c., &c. Yet +perhaps I am not exactly middle-aged either, and can at all events look +sufficiently far back to note a material change in the manner in which +old September is ushered in now as compared with its reception some +years ago. There are probably few, who, if lacking experience of its +pleasures, can duly appreciate the ardour with which a sportsman looks +forward to the "glorious first." But let the appreciative observer note +how manifestly that ardour has of late years abated. It has been my +frequent custom ere autumn has made her final curtsey, to take up my +quarters at the country house of a certain relative, and witness the +unprovoked assault on, and reckless massacre of divers unoffending +partridges in the ensuing month. The relative referred to is an elderly +gentleman, and, in addition to the possession of lands of his own, and +liberties to shoot over those of other people, is also the happy father +of three stalwart sons, not to mention the complementary portion of the +family with whom at present I have nothing to do. These three stalwart +sons, beknown to me as mere brats, I have watched grow up with some +interest, and that not only as regards their moral and intellectual +training, but also as regards the physical culture of their frames, and +the sporting bent of their mind. The youngsters were always fond of me. +I have always been their _fidus Achates_, in their adventures by land +and water, from teaching them to swim and row, down to setting night +lines for eels, or traps for rats. Well do I recollect arriving, on the +evening of the 31st of August, some years ago, at the old place in +Lincolnshire, and finding all three in a state of wild exuberance of +spirits in anticipation of the morrow's sport; Jack, the eldest, just +then promoted to a gun of his own, of which he was enormously proud, +and the other two contenting themselves with the exciting prospect of +plodding after us the whole day in the hopes of being allowed to let +off our charges at its conclusion. Everybody was eager enough then, +and the Squire after an evening spent--much to the disgust of the +ladies--in discussing the all-engrossing topic of "the birds," sends +us off early to bed, that we may all be up betimes in the morning. + +We wake at seven, or rather are awoke, for the boys have been up since +five, "chumming" (I know no word so appropriate) with the keepers; and +even the Squire himself overhead I have heard stamping across his room +to look out at the weather several times since four o'clock. We are +awoke, then, at seven, and ere we have had time to take that fatal +turn, the sure forerunner of a second sleep, a knock, or rather a +thunderclap, is heard on the outer panels of the door, and Uncle Sam +(they always call me Uncle Sam, though I am not their uncle, and my +name is not Samuel) is summoned to "look sharp, and dress." Too +cognizant of the fact that Uncle Sam's only chance of peace is to obey, +we splash into our tub forthwith, encase our person in an old velveteen +and gaiters, and having gulped our coffee and hastily devoured our +toast, find ourself at nine o'clock standing on the hall steps, and +comparing guns with Jack, previous to a start for the arable. Two +keepers, a brace of perfect pointers, and a retriever, are awaiting, +even at that hour, impatiently, our departure for the scene of action. + +Two miles' walk in the soft September air serves to brace our nerves +for the work before us; and the head keeper and the Squire having +conferred together like two generals, on our arrival at the seat of +war, we at length find ourselves placed--I should perhaps rather say +marshalled--in the turnips and ready for the fray. What a picture it +is! how truly English! each sportsman's eye glistening with excitement +and pleasure, as he poises his gun, each in his own readiest manner and +favourite position, the Squire casting his eye along the line with the +careful scrutiny of a field-marshal examining his forces previous to a +final and decisive struggle; the two pointers, too well disciplined to +show their ardour in gestures, standing mute behind the keeper; Jack +with his gun full-cocked and ready to fire almost before the quarry is +started; and his two brothers bursting with excitement, talking in +hurried and ceaseless whispers behind the back of Uncle Sam, bearing no +distant resemblance, as far as their half-checked ardour is concerned, +to the brace of pointers behind the keeper. But there is no time for +indulging in reverie as to the scene; a low "Hold up, then!" is heard +from the head-keeper, the two graceful dogs bound forward, the line +advances, and the action has commenced. A rabbit starts from under +Jack's feet: Bang!--and the shot enters a turnip, a yard behind the +little white stern hopping and popping to his burrow, despite the +reiterated assurances of Master Jack that he is hit, and who forgets to +reload accordingly. "Hold up!" to the crouching pointers, and away we +move again, watching the graceful movements of the dogs as they work +the field before us. Rake, a young dog in his first season, is breaking +a little too much ahead; but ere the keeper's "Gently, boy!" had +reached him, he has suddenly pulled up, and, with tail stiff and leg +up, is standing, motionless as a statue, over a covey. We advance, in +the highest excitement:--whirr! goes bird after bird almost singly; and +our first covey of the season leaves two brace and a half on the field. +One o'clock comes; we have steadily beaten turnips and stubble, clover +and mustard, and we spy a man with a donkey and panniers on the brow of +the hill in front of us. We beat up to him, bagging a hare and a single +bird on our way, and during the half-hour that is allowed us for our +bread and cheese and one glass of sherry, we enjoy to our heart's +content the large delights of loosing our tongues, after several hours' +rigid silence. But "time is up," and we are again on the move till six; +we are tired, but we don't know it; we are hungry and thirsty, but we +feel not their pangs, till, with our five-and-twenty brace behind us in +the bags, we strike across the park on our homeward journey. Uncle +Sam's gun is yielded up to Master Tom to let off the charge with the +shot drawn; but he manages surreptitiously to obtain our shot-flask, +and joins us on the hall steps with a dead rabbit, somewhat mauled, +however, from the young rascal's having fired at it at ten paces. We +sit down to dinner in high good-humour:--who is not, after a good day? +We defend our sport before the ladies from the charge of cruelty, and +retire to roost so tired that we take the precaution to lock our door, +to prevent the too early and too sure incursion of the young Visigoths +in the morning. Alas! for the days that are no more. Seven or eight +years have passed since that pleasant day, and Downcharge Hall again +welcomes Uncle Sam on the evening of the 31st, under its hospitable +roof; I find the boys all grown into young men; Jack is a captain of +Hussars, Tom is a subaltern in the Engineers, and Dick has just left +Christ Church. They are still as fond as ever of Uncle Sam, though they +occasionally venture so far nowadays, as to offer an opinion adverse to +his on sporting matters, in which his word was formerly supreme. As I +descend to dinner, I pass Jack's room. Hailed by its tenant, of course. +I enter, and find him occupied, with care above his years, in the +adjustment of his spotless white necktie, two of which articles, +crumpled too much in the operation, are at present adorning the floor. +"Think of shooting to-morrow, Sam?" (The title of "uncle" has been +dropped since Jack first stroked his downy upper lip as a second +lieutenant). I stand aghast. Here is a young man, full of health and +vigour, on the evening of the 31st August, questioning a fellow-man, +who has just travelled some hundred miles and more to Downcharge Hall, +with his arm round his gun-case, as to his intention of shooting on the +1st of September. Entertaining a faint hope that, in the exuberance of +his youthful spirits, he may be chaffing his old relative, I gasp out +an affirmative, and, obeying the summons of the dinner-bell, descend +the stairs. There is a large party of guests, but dinner proceeds with +but one allusion to the morrow and that is from Dick, who exclaims, as +he fingers the delicate stem of his champagne glass, "By-the-by, +to-morrow will be the 1st." The piece of fowl I was that moment in the +act of swallowing stuck in my throat; my appetite was destroyed, and I +silently, but sorrowfully, resolved that for the future no prodigy +could have power to amaze me. Our guests stayed late, and at half-past +eleven o'clock, mindful of my early rising the next day, I began to +grow fidgetty. By twelve o'clock, however, they had all gone; and +having despatched the ladies of the house to bed, my hand was already +grasping my bed-candle, when Tom arrested my intention, bidding me, in +a voice of manifest astonishment at what he was pleased to call my +"early roost," to come and do a pipe or two first in Dick's room. +Labouring under the delusion that a quarter of an hour was about to be +devoted to arranging our sporting plans, I obeyed, and after two hours +in Dick's room, spent almost entirely in discussing the relative merits +and demerits of certain ladies and horses, found myself between the +sheets at last. Awaking with a start, in the morning, to discover it is +eight o'clock, I dress with all possible speed, haunted the while with +terrible pictures of impatient sportsmen below anathematizing my +tardiness as they wait breakfast for me. I hurry down stairs,--the +breakfast room is tenantless. My first impression is that they have +been unable to curb their sporting ardour, and have started without me. +Hearing a footstep on the gravel sweep without, I step through the open +casement, and confront a pretty dairymaid bringing in the milk and +cream for breakfast. + +"Fine mornin', sir." + +"Yes. Which way have they gone--can you tell me?" + +"Same gait as ever, sir. Joe have druv 'em down agin the fenny pasture, +arter milkin' up hinder." + +"Ah! but the gentlemen, not the cows." + +"The gentlemen, is it? Maybe if ye look in their beds ye'll see 'em +this time o' day." + +Heaving a mighty sigh, I leave the dairymaid, and stroll up and down +the garden, listening with increasing impatience to the distant call of +the partridges in the park. Nature at Downcharge Hall that morning was +at all events beautifully still; there was a slight mist, too, +gradually clearing off from the distance, which betokened very surely a +broiling day, and made me long the more to get our seven or eight brace +before the mid-day heat should come upon us. My longings and +reflections, however, were suddenly cut short by a pitying butler, who +had brought me out the _Times_, with the remark that "Master and the +young gentlemen seldom has their breakfasts before ten." This was +cheerful; however, I consoled myself with the paper, and just as I had +finished discovering who was born, married, or dead, and had commenced +reading the entreaties to return to afflicted initial letters, &c., +&c., Dick's terrier entered the room, the forerunner of his master, +who, remarking on my actually being an earlier bird than himself, was +followed, in the course of about twenty minutes, by the others. + +"I suppose we shoot to-day: where shall we begin?" asks Tom. + +"Oh! we will shoot up from Brinkhill," answers the Squire. + +"Brinkhill--two miles;--must have a trap," says Jack. + +The two-mile walk used to be part of the order of the day; it gave us a +little time for conversation, prohibited from its conclusion till +lunch; it braced one up, and made one, in sporting phraseology, "fit"; +but nowadays a carriage is necessary, and the young Nimrod is unequal +to any fatigue beyond that which he must necessarily undergo in pursuit +of his game. However, we are late, so I can't object to it; and, +burning my throat in my hasty disposal of my second cup of coffee, I +rush upstairs to get ready my trusty Westley Richards, which, by the +way, is a muzzle-loader, yet does not take so long to load as to +require a man behind me with a second gun. Five minutes, and fully +equipped I re-enter the breakfast-room, where I am astonished to find +my "get-up" creates unfeigned amazement. + +"What! ready now!" says Tom; "what's the use of being in such a +hurry?--let's do a pipe and a game of billiards first." + +"Ah, by-the-by," adds Dick, "what time shall we start? Better have the +trap at twelve--quite early enough, eh?" + +So Jack betakes himself to the newspaper; I am dragged off in disgust +to the billiard-room; and the Squire goes off to show old Jones, who is +staying here, all about the gardens, &c. + +How I loathe the gardens from that moment!--how every shrub became a +bugbear, every flower a poisonous weed, to my jaundiced eye, as I +mentally abused my host for not turning out everybody sooner, and doing +things smarter! My temper is rapidly vanishing; I have been beaten in +two games by Tom, to whom I used formerly to allow fifteen out of +fifty; I am smoking a cigar of Dick's (a bad one I think it, of +course), when suddenly the sound of wheels breaks on my ear, and +rushing madly to my room again, I don my shot-belt, I pocket wads, +powder, and caps, shoulder my gun, and in two minutes am seated in the +elegant little double dog-cart, waiting in a broiling sun for these +tardy sportsmen. I have sat for full a quarter of an hour, when Jack +strolls out, and, in a voice as though nothing had or was about to +happen, exclaims-- + +"Hallo, Sam! are you ready? I must go and dress." And this to a man who +has been gaitered since half-past eight. At half-past twelve he +reappeared, dressed in magnificent apparel, the result of Poole's and +Anderson's united efforts, and examining, to the increase of my +impatience, the elaborate locks of a brand new breech-loader. Formerly, +we used to take care of that sort of thing the night before at the +latest. However, our horses are good ones, and Dick, who knows very +well how to handle them--about the only thing I can say for him--puts +them along in very neat form at a brisk pace to Brinkhill. This is all +very pleasant; and as we near the ground my spirits begin to rise +again. It takes us, however, at least twenty minutes to discuss which +is the most advantageous beat--a matter which used to be settled as we +came along; but I am at last on the move, and begin to forget the past +grievances, only hoping they won't strike work too early. It is the +same old field in which I so well remember Jack making his _debût_ +and missing the rabbit; but I miss the eager faces of those days sadly; +it doesn't seem the same thing to me; half the pleasure of a thing, +after all, is in enjoying it in company; but that half is sadly marred +if the said company are cool in their enjoyment. The dogs, too, are +disgustingly wild now. Old Rake breaks fence and flushes our first +covey long out of gunshot, my disgust at which is further augmented by +one of the keepers, as wild as the dog, breaking line and starting a +hare, as remote as the partridges, by his loud imprecations after the +miscreant, who is utterly deaf alike to whistle, threats, and +entreaties. There is fault enough here; but it doesn't lie entirely +with the keeper; it is too evident there is an absence of the eye of +the master. If the Squire grows indifferent to their proceedings, he +can scarcely expect his dogs and keepers to be what they were; the +keeper gets lazy or dishonest, the dogs' training is neglected, and +by-and-by they become useless or worse than useless, and their services +are discarded. Now if there is one thing more than another which +enhances the pleasure of a day's partridge-shooting, it is to watch a +brace of well-trained pointers work a field. Why is it then--for +obviously it is so--that the use of dogs, and especially of setters and +pointers in the field, is gradually being discarded? + +But to proceed. As soon as order is tolerably restored, we advance +again, and pretty steadily beat two or three fields, bagging, with an +unheard-of amount of missing, about two brace of birds. We are just +entering the next field, when the Brinkhill tenant rides up and asks us +all in to lunch. Ye gods, what a feast! Some years ago some bread and +cheese, and perhaps a couple of glasses of sherry under a hedge was +considered ample on these occasions. Now, however, I have before me an +elegant repast of ham and tongue, of fowls and lamb, of pies and fruit, +of beer and sherry, port and claret, such as would have shamed the +epicurean deities of heathen mythology quaffing ambrosial nectar on the +heights of Olympus. With a hopeless shudder I deposit my gun in a +corner of the room and take my seat. We breakfasted at ten, but the +"unwonted" exercise (alas! it should be so) has given the youngsters an +appetite, and their tongues are tied for ten minutes, before worthy Mr +Shorthorn, the tenant, produces a bottle of "that very fine old port" +he so wishes the Squire to taste. I am not exaggerating when I state +that lunch lasted a good hour. Then his pigs are inspected, and what +with the wine and the waiting, I can well foresee what will happen to +our sport: tongues will be loosed; misses will, if possible, increase; +and I feel convinced that the partridges will have little to fear from +us for this afternoon, at all events. However, we do manage at last to +get away by about half-past three or four o'clock, and commence beating +a very promising piece of stubble. I have just bagged a hare, and the +dogs have been reduced, by dint of much rating, into a state of +downcharge whilst I load, when something is heard galloping behind us, +and Dick, who had stayed behind, as we thought, to fill his +powder-flask, appears in the field trying the paces of the tenant's +young one. Although he is well behind the beat, the galloping horse +forms a disturbing element to the guns. Dick rides over the low fence +at the end, round the next field, and finally returns right in the way +of a shot I might have had at a landrail. I don't swear, because I +don't approve thereof, and, moreover, am moderate in my temper; but +this is indeed trying, and, to make matters worse, the fellow doesn't +appear in the least bit ashamed of himself, but quietly dismounts, +feels the legs of the colt carefully down, and, refusing to take his +gun from the keepers, remarks that he is tired of missing, and (to my +joy) shall go home. A prudent resolve, as he had fired at least twenty +or thirty shots without touching a feather, as it seemed to my heated +imagination; but the keeper, with a presence the late Duc de Morny +might have envied, urges him "not to give over yet; he might 'ave a +haccident and hit summut." Laughter is irresistible, but Dick's ardour +is not equal to trusting to this remote contingency, so he wends his +way homewards, for a wonder, on his own legs. The rest of us proceed +again, but the shooting is, if possible, worse than before lunch; and +as we enter the park again I ask, in a dejected tone of the head +keeper, "What is the bag?" "Seven brace, three hares, and one rabbit." +I turn away with a sigh, and mentally resolve to remove from my head, +in the solitude of my chamber, on my return, the hairs--the many +hairs--that must have turned grey during that terrible day; and I join +the rest to reseek the hall, a sadder and a sulkier man. We enter the +billiard-room at six, to find Dick engaged in a game of billiards with +his pretty cousin, Lucy Hazard--the dog! but feeling that he deserves +nothing at our hands, we break the _tête-à-tête_ and summon the other +ladies for a pool. Lucy has been chaffing Master Dick about "being such +a muff as to return so soon." Quite right--an uncommonly nice girl is +Miss Lucy, and with £50,000 of her own, too, they say. If I were ten +years younger, I think I would marry her (I am far too vain to doubt +her consent), and get some shooting of my own,--some shooting, sir, +conducted on my own principles: I don't care much for the Downcharge +Hall style of doing business. "C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est pas la +guerre," remarked a French general, as he levelled his glass at our +light squadrons charging through the bloody vale of Balaklava. "C'est +luxurieux, mais ce n'est pas le sport," remarks the writer of this +grumble, as he levels his pen at the sportsmen of Downcharge Hall and +all who may resemble them. + + + + +SIMPSON'S SNIPE + + +"Who is Mr Simpson?" asked my wife, tossing a letter across the +breakfast-table. This same little lady opens my correspondence with the +_sang-froid_ of a private secretary. + +"Who is Mr Simpson?" she repeated. "If he is as big as his monogram, we +shall have to widen all the doors, and raise the ceilings, in order to +let him in." + +The monogram referred to resembled a pyrotechnic device. It blazed in +all the colours of the rainbow, and twisted itself like the coloured +worsted in a young lady's first sampler. + +"Simpson," I replied, in, I must confess, a tremulous sort of way, "is +a very nice fellow, and a capital shot." + +"I perceive that you have asked him to shoot." + +"Only for a day and a night, my dear." + +"Only for a day and a night! And where is Willie to sleep, and where is +Blossie to sleep? You know the dear children are in the strangers' +rooms for change of air, and really I _must_ say it is very thoughtless +of you;" and my wife's _nez retroussé_ went up at a very acute angle, +whilst a general hardness of expression settled itself upon her +countenance, like a plaster cast. + +I had a bad case. I had been dining with a friend, my friend Captain de +Britska. I had taken sherry with my soup, hock with my fish, champagne +with my entrée, and a nip of brandy before my claret. What I imbibed +after the Lafitte I scarcely remember. Mr Simpson was of the party, and +sat next to me. He forced a succession of cigars into my mouth, and +subsequently a mixture of tobacco, a special thing. (What smoker, by +the way, hasn't a special thing in the shape of a mixture? what +_gourmet_ has no special tip as regards salad-dressing?) We spoke of +shooting. He asked me if I had any. I replied in the affirmative, +expressing a hope that he would at some time or other practically +discuss that fact. Somehow I was led into a direct invitation, and this +was the outcome. I had committed myself beneath my friend's mahogany, +and under the influence of my friend's generous wine. I was in a +corner; and now, ye gods! I had to face Mrs Smithe. There are moments +when a man's wife is simply awful. Snugly entrenched behind the +unassailable line of defence, duty, and with such "Woolwich Infants" as +her children to hurl against you, which she does in a persistent +remorseless way, she is a terror. No man, be he as brave as Leonidas or +as cool as Sir Charles Coldstream, is proof against the partner of his +bosom when she is on the rampage; and, as I have already observed, Mrs +S. was "end on." + +"Another change will do the children good, Maria," I observed. + +"Yes, I suppose so. It will do Willie's cold good to sleep in your +dressing-room without a fire, won't it? and Blossie can have a bed made +up in the bath. Is this Mr Simpson married or single?" + +_Hinc illæ lachrymæ._ I couldn't say. I never asked him. + +"What does it matter?" I commenced, with a view to diplomatising. + +"Yes, but it does," she interposed. "If he is a respectable married +man, which I very much doubt, he must have dear Willie's room." + +"I am very sorry that I asked him at all, Maria; but as he has been +asked, and as I must drive over to meet him in a few minutes, for +Heaven's sake make the best of it." + +"Oh, of course; I receive my instructions, and am to carry them out. +All the trouble falls upon me, while you drive off to the station +smoking a shilling cigar, when you know that every penny will be wanted +to send Willie to Eton." + +I got out of it somehow. Not that Mrs S. was entirely pacified. She +still preserved an armed neutrality; yet even this concession was very +much to be coveted. She's a dear good little creature, but she has +fiery moods occasionally; and I ask you, my dear sir, is she one whit +the worse for it? How often does your good lady fly at _you_ during the +twenty-four hours? How often! The theme is painful. _Passons._ + +My stained-wood trap was brought round by my man-of-all-work, Billy +Doyle. Billy is a tight little "boy," over whose unusually large skull +some fifty summers' suns have passed, scorching away his shock hair, +and leaving only a few streaks, which he carefully plasters across his +bald pate till they resemble so many cracks upon the bottom of an +inverted china bowl. Billy is my factotum. He looks after my horse, +dogs, gun, rod, pipes, and clothes, with a view to the reversion of the +latter. He was reared, "man an' boy," on the estate, and is upon the +most familiar yet respectful terms with the whole family. Billy +continually lectures me, imparting his opinions upon all matters +appertaining to my affairs, as though he were some rich uncle whose +will in my favour was safely deposited with the family solicitor. + +"We've twenty minutes to meet the train, Billy," I observed, giving the +reins a jerk. + +"Is it for to ketch the tin-o'clock thrain from Dublin?" he asked. + +"Yes." + +"Begorra, ye've an hour! She's like yourself--she's always late." + +"There's a gentleman coming down to spend the day and shoot," I said, +without noticing Billy's sarcasm. + +"Shoot! Arrah, shoot what?" + +"Why, snipe, plover--anything that may turn up." + +"Be jabers, he'll have for to poach, thin." + +"What do you mean, Billy?" + +"Divvle resave the feather there is betune this an' Ballybann; they're +dhruv out av the cunthry." + +"Nonsense, man. We'll get a snipe in Booker's fields." + +"Ye will, av ye sind to Dublin for it." + +I felt rather down in the mouth, for I had during the season given +unlimited permission to my surrounding neighbours to blaze away--a +privilege which had been used, if not abused, to the utmost limits. +Scarce a day passed that we were not under fire, and on several +occasions were in a state of siege, in consequence of a succession of +raids upon the rookeries adjoining the house. + +"We can try Mr Pringle's woods, Billy." + +"Yez had betther lave _thim_ alone, or the coroner 'ill be afther +havin' a job. Pringle wud shoot his father sooner nor he'd let a bird +be touched." + +"This is very awkward," I muttered. + +"Awkward! sorra a shurer shake in Chrisendom. It's crukkeder nor what +happened to ould Major Moriarty beyant at Sievenaculliagh, that me +father--may the heavens be his bed this day!--lived wud, man an' boy." + +Billy was full of anecdote, and being anxious to pull my thoughts +together, I mechanically requested him to let me hear all about the +dilemma in which the gallant Major had found himself. + +"Well, sir, th' ould Major was as dacent an ould gintleman as ever +swallied a glass o' sperrits, an' there was always lashins an' lavins +beyant at the house. If ye wor hungry it was yerself that was for +to blame, and if ye wor dhry, it wasn't be raisin av wantin' a +_golliogue_. Th' ould leddy herself was aiqual to the Major, an' a +hospitabler ould cupple didn't live the Shannon side o' Connaught. +Well, sir, wan mornin' a letther cums, sayin' that some frind was +comin' for to billet on thim. + +"'Och, I'm bet!' says the Mrs Moriarty. + +"'What's that yer sayin' at all at all?' says th' ould Major; 'who bet +ye?' says he. + +"'Shure, here's Sir Timothy Blake, and Misther Bodkin Bushe, an' three +more comin',' says she, 'an' this is only Wednesday.' + +"'Arrah, what the dickens has that for to say to it?' says the Major. + +"'There's not as much fresh mate in the house as wud give a brequest to +a blackbird,' says she; 'an' they all ate fish av a Friday, an' how are +we for to get it at all at all? An' they'll be wantin' fish an' game.' + +"Ye see, sir," said Billy, "there was little or no roads in thim ould +times, an' the carriers only crassed that way wanst a week." + +"'We're hobbled, sure enough,' says the Major, 'we're hobbled, mam,' +says he, 'an' I wish they'd had manners to wait to be axed afore they'd +come into a man's house,' he says. + +"'Couldn't ye shoot somethin'?' says Mrs Moriarty. + +"'Shoot a haystack flyin', mam,' says the Major, for he was riz, an' +when he was riz the divvle cudn't hould him; 'what is there for to +shoot, barrin' a saygull? an' ye might as well be aitin' saw-dust.' + +"'I seen three wild duck below on the pond,' she says. + +"'Ye did on Tib's Eve!' says the Major. + +"'Och, begorra, it's thruth I'm tellin' ye', says she; 'I seen thim +this very mornin', when I was comin' from mass--an' be the same token,' +says she, lukkin' out av the windy, 'there they are, rosy an' well.' + +"'Thin upon my conscience, mam,' roared the Major, 'if I don't hit thim +I'll make them lave that!' + +"So he ups an' loads an ould blundherbuss wud all soarts av +combusticles, an' down he creeps to the edge av the wather, and hides +hisself in some long grass, for the ducks was heddin' for him. Up they +cum; an' the minnit they wor within a cupple av perch he pulls the +thrigger as bould as a ram, whin by the hokey smut it hot him a welt in +the stummick that levelled him, an' med him feel as if tundher was +inside av him rumblin'. He roared millia murdher, for he thought he was +kilt; but howsomever he fell soft an' aisy, an' he put out his hand for +to see if he was knocked to bits behind, whin, begorra, he felt +somethin' soft an' warm. 'Arrah, what the puck is this?' sez he; an' +turnin' round, what was he sittin' on but an illigant Jack hare. 'Yer +cotch, _ma bouchal_,' sez he; 'an' yer as welkim as the flowers o' +May.' + +"Wasn't that a twist o' luck, sir?" asked Billy pausing to take breath. + +"Not a doubt of it. But what became of the ducks?" + +"Troth, thin, ye'll hear. The Major dhropped two av thim wud the +combusticles in the blundherbuss, but th' ould mallard kep' floatin' on +the wather in a quare soart av a way, an' yellin' murdher. When the +Major kem nigh him, he seen that he was fastened like to somethin' +undher the wather; an' whin he cotch him, what do you think he found? +It's truth I'm tellin' ye, an' no lie: he found the ramrod, that he +neglected for to take out o' the gun, run right through th' ould +mallard. Half av it was in the mallard, an' be the hole in me coat, th' +other half was stuck in a lovely lump av a salmon; and the bould Major +cotch thim both. 'Now,' says he, 'come on, Sir Tim an the whole creel +of yez, who's afeard?' An' I'm just thinkin' sir," added Billy, as we +dashed into the railway yard, "that if ye don't get a slice av luck +like Major Moriarty's, yer frind might as well be on the Hill o' +Howth." + +The force of Billy's remark riveted itself in my mind, and the idea of +asking a man so long a distance to shoot nothing was very little short +of insult. Mr Simpson arrived as we drove in, arrayed in an ulster just +imported from Inverness. His hat was new; his boots were new; his +gloves awfully new, yellow and stiff, and forcing his fingers very far +apart, as though his hands were wooden stretchers. His portmanteau, +solid leather, was brand new; the very purse from which he extracted a +new sixpence to tip the porter was of the same virgin type. He was +mistaken for a bridegroom, and the fair bride was eagerly sought for by +the expectant porter whilst removing a new rug from the compartment in +which Mr Simpson had been seated. To crown all this newness, his +gun-case, solid leather, had never seen the open air till this day, and +the iron which impressed upon it Mr Rigby's brand could scarcely have +had time to grow cold. + +"Begorra, it's in the waxworks he ought for to be," muttered Billy +Doyle, grimly surveying him from head to foot. + +Mr Simpson's thick moustache possessed a queer sort of curl, his nose +too, followed this pattern, so that his face somewhat resembled those +three legs which are impressed upon a Manx coin. His eyes were long +slits, with narrow lids, not unlike a cut in a kid glove: one of these +eyes he kept open by means of an eyeglass. This eyeglass was +perpetually dropping into his bosom and disappearing, never coming to +the surface when required, and only coming up to breathe after a +succession of prolonged and abortive dives. + +"It's very cold," he exclaimed, grasping my hand, or rather +endeavouring to grasp it, for the new gloves would admit of no loving +contact. + +"There's likker over beyant at the rifrishmint-bar," observed Billy, +whose invariable habit it was to cut into the conversation with such +comments or observations as suggested themselves to him at the moment. + +Perceiving an inclination on the part of my guest to profit by the +hint, I interposed by informing him that the refreshment was of the +meanest possible character, in addition to its possessing a very +inflammatory tendency. + +"Thrue for ye, sir. The sperrits is that sthrong that it wud desthroy +warts, or burn the paint off av a hall dure." + +"That will do, Billy," I said, as Simpson's face bore silent tokens of +wonder at the garrulity of my retainer. "We don't require your opinion +at present." + +"Och, that's hapes, as Missis Dooley remarked whin she swallird the +crab," said Billy very sulkily, as he mounted behind. + +"How is our friend De Britska?" I asked. + +"Oh, very well indeed. He quite envied me my trip. He says your +shooting is about the best thing in this part of the world." + +"Oh, it's not bad," I replied, assuming an indifference that I was far +from participating in; "but there are times when I assure--ha, ha! it +may appear incredulous, that we cannot stir a single feather." + +"Have you much snipe, Mr Smithe?" + +"Sorra a wan," replied Billy. + +"Your gamekeeper?" asked Simpson, jerking his head in the direction of +my retainer. + +"My _factotum_. He is one of the family. A regular character, and I +trust you will make allowances for him." + +"I love characters. Depend upon it we shall not fall out." + +Simpson chatted very agreeably, and very small. He had read the _Irish +Times_ during the rail journey, and was master of the situation. Some +men take five shillings-worth out of a penny paper. This was one of +them. He had sucked it all in, and the day's news was coming out +through the pores of his skin. As a rule, such men are to be avoided. +The individual who persistently asks you "What news?" or "Is there +anything new to-day?" is a wooden-headed gossiping bore, who cannot +start an idea, and oils the machinery inside his skull with the +twopenny-halfpenny daily currency. Simpson spoke a great deal of the +army, quoted the various changes mentioned in that day's _Gazette_ +with a vigour of memory that was perfectly astounding. Although +personally unknown to the countrymen around me, he seemed thoroughly +acquainted with their respective pedigrees, their intermarriages, their +rent-rolls, and in fact with their most private concerns; so that +before we reached our destination I knew considerably more of my +neighbours than I, or my father before me, had ever known. + +His shooting experiences were of the most extensive and daring +character. He had tumbled tigers, stuck pigs, iced white bears, and +ostracised ostriches. He had been in the tiger's mouth, on the boar's +tusks, and in the arms of the bear. His detailed information on the +subject of firearms was worthy of a gunmaker's pet 'prentice. + +"I've shot with Greener's patent central-fire choke-bore, and I +pronounce it a handy tool. Westley Richards has made some good +instruments, and Purdy's performances are crack. I've taken down one of +Rigby's with me, as I have some idea of experimentalising; Rigby is a +very safe maker. I expect to do some damage to-day, friend Smithe." + +What a laughing-stock I should be, when this man unfolded the tale of +his being decoyed into the country by a fellow who bragged about his +preserves, upon which there wasn't a feather! Would I make a clean +breast of it? would I say that-- + +While this struggle was waging beneath my waistcoat, we arrived, and +there was nothing for it but to trust to luck and Billy Doyle. + +When we alighted, I asked Simpson into the drawing-room, as his +bed-chamber had not yet been allotted to him. My wife was still sulky +and did not appear, so I had to discover her whereabouts. + +"Simpson has arrived, my dear." + +"I suppose so," very curtly. + +"He is a very agreeable entertaining fellow." + +"I suppose so," she snapped. + +"Where have you decided on putting him?" + +"In your dressing-room." + +"My dressing-room?" + +"Yes, your dressing-room. I wouldn't disturb the children for the +Prince of Wales." + +Now this was very shabby of my wife. My dressing-room was my _sanctum +sanctorum_. There were my papers, letters, pipes, boots, knick-knacks, +all laid out with a bachelor's care, and each in its own particular +place. To erect a bedstead meant an utter disturbance of my effects, +which weeks could not repair, especially as regards my papers. I +expostulated. + +"There is no use in talking," said my wife; "the bed is put up." + +Tableau. + +Whilst my guest was engaged in washing his hands before luncheon, I +held a conference with Billy Doyle with reference to the shooting, our +line of country, and the tactics necessary to be pursued. + +"Me opinion is that he is a _gommoch_. He doesn't know much. Av he +cum down wud an old gun-case that was in the wars, I'd be peckened; but +wud sich a ginteel tool, ye needn't fret. We'll give him a walk, +anyhow. He'll get a bellyful that will heart scald him." + +"But the honour of the country is at stake, Billy. I asked Mr Simpson +to shoot, promising him good sport, and surely _you_ are not going to +let him return to Dublin to give us a bad name." + +This appeal to Billy's feelings was well timed. He knew every fence and +every nest in the barony, and it was with a view to putting things into +a proper training that I thus appealed to his better feelings. + +Billy scratched his head. + +"Begorra, he must have a bird if they're in it; but they're desperate +wild, and take no ind of decoyin'." + +Simpson's politeness to my wife was unbounded. He professed himself +charmed to have the honour of making her acquaintance, took her in to +luncheon with as much tender care as though she had been a cracked bit +of very precious china ware; invited her to partake of everything on +the table, shoving the dishes under her chin, and advising her as to +what to eat, drink, and avoid. He narrated stories of noble families +with whom he was upon the most intimate terms, and assured my wife that +he was quite startled by her extraordinary likeness to Lady Sarah +Macwhirter; which so pleased Mrs S. that later on she informed me that +as Blossie was so much better, she thought it would be more polite to +give Mr Simpson the blue bedroom. + +I found this ardent sportsman very much inclined to dally in my lady's +boudoir, in preference to taking the field, and I encouraged this +proclivity, in the hope of escaping the shooting altogether, and thus +save the credit of my so-called preserves. But here again I was doomed +to disappointment. Mrs S., who now began to become rather anxious about +the domestic arrangements, politely but firmly reminded him of the +object of his visit, and insisted upon our departing for the happy +hunting-grounds at once. And at length, when very reluctantly he rose +from the table, he helped himself to a stiff glass of brandy-and-water, +in order, as he stated, to "steady his hand." + +I must confess that I was rather startled when he announced his +intention of shooting in his ulster. The idea of dragging this +long-tailed appendage across ditches and over bogs appeared _outré_, +especially as the pockets bulged very considerably, as though they were +loaded with woollen wraps; but I was silent in the presence of one who +had sought his quarry in the jungle, and shoved my old-fashioned idea +back into the fusty lumber-room of my thoughts. Billy Doyle awaited us +with the dogs at the stable gate. These faithful animals no sooner +perceived me than they set up an unlimited howling of delight; but +instead of bounding forward to meet me, as was their wont, they +suddenly stopped, as if struck by an invisible hand, and commenced to +set at Simpson. + +This extraordinary conduct of these dogs--there are no better dogs in +Ireland--incensed Billy to fever heat. + +"Arrah, what the puck are yez settin' at? Are yez mad or dhrunk? Whoop! +gelang ow a that, Feltram! Hush! away wud ye, Birdlime!" + +"Take them away; take them away!" cried Simpson, very excitedly. "I +don't want them; I never shoot with dogs. Remove them, my man." + +Billy caught Feltram, but Birdlime eluded his grasp; and having +released Feltram and captured Birdlime, the former remained at a dead +set, whilst the latter struggled with his captor, as though the lives +of both depended on the issue. + +"May the divvle admire me," panted Billy, "but this bangs Banagher. Is +there a herrin' stirrin', or anything for to set the dogs this way?--it +bates me intirely." + +I naturally turned to my guest, who looked as puzzled as I did myself. + +"I have it!" he cried; "it's the blood of the sperm-whale that's +causing this." + +"Arrah, how the blazes cud the blood av all the whales in Ireland make +thim shupayriour animals set as if the birds were foreninst them?" +demanded Billy, his arms akimbo. + +"I will explain," said Simpson. "Last autumn I was up whaling off the +coast of Greenland. We struck a fine fish; and after playing him for +three-and-twenty hours, we got him aboard. Just as we were taking the +harpoon out, he made one despairing effort and spurted blood; a few +drops fell upon this coat, just here," pointing to the inside portion +of his right-hand cuff, "and I pledge you my veracity no dog can +withstand it. They invariably point; and I assure you, Smithe, you +could get up a drag hunt by simply walking across country in this +identical coat, built by John Henry Smalpage." + +This startling and sensational explanation satisfied me. Not so my +_factotum_, who gave vent in an undertone to such exclamations as +"_Naboclish! Wirra, wirra!_ What does he take us for? Whales, begorra!" + +The riddance of the dogs was a grand _coup_ for me. In the event +of having no sport the failure could be easily accounted for, and I +should come off with flying colours. + +"I make it a point" observed Simpson, "to shoot as little with dogs as +possible. I like to set my own game, shoot it, and bag it; nor do I +care to be followed by troublesome and often impertinent +self-opinionated game-keepers" (Billy was at this moment engaged in +incarcerating Feltram and Birdlime). "These fellows are always spoilt, +and never know their position." + +I was nettled at this. + +"If you refer to----" + +"My dear Smithe, I allude to my friend Lord Mulligatawny's fellows, got +up in Lincoln green and impossible gaiters, who insist upon loading for +you, and all that sort of thing. You know Mulligatawny, of course?" + +I rather apologised for not having the honour. + +"Then you shall, Smithe. I'll bring you together when you come to town. +Leave that to me; a nice little party: Mulligatawny, Sir Percy +Whiffler, Colonel Owlfinch of the 1st Life Guards--they're at Beggar's +Bush now, I suppose--Belgum, yourself, and myself." + +This was very considerate and flattering; and I heartily hoped that by +some fluke or other we might be enabled to make a bag. + +When we arrived upon the shooting-ground, I observed that it was time +to load; and calling up Billy Doyle with the guns, I proceeded to carry +my precept into practice. My weapon was an old-fashioned muzzle-loader, +one of Truelock & Harris's; and as I went through the process of +loading, I could see that Mr Simpson was regarding my movements with a +careful and critical eye. + +"I know that you swells despise this sort of thing," I remarked; "but I +have dropped a good many birds with this gun at pretty long ranges, and +have wiped the eyes of many a breech-loading party." + +"I--I like that sort of gun," said Simpson. "I'd be glad if you'd take +this," presenting his, with both barrels covering me. + +"Good heavens, don't do that!" I cried, shoving the muzzle aside. + +"What--what--" he cried, whirling round like a teetotum--"what have I +done?" + +"Nothing as yet; but I hate to have the muzzle of a gun turned towards +me since the day I saw poor cousin Jack's brains blown out." + +"What am I to do?" exclaimed Simpson. "I'll do anything." + +"It's all right," I replied; "you won't mind my old-world stupidity." + +My guest's gun was a central-fire breech-loader of Rigby's newest type, +which he commenced to prepare for action in what seemed to me to be a +very bungling sort of way. He dropped it twice, and in releasing the +barrels, brought them into very violent collision with his head, which +caused the waters of anguish to roll silently down his cheeks and on to +his pointed moustache. If I had not been aware of his manifold +experiences in the shooting line, I could have set him down as a man +who had never handled a gun in his life; but knowing his powers and +prowess, I ascribed his awkwardness to simple carelessness, a +carelessness in all probability due to the smallness of the game of +which he was now in pursuit. I therefore refrained from taking any +notice, and from making any observation until he deliberately proceeded +to thrust a patent cartridge into the _muzzle_ of the barrel of +his central-fire. + +"Hold hard, Mr Simpson; you are surely only jesting." + +"Jesting! How do you mean?" + +"Why, using that cartridge in the way you are doing." + +"What other way should I use it?" + +"May I again remind you that I am utterly averse to facetiousness where +firearms are concerned, and----" + +"My dear Smithe, I meant nothing, I assure you. I pledge you my word of +honour. Here, load it yourself;" and he handed me the gun. + +"There'll be a job for the coroner afore sunset," growled Billy. + +"What do you mean, sir?" exclaimed Simpson, rather savagely. + +"Mane! There's widdys and lone orphans enough in the counthry, +sir--that's what I mane," and Billy started in advance with the air of +a man who had to do or die. + +Mr Simpson was silent for some time, during which he found himself +perpetually involved in his gun, which appeared to give him the +uttermost uneasiness. First, he held it at arm's length as if it was a +bow; then he placed it under his arm, and held on to it with the +tenacity of an octopus; after a little he shifted it again, sloping it +on his shoulder, ever and anon glancing towards the barrels to +ascertain their exact position. He would pause, place the butt against +the ground, and survey the surrounding prospect with the scrutinising +gaze of a cavalry patrol. + +"Hush!" he suddenly exclaimed. "We lost something that time; I heard a +bird." + +"Nothin', barrin' a crow," observed Billy. + +"A plover, sir; it was the cry of a plover," evasively retorted the +other. + +"Holy Vargin! do ye hear this? A pluvver! Divvle resave the pluvver +ever was seen in the barony!" + +"Silence, Doyle!" I shouted, finding that my retainer's observations +were becoming personal and unpleasant. + +"Troth, we'll all be silent enough by-an'-by." + +We had been walking for about half an hour, when Mr Simpson suggested +that it might be advisable to separate, he taking one direction, I +taking the other, but both moving in parallel lines. Having joyfully +assented to this proposition, as the careless manner in which he +handled his gun was fraught with the direst consequences, I moved into +an adjacent bog, leaving my guest to blaze away at what I considered a +safe distance. I took Billy with me, both for company and for counsel, +as my guest's assumed ignorance of the fundamental principles of +shooting had somewhat puzzled me. + +"It's a quare bisniss intirely, Masther Jim. He knows no more how to +howld a gun nor you do to howld a baby, more betoken ye've two av the +finest childre--God be good to them!--in Europe. I don't like for to +say he's coddin' us, wud his tigers an' elephants an' combusticles, +but, be me song, it luks very like it. I'd like for to see him +shootin', that wud putt an ind to the question." + +At this moment, bang! bang! went the two barrels of my guest's gun. +Billy and I ran to the hedge, and peeping through, perceived Simpson +running very fast towards a clump of furze, shouting and gesticulating +violently. I jumped across the fence, and was rapidly approaching him, +when he waved me back. + +"Stop! don't come near me! I'm into them. There are quantities of snipe +here." + +"Arrah, what is he talkin' about at all at all?" panted Billy. "Snipes! +Cock him up wud snipes! There ain't a snipe----" + +Here Simpson, who had been groping amongst the furze, held up to our +astonished gaze _two brace of snipe_. + +Billy Doyle seemed completely dumbfounded. "That bangs anything I ever +heerd tell of. Man nor boy ever seen a snipe in that field afore. +Begorra, he's handy enough wud the gun, after all." + +I was very much pleased to find that our excursion had borne fruit, and +that my vaunted preserves were not utterly barren. + +"That's a good beginning, Simpson," I cried. "Go ahead; you'll get +plenty of birds by-and-by." + +"I'll shoot at nothing but snipe," he replied. "Here you, Billy, come +here and load for me." + +"Let's look at the birds, av ye plaze, sir," said Billy, who began to +entertain a feeling akin to respect for a man who could bring down his +two brace at a shot. "I'll be bound they're fat an' cosy, arter the +hoighth av fine feedin' on this slob." + +"They're in my bag. By-and-by," replied Simpson curtly. "Now, my man, +follow your master, and leave me to myself;" and my guest strode in the +opposite direction. + +Bang! bang! + +"Be the mortial, he's at thim agin. This is shupayriour," cried my +retainer, hurrying towards the place whence the report proceeded. + +Simpson again held up _two brace of snipe_, and again plunged them +into his bag; nor would he gratify the justifiable longings of our +gamekeeper by as much as a peep at them. + +"This is capital sport. Why, this place is swarming with snipe," cried +my guest, whilst his gun was being reloaded. "Depend upon it, it's a +mistake to take dogs. The birds smell them. I'll try that bit of bog +now." + +"Ye'll have to mind yer futtin'," observed Billy. "It's crukked an' +crass enough in some spots; I'd betther be wid ye." + +"Certainly not," said my guest. "I always shoot alone." + +"Och, folly yer own wish, sir; only mind yer futtin'." + +Mr Simpson disappeared into the hollow in which the bog was situated, +and, as before, bang! bang! we heard the report of both barrels. + +"Be jabers, I'm bet intirely. Thim snipes must have been dhruv from the +say, an' have come here unknownst to any wan. Ay, bawl away! Whisht! be +the hokey, he's into the bog!" + +A dismal wailing, accompanied by cries for help, arose from out the +bog, where we found poor Simpson almost up to his chin, and +endeavouring to support himself by his elbows. + +"Ugh! ugh! lift me out, for heaven's sake! My new clothes--this coat +that I never put on before" (his whaling garment)--"why did I come to +this infernal hole. Ugh! ugh!" + +We dragged him up, leaving his patent boots and stockings behind him. +Billy bore him on his back to the house, where he was stripped and +arrayed in evening costume. + +From the pockets of his ulster, which it was found necessary to turn +out for drying purposes, Mr William Doyle extracted no less than _six +brace of snipe_. Unfortunately for Mr Simpson the bill was attached +to the leg of one of the birds. They had been purchased at a +poulterer's in Dublin. + + * * * * * + +Mr Simpson did not remain to dine or to sleep. He pleaded a business +engagement which he had completely overlooked, and left by the 4.50 +train. + +"Av all th' imposthors! and his tigers an' elephants no less, an' bears +an' algebras! An' goin' for to cod me into believin' there was snipes +growin' in a clover-field, an' thin never to gi' me a shillin'! Pah! +the naygur!" and Billy Doyle's resentment recognised no limits. + +It is scarcely necessary to observe that I was _not_ invited to meet +Lord Mulligatawny, Sir Percy Whiffler, and Colonel Owlfinch of Her +Majesty's Guards, and that my wife holds Simpson over me whenever I +hint at the probability of a visit to the metropolis. + + + + +PODGER'S POINTER + + +I am not a sporting man--I never possessed either a dog or a gun--I +never fired a shot in my life, and the points of a canine quadruped are +as unknown to me as those of the sea-serpent. The 12th of August is a +mystery, and the 1st of September a sealed book. I have been regarded +with well-merited contempt at the club by asking for grouse in the +month of June, and for woodcock in September. I think it is just as +well to mention these matters, lest it should be supposed that I desire +to sail under false colours. I am acquainted with several men who +shoot, and also with some who have shooting to give away. The former +very frequently invite me to join their parties at the moors, +turnip-fields, and woods; the latter press their shooting on me, +especially when I decline on the grounds of disinclination and +incapacity. + +"I wish I had your chances, Brown," howls poor little Binks, who can +bring down any known bird at any given distance. "You're always getting +invitations because you _can't_ shoot; and I cannot get one because I +_can_. It's too bad, by George!--it's too bad!" + +One lovely morning in the month of September I was sauntering along the +shady side of Sackville Street, Dublin, when a gentleman, encased in a +coat of a resounding pattern, all over pockets, and whose +knickerbockers seemed especially constructed to meet the requirements +of the coat, suddenly burst upon, and clutched me. + +"The very man I wanted," he exclaimed. "I've been hunting you the way +O'Mulligan's pup hunted the fourpenny bit through the bonfire." + +"What can I do for you, Mr Podgers?" I asked. + +"I want a day's shooting at O'Rooney's of Ballybawn," responded +Podgers. + +Now, I was not intimate with Mr O'Rooney. We had met at the club; but +as he was a smoking man, and as I, after a prolonged and terrific +combat with a very mild cigar (what must the strong ones be!), had +bidden a long farewell to the Indian weed, it is scarcely necessary to +mention that, although Mr O'Rooney and myself were very frequently +beneath the same roof, we very seldom encountered one another, save in +a casual sort of way. + +"I assure you, Mr Podgers, that I----" + +"Pshaw! that's all gammon," he burst in anticipatingly. "You can do it +if you like. Sure we won't kill _all_ the game. And I have the +loveliest dog that ever stood in front of a bird. I want to get a +chance of showing him off. He'll do you credit." + +I was anxious to oblige Podgers. He had stood by me in a police-court +case once upon a time, and proved an _alibi_ such as must have met +the approval even of the immortal Mr Weller himself; so I resolved upon +soliciting the required permission, and informed Podgers that I would +acquaint him with the result of my application. + +"That's a decent fellow. Come back to my house with me now, and I'll +give you a drop of John Jameson that will make your hair curl." + +Declining to have my hair curled through the instrumentality of Mr +Jameson's unrivalled whisky, I wended my way towards the club, and, as +luck would have it, encountered O'Rooney lounging on the steps enjoying +a cigar. + +After the conventional greetings, I said, "By the way, you have some +capital partridge shooting at Ballybawn." + +"Oh, pretty good," was the reply, in that self-satisfied, complacent +tone in which a crack billiard-player refers to the spot-stroke, or a +rifleman to his score when competing for the Queen's Prize. + +"I'm no shot myself--I never fired a gun in my life; but there's a +particular friend of mine who is most anxious to have _one_ day's +shooting at Ballybawn. Do you think you could manage to let him have +it?" + +I emphasised the word "one" in the most impressive way. + +"I would give one or two days, Mr Brown, with the greatest pleasure; +but the fact is, I have lent my dogs to Sir Patrick O'Houlahan." + +"Oh, as to that, my friend has a splendid dog--a most remarkable dog. I +hear it's a treat to see him in front of a bird." + +I stood manfully by Podgers' exact words, adding some slight +embellishments, in order to increase O'Rooney's interest in the animal. + +"In that case, there can be no difficulty, Mr Brown. I leave for +Ballybawn on Saturday--will you kindly name Monday, as I would, in +addition to the pleasure of receiving you and your friend, like to +witness the performance of this remarkable dog; and I _must_ be in +Galway on Wednesday." + +Having settled the preliminaries so satisfactorily, I wrote the +following note to Podgers:-- + + "DEAR PODGERS, + + "It's all right. Mr O'Rooney has named Monday. _Be sure to bring + the dog, as his dogs are away._ Come and breakfast with me at + eight o'clock, as the train starts from the King's Bridge Terminus + at nine o'clock.--Yours, + + "BENJAMIN B. BROWN. + + "P.S.--_I praised the dog sky high._ O'R. is most anxious to see + him in front of the birds." + +I received a gushing note in reply, stating that he would breakfast +with me, and bring the dog, adding, "It's some time since he was shot +over; but that makes no difference, as he is the finest dog in +Leinster." + +Knowing Podgers to be a very punctual sort of person, I had ordered +breakfast for eight o'clock sharp, and consequently felt somewhat +surprised when the timepiece chimed the quarter past. + +I consulted his letter--day, date, and time were recapitulated in the +most businesslike way. Some accident might have detained him. Perhaps +he preferred meeting me at the station. I had arrived at this +conclusion, and had just made the first incision into a round of +buttered toast, when a very loud, jerky, uneven knocking thundered at +the hall door, and the bell was tugged with a violence that threatened +to drag the handle off. + +I rushed to the window, and perceived Podgers clinging frantically to +the area railings with one hand, whilst with the other he held a chain, +attached to which, at the utmost attainable distance, stood, or +stretched, in an attitude as if baying the moon, the fore legs planted +out in front, the hind legs almost _clutching_ the granite step, +the eyes betraying an inflexible determination not to budge one +inch from the spot--a bony animal, of a dingy white colour, with +dark patches over the eyes, imparting a mournfully dissipated +appearance--the redoubtable dog which was to afford us a treat "in +front of the birds." + +"Hollo, Podgers!" I cried, "you're late!" + +"This cursed animal," gasped Podgers; "he got away from me in Merrion +Square after a cat. The cat climbed up the Prince Consort statue. This +brute, somehow or other got up after her. She was on the head, and he +was too high for me to reach him, when I got the hook of this umbrella +and----" + +At this moment the hall-door opened, and the dog being animated with an +energetic desire to explore the interior of the house, suddenly relaxed +the pull upon the chain, which utterly unexpected movement sent Podgers +flying into the hall as though he had been discharged from a catapult. +My maid-of-all-work, an elderly lady with proclivities in the direction +of "sperrits," happened to stand right in the centre of the doorway +when Podgers commenced his unpremeditated bound. He cannoned against +her, causing her to reel and stagger against the wall, and to clutch +despairingly at the nearest available object to save herself from +falling. That object happened to be the curly hair of my acrobatic +friend, to which her five fingers clung as the suckers of the octopus +cling to the crab. By the aid of this substantial support she had just +righted herself, when the dog, finding himself comparatively free, made +one desperate plunge into the hall, entwining his chain round the limbs +of the lady in one dexterous whirl which levelled her, with a very +heavy thud, on the body of the prostrate Podgers. Now, whether she was +animated with the idea that she was in bodily danger from both master +and dog, and that it behoved her to defend herself to the uttermost +extent of her power, I cannot possibly determine; but she commenced a +most vigorous onslaught upon both, bestowing a kick and a cuff +alternately with an impartiality that spoke volumes in favour of her +ideas upon the principles of even--and indeed I may add, heavy-handed +justice. + +I arrived upon the scene in time to raise the prostrate form of my +friend, and to administer such words of consolation and sympathy as, +under the circumstances, were his due. His left eye betrayed symptoms +of incipient inflammation, and his mouth gave evidence of the violence +with which Miss Bridget Byrne (the lady in the case) had brought her +somewhat heavy knuckle-dusters into contact with it. + +"Bringin' wild bastes into a gintleman's dacent house, as if it was a +barn, that's manners!" she muttered. "Av I can get a clout at that dog, +I'll lave him as bare as a plucked thrush!" + +At this instant a violent crash of crockery-ware was heard in the +regions of the kitchen. + +"Holy Vargin! but the baste is on the dhresser! _I'll_ dhress the +villian!" and seizing upon a very stout ash stick which stood in the +hall, she darted rapidly in the direction from whence the dire sounds +were proceeding. + +"Hold hard, woman!" cried Podgers. "He's a very valuable animal. I'll +make good any damage. Use your authority, Brown," he added, appealing +to me. "She's a terrible person this; she'd stop at nothing." + +Ere I could interpose, a violent skirmishing took place, in which such +exclamations as "Take that, ye divvle! Ye'll brake me chaney, will ye? +There's chaney for ye!" followed by very audible whacks, which, if they +had fulfilled their intended mission, would very speedily have sent the +dog to the happy hunting-grounds of his race. One well-directed blow, +however, made its mark, and was succeeded by a whoop of triumph from +Miss Byrne and a yell of anguish from her vanquished foe. + +"Gelang, ye fireside spaniel! Ye live on the neighbours. How dar' ye +come in here? Ye'll sup sorrow. I'll give a couple more av I can get at +ye." + +Podgers rushed to the rescue, and, after a very protracted and exciting +chase, during which a well-directed blow, intended by Bridget for the +sole use and benefit of the dog, had alighted on the head of its +master, succeeded in effecting a capture. This, too, was done under +embarrassing circumstances; for the dog had sought sanctuary within the +sacred precincts of Miss Byrne's sleeping apartment, beneath the very +couch upon which it was the habit of that lady to repose her virgin +form after the labours of the day; and her indignation knew no bounds +when Podgers, utterly unmindful of the surroundings, hauled forth the +dog. + +"There's no dacency in man nor baste. They're all wan, sorra a lie in +it!" + +At this crisis Podgers must have developed his pecuniary resources, for +her tone changed with marvellous rapidity, and her anger was melted +into a well-feigned contrition for having used her fists so freely. + +"Poor baste! shure it's frightened he is. I wudn't hurt a fly, let +alone an illigant tarrier like that. Thry a bit o' beefsteak in regard +o' yer eye, sir. Ye must have hot it agin somethin' hard; it will be as +black as a beetle in tin minits." + +Podgers uttered full-flavoured language. I looked at my watch and found +that we could only "do" the train. Having hailed an outside car, the +breakfastless Podgers seated himself upon one side, whilst I took the +other, and after a very considerable expenditure of hard labour and +skilful strategy, in which we were aided by the carman and Miss Byrne, +we succeeded in forcing Albatross (the pointer) into the well in the +middle. I am free to confess that I sat with my back to that animal +with considerable misgivings. He looked hungry and vicious, and as +though a piece of human flesh would prove as agreeable to his capacious +maw as any other description of food. It was his habit, too, during our +journey, to elevate his head in the air, and to give utterance to a +series of the most unearthly howlings, which could only be partially +interrupted, not by any means stopped, by Podgers' hat being pressed +closely over the mouth, whilst Podgers punched him _a tergo_ with +no very light hand. + +"That's the quarest dog I ever seen," observed the driver. "He ought to +be shupayrior afther badgers. He has a dhrop in his eye like a widdy's +pig, and it's as black as a Christian's afther a ruction." + +"He's a very fine dog, sir," exclaimed Podgers, in a reproving tone. + +"He looks as if he'd set a herrin'," said the cab-man jocosely. + +"Mind your horse, sir!" said Podgers angrily. + +The driver, who was a jovial-tempered fellow, finding that his advances +towards "the other side" were rejected, turned towards mine. + +"Are you goin' huntin' wid the dog, sir?" he asked. + +"We're going to shoot," I replied, in a dignified way. + +"To shoot! Thin, begorra, yez may as well get off the car an' fire away +at wanst. There's an illigant haystack foreninst yez, and--but here we +are"--and he jerked up at the entrance to the station. + +The jerk sent Albatross flying off the car, and his chain being +dexterously fastened to the back rail of the driver's seat, the +luckless animal remained suspended whilst his collar was being +unfastened, in order to prevent the not very remote contingency of +strangulation. Finding himself at liberty, he bounded joyously away, +and, resisting all wiles and blandishments on the part of his master, +continued to bound, gambol, frisk, bark, and yowl in a most reckless +and idiotic way. It would not be acting fairly towards Podgers were I +to chronicle his language during this festive outbreak. If the dog was +in a frolicsome mood, Podgers was not, and his feelings got +considerably the better of him when the bell rang to announce the +departure of the train within three minutes of that warning. + +Finding that all hopes of securing the animal in the ordinary way were +thin as air, Podgers offered a reward of half-a-crown to any of the +grinning bystanders who would bring him the dog dead or alive. This +stimulus to exertion sent twenty corduroyed porters and as many +amateurs in full pursuit of Albatross, who ducked and dived, and +twisted and twined, and eluded detention with the agility of a greased +sow; and it was only when one very corpulent railway official fell upon +him in a squashing way, and during a masterly struggle to emerge from +beneath the overwhelming weight, that he was surrounded and led in +triumph, by as many of his pursuers as could obtain a handful of his +hair, up to his irate and wrathful master. Each of the captors who were +in possession of Albatross claimed a half-crown, refusing to give up +the animal unless it was duly ransomed; and it was during a fierce and +angry discussion upon this very delicate question that the last bell +rang. With one despairing tug, Podgers pulled the dog inside the door +of the station, which was then promptly closed, and through the +intervention of a friendly guard our _bête noire_ was thrust into +the carriage with us. + +Having kicked the cause of our chagrin beneath one of the seats, I +ventured to remark that in all probability the dog, instead of being a +credit to us, was very likely to prove the reverse. + +"It's only his liveliness, and be hanged to him," said Podgers. "He has +been shut up for some time, and is as wild as a deer." + +He would not admit a diminished faith in the dog; but his tone was +irresolute, and he eyed the animal in a very doubting way. + +"His liveliness ought to be considerably toned down after the rough +handling he received from my servant, and----" + +"By the way," Podgers went on, "that infernal woman isn't safe to have +in the house; she'll be tried for murder some day, and the coroner will +be sitting upon _your_ body. Is my eye very black?" + +"Not very," I replied. It had reached a disreputable greenish hue, +tinged with a tawny red. + +At Ballybricken Station we found a very smart trap awaiting us, with a +servant in buckskin breeches, and in top-boots polished as brightly as +the panels of the trap. + +"You've a dog, sir?" said the servant. + +"Yes, yes," replied Podgers, in a hurried and confused sort of way. + +"In the van, sir?" + +"No; he is here--under the seat. Come out, Albatross!--come out, good +fellow!" And Podgers chirruped and whistled in what was meant to be a +seductive and blandishing manner. + +Albatross stirred not. + +"Hi! hi! Here, good fellow!" + +Albatross commenced to growl. + +"Dear me, this is very awkward!" cried Podgers, poking at the animal in +a vigorous and irritated way. + +"Time's up, sir," shouted the guard, essaying to close the door. + +"Hold hard, sir! I can't get my dog out!" cried Podgers. + +"I'll get him out," volunteered the guard; and, seizing upon the whip +which the smart driver of the smart trap held in inviting proximity, he +proceeded to thrust and buffet beneath the seat where Albatross lay +concealed. The dog uttered no sound, gave no sign. + +"There ain't no dog there at all," panted the guard, whose exertions +rendered him nearly apoplectic, proceeding to explore the recesses of +the carriage--"there ain't no dog here." + +A shout of terror, and the guard flung himself out of the carriage, the +dog hanging on not only to his coat-tails, but to a portion of the +garment which their drapery concealed. "Take off your dog--take off +your dog. I'll be destroyed. Police! police! I'll have the law of you!" +he yelled, in an extremity of the utmost terror. + +Podgers, who was now nearly driven to his wits' end, caught Albatross +by the neck, and, bestowing a series of well-directed kicks upon the +devoted animal, sent him howling off the platform, but right under the +train. + +The cry of "The dog will be killed!" was raised by a chorus of voices +both from the carriages and the platform. Happily, however, the now +wary Albatross lay flat upon the ground, and the train went puffing on +its way; not, however, until the guard had taken Podgers' name and +address, with a view to future proceedings through the medium of the +law. + +"I had no idea that the O'Rooneys were such swells," observed my +companion as we entered, through the massive and gilded gates, to the +avenue which sweeps up to Ballybawn House. "Somehow or other, I wish I +hadn't fetched Albatross, or that you hadn't spoken about him;" and +Podgers threw a gloomy glance in the direction of the pointer, who lay +at our feet in the bottom of the trap, looking as if he had been on the +rampage for the previous month, or had just emerged from the asylum for +the destitute of his species. + +"He won't do us much credit as regards his appearance," I said; "but if +he is all that you say as a sporting dog--of which I have my doubts--it +will make amends for anything." + +Podgers muttered something unintelligible, and I saw dismal forebodings +written in every line of his countenance. + +Mr O'Rooney received us at the hall-door. Beside him crouched two +magnificent setters, with coats as glossy as mirrors, and a bearing as +aristocratic as that of Bethgellart. + +"Where's the dog?" asked our host, after a warm greeting. "I hope that +you have brought him." + +I must confess that I would have paid a considerable sum of money to +have been enabled to reply in the negative. I muttered that we had +indeed fetched him, but that owing to his having met with some +accidents _en voyage_, his personal appearance was considerably +diminished; but that we were not to judge books by their covers. + +As if to worry, vex, and mortify us, Albatross declined to stir from +the bottom of the trap, from whence he was subsequently rooted out in a +most undignified and anti-sporting way. + +The expression upon Mr O'Rooney's face, when at length the animal, +badger-like, was drawn, was that of an intense astonishment, combined +with a mirth convulsively compressed. The servants commenced to titter, +and the smart little gentleman who tooled us over actually laughed +outright. + +Albatross was partly covered with mud and offal. His eyes were watery, +and the lids were of a dull pink, imparting a sort of maudlin idiotcy +to their expression. His right ear stood up defiantly, whilst his left +lay flat upon his jowl, and his tail seemed to have disappeared +altogether, so tightly had he, under the combined influence of fear and +dejection, secured it between his legs. + +"He's not very handsome," observed our host laughingly, "but I dare say +he will take the shine out of York and Lancaster, by-and-by," pointing +to the two setters as he spoke. + +This hint was enough for Albatross, as no sooner had the words escaped +the lips of O'Rooney than, with a yowl which sent the rooks whirling +from their nests, he darted from the trap, and, making a charge at +York, sent that aristocratic animal flying up the avenue in a paroxysm +of terror and despair; whilst Lancaster, paralysed by the suddenness of +the onslaught, allowed himself to be seized by the neck, and worried, +as a cat worries a mouse, without as much as moving a muscle in +self-defence. + +This was too much. I had borne with this hideous animal too long. My +patience was utterly exhausted, and all the bad temper in my +composition began to boil up. I had placed myself under an obligation +to a comparative stranger for the purpose of beholding his magnificent +and valuable dogs scared and worried by a worthless cur. Seizing upon a +garden-rake that lay against the wall, I dealt at Albatross what ought +to have proved a crushing blow, which he artfully eluded. It only +grazed him, and fell, with almost its full swing and strength, upon the +passive setter, who set up a series of unearthly shrieks, almost human +in their painful shrillness. + +"Chain up that dog at once!" shouted O'Rooney in fierce and angry +tones, "and look to Lancaster. I fear that his ribs are broken. This is +very unfortunate," he added, addressing himself to me. + +"I don't know what's come over the animal!" exclaimed Podgers. "I wish +to heaven I had never seen him. I'll part with him to-morrow, if I have +to give him to the Zoological Gardens for the bears." + +Luckily, it turned out, upon examination, that Lancaster was not in any +way seriously injured. This put us into somewhat better spirits, so +that by the time breakfast was concluded we were on good terms with +each other, and even with the wretched Albatross, in whom we still +maintained a sort of sickly confidence. Later on we started for the +turnips, Mr O'Rooney and Podgers in front--the latter hauling Albatross +along as if he was a sack of wheat; whilst I brought up the rear with a +gamekeeper and York. + +"I don't think that animal is used to be out at all, at all," observed +the keeper. + +"I'm afraid you are quite right," I replied; "but I hear that he is a +very good sporting dog." + +"Sportin'! Begorra, he'll give yez sport enough before the day is half +over," said the keeper, with a gloomy grin. + +"There is always a covey to be found in this field," observed our host +to Podgers, "so we'll give your dog the first chance." + +"I--I--I'd rather you'd let him see what your dog will do," blurted +Podgers. + +"Oh, dear no!" returned Mr O'Rooney. "Let him go now. You'll take the +first shot." + +Very reluctantly indeed did Podgers unloose his pointer, uttering into +the dog's ear in a low tone the most terrific and appalling threats +should he fail to prove himself all that my fancy had painted him. With +a loud bark of defiance Albatross darted away, scurrying through the +turnips at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, utterly unmindful of +whistle, call, blandishment, or threat, appearing now in one direction, +now in another, and barking as though it had been part of its training. + +"Stop that dog," cried our host, "he won't leave us a bird," as covey +after covey of partridges rose beyond range and flew away, Albatross +joyously barking after them. + +"You said I was to have the first shot, Mr O'Rooney," said Podgers, in +a tone full of solemnity. + +"Certainly, if you can get it; which I doubt," was the curt reply. + +Albatross had dashed within twenty yards of us, and was plunging off in +another direction, when Podgers ran forward, raised his gun. Bang! + +Albatross was sent to the happy hunting-grounds of his race. + +"He frightened the partridge," observed Podgers, proceeding to reload; +"_let him frighten the crows now_." + + + + +THE DEAD HEAT + + +No, never had there been such a state of excitement in any ball-room +before, when it became known that Captain O'Rooney had entrapped +Lieutenant Charles Fortescue, of the Stiffshire Regiment, into a +thousand guineas match P.P., owners up, twelve stone each, and four +miles over the stiffest country in Galway. + +The match had been made at the supper-table, after the ladies had left; +but nevertheless, the news had been carried to them, and they were +furious. + +"Fancy," said one, a tall, handsome brunette, "that that little +wretched bandy-legged O'Rooney should have got round our handsome +friend in such a mean way. He is jealous and disgusted with Fortescue's +waltzing, and he _is_ the best waltzer in Ireland." + +"I'll make him a set of colours to ride in," returned the toast of five +counties, the beautiful Alice Gwynne. "I never made any before, but +'there's luck in odd numbers, says Rory O'More,' and so he is sure to +win in them." + +"Too bad," exclaimed the gray-haired Colonel of Fortescue's regiment to +some gentlemen standing by him at the supper-table, "to have hounded +the lad into it. O'Rooney is a noted steeplechase rider, and my boy" +(he always called the youngsters of his regiment his boys), "though a +workman across country, never rode a race in his life; but I hear that +Captain O'Rooney has the character of looking up the Griffs." + +"Faith, Colonel, ye are about right there," said a jolly-looking young +Irishman; "he is just the boy that can do that same; he is mad now +because Fortescue's English horse cut him down to-day, and pounded +him--a thing that has never been done before." + +"Bedad, you're out there, Mat," put in another; "I'd be after thinking +it is because the Leaftenent has been making mighty strong running +entirely with Alice Gwynne all this blessed night. O'Rooney, by my +faith, does not like _that_, devil a hap'orth; he considers himself the +favoured one--the consated spalpeen." + +"He the favoured one!" remarked big H----, of Fortescue's regiment; +"why, he cannot suppose he would have a ghost of a chance with that pug +nose and whisky-toddy countenance of his against Fortescue of ours. +Why, Old Nick himself could not boast of an uglier face than Pat +Rooney. Fortescue is about the handsomest and nicest fellow in the +service, and though only a poor man, yet there are devilish few girls, +at least of any taste, who would give him the 'cold shoulder.'" + +The conversation was put an end to by the redoubtable Captain O'Rooney +they were descanting on, and with whom all seemed to be on such bad +terms, walking towards them. + +"I will make one endeavour now," said the Colonel, "to put a stop to +this match." + +"Captain O'Rooney," said he, as that gentleman joined them, "I am sorry +to hear of this proposed steeplechase, and for such a sum. Mr Fortescue +is a young man, and has acted very foolishly; moreover, though he holds +the post of adjutant, he has little, I know, but his pay, and such a +loss as a thousand pounds would seriously inconvenience him. Let me +recommend, Captain O'Rooney, that Fortescue give you a hundred pounds +to-morrow morning and draw the bet. What say you, gentlemen all, is the +proposal fair?" + +"Nothing fairer," they exclaimed. + +"See now, Colonel," said Captain O'Rooney, "let us hear what Mr +Fortescue says: he is not here; he'll be found in the ball-room, I'm +after thinking." + +"True for ye, Captain dear," said the jolly-looking young Irishman +before alluded to. "Divil a bit," he continued, with a sly and +malicious twinkle of his blue eye, "is Fortescue in the ball. Be +jabers, he is seated in the card-room alone by Alice Gwynne, playing +with her bouquet and fan. I'll go and fetch him; but it's a pity to +disturb him. I'd almost take my oath he has been asking her to be Mrs +Fortescue, and by my soul I don't think she has said no." So saying, +the young man, without giving the other time to answer, vanished from +the room. + +"What is it, Colonel?" said Fortescue, coming in almost immediately +after. + +"See now," said O'Rooney, interrupting him; "the Colonel says this is a +foolish match we have entered into, and proposes that ye should pay me +a hundred down to-morrow to let ye off. What d'ye say?" + +"What do I say?" replied the young man; "why, I'll do anything the +Colonel likes. I think it is a foolish match. I was excited and out of +humour when I made it. I'm better now, and if you like to take a +hundred and draw, why I'll send you a cheque to-morrow morning for the +amount, or run you for a hundred, which you like." + +"See, now," said the Captain, his naturally red face getting purple +with anger and excitement. "I've heard ye both--the Colonel and +yourself; now both of ye hear me. If ye were to offer me nine hundred +and ninety-nine pounds, d--n me if I'd take it, for by the Rock of +Cashel, I'll lick ye and break your heart and neck over the country; +and see now, Fortescue," he continued, "steer clear of the heiress." + +"What do you mean, sir," retorted the young man, firing up. "Steer +clear of the heiress? you forget yourself; do you presume to put a lady +in the question?" and saying this, he turned away. + +"All devilish fine," said O'Rooney, sticking his hands in his pockets +and sauntering away from the supper-table, humming a verse of Harry +Lorrequer's well-known song:-- + + "The King of Oude + Is mighty proud, + And so were onst the Caysars (Cæsars); + But ould Giles Eyre + Would make them stare, + Av he had them with the Blazers. + + "To the devil I'd fling--ould Runjeet Singh + He's only a prince in a small way; + And knows nothing at all of a six-foot wall, + Oh! he'd never do for Galway." + +"Won't he?" muttered Fortescue to himself, as he caught the last words, +"perhaps I'll show you he will." If the Captain had not been so blind +with passion, he might have heard the gallant Adjutant singing _sotto +voce_ a verse of a song from the same author, as he strode +carelessly from the room:-- + + "Put his arm round her waist, + Gave ten kisses at laste, + 'Oh!' says he, 'you're my Molly Malone, + 'My own, + 'Oh!' says he, 'you're my Molly Malone!'" + +What did he mean? + +"By the great gun of Athlone, I'm mighty glad entirely they're both +gone from the room," said a hard-riding Galway squire, as the +illustrious Captain O'Rooney disappeared from sight. "I thought there +was an illigant row brewing. Better as it is. Where O'Rooney is to get +the coin from if he loses, divil a one of me knows. He's in 'Quare +Street' long ago. Never mind, boys; let us have the groceries. 'O +Punch! you are my darling,' and the devil fly away with dull care. Now +Colonel," he continued, "upon my conscience, as O'Rooney won't listen +to reason, you must look after Fortescue's interests. O'Rooney will +endeavour to pick out a country. I mean he will go building up walls, +and so on. You must have your own way a little, or, begorra, he'll do +as he likes entirely. Now, there is one thing that will beat him if +anything will--you must insist on that, or I would not give a trauneen +for Fortescue's chance--and that is" (he dropped his voice to a +whisper) _one_ if not _two_ WATER-jumps; if anything will stop +Mad Moll it is WATER." + +"It shall be done," said the Colonel; "I'll see that the lad is not +taken advantage of." And the old field-officer kept his word, as will +be seen in the sequel. + +O'Rooney was greatly disturbed when he knew there were to be one or +more water-jumps. He fought hard and gallantly against it; but the +Colonel was obdurate. "By Gad, sir," said he, "you do not want it +entirely your own way, do you? I have not interfered with the country +in any way. I have said nothing as to the six-foot wall you have built +up, and others equally dangerous, and now you cavil at a paltry ditch." + +"Ditch do ye call it, Colonel? fifteen feet of water, hurdled and +staked, a ditch, and another of eleven. By my troth, no such like +ditches are found between this and Ballinasloe. But never mind. Glory +be to Moses, I'll get over them. And then, h--ll to my soul, if the +English horse will ever come near Mad Moll's girths again." + +"We think nothing of nineteen feet, sir," said the Colonel. "In +England, fifteen feet is nothing; but my youngster shall have a +chance." + +Great was the excitement throughout the country--indeed, in all parts +of Ireland. Such a match had not been known for years--"a thousand +pounds!" What could the English soldier have been thinking of! The nags +went on well in their training, closely guarded by their respective +admirers. The English horse took to wall-jumping beautifully; but it +was doubted whether, even with his great turn of speed, he had the foot +of the Irish mare--a clipper. Then again, though Fortescue was a cool +and daring horseman, he had not the experience of the Captain, who had +ridden many a hard-contested race before, across country and over the +flat. + +The stakes had been made good and deposited according to agreement with +the Colonel. The Captain had found friends to share in the bet, for +though he was generally disliked, yet they had confidence in his horse +and his horsemanship. Fortescue, too, had friends, nor had his +commanding officer been idle. Men from his own regiment had come +forward, so all he stood to lose was two hundred and fifty; this and +other matters made him sanguine and light-hearted. In addition to all, +he had received a beautiful cap and jacket from Miss Gwynne. + +The sporting papers, English and Irish, teemed with the forthcoming +match. "Lieut. Charles Fortescue's bay horse Screwdriver, aged, against +Capt. O'Rooney's chestnut mare Mad Moll, six years old, for ONE +THOUSAND guineas a side," appeared in the _County Chronicle_. + +The excitement was intense. Such a stiff bit of country had not been +seen or ridden over for years. The betting would have been decidedly in +favour of the Captain, but his mare's well-known dislike to water +prevented anything like odds being laid--so they were both about equal +favourites. + +"By George, old fellow!" said one of Fortescue's chums to him one +morning, some six days previous to the race, "I really think your +chance is becoming more rosy every hour. The more O'Rooney's mare sees +the water the less she likes it. A sergeant in my company, a Galway +man, has a country cousin in the barracks who knows all about it. Just +go to Sergeant Blake," he said, turning to a bugler passing by, "and +tell him to come here, and bring his cousin with him. Mr Fortescue +wishes to see him." + +The man soon appeared. "Salute your supareor," said the Sergeant, as he +squared his heels. "Touch your caubeen." + +"Arrah, now, Patrick, wasn't I after doing it?" + +"Well, do it at onst, ye murdering ruffian, and tell all ye know." + +"Yes, sir, yer honour," commenced the man, "Faix, the Captain 'av' been +trying the mare day after day at the water. Onst she jumped finely. The +Captain made a brook close by our cabin, and is often wid her there. +Sometimes she jumps and sometimes she won't; and when she won't, mille +murther! maybe don't he larrup her! Long life to your honour! but I +don't think the mare likes water, at all, at all. And by my troth, +there's many a man thinks the same. The devil's luck to him! he's been +all over the fresh-planted praties, and cut them to smithereens, bad +cess to him! But av course, Leiftenent, ye won't tell on a poor boy, +more by token as he is after doing yer honour a little sarvice. I +wouldn't give a handful of prayers for my life if he found me out; for +sorra a one knows the Captain better than myself, death to his sowl! +Tear-an-ages! he's a terrible bad man entirely, is the Captain. The top +of the morning, and long life to your honour!" said the gossoon, as the +Sergeant led him away, pocketing half a crown. + +"There, Fortescue, what do you think of that?" said his friend, as they +sauntered away to the anteroom for a whiskey and soda. "It's evident +Mad Moll is no water jumper. By Jupiter! I think you will pull through. +Quite fair my giving the lad half-a-crown. O'Rooney's friends have been +doing the same--fair play is a jewel!" + +Somehow the public at last began to lean towards the English horse. He +did his work quietly and openly, without any attempt at concealment. + +But what is this excitement in the barrack yard? Officers are rushing +to the mess-room. Two gentlemen have been driven up there in a car. +Lord Plunger and his friend Bradon have arrived. They are old friends +of the Stiffshire battalion. + +"By George! Plunger and Bradon, I'm delighted to see you," said the +warm-hearted Colonel, hastening in, while endeavouring to make his +sword-belt meet about his somewhat bulky waist. "I did not tell the +boys I had written for you both. Lunch ready in ten minutes--glass of +sherry first to wet your mouths. Now, Fortescue will have a little good +advice. You will ride the last gallop to-morrow morning, Bradon, and +give us your opinion. Dammee, I'm so glad to see you both in the wild +west. Here, some one tell the captain of the day I won't have another +roll-call. Obliged to do this kind of thing here, Bradon--never know +what's going to happen from one minute to another. Shooting landlords +like the devil. Potted Lambert last week; five shots in him, and the +only one that did no harm was the one that took him in the forehead. +Rest his sowl, as the Irishmen say, a near escape for him. Lucky dog! +Here is the sherry!" In this way did the popular Colonel rattle on. + +The gallop is over, and Screwdriver has been tried at even weights +against a good one. George Bradon had thought it better that Fortescue +should ride his own horse in the trial, which he did. "By Jove, you've +got a clipper, Fortescue!" said the former, as they pulled up; "you +don't know how good. I deceived you all when I told you I had borrowed +this nag to try you. Keep your mouth shut, hermetically sealed, old +fellow, and I'll tell you something you will care to know. It is no +commoner you have galloped against to-day. Mind, on your life, not a +word to your dearest friend. It's my own horse, GUARDSMAN, you have had +a spin with--the winner of the Cheltenham Grand Annual!" + +The young man thus addressed sat like one in a dream, at this +revelation. + +"It's all old Mason's doing, Fortescue," said he. "He advised me to +bring him over. I'm off now. Look at that knot of people coming over +the hill; there are some who crossed the Channel yesterday with me who +would know my old pet, and I would not have it blown upon for a +trifle--the horse has been in Ireland for a week on the quiet. I'm now +off, across country to Athenry, where Mason is, and has a stable for +him. The horse will leave by the late train to-night for England with +a lad; so no one will be a bit the wiser. My old stud-groom will come +to your diggings this evening with me to give you a help. So _au +revoir_ till mess-time, when you will see yours truly;" and putting +his horse at a five-foot wall, he sent him over, hurling the loose +stones behind him in a cloud, and was quickly out of sight. + +"So your friend has gone," said the gallant Colonel, as Fortescue +walked his horse up to a host of his brother-officers and friends +assembled in a knot on the hill, amongst which several strangers were +distinguishable. + +"Yes," replied Fortescue, carelessly, "he will be with us at mess. +Here, take the horse home, Forester"--to his man--"see no one comes +near him." + +"That's a horse to back," said a sly-looking little man in a large drab +overcoat; and coming up to Fortescue he whispered quietly to him: "I'm +on your nag for a plumper. I keep my own counsel, and shall not split. +I never come except with a rush at the last minute. My glasses are +good. You've had a spin with one of the best cross-country horses in +England. Clever and fast as that nag is, he can't give you seven +pounds. You ran him to a length or two. I know George Bradon and +Guardsman well. I've won a pot full of money on them before. There, +don't look scared; you are a youngster. Sit well down on Screwdriver, +hold him together, don't give a lead over the water, and you will land +him a winner. I know more than you think; but for my own sake I'm +MUM!" + +"News for you all!" said the Colonel of Fortescue's regiment, bursting +into the mess-room, where some nine or ten officers were at breakfast, +amongst whom were Lord Plunger and Bradon. "Here, Fortescue," continued +the excited old gentleman, "this letter"--holding out one--"concerns +you more immediately. Read it out." + +The young man thus addressed took the letter and read the following:-- + + "DEAR COLONEL, + + "As you all know, this is the morning of the race. Something has + happened. For God's sake ride over and see me at once.-- + + "Yours faithfully, + + "P. O'ROONEY. + + "Clough-bally-More Castle, Friday morning." + +"There, gentlemen, what do you think of that?" cried the Colonel, as +Fortescue slowly folded up the letter and returned it to him. +"Something in that--no race for a guinea." + +"Race or no race," said Lord Plunger, "the money is lodged with you. It +is a p.p. bet, and must be paid." + +"Mare gone amiss," put in Bradon. "I knew he was giving her too much of +it. This is a hard, stony country; horses won't stand much continued +work. Poor brutes! they are galloped shin sore--all the life and energy +taken out of them--sweated to death, and made as thin as +whipping-posts, and they are said to be in condition. Serves him +right." + +"Hold, Bradon, my boy," interrupted Lord Plunger, "you do not know that +such is the case. The mare was all right last night, that I am certain +of. She is about six miles from here, at a Mr Blake's. I am inclined to +think O'Rooney has got into trouble." + +"At any rate we shall soon know," returned the Colonel; "for here is my +horse coming round. I shall be back in an hour or a little more. I'll +look after your interests, Fortescue," he continued. "It is only +half-past ten now. The race is not till three. Keep cool, and don't +take too many brandy-and-sodas, till you see me again." And so saying, +he took his departure. + +What was up? Had the mare broken down? Was O'Rooney arrested? It must +be one or the other. It could not be about the stakes, for these were +lodged to the Colonel's credit in the Bank of Ireland. What could it be +then? + +"I cannot help thinking, Fortescue," said Lord Plunger, "that somehow +or other you will have to don the new colours, doeskins, and tops, and +give us a sight of your way of crossing the Galway country." As he was +speaking, one of the mess waiters came in and said a few words to +Fortescue, which made that gentleman immediately leave the room. On +reaching his quarters he found seated there a sly-looking little man in +a large drab overcoat. + +"I beg your pardon," said the stranger to the officer as he entered. +"You know me, I think?" + +Fortescue slightly inclined his head. + +"The object of my coming," continued the sly-looking little man, "is to +tell you that there is a writ out against Captain O'Rooney for four +hundred pounds. He will not show up to-day. He is a _Sunday man_: +now the race is ours--yours I ought to say--you will only have to go +over the course. Good-morning." + +But he was not allowed to depart in that way. He was soon in the +mess-room, and all were put in possession of the facts. + +In the meantime the good Colonel rode on at a rapid pace, wondering at +the contents of the note, and conjuring up all sorts of things. +Five-and-twenty minutes brought him to the gate, or what should have +been the gate, of Clough-bally-More Castle, but it was gone. Cantering +up the neglected wilderness-like avenue, he was soon in front of a +ruinous-looking pile. This was Clough-bally-More Castle--a place best +described by a quotation from Hood's beautiful poem of "The Haunted +House"-- + + "Unhinged the iron gates half open hung, + Jarr'd by the gusty gales of many winters, + That from its crumbled pedestal had flung + One marble globe in splinters. + + * * * * * + + "With shatter'd panes the grassy court was starr'd; + The time-worn coping-stone had tumbled after; + And through the ragged roof the sky shone, barr'd + With naked beam and rafter." + +Getting off his horse and walking up the broken, moss-covered steps, +the Colonel rang the bell, which gave forth a melancholy sound that +scared a colony of jackdaws who had established themselves unmolested +for many a year in the chimneys and uninhabited rooms. + +On the second summons a shock head was cautiously poked out of an upper +window. "Sure now, it's no use at all, at all, av yer ringing away like +that: the master's gone abroad these six months; he told me to say so +last night. Divil a writ can you serve him wid, my honey; av ye don't +be off the master will be after shooting ye for a thafe from the hall +windy." + +"I'm no writ server," returned the Colonel. "I come in consequence of a +note I received from Captain O'Rooney this morning." + +"Troth, then, ye are the English soldier colonel. His honour the master +will be wid ye at onst," and the head disappeared. + +Presently that of the Captain protruded. + +"See now, Colonel," said he, "ould Mat thought you were a Bum. I'm +sorry to say I'm a _Sunday man_ now. The thundering thieves they've +been about the place all the morning to serve me. I wish they may get +it. Nabocklish! catch a weasel asleep. I'll let you in." + +In a minute or so the front door was slowly and cautiously unchained, +and the Colonel found himself in the hall of Clough-bally-More Castle. +It was a perfect ruin, and, if possible, more ghastly and +miserable-looking on the inside than the outside. The Captain's room +was, however, pretty cosy, and in decent repair. A bright turf fire +burnt on the hearth; a couple of guns adorned the walls; rods, +fishing-tackle, and various other sporting paraphernalia were scattered +about the room in indescribable confusion. + +"Be seated, Colonel," said the steeple-chase rider; "I may as well come +to the point at once. D----, of Galway, has a writ out against my +person for four hundred pounds. They tried to serve it on me last +night, and again this morning, the divil fly away with them! May the +flames of----" + +"What is to be done, Capt. O'Rooney?" interrupted the Colonel. "You +know it is a p.p. bet, and out of my power to do anything. Mr Fortescue +has only two hundred and fifty on it. The rest is made up by gentlemen +who will insist on the terms of the bet being adhered to. You ridiculed +our offer of scratching the bet for a hundred: far better for yourself +had you done so. I should not like any advantage taken of you, and you +ought to have a run for your money. What is it you propose?" + +"See, now, Colonel; the only way is, that if you do not hold me to the +day, we can run it off on Sunday." + +"Sir! Captain O'Rooney!" hotly interrupted the Colonel; "you must be +mad! Ride a steeple-chase on a Sunday! Do you suppose, sir, any of my +officers would be guilty of such a thing, or that I would allow it?" + +"See, now, Colonel," interposed the Captain, "then there is no other +way but Mr Fortescue letting me off altogether. I've five hundred on it +on my own account. I'll give a hundred and scratch it." + +"Quite impossible," said the Colonel; "you know I can't do it. I am +really very sorry for you, but stay, there is yet one way, and if I can +manage it the race may yet come off. D----, who has the writ out +against you, does the wine for the mess. Now, will you agree to +this--that if you win, I pay him the four hundred and the balance to +yourself? If you do not win you shall be exactly in the same position +you are now, namely, locked up in your own house." + +"Tare an' ages, a capital idea! Colonel, I agree." And it was forthwith +signed and sealed between them. + +"I'll send out to you in an hour," said the Colonel, as he took his +departure. "I will write and tell you how it is to be, race or no race. +Depend on me; I'll do all I can." + +The Colonel succeeded, and the terms he mentioned were acceded to by +D----, who thought it was his only chance of ever getting a farthing. + +"Hang it, gentlemen," said the light-hearted old officer, "we could +have got the money without a race; but I should not have liked it said +of the regiment that we took any advantage. Now, win or lose, everyone +must say that we have behaved pluckily in this matter." + +Such a crowd as there was on the road all the way to the hill of +Thonabuckey, where a good view could be had of the race! Cars, +donkey-carts, wiry-looking horses with wiry and sporting squireens on +them crowded the road--all on their way to see the thousand-guinea +steeple-chase between the English soldier gentleman and the famous +Captain O'Rooney. + +Such excitement, such running and jostling of the dirty unwashed to get +along! There was the old blind fiddler, Mat Doolan, in a donkey-cart, +and perched on the top of a porter-barrel, scraping away, and +occasionally giving a song. + +"Sure it's himself that can bring the music out of the instrument. He +is the best fiddler in the west," sang out one. Then a chorus of voices +would break in asking for various tunes and songs. "Arrah, now, give us +'Croppies lie down.'" "'Wreath the bowl,'" cried another. "Hell to the +bowl, let's 'ave 'Tater, Jack Walsh,' or 'Vinegar Hill,'" demanded a +sturdy ruffian. "No, no; 'The breeze that blows the barley,' 'St +Patrick's day in the morning,' or 'Garry-owen' for me." "Begorra, no; +'Larry before he was stretched,' is my favourite," said a ragged +urchin. + +"Hurrah! here comes the Captain," bawled another; and the dirty +unwashed yelled as he passed in a tax-cart driven by a friend. + +"Which is the Captain?" demanded a soldier. + +"Death! don't you know him? Musha, why that one forenent ye in the +white caubeen and frieze coat. Troth, he's a broth of a boy! devil a +one in Ireland can bate him on Mad Moll across country. Sure he's an +illigant rider." + +"Hould yer noise, here comes Squire Gwynne and the ladies in the coach, +and the English soldier gentleman wid 'em. Agra! but he's a mighty fine +young man is that same. Bedad, it's Miss Alice that's looking swate on +him entirely." + +It was true: there was Charles Fortescue of the Stiffshire Regiment +going to the scene of action in the Squire's waggonette, and sitting +beside his affianced bride, the beautiful Alice Gwynne with eight +thousand a year the instant she married. + +"Hurroo!" shouted the people as the carriage dashed past. "Three cheers +for the Master of Gwynne! And another for the lady!" They were in the +humour to shout at everything and everybody. + +The course is reached at last. It is a circular one, and everything has +to be jumped twice; hardly anything is to be seen but dark frowning +walls. Many cars and carriages have got down by the water-jump. There +is no end of youth and beauty. All the county _élite_ are there as +lookers-on. A place has been kept for Mr Gwynne, and also one for the +large waggonette of the officers. Eager spectators are scattered all +over the course, but the big wall and the two water-jumps are the +centre of attraction. The wall is a fearful one, six feet high, built +up of large loose stones. The water-jump is also a pretty good one. A +little mountain stream has been dammed up. It is fifteen feet wide, +four feet deep, and hurdled and staked on the taking off side. + +"By Jingo, it is a twister!" said Mr Gwynne, a hunting man, as he +looked at it. "I say, Ally," to his daughter, "you would not like to +ride over that, would you?" + +"No, indeed, papa," said the poor girl, with her beautiful eyes full of +tears--she was terribly agitated. "I never shall be able to look at +Charles as he jumps it: it's fearful to look at, and it has to be done +twice too!" + +"Never mind, Alice, dear," said Fortescue, "the old horse will carry me +over like a bird. The only difficulty in the whole thing is the big +wall; that is a rattler! but in your colours, of course, I shall get +over all right. Let me do that wall and I am pretty safe, for I know +Screwdriver has the foot of Mad Moll; and these colours, too, they must +not play second fiddle. Cheer up!" and he whispered something that made +the fair girl smile through her tears. + +"Now, Fortescue," said George Bradon, taking his friend aside, "let me +give you a little advice: this is your maiden effort: whatever you do +be cool; don't flurry or worry yourself; you have a knowing fellow to +ride against, who is well up to these things. Now the wall is the +principal thing, and my opinion is, he will try and baulk your horse +there; therefore, my boy, don't let him give you a lead over it, _but +lead him_. That you have the speed of the mare there is not a doubt. +Remember, too, you must not go at the wall too fast: keep him well +together, with his hind legs well under him, and pop him over. Now, +with regard to the brook, on no account give him a lead there; if +necessary, walk your horse to it rather than go first. Keep your head, +old fellow, and where you dare, make the pace a cracker, if you can do +it without pumping your horse; the mare is overtrained, and will not +last if she is bustled. I don't know that I can say any more: now, go +and sit by your lady fair till it is time to weigh." + +The officers had sent their two cricket tents down, the scoring one for +the scales, and the other for luncheon. The latter one was filled with +gentlemen discussing the merits of the different horses. + +"Here comes your nag, Fortescue," said a young sub, running up to the +carriage. + +"Oh, what a beauty he is!" said Miss Gwynne. "Who is the little fat man +leading him?" + +"That," said Bradon, who had joined them, "is my old stud-groom, one of +the best men in Europe; he says Screwdriver's trained to the hour. +Here, Mason, turn the horse round and show him to the lady." + +The old man touched his hat as he did so. + +"He's a good 'un, miss," he said, "and nothing but a good 'un; and if +Mr Fortescue rides him patiently, I think that no Mad Moll will have a +chance with him." And touching his hat again he turned and walked the +horse away. + +The regimental champion was then immediately surrounded by the men of +the Stiffshire Regiment. + +The weighing is over, and Screwdriver mounted. Fortescue's colours are +crimson, with gold braiding. Capt. O'Rooney's are all green. Both +gentlemen look thorough jocks, and sit their horses easily and well; +but there is a look of the older hand about the Captain. + +"Who will lay me two to one against Screwdriver?" cried out a +sly-looking little man in a large drab overcoat. "I'll do it to any +amount up to a thousand." + +"I'll take you even money for a hundred," said a flashily-dressed man +on a bay horse. + +"I want odds, sir," said the little man; "but as I see there is no +betting to be done here, make it two hundred and I'll take you." + +"Done," said the other. And the bets were booked. + +All is now excitement, for the horses are walking away to the +starting-post. The judge had locked himself up in the little box +allotted to him, which has been lent by the race committee, but little +did he think he would see such a close finish. + +"They're off!" is the cry, as the two horses are seen cantering across +a field. + +"Fortescue's leading," said Lord Plunger, with his field-glasses to his +eyes. + +"Oh, papa, hold me up so that I may see," said the beautiful and +anxious Miss Gwynne. + +The eyes of scores were on her as she stood up, for all the gentry were +well aware in what relation she stood to Fortescue. + +"Well lepped!" roared the multitude, as the horses topped a wall. + +"Capital jumpers both," said the sly-looking little man; "the horse for +my money. Will nobody bet?" he roared out. But all were too eager to +attend to him. + +Fortescue is in front, and going at a good rate across some grass. The +first brook is now approached, and the Captain in his turn, leads at a +strong pace. All are anxiously looking to see how Mad Moll will like +it, for she is twisting her head from side to side. Fortescue has taken +a pull at Screwdriver, who is some six lengths behind. + +"Hang me if she means jumping!" said Bradon, as he saw the mare's +spiral movements. + +But he was wrong: a resolute man and a good one was on her back. She +jumped the brook, but in bad style, her hind legs dropped in, and as +she just righted herself, Fortescue's crimson jacket flashed in the air +and cleared it splendidly, amidst the shouts of hundreds. + +"Splendidly jumped!" said Lord Plunger. "Fortescue is a fine horseman, +Bradon, and is riding the horse patiently and well." + +"He is," was the quiet reply. + +All eyes are now directed to the wall, which the horses are rapidly +approaching. Fortescue is seen to lead at it, and the old horse clears +it at a bound, as did the mare. + +"It's all up," said Bradon, as he closes his glasses; "Fortescue will +win in a canter." + +"The Captain's down!" screamed a host of voices, as he and the mare +came to grief at the second water-jump. + +"May he stick there for the next ten minutes!" muttered the sly little +man, a wish in which not a few joined--a certain fair lady especially. + +But he is up and at work again, none the worse. The horses were going +at a great pace, and the jumps were taken with beautiful precision by +both. Bradon began to look anxious, the sly little man fidgety, and +Lord Plunger wore a thoughtful look. + +The anxious girl's face was flushed to scarlet with excitement and +emotion, and she trembled fearfully. + +"It will be a close thing," said the sly-looking little man; "the mare +is better than I thought." + +There were only a few things to be jumped now of any consequence--the +two brooks and the big wall. The horses there turned, ran through an +opening made in the wall, and finished on the flat in front of the +carriages. The brook is now approached for the second time: the mare +comes at it first, jumps it, and topples down on her nose on the +opposite side; the Captain is pitched forward on her ears, but recovers +himself like lightning, and is away again, leading Fortescue at a +terrific pace. + +But what is the little sly man doing? As the mare recovers herself he +is seen to dart across the course and pick up something flat, and put +it into his pocket. "By G--d! turn out as it will we are saved," he +muttered. "I'll lay any money against the mare," he screamed out. But +no one took him. + +The wall is now approached again; the Captain leads; but as the mare is +about to rise he turns her sharply round and gallops in a different +direction. Screwdriver refuses it too. + +"Damnation! I thought it," said Bradon; "there's a blackguard's trick!" + +"Oh! poor Charles," ejaculated the beautiful Alice; "my poor colours!" + +"The Captain's cleared it!" shouted out the multitude, as the mare was +seen to take the wall splendidly. + +"Where's your soldier now?" shouted out a chorus of voices. + +"Shure it's myself," said the captain, "could never be licked." + +"Most unfortunate!" said the old Colonel, "a dirty trick; and after my +kindness to him, too!" + +"The soldier is going at it again!" cried the people; and the horse is +seen to rise gallantly at it, but both horse and rider came down on the +other side. + +"Och, wirra wirra, vo vo! Mother of Moses, he's kilt entirely!" bawled +out a countryman; "poor young fellow!" + +"Miss Gwynne's fainted," said a young sub, running into the tent for +water. + +"By G--d! he's up and at it again," screamed out the sly little man: +"the mare's baked too; look at her tail." + +All faces were flushed and eager. The horse was coming along at a +tremendous pace. The captain was at work: his legs could be seen +sending the spurs deeply into her; and he took an anxious look over his +shoulder every now and then. + +"The mare's beaten!" resounded on all sides, as she was seen to swerve +in her stride. + +"Oh that the finish were only a hundred yards farther!" said Lord +Plunger. + +The winning-post is approached. The old horse has not been touched by +Fortescue, whose face is seen, even at that distance, to be deluged +with blood. He holds Screwdriver well in hand; he sees the mare is +flagging. + +"Green wins!" "Red wins!" shouts the crowd. + +It is an anxious moment. Both horses are seen locked closely together. +But the strain on Screwdriver's jaw is relaxed, and Fortescue is seen +to shake him up; the whip hand is at work, and they pass the post +abreast. The Colonel dashes off, as does the sly little man, and a host +of others. + +"What is it?" said the Colonel, as he galloped up. + +"A DEAD HEAT," replied the judge. + +The sly little man smiles grimly as he hears these words. + +"Is Charles hurt, papa?" said the beautiful occupant of the Master of +Gwynne's carriage, opening her eyes languidly, as she rose from her +faint. + +"No, dearest; cut a little, I believe. It is a dead heat." + +Both horses were now returning to scale. + +"Dead heat?" said the Captain. "Well, we must run it off in an hour. I +won't give in." + +"Hurt, sir?" inquired old Mason, as he took hold of the old horse's +bridle and led him back. + +"A bit of a cut on the forehead," returned Fortescue, "that is all. +Captain O'Rooney pulled his mare round at the wall--little cad!" + +"A scoundrel's trick," said the Colonel. + +Fortescue goes to weigh in first. + +"All right, sir," said the man in charge of the scales. + +The Captain now approaches, saddle and saddle-cloths in hand, and seats +himself. + +"Eleven stone eleven," said he of the scales, looking at them intently. +"Three pounds short, Captain." + +"What?" yelled out O'Rooney. "Look again, man, look again!" + +"Eleven stone eleven," replied the clerk. + +"Give me my bridle!" roared the Captain. "What the h--ll is the +matter?" + +"Ay, give him his bridle!" said the sly-looking little man; "he can +claim a pound for it; but that won't make him right. Look at your +saddle-cloth, sir. You will see it has burst and a three-pounds lead +gone. You did it at the big water-jump the second time, and I picked it +up. Here it is." + +Cheer after cheer rent the air as the fact was announced. The soldiers, +of course, went almost frantic. + +"Here, come away," said Lord Plunger and Bradon, seizing Charley's arm, +"Get away as quickly as you can. There will be a row. Your horse has +already gone, with seventy or eighty of our men with him. You rode the +race splendidly, old fellow!" + +"That he did," said the sly-looking little man. + +The Captain had lost the race. He was short by two pounds, allowing him +one for his bridle. The scene of confusion that followed was +indescribable. + +Fortescue was taken to the carriage and quickly driven away. + +"Ah, Alice!" said he, "I told you I should carry your colours to the +fore." + +"Thank God you did so! This is your first and last race, promise me." + +The Captain went back to Clough-bally-More Castle; but in a day or two +he was _non est_, and his creditors were done. + +The regiment had a jovial night of it. Fortescue's health was drunk in +bumper after bumper; but he was not there to acknowledge the +compliment; some one else had him in charge. + +A short time after the Stiffshire were quartered in Manchester, and the +Colonel one day encountered no less a person than Captain O'Rooney. + +"See now, Colonel," said the latter, "you must bear me no ill-will. I +did a shabby trick, I'll allow, at the wall, but I was a ruined man. +I'm all right now. I've married a rich cotton-spinner's widow with some +three thousand a year; but it's all settled on her." + +Fortescue and Miss Gwynne are long ago married; and at the different +race meetings that they attended they often saw the celebrated Captain +O'Rooney performing; but in all the numerous races he was engaged in, +he never rode--at any rate in a steeple-chase--another DEAD +HEAT. + + + + +ONLY THE MARE + + +When one opens a suspicious-looking envelope and finds something about +"Mr Shopley's respectful compliments" on the inside of the flap, the +chances are that Mr Shopley is hungering for what we have Ovid's +authority for terming _irritamenta malorum_. Not wishing to have +my appetite for breakfast spoiled, I did not pursue my researches into +a communication of this sort which was amongst my letters on a certain +morning in November; but turned over the pile until the familiar +caligraphy of Bertie Peyton caught my eye: for Bertie was Nellie's +brother, and Nellie Peyton, it had been decided, would shortly cease to +be Nellie Peyton; a transformation for which I was the person chiefly +responsible. Bertie's communication was therefore seized with avidity. +It ran as follows:-- + + "The Lodge, Holmesdale. + + "MY DEAR CHARLIE, + + "I sincerely hope that you have no important engagements just at + present, as I want you down here most particularly. + + "You know that there was a small race-meeting at Bibury the other + day. I rode over on Little Lady, and found a lot of the 14th + Dragoons there; that conceited young person Blankney amongst the + number. Now, although Blankley has a very considerable personal + knowledge of the habits and manners of the ass, he doesn't know + much about the horse; and for that reason he saw fit to read us a + lecture on breeding and training, pointing his moral and adorning + his tale with a reference to my mare--whose pedigree, you know, is + above suspicion. After, however, he had kindly informed us what a + thoroughbred horse ought to be, he looked at Little Lady and said, + 'Now I shouldn't think that thing was thoroughbred!' It ended by my + matching her against that great raw-boned chestnut of his: three + and a half miles over the steeplechase course, to be run at the + Holmesdale Meeting, on the 5th December. + + "As you may guess, I didn't want to win or lose a lot of money, and + when he asked what the match should be for, I suggested '£20 + a-side.' 'Hardly worth while making a fuss for £20!' he said, + rather sneeringly. '£120, if you like!' I answered, rather angrily, + hardly meaning what I said; but he pounced on the offer. Of course + I couldn't retract, and so very stupidly, I plunged deeper into the + mire, and made several bets with the fellows who were round us. + They laid me 3 to 1 against the mare, but I stand to lose nearly + £500. + + "You see now what I want. I ride quite 12 stone, as you know; the + mare is to carry 11 stone, and you can just manage that nicely. I + know you'll come if you can, and if you telegraph I'll meet you. + + "Your's ever, + + BERTIE PEYTON. + + "P.S.--Nellie sends love, and hopes to see you soon. No one is + here, but the aunt is coming shortly." + +I was naturally anxious to oblige him, and luckily had nothing to keep +me in town; so that afternoon saw me rapidly speeding southwards, and +the evening, comfortably domiciled at The Lodge. + +Bertie, who resided there with his sister, was not a rich man. £500 was +a good deal more than he could afford to lose, and poor little Nellie +was in a great flutter of anxiety and excitement in consequence of her +brother's rashness. As for the mare, she could gallop and jump; and +though we had no means of ascertaining the abilities of Blankney's +chestnut, we had sufficient faith in our Little Lady to enable us to +"come up to the scratch smiling;" and great hopes that we should be +enabled to laugh at the result in strict accordance with the permission +given in the old adage, "Let those laugh who win." + +It was not very pleasant to rise at an abnormal hour every morning, and +arrayed in great-coats and comforters sufficient for six people, to +rush rapidly about the country; but it was necessary. I was a little +too heavy, and we could not afford to throw away any weight, nor did I +wish to have my saddle reduced to the size of a cheese-plate, as would +have been my fate had I been unable to reduce myself. Breakfast, +presided over by Nellie, compensated for all matutinal discomforts; and +then she came round to the stables to give the mare an encouraging pat +and a few words of advice and endearment which I verily believe the +gallant little mare understood, for it rubbed its nose against her +shoulder as though it would say, "Just you leave it in my hands--or, +rather, to my feet--and I'll make it all right!" Then we started for +our gallop, Bertie riding a steady old iron-grey hunter. + +The fourth of December arrived, and the mare's condition was splendid. +"As fit as a fiddle," was the verdict of Smithers, a veterinary surgeon +who had done a good deal of training in his time, and who superintended +our champion's preparation; and though we were ignorant of the precise +degree of fitness to which fiddles usually attain, he seemed pleased, +and so, consequently, were we. Unfortunately on this morning Bertie's +old hunter proved to be very lame, so I was forced to take my last +gallop by myself; and with visions of success on the morrow, I passed +rapidly through the keen air over the now familiar way; for the course +was within a couple of miles of the house, and so we had the great +advantage of being able to accustom the mare to the very journey she +would have to take. + +Bertie was in a field at the back of the stables when I neared home +again. "Come on!" he shouted, pointing to a nasty hog-backed stile, +which separated us. I gave Little Lady her head, and she cantered up to +it, lighting on the other side like a very bird! Bertie didn't speak as +I trotted up to him, but he looked up into my face with a triumphant +smile more eloquent than words. + +"You've given her enough, haven't you?" he remarked, patting her neck, +as I dismounted in the yard. + +"You've given her enough," usually signifies "you've given her too +much." But I opined not, and we walked round to the house tolerably +well convinced that the approaching banking transactions would be on +the right side of the book. + +Despite a walk with Nellie, and the arrival of a pile of music from +town, the afternoon passed rather slowly; perhaps we were too anxious +to be cheerful. To make matters worse, dinner was to be postponed till +past eight, for the aunt was coming, and Nellie was afraid the visitor +would be offended if they did not wait for her. + +"You look very bored and tired, sir!" said Nellie pouting prettily; "I +believe you'd yawn if it wasn't rude!" + +I assured her that I could not, under any circumstances, be guilty of +such an enormity. + +"It's just a quarter past seven. We'll go and meet the carriage, and +then perhaps you'll be able to keep awake until dinner-time!" and so +with a look of dignity which would have been very effective if the +merry smile in her eyes had been less apparent, the little lady swept +out of the room; to return shortly arrayed in furs, and a most +coquettish-looking hat, and the smallest and neatest possible pair of +boots, which in their efforts to appear strong and sturdy only made +their extreme delicacy more decided. + +"Come, sleepy boy!" said she, holding out a grey-gloved hand. I rose +submissively, and followed her out of the snug drawing-room to the open +air. + +Bertie was outside, smoking. + +"We are going to meet the aunt, dear," explained Nellie. "I'm afraid +she'll be cross, because it's so cold." + +"She's not quite so inconsequent as that, I should fancy; but it is +cold, and isn't the ground hard!" I said. + +"It is hard!" cried Bertie, stamping vigorously. "By Jove! I hope it's +not going to freeze!" and afflicted by the notion--for a hard frost +would have rendered it necessary to postpone the races--he hurried off +to the stables, to consult one of the men who was weather-wise. + +Some stone steps led from the terrace in front of the house to the +lawn; at either end of the top-step was a large globe of stone, and on +to one of these thoughtless little Nellie climbed. I stretched out my +hand, fearing that the weather had made it slippery, but before I could +reach her she slipped and fell. + +"You rash little person!" I said, expecting that she would spring up +lightly. + +"Oh! my foot!" she moaned; and gave a little shriek of pain as she put +it to the ground. + +I took her in my arms, and summoning her maid, carried her to the +drawing-room. + +"Take off her boot," I said to the girl, but Nellie could not bear to +have her foot touched, and feebly moaned that her arm hurt her. + +"Oh! pray send for a doctor, sir!" implored the maid, while Nellie only +breathed heavily, with half-closed eyes; and horribly frightened, I +rushed off, hardly waiting to say a word to the poor little sufferer. + +"Whatever is the matter?" Bertie cried, as I burst into the +harness-room. + +"Where's the doctor?" I replied, hastily. "Nellie's hurt +herself--sprained her ankle, and hurt her arm--broken it, perhaps!" + +"How? When?" he asked. + +"There's no time to explain. She slipped down. Where's the doctor?" + +"Our doctor is ill, and has no substitute. There's no one nearer than +Lawson, at Oakley, and that's twelve miles, very nearly." + +"Then I must ride at once," I reply. + +"Saddle my horse as quickly as possible," said Bertie to the groom. + +"He's lame, sir, can't move!" the man replied, and I remembered that it +was so. + +"Put a saddle on one of the carriage horses--anything so long as +there's no delay." + +"They're out, sir! Gone to the station. There's nothing in the +stable--only the mare; and to gallop her to Oakley over the ground as +it is to-night, will pretty well do for her chance to-morrow--to say +nothing of the twelve miles back again. The carriage will be home in +less than an hour, sir," the man remonstrated. + +"It may be, you don't know, the trains are so horridly unpunctual. +Saddle the mare, Jarvis, as quickly as you can--every minute may be of +the utmost value!" As Bertie spoke the _faintest_ look of regret +showed itself on his face for a second; for of course he knew that such +a journey would very materially affect, if it did not entirely destroy, +the mare's chance. + +Jarvis, who I think had been speculating, very reluctantly took down +the saddle and bridle from their pegs, but I snatched them from his +arms, and assisted by Bertie, was leading her out of the stable in a +very few seconds. + +"Hurry on! Never mind the mare--good thing she's in condition," said +Bertie, who only thought now of his sister. "I'll go and see the girl." + +"I can cut across the fields, can't I, by the cross roads?" I asked, +settling in the saddle. + +"No! no! Keep to the highway; it's safer at night. Go on!" I heard him +call as I went at a gallop down the cruelly hard road. + +The ground rang under the mare's feet, and in spite of all my anxiety +for Nellie I could not help feeling one pang of regret for Little Lady, +whose free, bounding action, augured well for what her chances would +have been on the morrow--chances which I felt were rapidly dying out; +for if this journey didn't lame her nothing would. Stones had just been +put down as a matter of course; but there was no time for picking the +way, and taking tight hold of her head we sped on. + +About a mile from the Lodge I came to the crossroads. Before me was a +long vista of stone--regular rocks, so imperfectly were they broken: to +the right was the smoother and softer pathway over the fields--perfect +going in comparison to the road. Just over this fence, a hedge, and +with hardly another jump I should come again into the highway, saving +quite two miles by the cut. Bertie had said "Don't," but probably he +had spoken thoughtlessly, and it was evidently the best thing to do, +for the time I saved might be of the greatest value to poor little +suffering Nellie! I pulled up, and drew the mare back to the opposite +hedge. She knew her work thoroughly. Three bounds took her across the +road: she rose--the next moment I was on my back, shot some distance +into the field, and she was struggling up from the ground. There had +been a post and rail whose existence I had not suspected, placed some +six feet from the hedge on the landing side. She sprang up, no legs +were broken; and I, a good deal shaken and confused, rose to my feet, +wondering what to do next. I had not had time to collect my thoughts +when I heard the rattle of a trap on the road; it speedily approached, +and the moonlight revealed the jolly features of old Tom Heathfield, a +friendly farmer. + +"Accident, sir?" he asked, pulling up. "What! Mr Vaughan!" as he caught +sight of my face. "What's the---- why! that ain't the mare, sure-_lie_?" + +All the neighbourhood was in a ferment of excitement about the races, +and the sight of Little Lady in such a place at such a time struck +horror to the honest old farmer. + +"Yes, it is--I'm sorry to say. Miss Peyton has met with an accident. I +was going for the doctor, and unfortunately there was nothing else in +the stable." + +"You was going to Oakley, I s'pose, sir? It'll be ruination to the +mare. Miss Peyton hurt herself! I'll bowl over, sir; it won't take +long; this little horse o' mine can trot a good 'un; and I can bring +the doctor with me. The fences, there, is mended with wire. You'd cut +the mare to pieces." + +"I can't say how obliged to you I am----" + +"Glad of the opportunity of obliging Miss Peyton, sir; she's a real +lady!" He was just starting when he checked himself. "There's a little +public house about a hundred yards further on; if you don't mind +waiting there I'll send Smithers to look at the mare. I pass his house. +All right, sir." + +His rough little cob started off at a pace for which I had not given it +credit; and I slowly followed, leading the mare towards the glimmering +light which Heathfield had pointed out. My charge stepped out well, and +I didn't think that there was anything wrong, though glad, of course, +to have a professional opinion. + +A man was hanging about the entrance to the public-house, and with his +assistance the mare was bestowed in a kind of shed, half cow-house, +half stable; and as the inside of the establishment did not look by any +means inviting, I lit a cigar and lounged about outside, awaiting the +advent of Smithers. + +He didn't arrive; and in the course of wandering to and fro I found +myself against a window. Restlessly I was just moving away when a voice +inside the room repeated the name of _Blankney_. I started, and +turning round, looked in. + +It was a small apartment, with a sanded floor, and two persons were +seated on chairs before the fire conversing earnestly. One of them was +a middle-aged man, clad in a brown great-coat with a profusion of +fur-collar and cuffs which it would scarcely be libel to term "mangy." +He was the owner of an unwholesome-looking face, decorated as to the +chin with a straggling crop of bristles which he would have probably +termed an imperial. + +"Wust year I ever 'ad!" he exclaimed (and a broken pane in the window +enabled me to hear distinctly). "The Two Thousand 'orse didn't run; got +in deep over the Derby; Hascot was hawful; and though I had a moral for +the Leger, it went down." + +His own morals, judging from his appearance and conversation, appeared +to have followed the example of that for the Leger. + +"I can't follow your plans about this race down here, though," said his +companion, a younger man, who seemed to hold the first speaker in great +awe despite his confessions of failure. "Don't you say that this young +Blankney's horse can't get the distance?" + +"I do. He never was much good, I 'ear; never won nothing, though he's +run in two or three hurdle-races; and since Phil Kelly's been preparing +of 'im for this race he's near about broke down. His legs swell up like +bolsters after his gallops; and he can't get three miles at all, I +don't believe, without he's pulled up and let lean agin something on +the journey to rest hisself." + +"And yet you're backing him?" + +"And yet I'm backing of him." + +"This young Peyton's mare can't be worse?" said the younger man, +interrogatively. + +"That mare, it's my belief, would be fancied for the Grand National if +she was entered, and some of the swells saw 'er. She's a real good +'un!" replied the man with the collar. + +"I see. You've got at her jockey. You're an artful one, you are." + +As the jockey to whom they alluded, I was naturally much interested. + +"No, I ain't done that, neither. He's a gentleman, and it's no use +talkin' to such as 'im. They ain't got the sense to take up a good +thing when they see it--though, for the matter o' that, most of the +perfessionals is as bad as the gentlemen. All's fair in love and war," +says I; "and this 'ere's war." + +"Does Blankney know how bad his horse is?" + +"No, bless yer! That ain't Phil Kelly's game." (Kelly was, I knew, the +man who had charge of my opponent's horse.) + +"Well, then, just explain, will you; for _I_ can't see." + +From the recesses of his garment the elder man pulled out a short stick +about fifteen inches in length, at the end of which was a loop of +string; and from another pocket he produced a small paper parcel. + +"D'yer know what that is? That's a 'twitch.' D'yer know what that is? +That's medicine. I love this 'ere young feller's mare so much I'm +a-goin' to give it some nicey med'cine myself; and this is the right +stuff. I've been up to the 'ouse to-day, and can find my way into the +stable to-night when it's all quiet. Just slip this loop over 'er lip, +and she'll open 'er mouth. Down goes the pill, and as it goes down the +money goes into my pocket. Them officer fellers and their friends have +been backing Blankney's 'orse; but Phil Kelly will take care that they +hear at the last moment that he's no good. Then they'll rush to lay +odds on the mare--and the mare won't win." + +They laughed, and nudged each other in the side, and I felt a mighty +temptation to rush into the room and nudge their heads with my fist. +Little Lady's delicate lips, which Nelly had so often petted, to be +desecrated by the touch of such villains as these! + +While struggling to restrain myself a hand was laid on my shoulders, +and, turning round, I saw Smithers. We proceeded to the stable; and I +hastily recounted to him what had happened, and what I had heard, as he +examined the mare by the aid of a bull's-eye lantern. He passed his +hand very carefully over her, whilst I looked on with anxious eyes. + +"She's knocked a bit of skin off here, you see." He pointed to a place +a little below her knee, and drawing a small box from his pocket, +anointed the leg. "But she's all right. All right, ain't you, old +lady?" he said, patting her; and his cheerful tone convinced me that he +was satisfied. "We'll lead her home. I'll go with you, sir; and it's +easy to take means to prevent any games to-night." + +When we reached home the doctor was there, and pronounced that, with +the exception of a sprained ankle, Nelly had sustained no injury. + +Rejoicing exceedingly, we proceeded to the stable; Heathfield, who +heard my story, and who was delighted at the prospect of some fun, +asking permission to accompany us. + +"Collars" had doubtless surveyed the premises carefully, for he arrived +about eleven o'clock, and clambered quietly and skilfully into the +hayloft above the stable, after convincing himself that all was quiet +inside. He opened the trap-door, and down came a foot and leg, feeling +about to find a resting-place on the partition which divided Little +Lady's loose box from the other stalls. Bertie and I took hold of the +leg, and assisted him down, to his intense astonishment; while +Heathfield and a groom gave chase to, and ultimately captured his +friend, the watcher on the threshold. + + * * * * * + +"If I'm well enough to do _anything_ I'm well enough to lie on the +sofa; and there's really _no_ difference between a sofa and an +easy-chair--if my foot is resting--and I'm sure the carriage is +_easier_ than any chair; and it can't matter about my foot being an +inch or two higher or lower--and as for shaking, that's all nonsense. +It's very unkind _indeed_ of you not to want to take me; and if you +won't, directly you've gone I'll get up, and walk about, _and stamp_!" + +Thus Nelly, in answer to advice that she should remain at home. How it +ended may easily be guessed; and though we tried to be dignified, as we +drove along, to punish her for her wilfulness, her pathetic little +expressions of sorrow that she should "fall down, and hurt herself, and +be such a trouble to everybody," and child-like assurances that she +would "not do it again," soon made us smile, and forget our +half-pretended displeasure. So with the aunt to take care of her, in +case Bertie and I were insufficient, we reached the course. + +The first three races were run and then the card said:-- + + 3·15 Match, £120 a side, over the Steeple-chase Course, about three + miles and a half. + + 1. Mr Blankney, 14th Dragoons, ch. h. Jibboom, 5 years, 11 st. + 7 lb., rose, black and gold cap. + + 2. Mr Peyton, b. m. Little Lady, 6 years, 11 st., sky-blue, + white cap. + +Blankney was sitting on the regimental drag, arrayed in immaculate +boots and breeches, and, after the necessary weighing ceremony had been +gone through he mounted the great Jibboom, which Phil Kelly had been +leading about: the latter gentleman had a rather anxious look on his +face; but Blankney evidently thought he was on a good one, and nodded +confidently to his friends on the drag as he lurched down the course. + +Little Lady was brought up to me, Smithers being in close attendance. + +"I _shall_ be so glad, if you win," Nellie found opportunity to +whisper. + +"What will you give me?" I greedily inquire. + +"_Anything_ you ask me," is the reply; and my heart beats high as, +having thrown off my light wrapper and mounted, Little Lady bounds down +the course, and glides easily over the hurdle in front of the stand. + +Bertie and Smithers were waiting at the starting-post; and, having +shaken hands with Blankney, to whom Bertie introduced me, I went apart +to exchange the last few sentences with my friends. + +Bertie is a trifle pale, but confident; and Smithers seems to have a +large supply of the latter quality. In however high esteem we hold our +own opinions, we are glad of professional advice when it comes to the +push; and I seek instructions. + +"No, sir, don't you wait on him. Go away as hard as you can directly +the flag drops. I don't like the look of that chestnut's legs--or, +rather, I do like the look of them for our sakes. Go away as hard as +ever you can; but take it easy at the fences; and, excuse me, sir, but +just let the mare have her head when she jumps, and she'll be all +right. People talk about 'lifting horses at their fences:' I only knew +one man who could do it, and he made mistakes." + +I nod; smiling as cheerfully as anxiety will permit me. The flag falls, +and Little Lady skims over the ground, the heavy chestnut thundering +away behind. + +Over the first fence--a hedge--and then across a ploughed field; rather +hard going, but not nearly so bad as I expected it would have been: the +mare moving beautifully. Just as I reach the second fence a boy rushes +across the course, baulking us; and before I can set her going again +Jibboom has come up level, and is over into the grass beyond a second +before us; but I shoot past and again take up the running. Before us +are some posts and rails--rather nasty ones; the mare tops them, and +the chestnut hits them hard with all four legs. Over more grass; and in +front, flanked on either side by a crowd of white faces, is the +water-jump. I catch hold of her head and steady her; and then, she +rises, flies through the air, and lands lightly on the other side. A +few seconds after I hear a heavy splash; but when, after jumping the +hurdle into the course, I glance over my shoulder, the chestnut is +still pounding away behind. As I skim along past the stand the first +time round and the line of carriages opposite, I catch sight of a +waving white handkerchief: it is Nellie; and my confused glimpse +imperfectly reveals Bertie and Smithers standing on the box of the +carriage. + +I had seen visions of a finish, in which a certain person clad in a +light-blue jacket had shot ahead just in the nick of time, and landed +the race by consummate jockeyship after a neck-and-neck struggle for +the last quarter of a mile. This did not happen, however, for, as I +afterwards learned, the chestnut refused a fence before he had gone +very far, and, having at last been got over, came to grief at the posts +and rails the second time round. Little Lady cantered in alone; +Blankney strolling up some time afterwards. + +There is no need to make record of Bertie's delight at the success. We +dined next day at the mess of the 14th, Blankney and his brethren were +excessively friendly, and seemed pleased and satisfied; as most +assuredly were we. Blankney opines that he went rather too fast at the +timber; but a conviction seemed to be gaining ground towards the close +of the evening that he had not gone fast enough at any period of the +race. + +And for Nellie? She kept her promise, and granted my request; and very +soon after the ankle was well we required the services of other +horses--grey ones! + + + + +HUNTING IN THE MIDLANDS + + +"Jem Pike has just come round, gentlemen, to say that they will be able +to hunt to-day, after all: and as it's about starting time, and you've +some distance to go, I will, if you wish, gentlemen, order your horses +round." + +The announcement, as it came to us over our breakfast at a hostelry +which I will call the Lion, in a market town which I will call +Chippington--a highly convenient hunting rendezvous in the +Midlands--was not a little welcome. Jem Pike was the huntsman of the +pack, and Jem Pike's message was an intimation that the frost of last +night had not destroyed our sport for the day. The morning broke in +what Jem would call a "plaguey ugly fashion:" from an artistic point of +view it had been divine: for hunting purposes it had been execrable. A +thin coating of ice on one's bath indoors, a good stiff hoar frost out, +crystallized trees, and resonant roads--all this was seasonable, very, +and "pretty to look at, too." But it was "bad for riding:" and we had +not come to the Lion at Chippington in order to contemplate the +beauties of nature, but to brace our nerves with the healthy excitement +of the chase. Full of misgivings we descended to breakfast, in hunting +toggery notwithstanding. As the sun shone out with increased brilliance +we began to grow more cheerful. The frost, we said, was nothing, and +all trace of it would be gone before noon. The waiter shook his head +dubiously, suggested that there was a good billiard-table, and enquired +as to the hour at which we would like to dine. But the waiter, as the +event proved, was wrong, and we were still in the middle of breakfast +when the message of the huntsman of the Chippington pack +arrived--exactly what we had each of us said. Of course the frost was +nothing: we had known as much; and now the great thing was to get +breakfast over, and "then to horse away." + +After all there is nothing for comfort like the old-fashioned hunting +hotels, and unfortunately they are decreasing in number every year. +Still the Lion at Chippington remains; and I am happy to say that I +know of a few more like the Lion. They are recognisable at a glance. +You may tell them by the lack of nineteenth century filagree decoration +which characterises their exterior, by the cut of the waiters, by the +knowing look of the boots. Snug are their coffee-rooms, luxurious their +beds, genial their whole atmosphere. It is just possible that if you +were to take your wife to such an establishment as the Lion, she would +complain that an aroma of tobacco smoke pervaded the atmosphere. But +the hunting hotel is conspicuously a bachelor's house. Its proprietor, +or proprietress, does not lay himself or herself out for ladies and +ladies' maids. It is their object to make single gentlemen, and +gentlemen who enjoy the temporary felicity of singleness, at home. If +it is your first visit, you are met in a manner which clearly intimates +that you were expected. If you are an old _habitué_ you find that +all your wants are anticipated, and all your peculiar fancies known. +The waiter understands exactly--marvellous is the memory of this race +of men--what you like for breakfast: whether you prefer a "wet fish" or +a "dry:" and recollects to a nicety your particular idea of a dinner. +Under any circumstances a week's hunting is a good and healthy +recreation: but it is difficult to enjoy a week's hunting more +perfectly than in one of these hostelries, which have not, I rejoice +to say, yet been swept away by the advancing tide of modern +improvement. + +Of whom did our company consist? We were not a party of Meltonian +squires, such as it would have delighted the famous Nimrod to describe. +We were neither Osbaldestones nor Sir Harry Goodrickes: neither +Myddelton Biddulphs nor Holyoakes. A Warwickshire or an Oxfordshire +hunting field differs very materially, so far as regards its +_personnel_, from a Leicester or a Northamptonshire gathering. The +latter still preserves the memories and the traditions of a past +_régime_, when hunting was confined to country gentlemen, farmers, and +a few rich strangers: the former is typical of the new order of things +under which hunting has ceased to be a class amusement, and has become +a generally popular sport. Now it is not too much to claim for hunting +at the present day this character. The composition of the little band +which on the morning now in question left the Lion Hotel at +Chippington, bound for covert, was no unimportant testimony to this +fact. We were half a dozen in number, and comprised among ourselves a +barrister, a journalist, a doctor, and a couple of Civil servants, who +had allowed themselves a week's holiday, and who, being fond of riding, +had determined to take it in this way. In an average hunting field of +the present day you will discover men of all kinds of professions and +occupations--attorneys, auctioneers, butchers, bakers, innkeepers, +artists, sailors, authors. There is no town in England which has not +more than one pack of hounds in its immediate vicinity; and you will +find that the riders who make up the regular field are inhabitants of +the town--men who are at work four or five days in the week at their +desk or counter, and who hunt the remaining one or two. There is no +greater instrument of social harmony than that of the modern hunting +field: and, it may be added, there is no institution which affords a +healthier opportunity for the ebullition of what may be called the +democratic instincts of human nature. The hunting field is the paradise +of equality: and the only title to recognition is achievement. "Rank," +says a modern authority on the sport, "has no privilege; and wealth can +afford no protection." Out of the hunting field there may be a wide +gulf which separates peasant from peer, tenant from landlord. But there +is no earthly power which can compel the tenant to give way to the +landlord, or the peasant to the peer, when the scent is good and hounds +are in full cry. + +As we get to the bottom of the long and irregularly-paved street which +constitutes the main thoroughfare--indeed, I might add, the entire town +of Chippington--we fall in with other equestrians bound for Branksome +Bushes--the meet fixed for that day--distant not more than two miles +from Chippington itself. There was the chief medical man of the place, +mounted on a very clever horse, the head of the Chippington bank, and +some half-dozen strangers. As we drew near to "the Bushes" we saw that +there had already congregated a very considerable crowd. There were +young ladies, some who had come just to see them throw off, and others +with an expression in their faces, and a cut about their habits, which +looked like business, and which plainly indicated that they intended, +if possible, to be in at the death. There were two or three clergymen +who had come from adjoining parishes, and one or two country squires. +There were some three or four Oxford undergraduates--Chippington is +within a very convenient distance of the city of academic towers--who +were "staying up" at their respective colleges for the purpose of +reading during a portion of the vacation, and who found it necessary to +vary the monotony of intense intellectual application by an occasional +gallop with the Chippington or Bicester pack. Then, of course, there +was the usual contingent of country doctors: usual, I say, for the +medical profession gravitates naturally towards equestrianism. If a +country doctor rides at all, you may be sure he rides well, and is well +mounted, moreover. There was also a very boisterous and hard-riding +maltster, who had acquired a considerable reputation in the district: a +fair sprinkling of snobs; one or two grooms and stable cads. There was +also an illustrious novelist of the day, the guest of Sir Cloudesley +Spanker, Bart., and Sir Cloudesley Spanker, Bart., himself. + +We had drawn Branksome Bushes and the result was a blank. Local +sportsmen commence to be prolific of suggestions. There was Henham +Gorse, for instance, and two gentlemen asseverated most positively, +upon intelligence which was indisputably true, that there was a fox in +that quarter. Another noble sportsman, who prided himself especially on +his local knowledge, pressed upon Jem Pike the necessity of turning his +attention next to the Enderby Woods, to all of which admonitions, +however, Mr Pike resolutely turned a deaf ear. These are among the +difficulties which the huntsman of a subscription pack has to encounter +or withstand. Every Nimrod who pays his sovereign or so a year to the +support of the hounds considers he has a right to a voice in their +management. Marvellous is the sensitiveness of the amateur sportsman. +It is a well-established fact, that you cannot more grievously wound or +insult the feelings of the gentleman who prides himself upon his +acquaintance with horses than by impugning the accuracy of his judgment +in any point of equine detail. Hint to your friend, who is possessed +with the idea that he is an authority upon the manners and customs of +foxes in general, and upon those of any one neighbourhood in +particular, that there exists a chance of his fallibility, and he will +resent the insinuation as a mortal slight. Jem Pike had his duty to do +to the pack and to his employers, and he steadfastly refused to be +guided or misguided by amateur advice. So, at Jem's sweet will, we +jogged on from Branksome Bushes to Jarvis Spinney, and at Jarvis +Spinney the object of our quest was obtained. + +'Tis a pretty sight, the find and the throw off. You see a patch of +gorse literally alive with the hounds, their sterns flourishing above +its surface. Something has excited them, and there "the beauties" go, +leaping over each other's backs. Then issues a shrill kind of whimper: +in a moment one hound challenges, and next another. Then from the +huntsman comes a mighty cheer that is heard to the echo. "He's gone," +say half a score of voices. Hats are pressed on, cigars thrown away, +reins gathered well up, and lo and behold they are off. A very fair +field we were on the particular morning to which I here allude. The +rector, I noticed, who had merely come to the meet, was well up with +the first of us. Notwithstanding remonstrances addressed by timid papas +and well-drilled grooms in attendance, Alice and Clara Vernon put their +horses at the first fence, and that surmounted had fairly crossed the +Rubicon. Nay, the contagion of the enthusiasm spread, as is always the +case on such occasions, for their revered parents themselves were +unable to resist the attraction. Sir Cloudesley Spanker asserted his +position in the first rank, as did also the distinguished novelist, his +guest. + +It has been remarked that all runs with foxhounds are alike on paper +and different in reality. We were fortunate enough to have one that was +certainly above the average with the Chippington hounds. Our fox chose +an excellent line of country, and all our party from the Lion enjoyed +the distinction of being in at the death. Mishaps there were, for all +the bad jumpers came signally to grief. Old Sir Cloudesley related with +much grim humour the melancholy aspect that two dismounted strangers +presented who had taken up their lodging in a ditch. The two Miss +Vernons acquitted themselves admirably; so did the rector, and I am +disposed to think that the company both of the ladies and the farmers +vastly improved our hunting field. It is quite certain that clergymen, +more than any other race of men, require active change, and they need +what they can get nowhere better than in a hunting field. Nor in the +modern hunting field is there anything which either ladies or clergymen +need fear to face. The strong words and the strange oaths, the rough +language--in fine, what has been called "the roaring lion element," +these are accessories of the chase which have long since become things +of the past. And the consummation is a natural consequence of the +catholicity which hunting has acquired. There are no abuses like class +abuses. Once admit the free light of publicity, and they vanish. + +There are hunting farmers and hunting parsons, clergymen who make the +chase the business of their lives, and those who get a day with the +hounds as an agreeable relief to their professional toils. There is not +much to be said in favour of the former order, which has, by the way, +nearly become extinct. It survives in Wales and in North Devon yet, and +curious are the authentic stories which might be narrated about these +enthusiastic heroes of top-boots and spur. There is a little village in +North Devon where, till within a very few years, the meet of the +staghounds used to be given out from the reading desk every Sunday +after the first lesson. Years ago, when one who is now a veteran +amongst the fox-hunting clerics of that neighbourhood first entered +upon his new duties, he was seized with a desire to reform the ways of +the natives and the practices of the priests. Installed in his new +living, he determined to forswear hounds and hunting entirely. He even +carried his orthodoxy to such a point as to institute daily services, +which at first, however, were very well attended. Gradually his +congregation fell off, much to the grief of the enthusiastic pastor. +One day, observing his churchwardens lingering in the aisle after the +service had been concluded, he went up and asked them whether they +could at all inform him of the origin of the declension. "Well, sir," +said one of the worthies thus addressed, "we were a-going to speak to +you about the very same thing. You see, sir, the parson of this parish +do always keep hounds. Mr Froude, he kept foxhounds, Mr Bellew he kept +harriers, and least ways we always expect the parson of this parish to +keep _a small cry of summut_." Whereupon the rector expressed his +entire willingness to contribute a sum to the support of "a small cry" +of harriers, provided his congregation found the remainder. The +experiment was tried and was completely successful, nor after that day +had the new rector occasion to complain of a deficiency in his +congregation. + +Tories of the old school, for instance Sir Cloudesley Spanker, who has +acquitted himself so gallantly to-day, would no doubt affirm that +fox-hunting has been fatally injured as a sport by railways. The truth +of the proposition is extremely questionable, and it may be dismissed +in almost the same breath as the sinister predictions which are never +verified of certain naval and military officers on the subject of the +inevitable destiny of their respective services. Railways have no doubt +disturbed the domestic tranquillity of the fox family, and have +compelled its various members to forsake in some instances the ancient +Lares and Penates. But the havoc which the science of man has wrought, +the skill of man has obviated. Foxes are quite as dear to humanity as +they can be to themselves; and in proportion as the natural dwellings +of foxes have been destroyed artificial homes have been provided for +them. Moreover, railways have had the effect of bringing men together, +and of establishing all over the country new fox-hunting centres. +Hunting wants money, and railways have brought men with money to the +spots at which they were needed. They have, so to speak, placed the +hunting field at the very doors of the dwellers in town. In London a +man may breakfast at home, have four or five hours' hunting fifty miles +away from the metropolitan chimney-pots, and find himself seated at his +domestic mahogany for a seven o'clock dinner. Nor is it necessary for +the inhabitant of London to go such a distance to secure an excellent +day's hunting. To say nothing of her Majesty's staghounds, there are +first-rate packs in Surrey, Essex, and Kent, all within a railway +journey of an hour. Here again the inveterate _laudator temporis +acti_ will declare he discerns greater ground for dissatisfaction +than congratulation. He will tell you that in consequence of those +confounded steam-engines the field gets flooded by cockneys who can't +ride, who mob the covert, and effectually prevent the fox from +breaking. Of course it is indisputable that railways have familiarised +men who never hunted previously with horses and with hounds, and that +persons now venture upon the chase whose forefathers may have scarcely +known how to distinguish between a dog and a horse. Very likely, +moreover, it would be much better for fox-hunting if a fair proportion +of these new-comers had never presented themselves in this their new +capacity. At the same time with the quantity of the horsemen there has +been some improvement also in the quality of the horsemanship. Leech's +typical cockney Nimrod may not have yet become extinct, but he is a +much rarer specimen of sporting humanity than was formerly the case. + +It is a great thing for all Englishmen that hunting should have +received this new development among us, and for the simple reason that +salutary as is the discipline of all field sports, that of hunting is +so in the most eminent degree. "Ride straight to hounds and talk as +little as possible," was the advice given by a veteran to a youngster +who was discussing the secret mode in which popularity was to be +secured; and the sententious maxim contains a great many grains of +truth. Englishmen admire performance, and without it they despise +words. Performance is the only thing which in the hunting field meets +with recognition or sufferance, and the braggart is most inevitably +brought to his proper level in the course of a burst of forty minutes +across a good country. Again, the hunting field is the most admirably +contrived species of discipline for the temper. Displays of irritation +or annoyance are promptly and effectively rebuked; and the man who +cannot bear with fitting humility the reprimand, when it is merited, of +the master or huntsman, will not have long to wait for the +demonstrative disapproval of his compeers. + +Hunting has been classed amongst those sports--_detestata matribus_--by +reason of the intrinsic risk which it involves. Is it in any degree +more dangerous than cricket or football, shooting or Alpine climbing? +In Great Britain and Ireland there are at present exactly two hundred +and twenty packs of hounds. Of these some hunt as often as five days a +week, others not more frequently than two. The average may probably be +fixed at the figure three. Roughly the hunting season lasts twenty-five +weeks, while it may be computed that at least ninety horsemen go out +with each pack. We thus have one million four hundred and fifty-eight +thousand as the total of the occasions on which horse and rider feel +the perils of the chase. "If," said Anthony Trollope, in the course of +some admirable remarks on the subject, "we say that a bone is broken +annually in each hunt, and a man killed once in two years in all the +hunts together, we think that we exceed the average of casualties. At +present there is a spirit abroad which is desirous of maintaining the +manly excitement of enterprise in which some peril is to be +encountered, but which demands at the same time that it should be done +without any risk of injurious circumstances. Let us have the excitement +and pleasure of danger, but for God's sake no danger itself. This at +any rate is unreasonable." + +These observations have somewhat diverted me from the thread of the +original narrative. Should, however, the reader desire more precise +information as to the particular line of country taken up by the fox on +that eventful day with the Chippington hounds, will he not find it +written for him in his favourite sporting paper? + +So we met, so we hunted, and so we rode home and dined; and if any +person who is not entirely a stranger to horses wishes to enjoy a few +days' active recreation and healthy holidays, he cannot, I would +submit, for the reasons which I have above attempted to enumerate, do +better than go down to the Lion at Chippington, and get a few days with +the Chippington hounds. + + + + +A MILITARY STEEPLE-CHASE + + +We were quartered in a very sporting part of the country, where the +hunting season was always wound up by a couple of days' +steeple-chasing. The regiment stationed here had usually given a cup +for a military steeple-chase, and when we determined to give one for an +open military handicap chase, the excitement was very great as to our +chances of winning the cup we had given. As there were some very good +horses and riders in the regiment, it appeared a fair one, eight +nominations having been taken by us. There were also about the same +number taken by regiments in the district. Our Major, who was a +first-rate horseman, entered his well-known horse Jerry; I and others +nominated one each, but one sub., a very celebrated character amongst +us, took two. This man's father had made a very large fortune by +nursery gardens, and put his son into the army, where, of course, he +was instantly dubbed "The Gardener." He was by no means a bad sort of +fellow, but he never could ride. The riding-master almost cried as he +said he never could make "The Gardener" even look like riding; not that +he was destitute of pluck, but he was utterly unable to stick on the +horse. He had a large stud of hunters, but when out he almost +invariably tumbled off at each fence. + +Amongst those who nominated horses was the celebrated Captain Lane, of +the Hussars, who was said to be so good a jockey that the professionals +grumbled greatly at having to give him amateurs' allowance. No one was +better at imperceptibly boring a competitor out of the course; and at +causing false starts and balking at fences he was without a rival. The +way he would seem to be hard on his horse with his whip, when only +striking his own leg, was quite a master-piece. Report declared that he +trained all his own horses to these dodges, and I believe it was quite +true, as his were quite quiet and cool under the performances when the +rest were almost fretted out of their lives. + +When the handicap came out I found, to my great disgust, that such a +crusher had been put on my horse that I at once put the pen through his +name--not caring to run him on the off-chance of his standing up and +the rest coming to grief, or with the probability, anyhow, of a +punishing finish. However, the next night after mess, the Major called +me up to him in the ante-room, and said: "I hear you have scratched +your horse, and quite right, too. I have accepted, and if you like to +have the mount, you are quite welcome." Of course, I was greatly +delighted, but told him that I had never ridden in steeple-chase +before. "But I have," growled the Major, "and am not going to waste +over this tin-pot," as he irreverently called the cup, "so I can show +you the ropes. Come to my quarters after breakfast to-morrow, and we +will try the horse." + +The next day I went there, and found the Major mounted, awaiting me, +and Jerry--a very fine brown horse, with black points. I soon +discovered that he had one decided peculiarity--viz., at his first +fence, and sometimes the second, instead of going up and taking it +straight, he would whip round suddenly and refuse. On thinking what +could be the cause of this trick, I came to the conclusion that his +mouth must have been severely punished by the curb when he was first +taught jumping; and on telling the Major my idea, he allowed me to ride +him as I pleased, so instead of an ordinary double bridle, I put one +with a couple of snaffles in his mouth, and very soon found that this +had the desired effect. Indeed, after a few days, he took his first +fence all right, unless flurried, and before the day seemed quite +trustworthy. + +When we got back after our first day's ride, the Major told me, rather +to my amusement, that I must go into training as well as the +horse,--adding, what was quite true, that he had seen more amateur +races lost through the rider being beat before the horse than by any +other means; so when I had given Jerry his gallops in the morning, I +had to start a mile run in the afternoon in flannels or sweaters. + +The course was entirely a natural one, about three miles and a half +round, and only two ugly places in it, chiefly grass, with one piece of +light plough and some seeds. The first two fences were wattles on a +bank, with a small ditch, then an ordinary quickset hedge, followed by +an old and stiff bullfinch. After this a post and rails, a bank with a +double ditch, and merely ordinary fences till we came to a descent of +about a quarter of a mile, with a stream about twelve feet wide, and a +bank on the taking-off side. Next came some grass meadows, with a very +nasty trappy ditch, not more than four feet wide, but with not the +slightest bank or anything of the kind on either side,--just the thing +for a careless or tired horse to gallop into. The last fence, which was +the worst of all, was, I fancy, the boundary of some estate or parish, +and consisted of a high bank, with a good ditch on each side--on the +top a young, quick-set hedge, and, to prevent horses or cattle injuring +it, two wattle fences, one on each side, slanting outwards. After this, +there was a slight ascent of about 300 yards; then there was dead level +of about a quarter of a mile up to the winning-post. + +On the evening before the chase, we had a grand guest night, to which, +of course, all the officers of other regiments who had entered horses +were invited. We youngsters were anxious to see Captain Lane, of whom +we had heard so much. + +On his arrival, after the usual salutations, he enquired of the Major +whether he was going to ride, and, on receiving a negative, asked who +was; and on having the intending jockeys pointed out to him, just +favoured us with a kind of contemptuous glance, never taking any +further notice of us. + +The celebrated Captain was a slight man, about five feet eight inches, +with not a particularly pleasant look about his eyes, and looking far +more the jock than the soldier. The steeple-chases were fixed for the +next day at 2.30 P.M., but, as a matter of fact, all the +riders were on the ground long before that for the purpose of examining +the ground and the fences. + +The Major came to see me duly weighed out, and gave me instructions as +to riding--that I was not on any account to race with everyone who came +alongside me, nor to make the running at first, unless the pace was +very slow and muddling, of which there was little danger, for quite +half the jocks, he said, would go off as if they were in for a five +furlong spin, and not for a four mile steeple-chase. + +I was to lie behind, though handy, until we came to the descent to the +stream and then make the pace down and home as hot as I could,--to find +out the "dicky forelegs," he said, knowing that Jerry's were like +steel. + +We all got down to the post pretty punctually, and, of course, in a +race of this description, the starter had no difficulty in dropping his +flag at the first attempt. + +I gave Jerry his head, and to my joy he took the first fence as +straight and quietly as possible, so taking a pull at him, I was at +once passed by some half dozen men (the gallant "Gardener" amongst +them) going as hard as they could tear. It was lucky for them that the +fences were light and old, as most of the horses rushed through them. +When they got to the bullfinch, one horse refused, and another +attempting to, slipped up and lay in a very awkward looking lump, jock +and all close under it. The rest having been a little steadied took it +fairly enough. Jerry jumped it as coolly as possible, like the regular +old stager that he was, in spite of Captain Lane coming up at the time +with a great rush, evidently hoping to make him refuse. + +When we landed on the other side a ludicrous spectacle presented +itself, the gallant "Gardener" being right on his horse's neck, making +frantic attempts to get back into his saddle, which were quite +unsuccessful, and the horse coming to the next fence, a post and rail, +quietly took it standing, then putting down his head slipped his rider +off and galloped on without him. + +The field now began to come back to us very quickly, and soon the +leading lot were Vincent of ours, a splendid rider, as I thought, and +as it turned out, my most dangerous opponent, with a Carabinier in +close attendance; then myself, with Captain Lane waiting on me, and +watching the pair of us most attentively, so that it seemed almost +impossible that I should have any chance of slipping him. However, an +opportunity did present itself at length, which I took advantage +of--hearing a horse coming up a tremendous "rattle" on my right. + +I looked round to see who and what it was. Lane, noticing what I was +doing, looked round too. Seeing this I loosed Jerry's head, and giving +him at the same time a slight touch with the spur, he shot out +completely--slipping the Captain, passing the Carabinier, and getting +head and head with Vincent. Down the hill we went as hard as we could, +clearing the water side by side. At the grip in the fields beyond I +gained slightly by not taking a steadier at Jerry, trusting to his +eyesight and cleverness to avoid grief. + +As we got to the best fence, the ugly boundary one, I did take a pull, +the jump looking as nasty a one as could well be picked out; however, +the old horse did it safely, and Vincent and myself landed side by side +in the winning field, amidst most tremendous shouting and cheering from +our men, who were standing as thick as thick could be on each side of +the course. + +The excitement was terrific as we came up, apparently tied together, +but giving Jerry a couple of sharp cuts with the whip, I found my leg +gradually passing Vincent's, until at length I was nearly opposite his +horse's head, and thus we passed the winning post, to my great relief. +I did not know how much my opponent's horse had left in him, and +expected him to come up with a rush at the last, in which case I +doubted whether I should be able to get anything more out of Jerry in +time, as he was rather a lazy horse, though possessing enormous +"bottom." + +I had scarcely pulled up and turned round to go to the scales, before I +met the Major, who told me I was "not to make a fool of myself and +dismount," before the clerk of the scales told me to, and then he +pitched into me for riding at the "Grip," as I did, apprising me at the +same time that he did not care how I risked my neck, but "I might have +hurt the horse," adding, after a pause, and with a grunt, "but you +won." + +The delight of our men was so great at two of their officers being +first and second, that it was all that Vincent and myself could do to +avoid being carried about on their shoulders after we had weighed in. + +The gallant captain was most awfully disgusted at being beaten by "a +couple of boys," and went off immediately--resisting all invitations to +stop and dine at mess. I subsequently found out that when I slipped him +(at which he was particularly angry) he gave his horse a sharp cut with +his whip, which seemed quite to upset it. + +On coming down to the water the horse jumped short--dropping his hind +legs in, and at the "Grip," nearly got in, only saving itself by +bucking over it, and at the big boundary absolutely came down on +landing, though his rider managed to keep his seat. + +As for myself, I need not say how delighted I was at winning my first +steeplechase, though the Major did tell me that a monkey would have +ridden as well, and helped the horse as much as I did. "_But I won_" +was always my reply. + + + + +HOW I WON MY HANDICAP + +TOLD BY THE WINNER + + +It was a foot-racing handicap, run just after Christmas at Sheffield, +and how I came to win happened in this wise. At eighteen I found myself +still living, say, at Stockton-on-Tees, on the borders of Yorkshire, +the town of my birth. My trade was that of a wood-turner, and with but +half my time served. "Old Tubby" found me an unwilling apprentice, who +had not the least inclination for work. Stockton, though only a little +place, is noted for sporting and games of all sorts--but particularly +for cricket. I played, of course, but they didn't "reckon" much of me, +except for fielding. "Sikey," who was a moulder, and I, kept ferrets +and dogs, too, and on Sundays we used to go up the "Teeside" after +rabbits, or rats, or anything we could get. Sometimes we stripped and +had a "duck," and then we ran on the bank barefoot. I could give him +half a score yards start in a field's length, and win easily; but often +I didn't try to get up till close upon the hedge we had agreed should +be the winning-post. My father had been coachman to a sporting gent who +kept race-horses, and the old man used to talk for everlasting about +the "Chifney rush." When first Sikey and I ran I tried to beat him, so +he made me give a start. Then I thought of the 'cute old jockey, and I +used to try and get up and win in the last yard or so. + +One day Locker, who had formerly kept a running ground at Staleybridge, +met me, and asked if I'd go out with him next Saturday and have a spin. +I told him I "didn't mind;" so we went up the turnpike till a straight +level bit was found, and he stepped 100 yards, leaving me at the start, +saying, "Come away as hard as thou can, whenever thou art ready." He +had his hands in his topcoat pocket all the while, and when I finished, +we walked on a bit, neither speaking for a quarter of a mile further, +when he looked at his watch and said it was "getting dinner-time." Soon +after he looked again, and then "took stock o' me from head to foot," +and as we passed the ground I had run over, he asked, "Canst run +another hundred?" I told him I could; but this time he pulled off his +own coat, and said, "We'll go together." He was quickest off, but I +could have passed him any time, just as I used to pass Sikey. When we +got nearly to the finish I "put it on" and just got home first. He +seemed pleased and told me not to say a word to anybody, but come down +and meet him again. I didn't know what he was about at all, but I said +"All right," and next Saturday went to the same place. Locker was +there, and two other coves with him, as I hadn't seen before. One was a +tall thin un he called "Lanky," and the other was little and wiry, and +rather pock-pitted. He said, "Let's all four run for a 'bob' a-piece, +and you three give me two yards start?" But they wouldn't; so he said, +I should run the "long un" for a crown. That was soon settled, and just +before we started, Locker whispered to me, "Beat him, lad, if thou +canst; I want him licked, he is such a bragger. We'll share t' crown if +thou wins." The little un set us off, and Locker was judge. Well, we +got away together, and I headed him in by five yards easy. Locker +fairly danced, he was so pleased; and though Lanky grumbled a bit at +first to part with his "crown," he was soon all right. We went to +Locker's to dinner, and talked about "sprinting," as they called it, +all the afternoon. I told 'em I'd never run at all before except for +fun, and they seemed "fairly staggered." They asked if I would run a +match for £5 next week, and I told 'em I didn't mind. Locker said I was +a "good un," and I might "win £100 if I'd nobbut stick tu him." Well, +we agreed that I was to do just as he directed, and receive a sovereign +for myself if I won by just a foot, and two pound if I ran a dead heat, +letting the "novice" who was to be my opponent catch me at the finish. +I never "split" to anybody except Sikey, and he went to see the race. +Over a hundred people were there, and off we started. Everybody thought +I was winning, but I "shammed tired," and he beat me about three +inches, the judge said. Locker swore it was a dead heat, and as he had +laid 2 to 1 on me I thought he'd lost a lot of money. As we went home, +he said, "There's £2 for thee, lad; thou did it wonderful well; I shall +match thee again next Saturday for £20: we might as well have it as +anybody else." Well, during the week I was out with him every night, +and he said, "Stick to me, and we'll mak these coves sit up. Thou'rt a +thunderin' good un, and we'll gan to Sheffield together in less nor six +months if thou can keep thysel to thysel." Of course I was pleased, and +I bought a new pair of running-shoes with spikes in. He showed me +_The Sporting Life_ next week, with a challenge in that "'Locker's +lad,' not satisfied with his late defeat, will take a yard in a 100 +from the 'Stockton Novice,' for £25 or £50 a-side. A deposit to the +editor and articles sent to Mr Locker's running-grounds, Stockton, will +meet with immediate attention." I was quite struck, and said I wondered +what "Old Tubby" would think if he knew. Locker said, "Go ask him for +thy indentures, and if he won't give 'em up, ask him what he'll tak for +'em." So I did, and if I hadn't been in such a hurry, he'd have thrown +'em at me, and said he was glad to get rid of an idle rascal. As it +was, I told him I'd something else to do, and he demanded £3 for my +release. Locker gave me the money next day, and I soon put the +indentures in the fire; thanking my stars for the escape. After this I +lived at Locker's altogether, and in two or three days an answer came +from the "Novice," to say he'd give 2 yards start in 150. Well, that +didn't seem to suit Locker, so he replied, through the paper again, +that "Sooner than not run again, his lad should run the 'Novice' 100 +yards level at Kenham grounds for £25 a side. To run in three weeks." +Articles came and were signed on these terms. Then he said, "Thou +needn't train at all, though I want thee to win this time by nearly a +yard; just stay a bit longer than before, and don't let him quite catch +thee. Make a good race of it, but be sure and win." We often went to +the old spot on the turnpike, and once he took a tape and measured the +ground. He had stepped it within a yard and a half. At last he showed +me his watch that he had won in a handicap. There was a long hand which +jumped four times in a second, and he could start it or stop it by +pressing a spring whenever he liked. Then I held it while he ran, and +found he was just 11 sec. doing his 100 yards. I tried, and was "ten +and a beat," which he told me was reckoned first-rate time. While I +stopped with him I found out all about "sprints" and "quarters," and +how long a man ought to be running different distances. I asked, too, +about the last race; why he could afford to give me £2 when I lost? He +said the two "fivers" he had bet were with "pals," and he lost nothing +but my stake. Then he told me about the little man and Lanky, whom I +had met with him and run against. The "long 'un," he said, was a very +good "trial horse," who could keep his tongue in his head, and would +"stand in" if I won anything. The little un had been on business in the +north, and came round to see him (Locker). It was all chance his being +there, but I should see him again, farther south, where he kept a +running ground. Well, the day for our race came at last, and we went to +Kenham. I was wrapped in a blanket after we stripped, and a stout man, +called Woldham, who stood referee, whispered something to Locker, who +replied that I was fit and sure to win. They laid 5 to 4 against me at +first, but presently I heard evens offered, and then £22 to £20 on me, +and that was as far as Locker's friends would go. We had a lot of +"fiddling," as they call it, at the mark, but presently we jumped away, +I with an advantage of about a yard. I had made the gap quite four +yards at half the distance, and then "died away" till near the post, +where, as the _Chronicle_ next Monday said, I "struggled manfully, +and took the tape first by half a yard; time, 10-2/5 sec." Hadn't we a +jaw as we went back! Locker said I was a "wonderful clever lad," and +that Woldham had told him I should be "heard of again." We both +laughed, and I got £5 for winning. With this I bought a new rig out, +and everybody at Stockton that knew me said I was "ruined for life." +They all wanted to know where the togs came from, however, but I kept +that to myself. + +It was now September, and Locker said, "I'll enter thee for a +handicap." So he did, and shortly afterwards we went to Kenham again, +where, by his directions, I was beat for my heat, with 5 yards start in +120. About a week later, we had a long talk, and then he said, "Dost +know what I've been doing, lad?" I told him I thought he meant to get +me a good start and try if I could win. "Thou'rt partly right," he +said, "but I've been running thee 100 yards, and letting thee lose in +t' last few strides. This makes 'em think thou can't stay. I know +thou'rt as good at 150 as 100, so I shall train thee and run thee at +Sheffield this Christmas. If thou can win there, we can earn £1000 +between us, and if thou can only run into a place, we shall make £50 or +£100 apiece; but mind, we shall let t' cat out o' t' bag: thou'll never +get on a mark again after trying once." Presently, Merling and +Stemmerson advertised a £40 handicap at Kenham, and I entered; then +came the big Sheffielder of £80, and down went my name for that too. I +lived very regular all this time, went to bed early, and practised the +distance every day, till Locker said I was a "level time" man, and if I +didn't win it would be a "fluke." At last the start appeared: I got in +at 7 yards in the 130 at Newcastle, and my mark was 67 in 210 yards at +Ryde Park. Locker was delighted: "Thou can win 'em both in a walk, +lad," he said, again and again. Then the betting quotations were sent +up week after week, and I was at 50 to 1 long enough at Sheffield. +There wasn't much doing on the 130 yards race, so Locker said I might +go there on the Saturday and lose my first heat. He didn't lay out a +penny any way till we went into Alf Wilner's, the Punch Bowl, on Sunday +night. Somebody presently asked my price, and, to my surprise, up got +the little pock-marked man I had met, and said he was commissioned to +take 60 to 1 to £5, just for a "fancy" bet. A big Sheffielder opened +his book and said he might as well have the "fiver" as not, and there I +was backed to win £300 already. Locker and I went away to bed about +nine o'clock, and next morning in came the little 'un at six to tell us +he'd ta'en five fifties more, then five forties, ten thirties, and ten +twenties, and I was now in the market at 12 to 1 taken and offered. My +heat was the sixth, and there were five starters marked. First came +"old Scratch" of Pendleton at 59 yards, then Roundtree of Huddersfield +at 62, and myself at 67; the other didn't turn up. The pistol was fired +and away we went, and, as Locker had started me hundreds of times, so +that I could "get off the mark" well, I don't think I lost any ground. +At about half way I could hear somebody on my left, but I daren't look +round. Afterwards I found "Scratch" had tried to "cut me down," but it +was all no use, and I took away the tape by two yards good. Everybody +cheered, for betting on the heat had been 7 to 4 on "Scratch" and 3 to +2 against me. At the close of the day there were ten runners left in +for the final heat, and "my price" was 4 to 1, Roper of Staleybridge +being the favourite at 6 to 4 against him. Locker said he had laid off +£250 at 5 to 1 directly after the heat, so that our party stood to win +£1000 exactly, of which I was to have £200 if I "landed." We were +together till bedtime, and slept in a double room. At seven next +morning we took a stroll, and just as we got to Alf's to breakfast +somebody put a bit of paper into my hand and then shot away. I slipped +it in my pocket, and said "nowt" till after breakfast, when I read on +it, "£150 for thyself before the start if thou'll run fourth." I asked +Locker what it meant, and he laughed, and said they wanted me to +"rope." When we went out again the little fellow pulled out a roll of +notes and showed 'em to me; but I meant to win if possible, so I shook +my head. As the morning passed I "sort of funked" the race, but then I +thought, "I were a made man if I copped." So I just said to mysel', +"Bill, lad, haul in the slack," and off we went to the grounds. I never +felt fitter either before or since; and after Roper got off badly and +was beat a short foot, I was sure the final heat was my own. My second +heat was an easy win, and "Lord, how the Sheffielders did shout" when I +ran in three yards ahead without being fully extended! They laid 7 to 4 +on me for the deciding race, which was the hardest of the lot. Hooper +of Stanningly went from the same mark; we afterwards found out they'd +played a similar game with him. They'd "pulled" him for two handicaps, +and let him lose all his matches, and now he had been backed to win +£600. He beat me at starting, and before we got half way they cried +"Hooper wins." I was a good yard behind him, but with a hard strain I +got level, and we ran shoulder and shoulder till just on the tape, +where I threw myself forward, with the old "Chifney rush," and just won +by a bare half-yard. Locker fairly hugged me, and, half blind though I +was with the tough race, the "tykes" shoulder-heighted and carried me +off to the house. + +In presents, and with my share, I got £230, and thought I'd put it away +in the bank. But that night we all had champagne, and I went to bed +quite queer and dizzy-like. Next day was the same, and on Thursday we +took train to Manchester, where I was invited to stop a week or two. +Locker left me and went home, telling me to take care of myself. I wish +I'd gone too, for what with meeting betting-men and playing cards and +buying swell clothes, to say nothing of dresses for a fresh sweetheart, +I soon got awful "fast." Then we used to sit up at nights playing +"seven's the main," and I wasn't lucky or summut; but, however, in six +weeks I'd got through half my money. One night we started cutting +through the pack, and then played "Blind Hookey," and next morning the +little pock-pitted man came up and called me a "flat," and said I'd +fair thrown my winnings into the fire. He didn't know much about what +had gone on, and when I told him "I knocked down close on £150," he +said he daren't send me back to Stockton. Well, I stopped at Manchester +altogether; and during the next two or three years I won heaps of +races, learned the "rope trick," and found out whose "stable" every lad +trained from. I won hundreds of pounds, which, having all come over the +"devil's back," went the same way. I'm twenty-three now, but I can't do +"level time" any longer without six weeks' training, although even yet, +at 100 yards, very few lads can "pull off their shirt" every day in the +week and lick me. I like the life very well--it's free and easy; but I +wish Locker had ta'en me back and made my matches. He's clever, he is, +and knows when to "let a fellow's head loose" without halloaing. + + + + +THE FIRST DAY OF THE SEASON, AND ITS RESULTS + + "When at the close of the departing year + Is heard that joyful sound, the huntsman's cheer, + And wily Reynard with the morning air + Scents from afar the foe, and leaves his lair." + + +I quite agree with the distinguished foreign nobleman who declared that +"Nothing was too good to go foxing in;" and with the immortal Jorrocks +of Handley Cross fame, I exclaim, "'Unting, my beloved readers, is the +image of war with only ten per cent. of its dangers." + +Ever since I was an unbreeched urchin, and my only steed a rough +Shetland pony, across whose bare back my infantine legs could scarcely +stride, I have looked forward to a day's hunting with the keenest +relish. The preliminary sport of cub-hunting--with its early-dawn +meets: bad scent, consequent upon fallen leaves and decayed vegetable +matter; riotous young hounds, which can scarcely be brought to hunt +upon any terms; timid, nervous young foxes, who hardly dare poke their +sharp noses out of covert--only serves to give a greater zest as it +were to the opening day. One or two woodland runs, just sufficient to +breathe the well-trained hunter or take the exuberant spirits (the +accompaniments of high feeding and no work) from the young one, after a +stripling Reynard, who as yet has no line of country of his own, and +hardly dares to venture far from the place of his birth, ending with a +kill just to blood the young hounds, only makes the longing for the +first day of the season more intense. + +Not one of her Majesty's subjects throughout her vast dominions--so +vast indeed are they that, as the song tells us, "the sun never sets on +them"--not one, I say, of her Majesty's lieges looked forward more +anxiously than I did to the first day of the hunting season of 18--, +for why should I be too explicit about dates, or let all the world know +that I am so ancient as to remember anything so long buried in the +past? I had just returned to old England with a year's leave from my +regiment, then in India. I was possessed of capital health and spirits, +was only just six-and-twenty years of age, had five hundred pounds at +my bankers, and two as good nags in my stable as ever a man laid his +leg across. "Hunting for ever!" I cried, as I strolled into Seamemup +and Bastemwell's, the unrivalled breechesmakers' establishment in the +Strand, to order a few pair of those most necessary adjuncts to the +sporting man's wardrobe previous to leaving town. "Hunting for ever!" +and of all the packs in England, commend me to my old acquaintance, +those friends of my boyhood, the Easyallshire Muggers. I am not sure +but that, strictly speaking, the term "mugger" ought only be applied to +those packs of hounds which are used for that peculiar pastime which, +to again quote the immortal Jorrocks, "is only fit for cripples, and +them as keeps donkeys," viz., harriers. + +Be that as it may, the pack I now speak of were, though called muggers, +_bonâ fide_ foxhounds, and as such, only used in the "doing to death" +of that wily animal. + +The country which had as it were given birth to this distinguished pack +presented to the hunting man very much the same features as do most +parts of England. There were the same number of ditches and dingles to +be got over somehow, the same gates which would and would not be +opened, the same fences, stiles, and heavers to be cleared, the same +woodland parts to be hunted, from which it was next to impossible to +get a fox away, and to which every one said he would never come again; +but for all that no one ever kept his word, for there were just the +very same number of sportsmen to be seen at the very next meet held in +the district; thus proving that foxhunting, even under difficulties, is +still a most fascinating diversion; and there were the same snug-lying +gorse coverts, from which a run was sure to be obtained over a flat +well-enclosed country, which gave both man and horse as much as ever +their united efforts could accomplish, to be there or thereabouts at +the finish. Nor were the meets of the Easyallshire Muggers, advertised +in _The Field_, dissimilar in any respect to those of other packs +of hounds, for there were an equal number of cross roads, turnpike +gates, public houses, gibbets, woods, sign-posts, and milestones, as +elsewhere. Well, to enjoy a season's sport with this so distinguished +hunt was my intention; and no sooner had I completed the requisite +arrangements with regard to my hunting toggery, which a residence of +some half dozen years in India had rendered necessary, than I took up +my abode in the little town of Surlyford, at the comfortable hotel +rejoicing in the mythological sign of the Silent Woman, a fabulous +personage surely, to be classed with Swans with Two Necks, Green Men, +and other creatures who never had any existence. The first meet of the +Easyallshire Muggers was settled, so said the county paper, to take +place at the fourth milestone on the Surlyford road. Thither I +repaired, fully equipped in all the splendour of a new pink, immaculate +cords, brown-tinted tops, my blue birds'-eye scarf, neatly folded and +fastened with a pin bearing a most appropriate device, viz., a real +fox's tooth. In my impatience to be up and doing on this our opening +day, I arrived at the trysting-place, from whence I was to woo my +favourite pastime, some half hour or more before the master and his +pack were due. I had, therefore, ample leisure to receive the greetings +of my numerous old friends and acquaintances, as they came up from all +parts, and in all directions, on all sorts and all sizes of nags, and +at all kinds of paces, to the place of meeting. First to arrive on that +useful steed yclept "Shanks's pony," slouching along, clad in rusty +velveteen, baggy brown cord breeches and gaiters, billycock, as he +termed his wideawake hat, on head, a stout ashen stick, cut from a +neighbouring coppice, in hand, and ten to one a quantity of wires in +his pockets, was handsome, dark-eyed, good-for-nothing, scampish, +dishonest Gipsy Jim--the sometime gamekeeper, when he could get any to +employ him, but oftener the poaching, drinking, thieving vagabond of +the neighbourhood. A broad grin of recognition, and a touch of the hat +on the part of the Gipsy one, and an exclamation on mine of "Bless me, +Jim! not hanged yet?" placed us once again on the old familiar footing +of "I will tell you all I know about foxes" (and who could afford +better information than one whose habits and disposition partook more +of the vermin than the man?), "providing you give me a shilling to +drink your health." Gipsy Jim and I had hardly interchanged these +civilities, when, trotting along on a stout, handsome, six-year-old, in +capital condition, though, if anything, a little too fat (not a bad +fault, however, at the beginning of the season), came farmer Thresher, +of Beanstead, a florid, yellow-haired, red-whiskered, jovial, +hard-riding, independent agriculturist, who, on the strength of having +been at school in years gone by with some of the neighbouring squires, +myself amongst the number, called us all freely by our surnames, +forgetting to prefix the accustomed Mister, and thus giving great +umbrage to some and causing them always to pointedly address him as "Mr +Thresher." Our mutual salutations had hardly come to an end when we +were joined by half a dozen more sturdy yeomen, able and willing to go, +let the pace be ever so severe, and all of them contributing their five +pounds yearly to the support of the Easyallshire Muggers, "spite of +wheat, sir, at fourteen shillings a bag." + +Young Boaster next turns up, a swaggering blade from a neighbouring +hunt, who is always abusing the Easyallshire hounds, and bragging of +his own prowess, which consists of riding extraordinary distances to +far-off meets, and doing nothing when he gets there, save telling +wonderful and fabulous stories of what he had done last time he was +out, and what he intended to do then. He is succeeded by Dr Bolus, "the +sporting Doctor," as he is called, who must be making a very handsome +fortune in his profession, if his knowledge of medicine is anything +like his judgment in horseflesh, his skill in the pigskin, or his +acquaintance with the line of a fox. After Bolus, on a three-legged +screw, a wonder to every one how it is kept at all on its +understandings, comes Aloes, the veterinary surgeon, a pleasant-spoken, +florid, little old man, skilful in his business, ever agreeing, with +his "That I would, sir," and one whom I would much prefer to attend me +when sick than many a professor of the healing art among men. The +majesty of the law is upheld next by Mr Sheepskin, the attorney, a +gentlemanly man, a lightweight, and one who rides, when need be, as +hard as if not harder than any one. Nor is the Church absent (for we +have not a few clerical subscribers to the Easyallshire Muggers), but +is well represented in the person of the Rev. Mr Flatman, a +good-looking, well-built, foxy-whiskered divine, whose handling of the +ribbons on the coach-box, and seat on horseback, would entitle him to a +deanery at the very least, could the Broad-Church party but come into +power. His small country parish, however, does not suffer by the +fondness of its rector for the sports of the field; having a +hard-working and most exemplary curate, he is still a painstaking and +estimable parish priest, and much preferred, I doubt not, by all his +parishioners to any more busy and interfering divine of either of the +other two schools of divinity. I myself am by no means the sole member +of the military profession present, for we are here of all ranks, from +the just-joined subaltern to the gallant colonel of the county militia, +a stout fine-looking veteran, none of your feather-bed soldiers, and +one who, spite of his weight, is an exceedingly difficult man to beat +across country. "Mammon," as it is the fashion nowadays to call that +useful article, money, is seen approaching in the person of the +Surlyford banker, who, wisely flinging business to the winds at least +twice in the week, gets astride a good-looking, nearly thoroughbred +nag, and finds accepting bullfinches, negotiating ditches, and +discounting gates, stiles, &c., a much more healthy and more pleasant, +if not more profitable, occupation than everlastingly grubbing after +filthy lucre. + +The Master now makes his appearance, tall and upright, knowing +thoroughly the duties of his office, and if not quite so bold and +determined a rider as in years gone by, still making up for want of +nerve in knowledge of the country, and for lack of dash in careful +riding and judicious nicking-in. Suffice it to say, that at the finish, +his absence is never observed, though how he came to be there is better +known to the second-rank horsemen than to the flyers. The huntsman and +whip are much the same as those worthies are everywhere; but the +hounds, how to describe them I know not. + +The Easyallshire Muggers set all rules regarding the make, size, and +symmetry of foxhounds at defiance. They show almost better sport, and +kill more foxes, than any pack in the kingdom; and yet they are as +uneven as a ploughed field, and as many shapes and sizes as a charity +school. I can only say, "handsome is as handsome does;" and if my +canine friends are not pleasant to the eye of the connoisseur--if they +come not up to the standard of Beckford Somerville, and other writers +who have described a perfect foxhound, still they work beautifully--which +to my mind is far preferable to looking beautiful--and will run and kill +foxes with any hounds in England. The huntsman and whip, though not so +well mounted (economy is the order of the day with the Easyallshire +Muggers) as we would wish to see them, yet manage somehow to get across +the country, and to be with their hounds; though for the matter of that, +such is the sagacity of the Easyallshire pack, they can very frequently +do quite as well without the assistance of their ruler and guide as with +it. The Easyallshire Hunt, as the name implies, is an easy-going sort of +concern, in which every man, gentle and simple, has a finger in the pie; +every subscriber imagining that he has a perfect right, on the strength +of his subscription, to hunt, whip-in, or otherwise direct the movements +of the hounds whenever opportunity occurs. But for-rard! for-rard on! or +I shall be at the fourth milestone on the Surlyford road all day, instead +of drawing that inviting piece of gorse covert which lies so pleasant +and warm, with its southern aspect on yonder bank. A guinea to a +gooseberry, a fox lies there! + +Joe, the huntsman, now trots along through the somewhat bare and brown +pasture fields towards the covert; the pack, eager and keen for the +fray, clustering round the heels of his horse. A few moments only +elapse, and the sea of gorse is alive with hounds poking here, there, +and everywhere, seeking the lair of sly Reynard. Old experience having +taught me that Gipsy Jim's knowledge of the fox and his habits (for +being half-brother to the varmint in his nature, how can it fail to be +otherwise?) would serve me in good stead, I station myself near to him +in order to have a good view of "Mr Reynolds," as Jim calls the cunning +animal, when he breaks covert. Nor am I wrong in my conjecture; for +after a few pleasant notes from old Bellman, who hits upon the place +where Master Fox crossed a ride early this morning, and a "hark to +Bellman" from Joe the huntsman, out jumps, almost into Jim's arms, as +fine a fox as ever wore a brush. Master Reynard looks somewhat +astonished at being brought so suddenly face to face with a two-legged +monster, and seems half inclined to turn back again to his +hiding-place; but, perhaps judging from Jim's varmint look that no +danger might be apprehended from that quarter, and being warned by the +deep notes of old Bellman that his late quarters were untenable, he +throws back his head as if to sniff the pleasant morning breeze, and +giving his brush a gentle wave of defiance, boldly takes to the open, +and starts across the field which surrounds the covert at a good +rattling pace. Gipsy Jim grins from ear to ear with delight, showing +his white regular teeth, at the same time holding up his hand as a +warning to me to keep silence for a few seconds, so as not to spoil +sport by getting the fox headed back. The moment, however, Master +Reynard is safely through the neighbouring hedge, Jim's tremendous +view-halloa makes the whole country ring again. This is the signal for +every bumpkin and footman to shout and halloa with might and main, thus +making the necessary confusion of the find worse confounded still. +"Hold your noisy tongues," shout the Master, huntsman, whip, and all +the horsemen; but "Hold your noisy tongues" they cry in vain. "Tallyho! +tallyho! tallyho!" yell the footmen, totally regardless of all +expostulation. But crafty Jim, knowing the idiosyncrasy of the yokels, +has made all safe by his silence, until the red-coated rascal is well +away. "Hark! halloa!" "Hark! halloa!" roar the field. "Tootle, tootle!" +goes Joe's horn, reëchoed by an asthmatical effort in the same +direction, on the part of the worthy master, who blows as if his horn +was full of dirt. The hounds, however, are accustomed to the sound, +feeble as it is, and all rush to the spot where Master, huntsman, and +Gipsy Jim are all cheering them exactly at the place where foxy broke +away. What a burst of music now strikes upon the ear, far superior to +the delights of any concert it has ever been my lot to be present at, +as the hounds acknowledge with joy the rapture they feel at the strong +scent left behind by him they had so unceremoniously disturbed from his +comfortable lodgings! But the scent is too good for us to dwell here +for description, and away they go at a killing pace, which, if it lasts +long enough, will get to the bottom of many a gallant steed there +present. And now comes the rush of horsemen amidst the cries of "Hold +hard! don't spoil your sport!" of the master, and the "'Old 'ard!" of +the huntsman, who has an eye to tips, and therefore restrains his wrath +in some measure. But the Easyallshireans are not to be kept back by any +such remonstrances and expostulations as these, and those who mean to +be with the hounds throughout the run, hustle along to get a forward +place; whilst the knowing and cunning ones, with the Master at their +head, turn short round, and make for a line of gates which lie +invitingly open, right in the direction which the fox has taken. I get +a good start, and being well mounted, sail away, and am soon alongside +of Joe the huntsman, whose horse, though a screw, and not very high in +condition, is obliged to go, being compelled thereto by its rider. A +stiff-looking fence, which I charge at the same moment as Joe, who +takes away at least a perch of fencing, and thus lets many a muff +through, lands us into the next field, and affords a fair view of the +hounds streaming away a little distance before us. But why should I +describe the run? The _Field_, weekly, gives much more graphic +descriptions of such things than I am able to write; let me, therefore, +confine my narrative to what befell my individual self. + +A rattling burst of twenty minutes rendered the field, as may be well +imagined, very select, and it would in all probability have become +still more so, had not a fortunate check given horses and men a few +moments' breathing time, thus enabling the cunning riders to get up to +the hounds. "Away we go again, and I will be there at the finish," I +exclaimed, as pressing my cap firmly on my head, and shutting my eyes, +I ride at a tremendous bullfinch, the thick boughs and sharp thorns of +which scratch my face all over and nearly decapitate me as I burst +through it. But, as in the case of the renowned John Gilpin, it is-- + + "Ah, luckless speech and bootless boast, + For which I paid full dear." + +Another ten minutes' best pace and the fox is evidently sinking before +us; but, alas! it was not to be my lot to see the gallant animal run +into and pulled down in the open, after as fine a run as was ever seen. +Trim-kept hedges, well-hung, stout, and newly-painted white gates, had +shown me that for the last few moments, he had entered the domain of +some proprietor, whose estate certainly presented the very pink of +neatness. Little indeed did I dream that there would exist in the very +heart of Easyallshire one so benighted as to object to the inroads made +upon him by that renowned pack, the Muggers. But I reckoned without my +host, or rather, as the sequel will show, with my host; for as, in my +endeavours to save my now somewhat exhausted horse, I rode at what +appeared an easy place in a very high fence, bounded on the off-side +with a stiff post and rail, an irate elderly gentleman, gesticulating, +shouting, and waving an umbrella in his hand, suddenly rose up as it +were from the very bowels of the earth, just as my steed was preparing +to make his spring, thus causing the spirited animal to rear up, and, +overbalancing himself, to fall heavily to the ground with me under him. +When I next recovered consciousness and opened my eyes, I was being +borne along on a hurdle, by the author of my misfortunes--a +gray-haired, piebald-whiskered, stout, little, red-faced old +gentleman--and two of his satellites, whom I rightly conjectured to be +the coachman and gardener; but the pain of my broken leg made me +relapse into unconsciousness, nor did the few wits I by nature possess +return to me again until I was laid on a bed, and a medical +practitioner of the neighbourhood was busy at work setting my fractured +limb. To make a long story short, I remained under the roof of Major +Pipeclay--for that was the name of the irascible little gentleman whose +hatred of hunting, hounds, and horses had caused my suffering--until my +wounded limb was well again, the worthy old major doing all in his +power to make amends for the catastrophe his absurd violence had +brought about. + +At the expiration of six weeks I was able to move about on crutches; at +the termination of twice that period, I was well again, and had, +moreover, fallen irretrievably in love with the bright eyes and pretty +face of Belinda Pipeclay, one of the major's handsome daughters. +Thinking, in my ignorance of the fair sex, that the child of so +irascible a papa--having been in her juvenile days well tutored under +the Solomonian code of "sparing the rod, and spoiling the child"--must +therefore, of necessity, make a submissive and obedient wife, I +proposed, was accepted, obtained the major's consent, and became a +Benedict. + +Dear reader, I am really ashamed to confess the truth: I have been +severely henpecked ever since. Whether Belinda possesses the same +antipathy to hounds, horses, and hunting men as her progenitor, I +cannot possibly tell; for returning to India soon after my marriage, I +had no opportunity of there testing her feelings in that respect. Now +the increasing number of mouths in our nursery compels a decreasing +ratio of animals in my stable, and I am reduced to one old +broken-winded cripple, which I call "the Machiner." He takes Mrs +Sabretache and myself to the market town on a Saturday, and mamma, +papa, and the little Sabretaches to church on the following day. + + + + +A DAY WITH THE DRAG + +BY THE EDITOR + + +To my mind there are few more pleasant ways of spending an afternoon, +than in having a good rousing gallop with the Drag. Of course there be +Drag-hunts and Drag-hunts, and unless the sport is conducted smartly +and well, 'twere better far that it should not be done at all. The +hounds need not be bred from the Beaufort Justice, but on the other +hand, they need not be a set of skulking, skirting brutes, that one +"wouldn't be seen dead with." Of course the members of such hunts +ride in mufti--more familiarly called, in these degenerate days, +"ratcatcher"--but I always think that Huntsman and Whips should be +excepted from this rule, and anyone who is privileged to share the fun +of the Royal Artillery Draghounds will find that the high officials of +the hunt are arrayed, not _certes_, as was Solomon in all his glory, +but in the very neatest and smartest of "livery," and nothing could +look more sportsmanlike than the dark-blue coat, red collar and cuffs, +surmounted by the orthodox black velvet hunting-cap, which are _de +rigeur_ at Woolwich now. When I first joined in their cheery +gallops, there was no hunt uniform, and the appearance of the "turn +out" suffered accordingly. Now, nothing is left to be desired in this +direction. Good fellowship in the field we have always had, and does +not this go far indeed to make up the sum of one's enjoyment? When +every man out, almost without exception, knows the rest of the field +personally; when a kindly hand is always ready to be stretched forth to +aid a brother in distress--when you know every man well enough to say +"mind you don't jump on me, old chap, if this 'hairy' comes base over +apex at the next fence!" or, "Let me have that place first; I can't +hold this beggar!" things all seem so much pleasanter than they are in +a country where you know few people, and don't know them very well: +yes, sociability, depend upon it, goes very far indeed to make up the +charm of any sport, and in none more so than in that of crossing a +country. + +Let us imagine ourselves arrived at Woolwich and "done well" at +luncheon in the R.A. mess. And here I would observe, _par parenthese_, +that it would require a big effort of imagination to picture to +yourself any occasion upon which you were _not_ "done well" within +those hospitable portals. About 2.30 when we are half way through that +cigar in the ante-room, which alone "saves one's life" after such a +luncheon, a crack of the whip, and a "gently there, Waterloo!" brings +us quickly to the window overlooking the parade ground, where hounds +have just arrived in charge of the Master and two Whips. We hurry out, +after a farewell to such of our kindly hosts as are not intending to +accompany us, and find that that big-boned black horse with a hog mane, +is intended to carry "Cæsar and his fortunes" this afternoon. A right +good one he is, too, with a perfect snaffle mouth. He is "not so young +as he was," but "sweet are the uses of adversity," and this fact has +its advantages, as he will not fret and worry, and pull one's arms off +before starting: he has "joined the band," which is also an excellent +thing in its way, because the man just ahead of you can hear him +coming, and will, you hope, get out of the way at the next fence! After +a short period of moving up and down the parade ground, and exchanging +greetings with a few whom you have not had a chance of speaking to +before, the word is given, and at that indescribable and, to me, most +direful pace, a "hound's jog," off we go along the road over the +Common. + +How the bricks and mortar fiend has been working his wicked will with +the place since last we saw it! The trots out to the several meets get +longer and longer as season after season rolls by. What was once almost +our best line, and where for two or three years the annual +point-to-point race was held, is now an unwieldy mass of buildings, +prominent amongst which stands that gigantic fraud on the +long-suffering ratepayers, the Fever Hospital, with its staff of 350 to +wait on a maximum of 450 patients! + +At last we emerge from the region of building and railway "enterprise" +(save the mark!) and see glimpses of the country ahead of us. A winding +lane traversed, and we find a gate propped open on our left: here a +halt is called. The Master rides into the field, whilst the Whips +remain where they are in charge of the pack. Two minutes later our +worthy chief returns and addresses the assembled company, not in the +studied beauty of language employed by Cicero, nor in the perfervid +oratory of Demosthenes, but in a manner very much more to the point +than most of the harangues of those somewhat long-winded classics. "Let +'em get over the first fence: then you can ride like blazes!" he says. + +The Whips move forward gently: hounds are all bristling with +excitement, for they seem to know as well as we that the moment for +action has arrived. "Gently there, Safety! have a care, then!" Yow, +yow, yow! from the hounds. Toot, toot, from the Master's horn, and away +they go. "Do wait, you dev---- fellows! You'll be bang into the middle +of 'em! There, now, you can go and be blessed to you!" Amid a confused +rush of horses, clatter of hoofs, and babel of tongues, we are away, +and thundering down to the first fence, a big quickset. With a crash +the first Whip is over or through; it doesn't matter which so long as +he finds himself "all standing" on the right side. Half-a-dozen men +make for the same place and great is the thrusting thereunto. The first +and second get over: the third man falls: the next alights almost on +top of him: now comes a gallant "just joined" one, who does not jump +when his horse does, and then that first fence becomes of no further +interest to us, for are we not over it, and speeding along at our best +sprinting pace towards a line of post and rails, where, the Powers be +praised! there is plenty of room for the whole field to have it +abreast, if they wished. Two refuse at this: it is a pretty big one, +and worse still the timber is new: but the next comer smashes the top +rail and lets everyone through: then for three or four fields all is +plain sailing--brush fences that our steeds almost gallop through, form +the only obstacles. We jump into a park, and "Ware hole!" is the cry: +we pull off to the right of where hounds are running in order to avoid +the home of the ubiquitous bunny, but not soon enough, unluckily, to +save one youngster from a tumble: the horse puts his foot in a rabbit +hole and rolls over as if he is shot. "Not hurt a bit! Go on," calls +out the rider, pluckily. Yes, no doubt about it, this is the game for +the making of young soldiers. On we go, now descending a gentle slope +to where an ominous little crowd of yokels and loafers are lining a +narrow strip of green on each side: a second glance, as we rise in our +stirrups for inspection purposes, shows us that this is evidently +looked upon as the sensation "lep" of the run: a good sized brook, in +front of which have been placed some stout, well furze-bushed hurdles. +The scent has been thoughtfully laid a little on one side of this, so +there is no fear of stray hounds getting in one's way. One look shows +us that it will take a bit of doing, and hats are crammed on, and +horses "taken by the head" in earnest, as the three leading men come +along at it. A quick glance round and a lightning calculation as to +where you'll go to, should your neighbour whip round or fall just in +front of you, and then a vigorous hoist over the hurdles carries you +just clear--and no more than just clear--of the frowning and muddy +stream just beyond. The man on your left gets over also, but with one +hind leg dropped in: three come slashing over, all right: then little +Miffkins, in an agony of incertitude, takes a pull at his horse when +within three lengths of where he should take off. Fatal mistake! for he +merely succeeds in putting the break on: the horse jumps short, and +just clearing the hurdles drops helplessly into the turbid stream amid +the ribald jeers and laughter of the crowd assembled. Baulked by this +_contretemps_ the next horse refuses, and though ridden at the obstacle +again and again, resolutely persists in remaining on the wrong side of +the water. But "forrard on, forrard on!" Miffkins will get dry +again--he is not hurt, in the least--and his horse will be taught an +invaluable lesson in swimming. The pack is still racing away half a +field ahead, but they are beginning to "string" a good deal now, from +the severity of the pace. And by the same token, most of our good nags +are obviously feeling that this sort of fun can't go on for ever. My +own musical steed is, in especial, making the most appalling +observations on the subject as we breast the next sharp slope. I feel, +somehow, that he is using the equinese for "Hang it all, you know, I'm +not a steam roundabout, my dear chap!" and my heart smites me. Before, +however, I can make up my wavering mind as to whether conscience +imperatively demands of me "a pull," or not, to my great joy, hounds +suddenly throw up their heads where the drag has evidently been lifted, +and we find ourselves at the ever welcome check. Most of us slip off +our smoking steeds, whose shaking tails and sweat-lathered coats attest +the rate at which these three miles have been covered. By twos and +threes, the stragglers, and those whose luck is "out," arrive. One man +has broken the cantle of his saddle, another has managed to pull his +horse's bridle off in the floundering of a fall: here is a rider whose +spur has been dragged off his boot: there one who has broken his +girths: two men are hatless and another has lost his cigarette case, +presumably whilst standing on his head after trying unsuccessfully to +negotiate a stile without jumping it. However, these are but common +incidents of the chase, and "all in the day's work." The troubles are +taken good humouredly, and in the true spirit of philosophy. The men +who have second horses out, have now mounted them, whilst the rest of +us who intend riding the concluding half of the line, resume +acquaintance with our splashed saddles and mud-stained steeds. Trotting +off across a road, we again lay on, and have a gallop of quite five +hundred yards before coming to anything in the way of an obstacle. Over +a piece of timber, to the tune of a most unholy cracking of top rails, +we go, and soon find ourselves approaching the far boundary which +offers us the choice of a blind, hairy place, with a big ditch on the +far side, a gate securely nailed up, and a greasy-looking foot-bridge +adorned with several dangerous-looking holes. This last we all--as I +think, wisely--eschew. Some make for the gate: the rest of us try the +first-named place. One of the whips goes at it "hell for leather," and +gets over. I, following him, I blush to say, rather--just a very +little--too closely, utter a silent prayer that my leader may not fall, +and somewhat to my astonishment feel "the musician" apparently +disappearing into the bowels of the earth beneath me whilst I shoot +over his head and sprawl, spread-eagled, on my hands and face into the +ploughed field beyond. He has jumped short and paid the penalty by +dropping into the ditch. I shout back "No" to a kindly enquiry as to +whether I am hurt, and the questioner gallops on, leaving me to wrestle +with the problem of how I am to extract the hog-maned one from his +present retreat. As I take him by the rein and wonder how deeply his +hind legs are imbedded in the sticky clay, he makes a wild flounder, +plunges up the bank, rams his big, bony head into my chest and causes +me to take up a most undignified position, for nothing can look much +more aimless than to see the ardent sportsman attired in boots and +breeches, seated involuntarily in the wet furrow of a ploughed field, +his horse standing over him in an apparently menacing attitude. +However, although I felt damped--and was--the animal was out of what +might have been "a tight place," and I climbed into the saddle again +with muddy breeches, but a cheerful heart. To catch hounds after this +was, of course, out of the question, but I jogged slowly across the +field I was in, and felt, I humbly confess, a thrill of unholy joy, as +from the farther side of the thick hedge there, I heard a plaintive +voice saying: + +"Come through the gap and give us a hand, old fellow; I've come down, +busted both girths and a stirrup leather, lost my curb chain and split +my br--waistcoat!" + +I was happy again. I had a companion in misfortune, and, better still, +one in sorrier plight than my own. By the time we had (as far as a +piece of string, two torn handkerchiefs and a necktie, the thongs of +both hunting crops, and a pair of braces would allow) repaired damages, +lighted and smoked a couple of cigars, and talked the day's doings over +as we rode back to the cheery lights shining from the barrack windows, +I for one felt just as happy as if I had managed to live through the +whole, instead of only part, of that invigorating gallop with the +Woolwich Drag. + + + + +STAG-HUNTING ON EXMOOR + + +We sons of Devon are, I doubt not, too prone to dwell and enlarge upon +the fact that we are not quite as other men, that when all things were +made none was made better than this, our land of sunny skies and mystic +moors, of lane and hedgerow, of sea and river, where the balmy +fragrance of Torbay invites the winter, and the chill grandeur of +Exmoor repels the summer's heat; with goodness overflowing from Porlock +to Penzance; the home of traditions and folkspeech that mark us out a +people meet to enjoy the wholesomest clime under the canopy of heaven. + +I say we are too apt to allow these matters to weigh with us, and breed +a smiling contentment and ease of living perhaps not good for those who +shall come after us--for those who may be forced to quit their native +soil and sojourn among aliens of sharper wits and noisier mode of life. +Soft as a Dartmoor bog the South Devon man has been found by those of +northern blood, who in mean ways despoil him. Yet if history doth not +lie, there have been sundry occasions when, for stoutness of heart and +a kind of obstinacy of courage, the men of the west of England had no +need to suffer by comparison with any. To many of us now, alas, the +home of our fathers, the haunts of our boyhood, are no longer daily +present; but the exile's memory is strong and vivid, and, aided as is +natural by not infrequent visits to them, yields abundant pleasure in +the contemplation of spots hallowed to us by fond associations, the +tombs of our sires, the scenes of early passion, and perhaps above all, +to him of man's estate, the otter bank and Exmoor. + +Stronger than death, more lasting than love of woman, is the passion +for the chase, and of all those who ride to hounds, the hunter of the +wild deer of Devon must surely bear the palm for all the qualities that +go to make up the sportsman; and as I have been challenged to show that +this at least is no empty boast, nor figment of the brain, I proceed to +tell, for all but those who know it better than I, how the men of Devon +hunt the wild red deer. + +It was ordained that I should be the first of my race born out of +Devon, and there was perhaps allotted to me lacking that birthright a +keener relish for all that Devon yields, so that a certain +home-sickness will often befall me, which that sweet air and homely +speech and hospitable fare only may cure. It is then I go west, go +where merrie England is merrie England still, remote from stir and +traffic of modern life, forgotten of civilization and the so-called +march of mind. Cathay within three hundred miles of Paddington Station! + +Not many years ago there came over me the old longing. As summer merged +into autumn it got into my blood and there being no help for it, ere +September waned I packed my bag and set out for Exmoor. There, +descendants of the tall deer whom the Conqueror "loved as if he were +their father," were to be found in plenty, hunted with horn and hound, +captured and slain. + +As much in the spirit of the pilgrim as of the sportsman, I made my way +to where the river Exe and its big brother Barle have union. To +Dulverton I fared, even as John Ridd had fared two hundred years +before, and as I crossed the threshold of the Red Lion, recalled John +Fry's striding into the hostel, "with the air and grace of a +short-legged man, and shouting as loud as if he were calling sheep upon +Exmoor." + +"Hot mootton pasty for twoo trarv'lers, at number vaive, in vaive +minnits! Dish un up in the tin with the grahvy, zame as I hardered last +Tuesday." + +In these days Dulverton may be said to exist for one purpose only, that +of hunting the stag--with perhaps a little fishing thrown in. The +oldest inhabitant will meet you upon the bridge, and with true +Devonshire garrulity discourse of stag. Sauntering alongside you the +length of its single street, he will point out the abode of the tailor +(who makes hunting garments), of the cobbler (who makes riding boots). +A saddler's shop is almost an appanage of the inn under whose portico, +on the day of my arrival, a fuming sportsman and a well "done" horse +were eloquent of stag. In the town there was suppressed excitement, and +what passes in those parts for bustle and stir. The traffic had a way +of suddenly disappearing down an alley which led to the banks of the +Barle, and so to Exford. Needless to say, the attraction at Exford was +Mr Bisset's kennels, nor would any peace or comfort reign in Dulverton +until such time as news should arrive of the find and the kill. + +That evening we sat in the stone-floored parlour of the inn and drank +cider out of blue pint mugs--no true son of Devon drinks from a +tumbler--and by my side was the warped old man who had weathered eighty +Exmoor winters, and who told of the season of bitter frost when the red +deer would come by the score of a morning to the farmers' ricks of corn +and hay and clover, and some of them so tame that they would present +themselves at the back door for a drink of water. + +On the following day, things had quieted down. The staghounds were in +kennel; and although the Exmoor foxhounds met in the neighbourhood for +cub-hunting, heedless people went their way and took no notice of a +pursuit only distantly connected with stag. + +At last the eventful or stag-hunting day is ushered in, and as usual +one's preparations are discovered at the last moment to be incomplete. +A refractory boot causes delay and consequent anguish to a small party +who have to travel with me on wheels from Dulverton to the meet at +Venniford Cross; for eighteen Devonshire miles are before us, and it is +conceivable that the day would have ended before our journey, had our +coachman been other than a native Jehu. A man must live in the west of +England to get used to driving horses at a hand-gallop up and down +hills of which the gradient is sometimes less than 1 in 4 and sometimes +more. And so we go on, our driver singing-- + + "When the wind whistles cold on the moors of a night, + All along, down along, out along lee, + Tom Pearce's ould mare doth appear gashly white, + Wi' Bill Brewer, Jan Slewer, Peter Gurney, Peter Davy, Dan'l + Whiddon, Harry Hawke; + Old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and all, old Uncle Tom Cobleigh and + a--a--ll." + +At noon we reach Venniford Cross and find our horses who were sent on +yesterday, little short-legged animals with perfect shoulders and +forelegs of iron; as well they may have, to climb almost perpendicular +hills and gallop over the rugged Devonian slate country, which attains +its greatest elevation on Exmoor. The stream of traffic was enormous, +or so it seemed in those unfrequented parts. The countryside was agog, +and for twenty miles round few Devonians able to sit a horse can have +been absent from the meet. Here leaked out a change of venue: it had +been determined to draw the gorse and the combes which seam the side of +Dunkery, and so for some miles we jogged on by road, sometimes at a +walk, often at a fast trot, but always ascending higher and higher. We +seemed to be climbing heights of stupendous proportions. + +Cloutsham is at length reached, and on the plateau assembled the sort +of "field" that Devon and Somerset turn out when the staghounds are +afoot. There are the sporting farmer, a doctor or two, boys on ponies, +parsons on cobs, strangers from London, neighbours from South Devon, +the master of Pixton and other "county" people, and of course every +hunting lady of the district, not all of whom use the side saddle! +Among this goodly company hardly one is there whose thoughts and +anxieties are not centred on the chase--the chase stripped of polish +and luxury, the chase divorced from good cheer and even from +opportunities for vain display. The instinct and passion of the hunter +possesses them all. + +We have all come long journeys and have perhaps many hours to remain in +the saddle; and now is the time to ease our horses. The field +dismounts, and booted ladies are seen seated by the roadside, or +seeking refreshment of milk and bread and clotted cream at an adjacent +farmhouse. While the "tufters" are drawing, we look round again and +inly rejoice that Exmoor is still a vast wild tract hardly civilised. +Around it Brendon common lies unenclosed, and the miles from Alderman's +Barrow to the east of Dunkery are unbroken by a fence. We are told of +rare birds and beasts to be seen there along with the red deer which +have had a home in Exmoor from time immemorial; polecats are found, +though now somewhat rarely; the Montagu's harrier is occasionally seen; +a snowy owl was shot some few years back, and only two years ago a +pelican was found walking about on the North Forest if the story of a +Somersetshire farmer may be believed. The stag-hunting country is a +matter of six and thirty miles, which often the tireless hounds will +cross from end to end after their quarry. + +Surely the most important, interesting, and difficult part of the chase +of the wild deer is the "harbouring," as it is called. How fine an +exercise of woodcraft! The harbourer's best guide is the slot, or +footprint of the deer, which, to the experienced eye, tells whether the +deer afoot be stag or hind, and whether of proper age to hunt and kill. +Four or five hours are often spent by the most skilful harbourer in +tracking a warrantable stag to his lair. The deer duly harboured, the +next thing is to rouse him, and force him to break cover and run for +dear life. Selected hounds called "tufters" are laid on the drag, and +master, huntsman, whip and harbourer, post themselves where they will +be able to stop the hounds after this purpose is served. + +Looking across the declivity in front of us, we see the wooded slopes +where a stag has been harboured. The scarlet jackets of huntsman and +whips move about in the distance, directing the tufters by horn and +voice. "There he goes, sir," at length cries a schoolboy on his pony, +whose sharp eyes have detected the graceful bound of a deer; but it is +a hind, and the schoolboy is told that, although hinds are hunted later +on, the present is a close time for them, and that our jolly company of +sportsmen and ladies will not ride to hounds this day unless a +warrantable stag be found. Our "harboured" stag had evidently wandered +on. + +Let us leave the field to indulge in that gossip for which Devonians +are famous, and follow at a respectful distance the tufters now moving +across Cloutsham Ball to Ten Acre Cleeve. We of course find it +necessary almost immediately to negotiate a combe, that is, to descend +the sides of one of those deep ravines with which Exmoor abounds. We +yield the reins and see our horse's head disappear between our knees, +his croup rises to our neck, and so we slip, shuffle, and slide down +the precipitous pathway. In the bottom of the combe, we meet the +tufters returning; they have roused their stag, and now rejoin the +pack. Jogging forward, we see a noble beast of chase, large as an +eastern donkey, the antlered monarch of Exmoor, trotting in a leisurely +way, and evidently making for Holm Wood. + +Jumping the fence into the fields by Bucket Hole, our stag has met a +woman and two children, who flourished a pink apron at him, so he has +turned back, showing how easily sometimes a stag may be headed if he +has formed no definite plan as to where he will go; within five minutes +we were to see how hopeless a task it is to head a stag when he is +determined to make his point. Crossing the combe towards us, the stag +came up to the edge of the bushes and coasted along the side, while we +rode along the heather on the ridge, in the vain hope that we could +keep him out of the Porlock Coverts. Just by Whitestones he turned up, +and, undismayed by the shouting and smacking of whips, trotted up to +our horses. Riding at him was no good; a sudden stop with lowered +antlers--all his rights and three on top both sides--a bound to one +side or another, and he is behind you, and perfectly ready to encounter +the next one; horses, too, will not go near a stag if they can help it. + +Although we did all we knew to turn him, I do not think we forced him +fifty yards from the course he would have taken had he been left to +himself. Andrew Miles always declared that there was only one way to +turn a stag, and it would have required an exceedingly well-drilled +field, proof against the temptation to look at the stag, to carry out +his plan. "Get right in front of the stag," Miles would say, "and ride +as hard as you can go for the point to which he is making; he will +dodge round you if you ride at him, but he will not deliberately follow +you." + +But now our stag, with an air of insulted majesty, turns his back upon +us and sets out for his long last journey. He must rouse himself, for +the soul-stirring notes of the hounds float towards us. The pack is at +length laid on, the sweet scent fills the big hounds with delirious +joy, and in long drawn file they race forward, and the chase begins. + +We had a nice gallop over Skilgate Common and down a steep, root-grown +slope, through the Bittscombe plantations. The stag turned down the +valley to Raddington. Despite the blazing sun and intense heat, hounds +ran fast, but Devonia's wilds are not everywhere to be invaded, and +here the sobbing horses must pound along the road, while the hounds +turn up over a grass field as steep as the side of a house; some riders +indeed climbed up, some cast forward, others like myself cast back +towards Skilgate, on the chance of the stag swinging round towards +Haddon again; but we were wrong, as he went straight over the top, past +Hove and Quarterly, into the Exe valley by Morebath, running through +several little coverts. From this point I was beaten out of my country +and hardly know how to tell of our wanderings. + +The stag worked the line of a brook past Shillingford as far as Hockley +bridge where he soiled, but the eager hounds gave little respite, and +our new-found stag went away up a little valley to the left. Hounds ran +on fast, keeping about a hundred yards from the lane, which helped us +to get along, for Devonshire banks with the leaves on cannot be ridden +over in September. The heat and dust were something to be remembered, +but hounds pushed on, hovering a minute where bullocks had been over +the line, and again where a mare and foal charged them in a most +determined manner doing, luckily, no harm. Huntsham seemed to be the +point, a good old-fashioned line often travelled by deer fifty years +ago, but most unusual now. + +Leaving Huntsham on the right, we went on by Cudmore to Hole Lake, +hounds running on grass, horses again pounding along the road. Now we +turn into the fields and gallop alongside the pack, which kept on in +most determined manner, and with more music than is usually given on so +hot a day. We soon got into a maze of small combes running down to the +brook which passes under Huntsham Wood. From gate to gate, and gap to +gap we hie, keeping as near hounds as may be, and passed a farm which I +was told is Redwood. A patch of ferny gorse-covered ground is Bere +Down, across which hounds ran fast, much disturbing a pony at grass, +who jumped the fence down the biggest drop I ever saw anything except a +deer come over in safety. The stag went down the line of the brook till +its junction with the bigger Loman Water near Chief Loman. Here a long +check refreshed us, the stag having worked first the road and then the +water for a long distance. The pack puzzled it out slowly, both Anthony +and Col. Hornby dismounting to keep close to them through the +impassable places. Then we heard a holloa ahead, and hounds were lifted +about a quarter of a mile to Land's Mill, when they hit off the line, +just owning it down the road, and so recall us to the chase. + +The field seemed hardly to diminish, though it kept changing; many of +those from the Minehead and Dunster side stopped and went home, but +every hamlet, every farm we passed, brought out recruits eager to see +the hounds, for they do not often come this way. The whole country was +in a wild state of commotion and excitement. A capital gallop over a +ridge of hills, where the chase went through a field of roots, which +some gentlemen were just beginning to shoot over (and much I fear we +spoiled their sport), brought us to the Western Canal, where the stag +swam over, while we crossed by a bridge, and went on again to the +Halberton lane. In the field beyond, sheep had foiled the ground, but +hounds cast forward, and were soon running again down to the canal, +which here "ran a ring." Hounds feathered down the towing-path and over +the railway, where we had to make a _détour_. We had just rejoined +them when there was a burst of music, and the stag was seen swimming in +the canal. He scrambled out, ran down the road a few hundred yards with +the pack at his heels, and then jumped over the fence into ploughed +ground, where he fell, and was rolled over a moment afterwards, when he +was found to have a broken leg. The fatal stab to the heart was dealt +as soon as our stag was taken, and now the hounds must be given their +portion. "Look at that!" exclaims a sporting farmer as the body is +turned over and the legs are seen standing stark and stiff in the air. +"Ay, properly runned up, poor thing," answers the huntsman, who is busy +anatomising. "Brisher, bother your old head, you'm always after the +venison." And Brusher, who has stolen forward and began licking the +haunch, beats a hasty retreat, not without a taste of whipcord. Then +the hounds' portion is made over to them, the huntsman reserves his +perquisites, and the head being claimed by the Master, all the farmers +of the district account for the venison share and share alike. The run +lasted exactly seven hours from the lay on; the last hour and a-half we +hunted in the dark. Eight only of us saw the finish. + +And now looking over my record of this memorable run how bare an +itinerary it seems, lacking the mental eye to fill up the scene with +luscious autumn tints, and lacking too the stir and movement of the +chase. Then the blood boils in veins of horse and man, then a fierce +energy urges on the pursuers. What can compare with it, but the wild +charge of cavalry? The occasion past, however, our pulse resumes its +normal beat, and presently in slumber the scene and all its glories +fade away. But not the memory fades! Year by year while trouble, +sickness, hopes and longings get blotted from our recollection, the +printed page or glance at whip and spur, shall revive with more than +pristine splendour, the memory of the chase. + +And what of the stag? Well, the stag's life is not, I fear, a happy +one; for him no sooner is one trouble past than another is upon him. +During the summer his horns are growing and keep him in constant +irritation and anxiety. The velvet is hardly lost when the fever of the +rutting season consumes him. Then there is the hard winter to live +through, and with the return of spring returns also the period for the +shedding of old horns, and sprouting of new ones. Indeed, it is only +for a few weeks in every year that the stag is his perfect self, and +those weeks, with a small margin before and after, constitute what is +called the stag-hunting season, a season of relief to the farmer whose +turnip crops have been ruined by the herd's depredations, a season of +anxiety to the master of the Devon and Somerset staghounds, a season of +delight to him who loves the chase. Pleasure unalloyed, indeed, for so +long as fortune favours him, but assuredly the day will sooner or later +arrive when a grip or cart rut on Exmoor will turn horse and rider +over, when the red grass or white bog flower that should warn the +horseman to "take a pull" is overlooked or disregarded, with alarming +results. The least of the ills that flesh is heir to, when stag-hunting +on Exmoor, is to lose one's way twenty miles from home, and be found a +solitary horseman wandering on the moor, soaked to the skin, out of +hail of any living creature but forest ponies, and uneasily musing on +the old nurse-tales of pixies. If, in such case, you are fortunate +enough to stumble upon a moorland farm, do not fail to accept the +shelter which will surely be offered; and so shall the congratulations +of your friends sound sweet in your ears when you return safe and sound +on the morrow. Your landlord also, if you are staying at an inn and +hunting on a hired mount, will welcome you with such evident sincerity +that you feel sure it is not unconnected with the recovery of his +horse. + + + + +SPORT AMONGST THE MOUNTAINS + +BY "SARCELLE" + + +It is a gloriously bright, glowing autumn morning, a light breeze +ruffles the clear, blue surface of the Atlantic, or rather of a little +bay thereof, which lies in a pretty setting of hills and mountains just +in front of the window whereat I am writing, beyond the hydrangeas and +fuchsias of the garden and an intervening stretch of marshland, home of +many a snipe and duck. As the day is bright, and the water in the river +low, there is but little chance of hooking either salmon or trout +before evening; therefore, instead of "dropping a line" to those finny +aristocrats, I will endeavour to "improve the shining hour" by writing +a few lines about them, and their "followers." + +Truly a fitting room is this in which to write of matters +piscatorial--ay, of sport in general. In a corner, just two feet to the +left of me, are my two beloved rods, a trout fly-rod and a +trolling-rod; by the opposite end of the fire-place repose a handsome +salmon-rod, and a landing-net of portentous dimensions, so huge that it +looks more suitable for Og, king of Bashan, or Goliath of Gath, than +for any modern mortal: but it is not upon record that those large +gentlemen ever studied the quaint pages of "The Contemplative Man's +Recreation." Two chairs off me lies my old creel, which had eleven good +sea-trout in it yesterday, but now contains only my precious fly-book, +its cover shiny with hundreds of glittering scales of the beautiful +fish, which I shall be at no pains to remove; for when I am far away +from these charming scenes those scales shall remind me of the river +and the lough, of the mountains and the heather, of the grouse and the +snipe, and of the genial companions it has been my good luck to meet in +old Ireland. + +A little beyond my fishing-basket is a sideboard which is littered with +central-fire cartridges, tins of powder, and bags of shot. It is also +adorned by one or two short clay pipes, and by a "billy-cock" hat, +which, like almost every other hat in this inn, is covered with the +most approved "casts" of salmon and trout-flies. In the corner, by the +sideboard, two more rods and another landing-net; on the floor, sundry +and divers pairs of sturdy-looking shooting boots. Next we come to a +big salmon-creel, three central-fire guns, and a muzzle-loader; more +hats, adorned with bunches of heather and casts of flies; a big +shrimp-net (by the way, I and a fellow-sportsman took about five quarts +of beautiful prawns with that latter one afternoon); more pipes, more +fishing-rods. + +In one corner of the room is a stuffed badger, which was pulled out of +a deep and narrow hole, after a struggle of nearly two hours, by a +white bull-terrier with a brown patch over one eye, who is now lying at +my feet. On the chimney-piece are a grouse and a peregrine falcon, the +latter incurring grave penalties by "the wearing of the green," for +some friendly hand has adorned it with a little Dolly Varden hat of +that colour. Now to complete his notion of my immediate surroundings, +the reader must picture another window at the other end of this room, +looking out not upon the sea, but upon a high heathery mountain, the +home of the grouse and the hare; and he must imagine frequent +interruptions from the incursions of friendly dogs, pointers, setters, +retrievers, greyhounds, and terriers. Yes, the whole atmosphere of this +house is evidently of the sport, sporting; the "commercial" would be at +a discount here; all are lovers of the rod or gun, many of both; and +those of the fair sex who honour us with their presence--thank goodness +we are not without their refining and humanising influence--take a keen +interest in our sport, and are proud of the doings of their respective +husbands, brothers, or sons--for there are several family-parties +staying here. + +Some of my readers with sporting proclivities are already beginning to +ask, "Where is this 'happy hunting ground?'" Alas, I fear me that I +must not proclaim it in the pages of so popular a periodical as this, +for there were nine rods on the little river yesterday, and our worthy +hostess has her house nearly full of people, and her hands quite full +of work; and if it were only generally known in London how delightful a +place is the White Trout Inn (that is the most appropriate +_sobriquet_ I can think of for the moment), we should be flooded +with eager sportsmen, the rivers would be over-fished, the moors +over-shot, and the place spoiled. Before I dilate further on the +delights of the White Trout Inn and its surroundings, I must lay down +my pen for a brief space, and devote myself to the consumption of a +hearty breakfast, at which some of the fish, from which the inn takes +its name, invariably figure, accompanied generally by eggs and bacon, +grilled mutton, and other solid viands. + +It is done, the inner man is refreshed; and though a stronger breeze +has sprung up, bringing clouds with it, and rods are off to the river, +and guns to the mountain, and a knowing old professional angler in +long-tailed frieze coat, indescribable hat, knee breeches, and black +stockings, opines that there is a good chance for both trout and +salmon, I must forego the sport for the present, and finish my +appointed task. The White Trout Inn is not situated in a town, nor even +in a village, though there are a few scattered houses here and there, +but the place has the inestimable advantage to the sportsman of being +twenty miles distant from a railway. Within a comfortable hour's walk +of mine inn is a lovely lake five miles in length, surrounded by +mountains as grand as artist could desire. White villas nestle here and +there on the wooded slopes that lead down to the clear blue water, +dotted with sundry fishing-boats, from which anglers are throwing the +fly for salmon or trout, both of which swarm in the lake. + +From the lake down to the sea a beautiful river runs a picturesque +course of about four miles, in a valley with mountains on the one side +and well-cultivated hills and slopes on the other; and in every part of +the river are to be found the noble salmon, the brilliant white or +sea-trout, and their humble relative, the brown trout--in England a +prize coveted by most anglers, and esteemed by most _gourmands_, +but here looked upon with contempt alike by fishermen and epicures, +being far exceeded both in strength and gamesomeness, and in delicacy +of flavour, by its migratory brother from the sea. The fishing in both +river and lake is free to visitors at this inn, who have, moreover, the +privilege of shooting over some of the neighbouring mountains, where +may be found grouse, hares, woodcock, and snipe. There is grand +duck-shooting here in the season, and the lovely bay affords an immense +abundance and variety of sea fish to those who like a good breeze and a +bit of heavy hand-pulling, as an occasional change after many days' +fly-fishing. We have a glorious sandy beach, where sea-bathing may be +enjoyed untrammelled by conventionalities of machines or costumes. We +have always some of "the best of all good company" here; in fact, one +gentleman, as true a sportsman as ever crossed country, drew trigger, +or threw salmon-fly, has taken up his abode here _en permanence_, +and finds sport of some kind for nearly every day in the year. + +I must not omit to mention that, for those who like to take rifle or +shot-gun out to sea with them, we have seals pretty frequently, and a +great abundance of large wild-fowl. Our larder, I need hardly say, is +kept constantly supplied with the best of fish and game, and the +"cellar's as good as the cook," the whisky especially being undeniable +and insinuating, and "divil a headache in a hogshead of it." + +But I am to say something about salmon-fishing. Faith, it's difficult +to say anything new about it, inspiring and exciting theme though it +be. The _rationale_ of it I utterly renounce. We know pretty well +why a trout takes an artificial fly. It is a tolerably correct +imitation of a natural insect, which is the natural food of our spotted +friend; and the different flies which are used on different waters, and +during the various months, are constantly changed to correspond with +the proper insects frequenting each locality at each period. Of course, +this is reasonable enough. A trout is lying on the look-out for flies, +and something comes floating down the stream towards him, which so +closely resembles his natural food, that he sees no earthly (or watery) +reason to suppose it to be unwholesome, and he takes it, and--it +disagrees with him. But why on earth a salmon should ever make such a +fool of himself as to jump at a huge, gaudy arrangement of feathers, +fur, silk, &c., which is not an imitation of anything "in the heavens +above or the earth below, or the waters under the earth," the nearest +approach to a faithful simile for which would seem to be an imaginary +cross between a humming-bird and a butterfly, altogether passes my +comprehension. Still more astonishing is it that these extraordinary +objects must be varied in size, colours, and sundry other particulars, +according to locality and time of year. + +But let not the reader, who is yet unlearned in the craft, imagine that +_every_ salmon is such a fool as to leap at the gaudy lure. From my +little experience of the number of these princely fish which run up +certain rivers, and the small proportion of them which fall victims +to the rod, I would rather be inclined to come to the conclusion +that these unhappy individuals must either be lunatics or morbid +misanthropical (misopiscical?) specimens of the genus, that a fish who +takes the fly is either entirely bereft of his senses, or has firmly +made up his mind, wearied with subaqueous trials, to hang himself--upon +a hook--and that his vigorous struggles after he is hooked are to be +accounted for by that instinct of self-preservation which is the first +law of nature, and which often leads a would-be suicide, after he has +jumped into the water, to exert himself might and main to get out of it +again. + +Not the least charm of salmon-fishing is the wild grandeur of the +scenery in which the best of it is found, heather-clad mountains, +ravines, and gorges, rapid, rushing streams, splashing waterfalls, deep +smooth pools, and huge rocks here and there in the river, adding +picturesqueness to the scene and increased danger to the line. + +Who has not read vivid descriptions of the killing of a salmon? + +First comes the "rise," no little circling splash like that of a trout, +but a rushing boil in the water, hailed with a joyous shout by the +angler and his attendant; then there is a momentary check; then the +merry music of the clicking reel as the fish rushes off, perchance +quite slowly at first, not apparently quite alive to the danger of his +position; but when the fact dawns upon him that the little sting in the +tail of the fly he snapped at is attached to something that is +seriously menacing his liberty, his struggles become exciting in the +extreme. Now comes a swift rush, taking out some fifty yards of line +without a check. Now he is seen for a moment--of extreme danger to the +tackle--throwing himself high out of water, a huge bar of brightest +silver, falling back into it again with a splash. Instantaneous guesses +are made at his weight; then comes a long run, fatiguing for both fish +and fisherman, up and down stream; then the salmon, getting rather +fagged, half turns on his side near the opposite bank, but he is of no +use over there. A little later on he comes over to our side, and Sandy +or Patsy, as the case may be, "makes an offer" at him with the gaff, +but it is too soon; the fish, roused to fresh life by the sight of the +horrid biped, exerts all his remaining strength--we have two or three +last frantic rushes, moments of intense excitement, during which we +have not one single thought for anything in the wide world but that +salmon and that gaff. At last the gallant fellow is near the bank, +thoroughly tired this time--the gaff is in his quivering flesh; Patsy +struggles up the bank with our glittering prize; the fish is knocked on +the head, the fly carefully cut out, the hackles blown and cleared of +blood or dirt--for some salmon-flies are worth from fifteen shillings +to two pounds each--and then we and Patsy, or Sandy, can sit down on +the bank and enjoy our well-earned rest. + +First we must have a "tot" of whisky to "wet that fish"; then Patsy +says, "Sure now, yer honour'll be afther giving the blessed pool a bit +of rest, an' we'll thry another directly." + +So we sit and enjoy the beauty of the mountain and river scenery, with +a pipe of good tobacco and a frequent furtive glance at the salmon, +till a freshening breeze, or the sight of a rising fish, inspires us +with fresh courage, to result, if we are lucky, in a fresh capture. + +Pleasant, too, is the fishing from a boat on the rippling surface of +our fair gem of a lake in the grand setting of those majestic +mountains; ay, and pleasant too when the salmon are sulky, is the +fishing for the beautiful white trout in the various streams between +the lake and the tideway; and exciting indeed is the struggle when a +white trout with glittering scales, only a few hours from the sea, is +hooked on a small trout-fly and fine drawn gut--for your sea-trout is +the most active of fish, and will give the angler a braver fight than a +brown trout of more than double his size, flinging himself constantly +high into the air, a silvery flash of light, game to the very last, +making rush after rush, and spring after spring, when you think he +should be quite safe for the landing-net. + +Ay, and when the shades of evening are falling over mountain and +valley, river, lake, and bay, when the smoke from the chimney of our +inn, rising from amongst the trees which surround it, suggests busy +doings at the huge peat-fire in the kitchen, pleasant is the walk or +drive back to that snug hostelry, and jovial the dinner--with salmon +and trout fresh from lake and river, grouse not _quite_ so fresh +from the mountain, and snipe from the marsh. + +Genial and jolly, too, is the evening talk over our glasses of punch, +the recital of incidents of sport during the day, the comparison of +flies, the arrangement of plans for the morrow. "Early to bed and early +to rise," is a very good motto generally for the sportsman; but there +_are_ seasons when the morning fishing is of but little account, and, +mindful of this, we prolong our _symposia_ and our yarns far into the +small hours till our stock of anecdotes and tobacco are alike +exhausted. + +Many a rich man has paid down his hundreds for the rental of part of a +salmon river, and perhaps his fish have cost him twenty to a hundred +guineas each. But then again the poor professional anglers often make a +good living by it, partly by the salmon they catch, and partly by +acting as guides and instructors to tourists and amateurs. And here let +me tell the reader to take the anecdotes of his tourist friends anent +the salmon they have killed in Ireland or Scotland _cum grano salis_. I +believe that about nineteen out of twenty fish "taken" by non-resident +amateurs are risen and hooked by Patsy or Sandy aforesaid. + +The most delicate part of the negotiation having thus been effected, +the rod is carefully handed to the amateur, and he is instructed how to +humour and play the fish, which is gaffed at last, and he may certainly +be _said_ to have _killed_ it, though he was not exactly the man who +caught it. + +But to do Patsy or Sandy justice he is--though sometimes, _sub rosâ_, a +bit of a poacher--a keen lover of real sport, and infinitely prefers +accompanying anyone who can throw a fly and kill a fish himself to one +of the amateurs aforesaid, in spite of the heavier fee he may expect +from the latter. + +A friend called one day on a professional fisherman near here, and +found him lugging a big table about his cabin by the aid of a hook and +a bit of a line. "What the divil are ye doin' at all at all?" asked his +friend Corny. "Sure, thin, I'd betther be brakin' the hook in the table +than brakin' it in a salmon," was the reply. + +And this little yarn bears a very good practical moral. See that your +tackle is sound and perfect in every respect before you go after +salmon. + +Ludicrous incidents sometimes happen in salmon-fishing. A bungling +amateur on the Bandon river, near Cork, hooked something which seemed +to him to be an immense and very sulky salmon. The stream was swift, +but the fish never travelled very far, moving sluggishly about and +resisting all his efforts to bring it to the surface. + +At last, after a long but very uneventful play of about two hours, the +thing came into a more rapid part of the stream, lifted to the top of +the water, and behold, a big ox-hide, which had been sunk in that part +of the river! The disgust of that angler, and the profane language he +gave way to, may be imagined. A friend of mine had a long play with +what seemed to be a very heavy spring fish, but at last it came to the +top, when the attendant Patsy exclaimed, "Bedad, it's a judy, sir!" And +a "judy" it was, that is, a spent fish or kelt, but it was hooked by +the tail, which accounts for the vigorous play it gave. + +There is a rather strong religious sentiment among some of our Irish +professional salmon-fishers. One of them has been known at the +commencement of a season to sprinkle his patron's rod, line, and flies +with holy water, as a potent charm. Another worthy was out the other +day with a friend of mine fishing for white trout. My friend hooked a +nice strong fish over two pounds, which got away after a brief play. In +the first excitement of this loss his attendant exclaimed, "Oh, the +divil carry him then!" but, suddenly bethinking himself, added, "an' +may God forgive me for cursin' the blessed fish--that didn't take a +good hould!" + +But the day has become so beautifully breezy and cloudy that I can't +possibly sit here any longer, knowing that all my brethren of the craft +are on the river or the lake, so I will e'en pick up rod, shoulder +basket, and be off after them. Kind reader, I crave your indulgence, +and--_Au revoir_. + + + + +A BIRMINGHAM DOG SHOW[1] + +BY "OLD CALABAR" + + +Fourteen years have passed away and somewhat mildewed my hair since the +first show of dogs took place at Birmingham. + + [1] It should be mentioned that this paper was written + several years ago.--Ed. _S.S._ + +How many glorious fellows connected with that and subsequent exhibitions +have "gone from our gaze," never again to be seen by those who were +"hail-fellow well met" with them! + +Poor Frederick Burdett, Paul Hakett, George Jones, George Moore, that +inimitable judge of a pointer; Joseph Lang, and lately, Major Irving, +with a host of others, have passed away. + +Ruthless Death, with his attendant, "Old Father Time," has mowed them +down in quick succession without favour or distinction. + +It makes one sad to think of it; and also to know that some who are in +the land of the living have, to use a sporting expression, "cut it." + +For years I have not seen "the Prior," "Idstone," the Revs. O'Grady and +Mellor, John Walker of Halifax, and Croppen of Horncastle. Yet I know +that some of them are still to the fore in dog matters, and are running +their race against "all time." + +Poor Walker, by-the-by, I saw last year. He was unfortunately shot by +accident some two or three seasons back by a friend; he has never, if I +may so term it, "come with a rush" again. William Lort, one of our +oldest judges, is hard at work here, there, and everywhere, with one or +two more of the old circuit. + +What has become of Viscount Curzon, who so well filled the chair at the +Annual Dinner? Death has been busy again, for Viscount Curzon is, by +the demise of his father, now Earl Howe. The last time I saw his +Lordship was at the "Hen and Chickens" at Birmingham, in 1869. Poor +Lord Garvagh was on his right hand; he too has gone "the way of all +flesh." + +On that occasion I remember that prince of good fellows, R. L. Hunt, +who has been connected with the show from its commencement, singing a +song that made our hair curl, and drove one or two white-tied gentlemen +from the room. + +The Earl Howe has been chairman of the Committee ever since the show +was started, and Mr George Beech, the secretary, nearly as long; and +right well has he done his work. + +I do not exactly know with whom the idea of dog shows originated. My +old friend, the late Major Irving, told me it was with Frederick +Burdett; others have informed me it was Mr Brailsford, the father of +the present men, and formerly keeper to the Earl of Derby, the present +Earl's father. Whoever it originated with, it was a happy idea, and has +given endless amusement to thousands. + +As I have often stated, I do not think shows have improved the breed of +dogs, but they have brought many strains forward which were known +nothing about before, except to a few. + +Dog shows have opened the door to a good deal of roguery; unscrupulous +breeders have bred dogs for size, head, coat, and colour. To effect +this they have mixed up strains; the consequence is that, although it +cannot be detected by the judges, the animals are, in reality, nothing +more or less than mongrels; this has been done more particularly in the +sporting classes, and with fox-terriers especially. + +But dog shows are wonderfully popular all over the kingdom. It has not +rested with us alone, for the French have for years had exhibitions, +and this year there was one at Vienna. + +It has often surprised me there is so much wrangling, and so many +letters from disappointed exhibitors, after a dog show. The same thing +does not occur in cattle and horse shows; why then with dog shows? + +The Birmingham Dog Show is a favourite of mine. Everything is so well +conducted and carried out. The comfort of the animals is strictly +attended to, and the building is spacious and airy. You see so many old +friends you would not otherwise meet, which makes it very enjoyable. + +One of the most celebrated breeders of bloodhounds is Major John A. +Cowen, of Blaydon Burn, Blaydon-on-Tyne; and he has also a famous breed +of setters, but he never has a bad one of any sort. + +All coursing men breed good greyhounds, so I cannot pitch on anyone in +particular for these--and foxhounds, deerhounds, otterhounds, harriers +or beagles, are bred by so many that I cannot pick out anyone in +particular. + +The most celebrated breeders of fox-terriers are Messrs Murchison and +Gibson, Brokenhurst, Lymington, Hants; Mr Cropper, of Horncastle, and +Mr T. Wootton, Mapperley, near Nottingham. Of pointers, small and +medium-sized, perhaps Mr Whitehouse, Ipsley Court, Redditch, +Warwickshire, is the best known; of the large size, Mr Thomas Smith, +The Grange, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton; Richard Garth, Esq., Q.C.; Lord +Downe, Danby Lodge, Yarm, Yorkshire; Mr Francis R. Hemming, Bentley +Manor, Bromsgrove, and others. Of setters, R. Ll. Purcell-Llewellin, +Esq., Willesley Hall, Ashby-de-la-Zouche, Leicestershire; Edward +Laverack, Esq., Broughall Cottage, near Whitchurch, Shropshire; Geo. +Jones, Esq., Ivy Cottage, Ascott; Thomas Pilkington, Esq., Lyme Grove, +Prescot, Lancashire; Major John A. Cowen, Blaydon Burn, +Blaydon-on-Tyne; Captain Thomas Allaway, Highbury House, near Lydney; +Captain Richard Cooper, Thornly Hall, Welford, Rugby; Capt. Hutchison; +The Prior, and many others. Of retrievers, I shall only name one, Mr J. +D. Gorse, Old Manor House, Radcliffe-on-Trent, Notts. His curly +black-coated dogs are the handsomest I ever saw. + +There are so many different breeds of spaniels that I will not attempt +to name any breeders--their name is legion--neither do I intend to +touch on the non-sporting classes; but should anyone wish to know where +any particular sort of dog is to be had, and will write to me, I shall +have great pleasure in giving him every information. + +Gentlemen who are anxious to become members of a canine society, +cannot, I imagine, do better than belong to the National, which is +composed of many of the first noblemen and sportsmen in the United +Kingdom. + +The society held their show the latter part of last year at Nottingham, +and a very capital show it was, too, and bids fair to be second to +none. + +To exhibitors, disappointed or otherwise, I would say, never mind the +reports you read in papers as to the merits or demerits of your dogs; +remember that such reports are only the production of _one_, and +that one may know just as much of a dog as he does of the man in the +moon. It is amusing to read the accounts of a show in the different +papers. I have very frequently seen every one of them disagree; one +calling a dog a splendid animal; another, that the said splendid animal +was nothing but a cur: so I say, never be disheartened at what the +papers may write, and remember the fable of the old man and his ass. + +Curzon Hall has been much enlarged of late years, and it is now not +nearly big enough for the number of dogs that are sent. It is a fine +building, and eminently adapted for the purpose. Walking along the +galleries, which are very spacious, you can look over and see all the +dogs below and the people as well. + +The entries this year are exactly thirty-three in advance of 1872. Take +it altogether, it is the best entry, as to numbers and quality, they +have ever had. The total entries in the sporting classes were 557; +viz.:--10 bloodhounds, 23 deerhounds, 19 greyhounds, 4 otterhounds, 11 +harriers, 8 beagles, 127 fox-terriers, 85 pointers, 87 setters, 78 +retrievers, 82 spaniels, 15 Dachshunds, and 5 in the extra class for +any foreign breed of sporting dogs. + +For dogs not used in field-sports there were 387 entries; viz.:--46 +mastiffs, 24 St Bernards, 19 Newfoundlands, 26 sheep-dogs, 6 +Dalmatians, 23 bull-dogs, 27 bull-terriers, 15 smooth-haired terriers, +25 black-and-tan terriers, 16 Skye terriers, 15 Dandie Dinmonts, 6 +broken-haired terriers, 17 Bedlington terriers, 12 wire-haired +terriers, 14 Pomeranians, 19 pugs, 6 Maltese, 7 Italian greyhounds, 8 +Blenheim spaniels, 7 King Charles spaniels, 28 toy terriers, and 21 +foreign dogs. + +I have before remarked that many, very many, find fault with the +decisions of judges when there is no occasion to do so, and some when +there is just reason; but they should remember it is not etiquette to +question the judges' fiat. They enter their dogs subject to those who +are chosen to adjudicate on their merits; and after the awards are +made, right or wrong, there should be an end to the matter. + +I have always thought, and always shall think, that the public would be +much more satisfied if they knew who the judges would be at the time a +show was advertised. Those intending to exhibit could then do as they +liked, enter or not. But, on the other hand, if this were done, the +entries would not be nearly so numerous, and the receipts smaller in +proportion; but in such a show as Birmingham, where the Committee have +a good balance in hand, it would not much matter. At any rate, it is +worth the trial. The Birmingham Committee is composed of men who are +thoroughly well up on the subject, and have, doubtless, good reasons +for continuing as they do. + +An attempt was made, some years ago, of judging by points--a thoroughly +absurd notion, and one worthy of those from whom it emanated. + +Fancy men who really knew what a dog was, going about with a tape, like +a tailor! Would you see judges of horses or cattle doing this? Perhaps +to take the girth of a bullock it might be, and is done; but that is +all, except weighing them. When the entries are numerous, of course it +takes time to judge them. In such a class as the fox-terriers, which is +extremely large at Birmingham--this year it being no less than 127, and +many of the animals being very evenly balanced--it is anything but an +easy task; but with all this, judges generally manage to spot the right +animals. It does not follow that sporting dogs who gain a prize at a +show are any good for the field. Many first-prize dogs are utterly +useless for it, never having been broken: and, if they had, might +perhaps have turned out worthless. Dogs of the first breed are often +gun-shy, want nose, face, method of range, will not back or stand, and +are otherwise utterly unmanageable. It is not every dog that breaks +well; not one in ten makes what is called a first-class animal. All +judges can do, when the dogs are led from their benches, is to give +prizes to those who come up to the standard in head, shape, strength, +colour, and general goodness of formation. + +At some shows judging in public is the fashion; but this is a very +great mistake, and has been proved to be so time after time. Judges +should be quite to themselves when they are giving their awards; and +not have a crowd around them making their remarks, which are sometimes +anything but flattering. A dog, to win at such a show as Birmingham, +must not only be handsome, but he must go up in good coat and in the +pink of condition. + +Having now given a general outline of the Birmingham Dog Show from its +commencement, I will turn to the show itself for this year. Take it +altogether, it has been the most successful one that has yet taken +place; and when in Class 3, bloodhounds (dogs), the following prices +are attached to them, perhaps all readers may form some idea how the +owners value their animals:--Rival, £500; Brutus, £1000; Baron, £1050; +Draco, £10,000,000,000. Of course these prices are only put against +them to show they are not for sale. Another, by the same owner as +Draco, was merely £10,000. So highly are stock dogs and breeding +bitches valued, that it is simply impossible to get them; and it is +very rarely the best pups are sold, and if they are, at an enormous +price. + +Altogether, there were 103 classes, so it will be impossible for me to +notice all; in fact, I must leave the non-sporting classes, and confine +myself to pointers, setters, spaniels, and retrievers. + +I will take three gentlemen who sent heavy entries:--Mr Price of +Rhiwlas, Bala, North Wales, had fourteen entries, comprising 1 +fox-terrier, 6 pointers, 1 setter, 2 retrievers, 1 spaniel, 1 +sheep-dog, 1 Dalmatian and 1 bull-dog. He only got with these, two +first prizes, one commended, and five highly commended. Notwithstanding +all the puff and long pedigrees given by this gentleman in the +catalogues, it will be seen he did not do very much. Two of the highly +commended ones, Ginx's Baby, and a dog with an unwriteable name, were +bred by Mr Purcell Llewellin, who has three more of the same litter in +his kennel far superior to these. His pointer bitch, Belle, was absent, +but in her place was a large photograph--another species of puff. The +bitch is not A 1, being a soft, tiring animal. In the catalogue she +appears with £10,000,000,000 as her price. Take away the figure 1, and +we should then get at her right value. As regards his old setter, +Regent, who took a first in Class 34, it is an incomprehensible bit of +judgment; for Mr Llewellin's eleven months old, Flame, was the best in +the class, far away. I am forced to admit that the Rhiwlas kennel is +but a second-rate one. Mr Purcell Llewellin had eight entries, one +absent (Nellie). None of his dogs were in feather, yet so good are they +that out of the seven who represented him six were to the fore--two +first prizes, one second prize, and three highly commended. This is +something like form. Prince took the first in the Champion Class. He +is, without doubt, the handsomest headed setter in England, and the +Champion Countess not only very beautiful, but _the best in the +field_. Prince won at the Crystal Palace this year, taking champion +prize and extra cup--the same at Birmingham in 1872 and 1873; first +prize and extra cup at the Crystal Palace in 1872; at Birmingham in +1871 and 1872, first prize and extra cup. He has never been shown +anywhere else, and has never been beaten. Countess, the nonpareil, +though out of feather, was in good muscle and condition, and beat Mr +Dickens's celebrated Belle. Countess has only been exhibited four +times--at the Crystal Palace and Birmingham--has won each time and +never been beaten. Take her altogether she is _the_ setter of England. + +Mr Whitehouse of Ipsley Court, Warwickshire, had an entry of twelve--11 +pointers and 1 retriever. Out of these there were three first prizes, +one second, one highly commended, and one commended. It will thus be +seen that, as breeders, both Mr Whitehouse, for pointers, and Mr +Purcell Llewellin, for setters, are far before Mr Price--and will be, +for his animals are not up to the mark. Mr Thomas Smith of the Grange, +Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, had a grand entry of ten; and he spotted +three first prizes and one commended. Take the setters all through, +they were very good. + +The black-and-tan setters in Class 37 (dogs) were good; but in Class 38 +(bitches) were still better. + +Class 39, setters (Irish dogs), was good. Curiously enough, there was +exactly the same entry this year as last, viz., 14. Mr Stone, with +Dash, spotted the first prize; Mr Purcell Llewellin, the second with +Kite, V.H.C. with Kimo, and three others got V.H.C. + +In 1872 the entry for Class 40, setters (Irish bitches), was 10; this +year it was only 8; but they were the best lot that have ever been +shown at the Hall, and so highly were they thought of by the judges +that every one in the class was highly commended. Here three gentlemen, +probably the best breeders of the Irish setter we have, contended, +viz.:--Captains Cooper and Allaway and Mr Purcell Llewellin. Captain +Cooper exhibited three, Captain Allaway one, Mr Llewellin one; but the +first prize fell to neither of these gentlemen, Mr Jephson beating them +on the post with Lilly II., and Captain Cooper running a good second +with Eilie; though neither were bred by the same gentleman, yet each +was two years and four months old. + +There were 78 entries for retrievers. For the best in all classes +(curly-coated), Mr Morris took it with True; he also secured the +Champion Class Bitches (curly-coated) with X L; second prize in Class +43 with Marquis; highly commended in same class with Monarch; first +prize in Class 44 with Moretta. So with an entry of six he secured +three first prizes, one second, and one highly commended--good form +indeed. + +My old friend Mr Gorse, one of our very best breeders, took the +champion prize in smooth or wavy-coated dogs with Sailor, four years +old; and a fine animal he is. The spaniels were 82 entries, and some +very good ones, too, there were among them. Classes 55 and 56 were +capital. Better have never been seen at Curzon Hall. + +The greyhounds were a poor lot. It is not the time of year for hounds +or greyhounds, as they are all at work. + +The non-sporting and toy classes were well represented. And it was +amusing to see the excitement and hear the exclamations of some of the +ladies on looking at the cages which held these beautiful little +animals. + +I have often thought how much better it would be if ladies, or others +who want dogs, instead of sending to a London dealer, who is almost +sure to "do" them, were to attend such shows as Birmingham, the Crystal +Palace, or Nottingham. There you can pick out what you want--always +remembering you must give a good price for a good article. But, then, +if you intend to exhibit, and you have a good animal, it will soon pay +itself; and if you breed, the pups will see your money back. + +Good as the other exhibitions have been at Birmingham, this must be +considered the best; and with an entry of 944 against 911 of last year. + +At the time of writing this--the 3rd December--I have seen no letters +from disappointed exhibitors or others. But then, "Bell's Life," "Land +and Water," and THE Authority (_query_) have not yet appeared. + +The "Times," however, for the 2nd December, says it was a most capital +show. + +Both Mr Murchison and the Rev. Mr Tennison Mosse were conspicuous by +their absence, but I hope to see them to the fore again at the Crystal +Palace Show, with their unapproachable fox and Dandie Dinmont terriers. +Talking of fox-terriers, I have overlooked them. Not only was the entry +a grand one (127), but the quality was good too. I love the terrier, +for he is a sporting little dog, no matter what breed; but the +fox-terrier is the favourite, if one may judge from the entries. But +why other terriers, such as smooth-haired, black-and-tan, Skye, +drop-eared, and others, Dandie Dinmont, broken-haired, wire-haired, and +Bedlington should not be included in the sporting classes, I have ever +been at a loss to imagine. There is no better terrier exists to drive +heavy gorse for rabbits than the Dandie Dinmont. He is the gamest of +the game, and no cover, however thick, will stop him. Mr Wootton of +Mapperley, near Nottingham, has a magnificent breed of wire-haired +terriers, the best in England. For this class (92), there were twelve +entries; but Mr Wootton skinned the lamb, taking first and second +prizes with Venture and Tip, and the highly commended Spot being bred +by him. + +Whatever sort of terrier Mr Wootton has, you may be sure of one +thing--that it is the right sort. + +I confess to a _penchant_ for the wire-haired terrier, rather than +the fox-terrier, for the latter are now bred very soft and +delicate--there is too much Italian greyhound in them for me. Of course +I am speaking generally. Give me, if I must have fox-terriers, hard +ones, such as Old Jock was--something that will stand wet and cold, the +cut-and-come-again sort. + +One thing I sincerely hope will be done away with next year at +Birmingham, viz.:--the photographic dodge of advertisement, as was the +case with Mr Price's Belle. It is quite wearying enough to inflict his +long-winded pedigrees on the public, without the picture puff; and I +trust the committee will see the necessity of putting a stop to this, +or in a few years Curzon Hall will be turned into a photographic +gallery instead of a dog show, which I hardly think would be pleasing +to the visitors. + +The next dog show of any importance will be at the Crystal Palace, held +from June 9th to the 12th. It is to be hoped that the judges this year +will be properly selected; but as it is to be held under the auspices +of the Kennel Club, I suppose none but their own clique will officiate. +But let me hope they will see the folly of such a course, and that they +will select judges that do not belong to their association--then the +public will have confidence, which they will not if _members of the +club exhibit_, and _members of the club adjudicate_. + + + + +HUNTINGCROP HALL. + + +"Reputation! Reputation! oh, I have lost my reputation!" It was, I +believe, one Michael Cassio, a Florentine, who originally made the +remark; and I can only say I sincerely wish I were in Michael Cassio's +position, and could lose mine. It may be a "bubble," this same +reputation; indeed, we have high authority for so terming it: but +"bubble" rhymes with "trouble," and that is the condition to which such +a reputation as mine is apt to bring you; for it supposes me to be a +regular Nimrod, whereas I know about as much of the science of the +chase as my supposititious prototype probably knew of ballooning: it +sets me down as being "at home in the saddle;" whereas it is there that +I am, if I may be allowed the expression, utterly at sea. + +When, last November, I was seated before a blazing fire in Major +Huntingcrop's town house, and his too charming daughter, Laura, +expressed her enthusiastic admiration for hunting, and everything +connected with it--mildly at the same time hinting her contempt for +those who were unskilled in the accomplishment--could I possibly admit +that I was amongst the despised class? Was it not rather a favourable +opportunity for showing our community of sentiment by vowing that the +sport was the delight of my life, and firing off a few sentences laden +with such sporting phraseology as I had happened to pick up in the +course of desultory reading? + +Laura listened with evident admiration. I waxed eloquent. My arm-chair +would not take the bit between its teeth and run away; no hounds were +in the neighbourhood to test my prowess; and I am grieved to admit that +for a fearful ten minutes "the father of ---- stories" (what a family +he must have!) had it all his own way with me. + +"_Atra cura sedet post equitem_ indeed!" I concluded. "You may +depend upon it, Miss Huntingcrop, that man was mounted on a screw! +Black Care would never dare to intrude his unwelcome presence on a +galloper. Besides, why didn't the fellow put his horse at a hurdle? +Probably Black Care wouldn't have been able to sit a fence. But I quite +agree with you that it is the _duty_ of a gentleman to hunt; and I +only wish that the performance of some of my other duties gave me half +as much pleasure!" + +Where I should have ended it is impossible to say; but here our +_tête-à-tête_ was interrupted by the advent of the Major, who +heard the tag end of my panegyric with manifest delight. + +"Huntingcrop is the place for you, Mr Smoothley," said he, with +enthusiasm, "and I shall be more than pleased to see you there. I +think, too, we shall be able to show you some of your favourite sport +this season. We meet four days a week, and you may reckon on at least +one day with the Grassmere. It is always a sincere pleasure to me to +find a young fellow whose heart is in it." + +As regards my heart, it was in my boots at the prospect; and, despite +the great temptation of Laura's presence, I paused, carefully to +consider the _pros_ and _cons_ before accepting. + +How pleasant to see her fresh face every morning at the +breakfast-table--how unpleasant to see a horse--most likely painfully +fresh also--waiting to bear me on a fearsome journey as soon as the +meal was concluded! How delightful to feel the soft pressure of her +fingers as she gave me morning greeting: how awful to feel my own +fingers numbed and stiff with tugging at the bridle of a wild, tearing, +unmanageable steed! How enjoyable to-- + +"Are you engaged for Christmas, Mr Smoothley?" Laura inquired, and that +query settled me. It might freeze--I could sprain my ankle, or knock up +an excuse of some sort. Yes, I would go; and might good luck go with +me. + +For the next few days I unceasingly studied the works of Major +Whyte-Melville, and others who have most to say on what they term +sport, and endeavoured to get up a little enthusiasm. I did get up a +little--_very_ little; but when the desired quality had made its +appearance, attracted by my authors' wizard-like power, it was of an +extremely spurious character, and entirely evaporated when I arrived at +the little railway station nearest to the Hall. A particularly neat +groom, whom I recognised as having been in town with the Huntingcrops, +was awaiting me in a dogcart, and the conveyance was just starting when +we met a string of horses, hooded and sheeted, passing along the road: +in training, if I might be permitted to judge from their actions, for +the wildest scenes in "Mazeppa," "Dick Turpin," or some other exciting +equestrian drama. I did not want the man to tell me that they were his +master's: I knew it at once; and the answers he made to my questions as +to their usual demeanour in the field plunged me into an abyss of +despair. + +[Illustration: "I unceasingly studied the works of Major Whyte-Melville, +and endeavoured to get up a little enthusiasm."--_Page 271._] + +The hearty welcome of the Major, the more subdued but equally inspiriting +greeting of his daughter, and the contagious cheerfulness of a house +full of pleasant people, in some measure restored me; but it was not +until the soothing influence of dinner had taken possession of my +bosom, and a whisper had run through the establishment that it was +beginning to freeze, that I thoroughly recovered my equanimity, and was +able to retire to rest with some small hope that my bed next night +would not be one of pain and suffering. + +Alas for my anticipations! I was awakened from slumber by a knock at +the door, and the man entered my room with a can of hot water in one +hand and a pair of tops in the other; while over his arm were slung +my--in point of fact, my breeches; a costume which I had never worn +except on the day it came home, when I spent the greater portion of the +evening sportingly arrayed astride of a chair, to see how it all felt. + +"Breakfast at nine, sir. Hounds meet at Blackbrook at half-past ten; +and it's a good way to ride," said the servant. + +"The frost's all gone, I fea---- I hope?" I said, inquiringly. + +"Yes, sir. Lovely morning!" he answered, drawing up the blinds. + +In his opinion a lovely morning was characterised by slightly damp, +muggy weather; in mine it would have been a daybreak of ultra-Siberian +intensity. + +I ruefully dressed, lamenting that my will was not a little stronger +(nor were thoughts of my other will--and testament--entirely absent), +that I might have fled from the trial, or done something to rescue +myself from the exposure which I felt must shortly overwhelm me. The +levity of the men in the breakfast-room was a source of suffering to +me, and even Laura's voice jarred on my ears as she petitioned her +father to let her follow "just a little way"--she was going to ride and +see the hounds "throw off," a ceremony which I devoutly hoped would be +confined to those animals--"because it was _too_ hard to turn back +when the real enjoyment commenced; and she would be good in the +pony-carriage for the rest of the week." + +"No, no, my dear," replied the Major; "women are out of place in the +hunting field. Don't you think so, Mr Smoothley?" + +"I do, indeed, Major," I answered, giving Laura's little dog under the +table a fearful kick as I threw out my foot violently to straighten a +crease which was severely galling the inside of my left knee. "You had +far better go for a quiet ride, Miss Huntingcrop, and"--how sincerely I +added--"I shall be delighted to accompany you; there will be plenty of +days for me to hunt when you drive to the meet." + +"No, no, Smoothley. It's very kind of you to propose it, but I won't +have you sacrificing your day's pleasure," the Major made answer, +dashing the crumbs of hope from my hungering lips. "You may go a little +way, Laura, if you'll promise to stay with Sir William, and do all that +he tells you. You won't mind looking after her, Heathertopper?" + +Old Sir William's build would have forbidden the supposition that he +was in any way given to activity, even if the stolidity of his +countenance had not assured you that caution was in the habit of +marking his guarded way; and he made suitable response. I was just +debating internally as to the least circuitous mode by which I could +send myself a telegram, requiring my immediate presence in town, when a +sound of hoofs informed us that the horses were approaching; and gazing +anxiously from the window before me, which overlooked the drive in +front of the house, I noted their arrival. + +Now the horse is an animal which I have always been taught to admire. A +"noble animal" he is termed by zoologists, and I am perfectly willing +to admit his nobility when he conducts himself with reticence and +moderation; but when he gyrates like a teetotum on his hind legs, and +wildly spars at the groom he ought to respect, I cease to recognise any +qualities in him but the lowest and most degrading. + +Laura hastened to the window, and I rose from the table and followed +her. + +"You pretty darlings!" she rapturously exclaimed. "Oh! are you going to +ride The Sultan, Mr Smoothley? How nice! I do so want to, but papa +won't let me." + +[Illustration: "Gazing anxiously from the window before me, I noted the +arrival of the horses. Laura hastened to the window. 'You pretty +darlings!' she rapturously exclaimed."--_Pages 274-5._] + +"No, my dear; he's not the sort of horse for little girls to ride;--but +he'll suit you, Smoothley; he'll suit you, I know." + +Without expressing a like confidence, I asked, "Is that the Sultan?" +pointing to a large chestnut animal at that moment in the attitude +which, in a dog, is termed "begging." + +"Yes; a picture, isn't he? Look at his legs. Clean as a foal's! Good +quarters--well ribbed up--not like one of the waspy greyhounds they +call thoroughbred horses now-a-days. Look at his condition, too; I've +kept that up pretty well, though he's been out of training for some +time," cried the Major. + +"He's not a racehorse, is he?" I nervously asked. + +"He's done a good deal of steeplechasing, and ran once or twice in the +early part of this season. It makes a horse rush his fences rather, +perhaps; but you young fellows like that, I know." + +"His----eye appears slightly blood-shot, doesn't it?" I hazarded; for +he was exhibiting a large amount of what I imagine should have been +white, in an unsuccessful attempt to look at his tail without turning +his head round. "Is he quiet with hounds?" + +"Playful--a little playful," was his not assuring reply. "But we must +be off, gentlemen. It's three miles to Blackbrook, and it won't do to +be late!" And he led the way to the Hall, where I selected my virgin +whip from the rack, and swallowing a nip of orange-brandy, which a +servant providentially handed to me at that moment, went forth to meet +my fate. + +Laura, declining offers of assistance from the crowd of pink-coated +young gentlemen who were sucking cigars in the porch, was put into the +saddle by her own groom. I think she looked to me for aid, but I was +constrained to stare studiously in the opposite direction, having a +very vague idea of the method by which young ladies are placed in their +saddles. Then I commenced, and ultimately effected, the ascent of The +Sultan: a process which appeared to me precisely identical with +climbing to the deck of a man-of-war. + +"Stirrups all right, sir?" asked the groom. + +"This one's rather too long.--No, it's the _other_ one, I think." +One of them didn't seem right, but it was impossible to say which in +the agony of the moment. + +He surveyed me critically from the front, and then took up one stirrup +to a degree that brought my knee into close proximity with my +waistcoat: The Sultan meanwhile exhibiting an uncertainty of +temperament which caused me very considerable anxiety. Luckily I had +presence of mind to say that he had shortened the leather too much, and +there was not much difference between the two, when, with Laura and +some seven companions, I started down the avenue in front of the house. + +The fundamental principles of horsemanship are three: keep your heels +down; stick in your knees; and try to look as if you liked it. So I am +informed, and I am at a loss to say which of the three is the most +difficult of execution. The fact that The Sultan started jerkily, some +little time before I was ready to begin, thereby considerably deranging +such plans as I was forming for guidance, is to be deplored; for my hat +was not on very firmly, and it was extremely awkward to find a hand to +restore it to its place when it displayed a tendency to come over my +eyes. Conversation, under these circumstances, is peculiarly difficult; +and I fear that Laura found my remarks somewhat curt and strangely +punctuated. The Sultan's behaviour, however, had become meritorious to +a high degree; and I was just beginning to think that hunting was not +so many degrees worse than the treadmill, when we approached the scene +of action. + +Before us, as we rounded a turning in the road, a group of some thirty +horsemen--to which fresh accessions were constantly being made--chatted +together and watched a hilly descent to the right down which the pack +of hounds, escorted by several officials, was approaching. The Major +and his party were cordially greeted, and no doubt like civilities +would have been extended to me had I been in a position to receive +them; but, unfortunately, I was not; for, on seeing the hounds, the +"playfulness" of The Sultan vigorously manifested itself, and he +commenced a series of gymnastic exercises to which his previous +performances had been a mere farce. I lost my head, but mysteriously +kept what was more important--my seat, until the tempest of his +playfulness had in some measure abated; and then he stood still, +shaking with excitement. I sat still, shaking--from other causes. + +"Keep your horse's head to the hounds, will you, sir?" was the +salutation which the master bestowed on me, cantering up as the pack +defiled through a gate; and indeed The Sultan seemed anxious to kill a +hound or two to begin with. "Infernal Cockney!" was, I fancy, the term +of endearment he used as he rode on; but I don't think Laura caught any +of this short but forcible utterance, for just at this moment a cry was +raised in the wood to the left, and the men charged through the gate +and along the narrow cart-track with a wild rush. Again The Sultan +urged on his wild career--half-breaking my leg against the gate-post, +as I was very courteously endeavouring to get out of the way of an +irascible gentleman behind me, who appeared to be in a hurry, and then +plunging me into the midst of a struggling pushing throng of men and +horses. + +If the other noble sportsmen were not enjoying themselves more than I, +it was certainly a pity that they had not stayed at home. Where was +this going to end? and--but what was the matter in front? They paused, +and then suddenly all turned round and charged back along the narrow +path. I was taken by surprise, and got out of the way as best I could, +pulling my horse back amongst the trees, and the whole cavalcade rushed +past me. Out of the wood; across the road; over the opposite hedge, +most of them--some turn off towards a gate to the right--and away up +the rise beyond; passing over which they were soon out of sight. + +That The Sultan's efforts to follow them had been vigorous I need not +say; but I felt that it was a moment for action, and pulled and tugged +and sawed at his mouth to make him keep his head turned away from +temptation. He struggled about amongst the trees, and I felt that, +under the circumstances, I should be justified in hitting him on the +head. I did so; and shortly afterwards--it was not exactly that I was +_thrown_, but circumstances induced me to _get of rather suddenly_. + +My foot was on my native heath. I was alone, appreciating the charms of +solitude in a degree I had never before experienced; but after a few +minutes of thankfulness, the necessity of action forced itself on my +mind. Clearly, I must not be seen standing at my horse's head gazing +smilingly at the prospect--that would never do, for the whole hunt +might reappear as quickly as they had gone; so, smoothing out the most +troublesome creases in my nether garments, I proceeded to mount. I say +"proceeded," for it was a difficult and very gradual operation, but was +eventually managed through the instrumentality of a little boy, who +held The Sultan's head, and addressed him in a series of forcible +epithets that I should never have dared to use: language, however, +which, though reprehensible from a moral point of view, seemed to +appeal to the animal's feelings, and to be successful. + +[Illustration: "I proceeded to mount. I say proceeded, for it was a +difficult and very gradual operation, but was eventually managed +through the instrumentality of a little boy, who held The Sultan's +head, and addressed him in a series of forcible epithets that I should +never have dared to use."--_Page 280._] + +He danced a good deal when I was once more on his back, and seemed to +like going in a series of small bounds, which were peculiarly +irritating to sit. But I did not so much mind now, for no critical eye +was near to watch my hand wandering to the convenient pommel, or to +note my taking such other little precautions as the exigencies of the +situation, and the necessity for carrying out the first law of nature, +seemed to suggest. + +Hunting, in this way, wasn't really so very bad. There did not appear +to be so very much danger, the morning air was refreshing and pleasant, +and the country looked bright. There always seemed to be a gate to each +field, which, though troublesome to open at first, ultimately yielded +to patience and perseverance and the handle of my whip. I might get +home safely after all; and as for my desertion, where everyone was +looking after himself, it was scarcely likely they could have observed +my defection. No; this was not altogether bad fun. I could say with +truth for the rest of my life that I "had hunted." It would add a zest +to the perusal of sporting literature, and, above all, extend the range +of my charity by making me sincerely appreciate men who really rode. + +But alas! though clear of the trees practically, I was, metaphorically, +very far from being out of the wood. When just endeavouring to make up +my mind to come out again some day, I heard a noise, and, looking +behind me, saw the whole fearful concourse rapidly approaching the +hedge which led into the ploughed field next to me on the right. +Helter-skelter, on they came! Hounds popping through, and scrambling +over. Then a man in pink topping the fence, and on again over the +plough; then one in black over with a rush; two, three, four more in +different places. Another by himself who came up rapidly, and, parting +company with his horse, shot over like a rocket! + +All this I noted in a second. There was no time to watch, for The Sultan +had seen the opportunity of making up for his lost day, and started off +with the rush of an express train. We flew over the field; neared the +fence. I was shot into the air like a shuttlecock from a battledore--a +moment of dread--then, a fearful shock which landed me lopsidedly, +somewhere on the animal's neck. He gives a spring which shakes me into +the saddle again, and is tearing over the grass field beyond. I am +conscious that I am in the same field as the Major, and some three or +four other men. We fly on at frightful speed--there is a line of +willows in front of us which we are rapidly nearing. It means water, I +know. We get--or rather _it comes_ nearer--nearer--nearer--ah-h-h! +An agony of semi-unconsciousness--a splash, a fearful splash--a +struggle.... + +I am on his back, somewhere in the neighbourhood of the saddle: without +stirrups, but grimly clutching a confused mass of reins as The Sultan +gently canters up the ascent to where the hounds are howling and +barking round a man in pink, who waves something brown in the air +before throwing it to them. I have no sooner reached the group than the +master arrives, followed by some four or five men, conspicuous among +whom is the Major. + +[Illustration: "An agony of semi-unconsciousness--a splash, a fearful +splash--a struggle.... I am on his back, somewhere in the neighbourhood +of the saddle; without stirrups, but grimly clutching a confused mass +of reins as The Sultan gently canters up the ascent to where the hounds +are howling."--_Page 283._] + +He hastens to me. To denounce me as an impostor? Have I done anything +wrong, or injured the horse? + +"I congratulate you, Smoothley,--I congratulate you! I promised you a +run, and you've had one, and, by Jove! taken the shine out of some of +us. My Lord"--to the master--"let me present my friend, Mr Smoothley, +to you. Did you see him take the water? You and I made for the Narrows, +but he didn't turn away, and went at it as if Sousemere were a puddle. +Eighteen feet of water if it's an inch, and with such a take-off and +such a landing, there's not a man in the hunt who'd attempt it! Well, +Heathertopper! Laura, my dear,"--for she and the bulky Baronet at +this moment arrived at the head of a straggling detachment of +followers--"you missed a treat in not seeing Smoothley charge the brook: + + 'Down in the hollow there, sluggish and idle, + Runs the dark stream where the willow trees grow, + Harden your heart, and catch hold of your bridle-- + Steady him--rouse him--and over we go!' + +"Isn't that it? It was beautiful!" + +It might have been in his opinion; in mine it was simply an act of +unconscious insanity, which I had rather die than intentionally repeat. + +"I didn't see you all the time, Mr Smoothley; where were you?" Laura +asked. + +"Where was he?" cried the Major. "Not following you, my dear. He took +his own line, and, by Jove! it was a right one!" + +It was not in these terms that I had expected to hear the Major +addressing me, and it was rather bewildering. Still I trust that I was +not puffed up with an unseemly vanity as Laura rode back by my side. +She looked lovely with the flush of exercise on her cheek, and the +sparkle of excitement in her eyes; and as we passed homewards through +the quiet country lanes I forgot the painful creases that were +afflicting me, and with as much eloquence as was compatible with the +motion of my steed--I ventured! + +The blushes deepen on her cheek. She consents on one condition: I must +give up hunting. + +"You are so rash and daring," she says, softly--_very_ softly, "that I +should never be happy when you were out." + +[Illustration: "I trust I was not puffed up with an unseemly vanity, as +Laura rode back by my side.... 'You are so rash and daring,' she says +softly, 'that I should never be happy when you were out.'"--_Pages +284-5._] + +Can I refuse her anything--even _this_? Impossible! + +I promise: vowing fervently to myself to keep my word; and on no +account do anything to increase the reputation I made at Huntingcrop +Hall. + + + + +A DOG HUNT ON THE BERWYNS + + +Thanks to the columns of the sporting papers, every Englishman, +whatever his occupation, is sufficiently familiar with the details of +fox-hunting, and all other kinds of hunting usually practised in merry +England; but few, I fancy, have either seen or heard of a dog-hunt. It +has fallen to my lot to participate in such a hunt; one, too, which was +quite as exciting as a wolf-hunt must have been in the olden time, or +as that most glorious of sports, otter-hunting, is now. Imagine to +yourself a three days' chase after a fierce and savage dog, a confirmed +sheep worrier, and that in the midst of the picturesque ruggedness and +grandeur of the Welsh hills. + +Some three or four miles east from Bala, the Berwyn Mountains raise +their heathery summits in the midst of a solitude broken only by the +plaintive bleat of a lost sheep or the shouts of men in search of it. + +For miles the purple moorland rolls on without a moving creature to +break the stillness. Deep ravines run down on either hand through +green, ferny sheep-walks, dotted with innumerable sheep. These ravines +in winter time, when the snow lies deep on the hills, are, when not +frost-bound, roaring torrents. In the summer, huge blocks of stone are +scattered about in strange confusion, and a tiny stream can scarcely +find its way between them. Lower down still can be seen, here and +there, a farm-house, in some sheltered glen, kept green all the year +round by the trickling moisture. Further off still, in the valleys, are +villages and hamlets tenanted by hardy Welsh sheep-farmers and dealers. + +In the least-exposed corners of the sheep-walks are folds built of +loose, unmortared stones, in which the sheep huddle to find shelter +from the fury of the frequent storms which sweep over the mountains. + +As the wealth of the hill farmers consists chiefly of sheep, if a dog +once takes to worrying them, he is either kept in durance vile, or +killed. The habit once acquired is never got rid of; and after a +sheep-dog has once tasted blood, it becomes practically useless to the +farmer. The quantity of sheep that can be killed by such a dog in a +short time is almost incredible. + +It may be imagined, therefore, with what feelings the Berwyn farmers +heard of sheep after sheep being killed on their own and neighbouring +farms, by a dog which nobody owned, and which ran loose on the +mountains catering for itself. Descending from the lonelier parts of +the hills, it would visit the sheep-walks and kill, as it appeared, for +the pure love of killing; in most cases leaving the mangled bodies on +the spot. + +Month after month ran by, and it still eluded the vengeance of the +indignant hillmen. The most exaggerated accounts were current +respecting its size and ferocity. No two versions agreed as to its +colour, though all gave it enormous size. As it afterwards turned out, +it was a black and white foxhound bitch. + +Everybody carried a gun, but on the few occasions that the dog came +within shot, it appeared to be shot proof. The loss of numerous sheep +was becoming serious; in some instances the farmers suffered heavily. +It was the staple topic of conversation. From time to time, paragraphs, +such as the following, appeared in the papers published in the +neighbouring towns:-- + +"THE RAPACIOUS DOG.--The noted sheep destroyer on the Berwyn hills +still continues to commit his depredations, in spite of all efforts to +kill him. + +"The last that was seen of him was on Sunday morning, by Mr Jones on +the Syria sheep-walk, when the dog was in the act of killing a lamb. Mr +Jones was armed with a gun at the time, and tried to get within gunshot +range; but it seems that the animal can scent a man approaching him +from a long distance, so he made off immediately. After it became known +to the farmers and inhabitants of Llandrillo that he had been seen, a +large party went up to the mountain at once, and were on the hills all +day, but nothing more was heard of him till late in the evening, when +he was again seen on Hendwr sheep-walk, and again entirely lost. On +Monday a number of foxhounds were expected from Tanybwlch, and if a +sight of him can be obtained, no doubt he will be hunted down and +captured, and receive what he is fully entitled to--capital +punishment." + +On a bright May morning, five months after the first appearance of the +sheep-destroyer, a pack, consisting of a dozen couple of fox-dogs, with +their huntsman, started up the lane from Llandderfel to the hills, +followed by a motley crowd of farmers and labourers, armed with guns +and sticks, and numbering many horsemen. + +Up the lane till the hedges gave place to loose stone walls, higher +still till the stone walls disappeared, and the lane became a track, +and then a lad came leaping down the hill, almost breathless, with the +news that the dog had been seen on a hill some six miles away. + +Up the mountain, down the other side, up hill after hill, following the +sheep-tracks, the cavalcade proceeded, until we reached the spot where +our quarry had been last seen. A line of beaters was formed across the +bottom of a glen, and proceeded up the hill. Up above was Dolydd +Ceriog, the source of the Ceriog, which came through a rent in the +moorland above. + +A wilder scene could not be imagined. On either side the hills rose up, +until their peaks were sharply defined against the blue. The steep +sides were covered with gorse and fern, with fantastic forms of rock +peering through. At the bottom the infant Ceriog eddied and rushed over +and among rocks of every shape and size, forming the most picturesque +waterfalls. In front up the ravine the numerous cascades leaped and +glittered, growing smaller and smaller, until the purple belt of +moorland was reached. + +The hounds quartered to and fro, and the men shouted in Welsh and +English. The hardy Welsh horses picked their way unerringly over the +_débris_. + +"Yonder he is," was the cry, as up sprang the chase a hundred yards +ahead. From stone to stone, from crag to crag, through the water, +through the furze and fern fled the dog, and the foxhounds catching +sight and scent, followed fast. At first they gained, but when the +pursued dog found it was terrible earnest for her, she laid herself +well to her work--mute. + +Startled by the unusual noise, the paired grouse flew whirring away. +The sheep were scattered in confusion, and a raven flew slowly away +from a carcase. Upward still we went, the footmen having the best of it +on the uneven ground-- + + "Upward still to wilder, lonelier regions, + Where the patient river fills its urn + From the oozy moorlands, 'mid the boulders; + Cushioned deep in moss, and fringed with fern." + +Now the hounds are over the crest, and soon we followed them. We now +had the bogs to contend with, worse enemies than the rocks. + +"Diawl! John Jones, I am fast," we heard and saw an unfortunate pony up +to its belly in the bog. Another stumbles in a crevice and sends its +rider headlong. We footmen have still the best of it, although it is no +easy matter to run through the heather. + +We had now reached the other side of the mountain, and were fast +descending into the valley of the Dee. There seemed a probability of +our catching the quarry here; but no, she left the heather--much to my +relief, it must be confessed--and made for the valley, past a farm; now +well in advance of her pursuers; over the meadows; then, for a short +distance, along the Bala and Corwen line. Then past Cynwyd village, +where the crowd of people, and the various missiles sent after her, +failed to stop her. Then through the churchyard, and along the road for +some distance. + +Here a man breaking stones hurled his hammer at the bitch, but missed +her. + +Turning again, she made for the hills, running with unabated speed, +although she had been hunted for nearly ten miles. The original +pursuers had melted away, but we were reinforced by numbers of others. + +Here I obtained a pony and set off again. + +By this time the hounds were in full cry up the hillside. Mile after +mile, over the hills we followed, now only by scent, as the dog had +made good use of her time, while the hounds were hampered by people +crossing the scent at the village. + +"The shades of night were falling fast," when we came to a brook +flowing from the moorland. Here the scent was lost, and the wild dog +was nowhere to be seen. We held a council of war as to what was to be +done. I was the only horseman present at first, but by-and-by the +huntsman and others came up, bog-besmeared, and in a vicious frame of +mind. We looked a queer group, as we sat in the light of some dead fern +that somebody had kindled. Some were sitting on stones; others kneeling +down, drinking from the brook; some whipping the tired dogs in, and +others gesticulating wildly. + +One thing was evident--nothing more could be done that evening; and the +hounds were taken to their temporary home, to rest all the morrow, and +resume the hunt on the day after. + +On the morrow, from earliest dawn, messengers were coursing the glens +in all directions, with invitations to people far and near to come and +assist in the hunt. For myself, I was glad to rest my tired limbs. +Although pretty well used to mountain work, I was quite done up; still, +I resolved to see the end of the fun, and hired another pony. + +The day after, the men kept pouring in to the place of rendezvous, till +I was sure the majestic hills had never before witnessed such an +assemblage. From far and near they came. Many, like myself, were +mounted upon Welsh ponies. We commenced beating; and the Berwyns rang +with the unearthly yells of the crowd. We reached Cader Fronwen, one of +the highest of the Berwyns, without meeting with a trace. + +Here I was put _hors de combat_ by my pony sticking fast in a bog; +and as every one was too busy to help me, there I had to stay, and the +hunt swept on. Soon the noise of the beaters died away, and I was left +alone, sitting on a stone which peered out of the bog, holding the +bridle of my unfortunate steed, and every now and then cutting heather +and pushing it under its belly, to prevent the poor creature sinking +any deeper into the mire. Here's a pretty fix, I thought. + +Soon the mist which enveloped the summit of Cader Fronwen came sweeping +down the gorge in a torrent of rain; and, even if my pony had been +free, it would have been madness to stray from where I was, as I could +not see two yards before me, and I did not know the paths. + +By-and-by I heard them coming back, and then saw them looming gigantic +in the mist. After having extricated my pony, as I was chilled and wet +through, I made the best of my way to Llangynog, while the rest of the +party--or multitude, rather--made for the Llanrhaiadr hills, but as I +afterwards learnt, without success. Tired with a hard and long day's +work, the men separated, and made off for their respective homes. No +traces of the dog had been found, although every likely hill had been +well scoured. + +Some of the people averred that the devil must be in the dog. The major +part of the farmers believed that the savage animal had been frightened +away, and most probably would not be met with again for some time. +Acting under this conviction, the hounds were sent back by train the +next morning. + +The morrow was beautifully fine; and, little expecting that I should +see the death of the sheep-worrier, I had gone for a ramble over the +hills, armed with my geological hammer. I was sitting on a slab in an +isolated quarry, watching the varying tints of the hillside, as shadow +and sunshine coursed each other over the tender spring green of the +grass, the darker green of the new fern, and the warm yellow-brown of +last year's fronds, and admiring the contrast of the grey rocks angrily +jutting out amidst the loveliness, and the whole crowned with the +purple heather, rising above a narrow belt of mist, when a man, gun in +hand, came clinking down the sloping rubbish, digging his heels in at +each step, and excitedly told us--the two or three quarrymen and +myself--that he had seen the dog lying on a rock about a mile away. + +A boy was despatched to summon the neighbouring farmers. In a very +short space of time about fifty were on the spot, armed with guns of +every conceivable make and age. Stealthily creeping up the hill, we +were sent in different directions, so as to surround the sheep-walk +where she lay. + +In half an hour's time a gradually lessening circle was formed, all +proceeding as silently as possible, and taking advantage of every tuft +of fern or stunted thorn, so as to get as near as possible before +arousing the sleeping dog. + +There was a distance of about eighty yards between each man, when the +brute rose up, and stretched herself, showing her white and glistening +fangs. + +Uttering a low growl as she became aware of her position, she set off +in a long swinging gallop towards the heather. Just in that direction +there appeared to be a man missing from the cordon, and a wide gap was +left through which it seemed probable she would escape, and a storm of +shouts arose. Just, however, as escape seemed certain, a sheet of flame +poured out from behind a clump of thorn bushes and fern, and a loud +report went reverberating over the glens. The dog's neck turned red, +and she rolled over and over, uttering yelp after yelp in her agony. +There was a miscellaneous charge from all sides. Crash came the +butt-end of the gun which had shot her on her body, with such force +that the stock was splintered. Bang! bang! everybody tried to get a hit +at her, even after she was dead. + +When life was quite extinct we all gathered together, and a whoop of +triumph awoke the echoes, startling the lapwings on the moorland. + +As we marched down to the village we fired a volley in token of our +success, and cheer after cheer told of the gladness with which it was +welcomed by the villagers. The man who fired the lucky shot was carried +through the streets of the village on the shoulders of two stout +quarrymen, and the whole population gave themselves a holiday and made +merry. A large subscription was started, and contributed to handsomely, +in order to pay for the hounds and other expenses. + +Upon examination the bitch was found to be branded on the left side +with the letter "P;" so if any of my readers have lost such a dog, they +will know what has become of it. + +I do not suppose that a more exciting chase was ever witnessed since +the old wolf-hunting days. + +It may seem strange to many, as it did to me, that foxhounds should +chase one of their own breed, but the fact remains that they did so. + + + + +ON SOME ODD WAYS OF FISHING + +BY THE AUTHOR OF "MOUNTAIN, MEADOW, AND MERE" + + +The maxim that one half the world does not know how the other half +lives may, with slight variation, be applied to the world of sportsmen. +The "sportsman" is not of any particular class. The highest in the land +and the lowest may rub against each other in the broad field of sport. +This is peculiarly true as regards the gentle art. Wandering by the +side of an unpreserved stream you may see my lord casting a fly over +this shallow; and, twenty yards further down, Tinker Ben seated by the +side of a chub hole watching his float circling round in the eddy, and +as the noble passes the boor an honest angler's greeting may be +interchanged, and a light for the latter's pipe asked for and given. It +may be taken as a general rule that between anglers who pursue their +sport by fair means there is a levelling freemasonry of the craft which +is as pleasant as it is right. + +Between the fair fisherman and the poacher, there is, however, a broad +line of demarcation--a line which bars the interchange of even the +commonest civilities on the mutual ground of pursuing the same object. +The fair fisherman hates the man who captures the finny tribe by unfair +or illegal means as strongly as a foxhunter hates a foxkiller, or a +strict sabbatarian hates a sinner who enjoys a Sunday afternoon's walk +and the glimpses of nature it may afford him. There is also a line +drawn between the man who fishes for amusement alone and he who fishes +for profit. The division in the latter instance may not be so broad as +it is in the former, but, nevertheless, it is wide enough to distinctly +separate the two classes. Now I think the fair and amateur angler is in +a great many instances unaware of the shifts and dodges adopted by the +poacher and the pothunter to fill their pockets, and of the consequent +hindrance to his own sport. Therefore by way of warning, of +information, and possible amusement, I have noted down a few of the +more singular instances which have come under my own observation. + +Let anyone take a boat and row down the sluggish Yare from the dirty +old city of Norwich as the shades of evening are darkening the river, +and he will see several uncouth, rough-looking boats being slowly +impelled down stream by rougher looking men. He will notice that they +have short, stout rods and poles in the boats, and if he watches them, +he will presently see them take up their stations by the margin. +Driving poles in the mud at the stems and sterns of their boats, the +men make them fast; and, taking their seats, proceed to "bob" for eels. +A quantity of earthworms are strung on worsted, and, after being +weighted, are suspended by a stout line from a short thick rod. The +solitary fisherman holds one of these rods in each hand on each side of +the boat, just feeling the bottom with the bait, and now and then +pulling it up and shaking the eels, whose teeth get entangled in the +worsted, into the boat. There he sits silent and uncommunicative, the +greater part of the night and in all weathers, for the sake, perhaps, +of, on the average, a shilling's worth of eels each night. Altogether +his berth must be a lonely one. His companions take their positions too +far off to hold conversation with him, and the splash of a water-rat or +the flaps of the canvas of a belated wherry and the cheery good-night +of its steersman are the only sounds to beguile the tedium of his +midnight watching. + +Another mode of capturing eels is by "eel picking" in the lower waters +of the Yare near Cantley. The man, armed with his eel spear, takes his +stand in the bows of his craft, and, stealing along by the edge of the +reeds, plunges his spear at random in the mud. He uses his spear also +as the means of propelling his tiny boat. I have seen four or five +boats following each other along the side of the river in a +queer-looking procession. + +Those centres of interest to the angler--the Norfolk broads--are, alas! +the strongholds of poaching. Norfolk anglers plead their great expanse +of water as an excuse for "liggering" or trimmering to an enormous +extent. Taking Norfolk anglers as a class, if they _can_ "ligger" they +will. The amount of destruction is something wonderful. The only time I +ever yielded to the temptation of going with a friend "liggering," I am +thankful to say, we caught nothing, and I am not in a hurry to repeat +the experiment. Yarrell gives an account of four days' sport (?) at +Heigham Sounds and Horsea, where in 1834, in the month of _March_, his +informants caught in that space of time 256 pike weighing altogether +1135 lbs. What wonder that it is now difficult to get really good sport +at these places with rod and line! + +My favourite fish, the tench, has a bad habit of basking on the surface +of some of these broads on hot summer's days in weedy bays, where he +deems himself perfectly secure. But the amphibious Broadsman paddles +quietly up to him, and actually scoops him out with his hand. You may +touch his body with your hand and he shall not move, but if you touch +his tail he darts away. + +I have seen a somewhat similar thing in shallow pools in Shropshire. +When the big carp come to the side to spawn, their bodies are half out +of the water, and they may be approached and shovelled out with a +spade. In the reeds adjoining a carp pool I once found a murderous +instrument which was used by a gang of sawyers at work in the adjacent +wood, for destroying the basking carp. It consisted of a large flat +piece of wood, in which were set long nails like the teeth of a garden +rake. This was attached to a long pole, and woe betide the unfortunate +carp on whose back it descended. + +Groping for trout in the shallow streams is a well-known amusement of +country boys; but the dastardly and cruel practice of _liming_ a +brook is not now so often resorted to as it used to be. I have seen it +done in a mountain brook, when, on account of my extreme youth, I have +been powerless to prevent it, and the schoolboy notion of honour +prevented my "peaching." A shovelful of quicklime is taken up the brook +to some shallow ford, and then thrown into the water and triturated so +that the stream carries it in a milk-white stream downwards. In a short +time the poachers follow it, and pick up the trout, which are floating +dead on the surface, or swimming in circles on the top of the water, +with scorched and blinded eyeballs. The lime penetrates into every +crevice of the stream bed, and if it does not kill every trout within +its range, it cruelly tortures all. I well remember the sickening sense +of shame that crept over me as, an unwilling participator in the +outrage, I crept over the mossy ground, when the noise made by every +water-ouzel that took wing and every sheep that leaped down the hill +side seemed to herald the approach of a keeper, with awful penalties of +the law in his train. + +Diverting the course of a brook, and emptying the pools of their water, +and afterwards of their fish, is a long operation, and therefore not so +frequently resorted to; but that poaching instrument called the twopole +net I have known to clear many a nice little pool in a stream of its +spotted denizens. + +Do my readers know what a cleeching net is? It is in effect a magnified +landing-net at the end of a long pole, and its use is to grab fish from +under clumps of weed and overhanging banks. I once had one made for the +purpose of catching bait, and a ludicrous incident occurred to a friend +of mine who used it. He plunged it in too far from the side where the +water was deeper than he imagined, and the consequence was that he fell +forward, his feet still on the bank, but his hands resting on the top +of the pole within a foot of the water, into which he gradually +subsided, in spite of our efforts to pull him back by the slack of his +trousers. I have seen the cleeching net used in a very effective manner +by bargees on canals. As their vessel is towed along, they put the net +into the water alongside the bows, and walk back to the stern as the +boat moves, so as to keep the net in the same position. The rush of the +water, displaced by the passage of the barge, drives a good many fish +into the net, and I have even known fair-sized pike to be captured in +this way. + +Once I was cruising down the Severn, and had moored the canoe under +some bushes in a very secluded part of the river to take my midday +rest. Presently I saw two men in coracles coming down the river. They +stopped just opposite me, and commenced to net the river with a small +meshed net. They paid the net out in a semi-circle, and then, beating +the water with their paddles, they closed and completed the circle; and +with their coracles side by side hauled their net in. It was a caution +to see the fish they caught. Great chub of five, and one of nine +pounds' weight, roach, pike, and dace. In half an hour they had caught +a great number. They looked rather frightened when I shot out from my +hiding-place and examined their sport and the net. + +I have not space to chat about setting night lines, in which art the +Norfolk yachtsmen are no mean proficients; of smelting in the Yare; of +netting the weedy pools in Cheshire with a flue net; of setting hoop +nets for tench baited with a bunch of flowers or a brass candlestick, +which attract the too curious fish; of eel bays and weirs, and the +large eel nets set in the Bure from below Acle to Yarmouth; of +leistering salmon and snaring pike; of casting nets used for unlawful +purposes; of snatch-hooks and salmon roe, and other like deadly means +of compassing the destruction of the finny tribe; but I fancy I have +said enough to call to the angler's remembrance that his rod and line +have formidable rivals, and that it behoves him to do all in his power +to suppress and punish illegal and unfair sport. + + + + +SHOOTING + + +The 1st of September is a day more looked forward to by the general +sporting public than any other. August 12th and October 1st may be +eagerly anticipated by the wealthy sportsman, but September 1st is the +day most generally looked forward to. Nor is the reason difficult to +discover. Partridge-shooting is comparatively the cheapest of sports. +So long as vermin is kept down by trapping, and the fields properly +bushed in the season, to prevent the birds being netted, a fair number +are sure to be found. There are few better or more exciting sports than +partridge-driving. People who have never tried and those who have tried +and failed, affect to despise it; but, in spite of all, it is an +excellent sport, if only for the reason that all can join in it. The +old and young, the weak and strong, and even ladies, honour the stands +with their presence; though this cannot be said to add to the accuracy +of the shooting, for partridge-driving arrangements are usually made so +as to arrive at the first set of stands somewhere about eleven. Here +the head-keeper is met, who, after giving directions about watching +particular lines, and begging that gentlemen will not put up their +heads too soon, but keep down and "give the birds a chance," as he +calls it, on the _lucus a non lucendo_ principle, I suppose, mounts his +old horse and trots off after the drivers, receiving, first of all, you +may be sure, some chaff from the youngsters about his horse and his +seat, to which he good-humouredly rejoins that "he hopes they will +shoot better than he can ride." + +The party now disperse to their several stands, each one accompanied by +his loader, and, as you stroll down with your old loader, he greatly +amuses you by his observations on the party and shrewd forecast of +their respective powers. In a short time the distant sound of a horn is +heard, which makes your old man break off his stories and reflections +altogether, as he knows it is the signal for the line of drivers to +start; you yourself peer eagerly through the screen, though really +knowing that there is no chance of a shot for a long time yet. +Presently a series of unearthly yells are heard, as some obstinate +covey rises and breaks back over the drivers' heads. And here let me +remark that the arrangement of a successful drive requires a great deal +of forethought and knowledge; the wind and sun must be studied, and +also the habits of the birds. Partridges are thorough Tories, and like +to take the same line that their fathers before them did, so it is +useless to try to drive them far out of it. + +Presently, as you are looking through the screen, a dark object comes +into view that appears rather like a bumble bee; in another second you +perceive it is an old cock French partridge, when, just as you are in +the act of firing, down drops the bird, and commences running like a +racehorse. Naturally you bring your gun down, but the old loader +whispers, "Shoot un, sir, shoot un; he be the blarmed old cock, and +mayhap, if you kills un, t'others will be obliged to fly;" so you pot +him, and the cloud of feathers that comes out is wonderful. A novice +would think that it was blown to bits; but the fact is, nothing of the +kind has happened, the cloud being caused by the great thickness of +plumage. It is very curious to shoot one in snow: the stream of +feathers lying on it looks as if a small pillow had been ripped open. + +Soon a distant cry of "Mark over!" showing that a covey has risen and +is coming right for the stands, puts every one on the _qui vive_. +Here they come straight for the man on the right, and you feel almost +inclined to envy his chance, when suddenly the covey mount straight up +like so many sky-rockets; your friend, fresh to the sport, has put up +his head just a minute or so too soon, and the birds saw him. Firing a +hasty right and left as they pass over, he is greatly surprised at a +bird falling nearly on the top of him, the fact being that the two he +shot at were clean missed, but one of the hindmost of the covey flew +into the shot. And now the scene begins to be very interesting; the +birds are beginning to run out of the roots on to the large stubble in +front, not by ones and twos, but by twenties at a time, the French +birds of course being first. It is most curious to notice their +dodges--how they run about looking for places to hide in, and when they +discover the least shelter drop down into it at once; but you cannot +spare much attention to them, as the coveys begin to rise thick and +fast, and cries of "Mark over!" are incessant. The work now begins to +be very exciting, and the fusillade kept up reminds one of the +commencement of a general action, so sustained is it. Some of the +younger hands, thoroughly overcome by the excitement of their first +drive, are firing wildly, as if they thought they should not have a +second chance. By way of contrast, look at the man stationed three or +four stands from you, and see the machine-like regularity with which he +knocks the birds over; no flurry of any sort, the gun brought up +easily, the two sharp reports, and a brace of birds tumbling; the empty +piece handed to the loader, and the other gun taken and discharged in +the same cool way with the like unfailing result. Both master and man +are perfect specimens of their kind, the former as a shot and the +latter as a loader. And now, as the drivers get further through the +roots, the hares begin to bolt out, running wildly in every direction, +utterly bewildered at the shouts and yells that greet them. Not many +are shot at except by those who have utterly muffed the birds, and are +anxious to show that they can hit something. Next, as the drivers come +out on to the stubble, the French birds begin to get up by ones and +twos. Many of these get off, for they rise from such queer places, +often close to the stands. + +The first drive being over, the head-keeper comes up to see the game +collected, pausing by the stands of those who have been unlucky, and +gravely telling their loaders that they "need not trouble to pick up +their master's birds," as he always sees to that; whereupon very +frequently the occupier tries to explain how the birds twisted or the +sun was in his eyes, or makes one of the thousand excuses that men give +for missing. The game being now collected, the party stroll off to the +next set of stands, and the same thing goes on again, with the +exception that some of the excited sportsmen cool down a little, and, +in consequence, improve in their shooting. Driving is the least +fatiguing of any sport to the shooters, the drivers having to go such +long rounds to their different starting-points that there is not the +least need to hurry from stand to stand, but you can pick your way and +go by the easiest route. The actual shooting, however, is difficult; it +requires skill and coolness to get the exact knack of the thing. I well +remember, after one drive, a man, who really was a remarkably good shot +over dogs or walking up birds, coming to me with an expression of the +greatest disgust on his face, and saying, "I have actually missed eight +shots running!" However, he soon got into the way of it; but at first +you do not discover the pace the birds go at, and are rather bothered +by their coming right at you. + +After a morning's driving very good sport can be got in the afternoon +by going out with a couple of steady spaniels after the French +partridges. You will find these birds have hidden themselves in the +most wonderful places, under clods and small lumps of hedge-cuttings, +in tufts of grass, holes by gate-posts; in fact, there is no telling +where they may have got to. A rabbit-hole is a very favourite place; so +if one of your dogs seems inclined to stop and scratch at one, do not +tell your keeper to "call the tiresome beast off," as he is always +after rabbits, for it is ten to one that a Frenchman has taken refuge +there. You will often find that the birds have got down almost to the +end of the hole. However, they give capital sport, as they rise out of +such unexpected places that you must always be ready for a shot. +Besides the sport, it is an excellent way of keeping these "pests" +down; for they really are "pests," driving about the English birds in +the breeding season, and bothering your dogs awfully in the beginning +of the shooting season by their habits of running; indeed, until +driving commences, you hardly ever kill a Frenchman; but this is not +much of a loss, as when they are shot they are not worth eating. One +thing, you can send them away as presents to people who do not know +their merits, and are very much pleased with them on account of their +size and the beauty of their plumage, doubtless putting down their +hardness and want of flavour to their cook! + +But partridge-shooting _par excellence_ is over dogs. It is a treat +indeed to see a brace of well-broken pointers or setters at work: the +speed with which they quarter their ground, and yet their perfect +steadiness; to see the dog that finds the game stop dead in his gallop, +limbs all rigid, as if he was turned into stone, ears pricked and eyes +almost starting out of his head with excitement; then his companion +backing steadily, the attitude the same, but no eagerness shown; the +rapid shots, and the dogs both down in an instant,--all this is +delightful to witness, but is very seldom seen now-a-days. After the +first week dogs are very little use, the birds will not lie to them; +high farming, with its machine-cut stubbles, clean ploughs, and +widely-drilled root-crops, has almost abolished shooting over dogs. The +birds will not wait on the bare stubbles, and if you get them into +roots, the rattle of the leaves when the dogs are at work is a signal +for their flight. The only chance is where seeds have been sown in +barley; then the reaping-machine cannot be set very low or it clogs, +and in this there is fair lying; but as for the fine stubbles knee-high +that our fathers enjoyed, and the broadcast turnips--why, they have +gone, and pointers and setters have, alas, nearly disappeared with +them. + +When the birds have become so wild that they will not lie to the dogs +at all, the best and most sportsmanlike way is to walk them up; but to +do this with any success requires a man to be in excellent training. +Walking over fallows deeply ploughed by steam-power is no joke, and the +birds invariably select these. Your plan is to have about four guns and +five keepers or beaters, and take the fields in line, of course driving +in the direction of any pieces of cole-seed, mustard, or roots that you +may have on your ground; for when once the birds get into these, +particularly into cole-seed, they will remain the rest of the day. It +is surprising how many are bagged when walking: sometimes the coveys +seem bothered by the line of men, and will rise within an easy shot; +but they often seem to know by some sort of intuition the bad shot of +the party, and will allow him to get fairly into the middle of them, +when they rise with a rush, and fly off none the worse for his too +hurried shots. + +In this sport there is not half the firing to be heard which there is +in "driving;" but the deadly single shot or the steady double is heard +pretty regularly, and the bag at the end of the day is usually heavier. +You commonly find that a very fair bag is made before entering the +cole-seed or roots where the coveys have principally gone; but when +this cover is entered, unless very unlucky, you may fairly reckon on +the bag being doubled, for the birds cannot run much, and are forced to +rise fairly, so that even a moderate shot ought to be pretty sure of +his birds. One great advantage of this kind of shooting is that so few +birds get away wounded; as a rule they are either dropped at once or +get off scot-free, whereas in "driving" an immense number go away +wounded; and if there are any crows in the district, it is most curious +to see them on the day after a "drive" hunting the fields regularly and +systematically after the cripples. + +There is still another method of partridge-shooting, but this mode is +only adopted by wealthy cits, and brand-new peers. The keepers, with a +strong force of beaters, are sent out to drive the birds into cover, +and, when there, men are left as stops to keep the birds from straying +out; then about twelve the party drive up in wagonettes, well wrapped +up, and with plenty of foot-warmers, &c., to the nearest piece of +cover, get out, take their guns, and walk right through it, blazing at +everything that shows itself; when they have done one field, they get +into their carriages and drive to the next, where the same amusement is +carried on; then comes hot lunch at the nearest keeper's house, which +lasts for an hour or more, and the afternoon sport is a repetition of +the morning's. There is no stopping to pick up the game,--keepers are +left behind for that, and are told to take their guns, so as to stop +any cripples, the "writing between the lines" being in this case that +they are to kill all they can, so as to make the bag sound better at +the end of the day. + +As partridge-shooting is one of the cheapest amusements, +pheasant-shooting, on the other hand, is one of the dearest. What with +feeding the young birds and doctoring them, and the constant watching +they require when they are turned into the cover; and lastly, the large +staff of beaters, the calculation of ten shillings per head for every +one killed is not far beyond the mark. Pheasant-shooting can really +only be managed by one method, and that is by having a body of +well-trained beaters; so cunning are these birds that there is no +chance of giving your friends the desired sport, if you do not have +them. It is true a very pleasant day may often be had on the outskirts +of your grounds by going round with some well-broken spaniels; but for +real pheasant-shooting beaters are indispensable. A well-arranged and +successful beat requires almost as much generalship as an Ashanti +campaign. The covers must be watched from the earliest season, but the +watchers must show themselves as little as possible; if the pheasants +come out, they should put them back by rattling a stick or shaking some +branches, for by showing themselves the chances are that the pheasants +would fly off at once, but the rattle of a stick merely makes them run +back into cover. Then the corners where they are to rise must be netted +most carefully, perfect silence being kept, and as little noise of any +kind made as possible. When the beat has actually commenced not a point +must be left unguarded, the smallest ditch or grip with grass in it +must have a "stop" at it, and any hare or rabbit runs that there may be +must be stopped also. The boys who act as "stops" have to be well +drilled in their parts, just to keep a subdued kind of rattle with +their two short sticks, and by no means to strike the bushes in +cover--merely to use their sticks as a kind of castanet. In fact, +pheasants are at once the keeper's greatest pride and greatest plague, +from the time when he has to guard the wild birds' nests against +egg-stealers, and to watch those brought up under hens--ever on the +look-out for gapes or croup when they are quite young, and then when +older, and turned into the covers, on the watch for poachers or vermin, +until the grand shooting-day; and even until that is over his anxiety +is unceasing. It is very difficult to prevent them straying, +particularly in a district where there are many oaks, as they will, +however well fed, roam after acorns. And then to insure there being a +proper quantity of pheasants in the required places is no easy work. +With all the pains possible, it is extraordinary how they will stray +away. Two instances of this straying propensity came under my +individual notice. + +I was staying with a large party at a friend's house for +pheasant-shooting, and as the covers had not been beaten before, my +friend was sanguine of some first-rate sport, knowing the large number +of pheasants that had been reared, and the trouble that had been taken +with them. We went out, and everything seemed to promise an excellent +day's shooting; the pheasants were all reported safe the night before, +and "stops" had been sent out early to prevent them straying, nets put +down, and all complete. Well, the first cover that was beaten yielded +only about thirty or forty pheasants, instead of three or four times +that number, and the second and third the same. The host looked much +annoyed, and his keeper almost heart-broken; and this kind of sport +continued until the afternoon, when my friend called up the keeper, and +in desperation ordered him to beat a small covert standing by itself +about three-quarters of a mile off. The man said he did not think it +was any use, as no pheasants were ever there; however, as his master +wished it, it should be done, and he sent off some men to put down the +nets very carefully. When we came up the under-keeper said there +certainly were some pheasants there, though he had never known them to +be in that place before; so we began, and very soon found that they had +nearly all migrated from their usual quarters to this place, above four +hundred being killed in this small cover. How they got there no one +could guess; there were not any connecting hedgerows or ploughed +fields, and they had roosted in their usual places. + +The second case occurred to myself. I wished to beat a small cover of +my own of about four acres, as we knew there were some pheasants there, +and being an outlying one it was not altogether safe; so I gave orders +that the place should be netted, and "stops," &c., sent out, and then +went and beat it, but to my great surprise found scarcely anything. The +keeper was utterly puzzled too; we tried all the likely spots round +with no result, and I came to the conclusion that some poachers must +have beaten the wood very early that day. However, as we were going +off, the quick eye of my keeper detected a pheasant running in an old +grassy lane near, and we resolved to try this; and well it was we did; +every bush and tuft of grass seemed to hold a pheasant, and we made a +capital bag, killing all but one, to my keeper's great satisfaction. +Several more were got than the number he had mentally put down for the +cover to yield; however, in this case we at length detected the way +they had got out. The end of the wood had been netted, and a "stop" put +on one side where there was an old ditch; but on the other a little +grip with long grass in it, leading from the cover across a field to +the old lane, had been left unguarded, as the net was thought to have +been fastened down so closely that nothing could get out; but the +pheasants found the weak place, and undoubtedly strayed by it. + +To insure a good day's pheasant-shooting, thoroughly trained beaters +are absolutely necessary; and it is equally needful that the guns +should remain where they are posted, or if they are to move, only do so +exactly as the head-keeper directs. Nothing is more annoying, both to +master and keeper, than having a good day spoiled because two or three +of the guns will get together to hear or tell the last new story, and +consequently let the pheasants escape by not being at their proper +posts. If you have the good fortune to be placed by the net at the end +of the beat, you will find that, besides having the best place for +sport, great amusement can be derived by noticing the behaviour of the +various kinds of game as they come up to it. Soon after you have taken +your position, the rattle of sticks is heard, showing that the beat has +begun, and shortly a suppressed shout indicates that a rabbit is up; +for the best-trained beaters in England cannot resist giving a shout at +the sight of one, and if they are a scratch lot, the yells that greet +its appearance could not be exceeded if half a dozen foxes had been +unkennelled at once. They will allow a pheasant or woodcock or, in +fact, any other kind of game, to get away silently; but a rabbit is too +much for them--why, I do not know; but such is the fact. In a short +time something may be heard coming very rapidly towards the net, and in +a minute a splendid old cock-pheasant appears, who runs right up to it; +then, suddenly catching sight of you, back he goes like a racehorse, +and you hear the whirr as he rises on meeting the line of beaters, and +the cry of "Mark back," succeeded as a rule by two rapid shots, +sometimes only by a single one, followed by a crash as he comes down +through the trees. Next a lot of hen-pheasants come pattering along, +crouching as they run with outstretched neck. These come up very +quietly, and begin to examine the net closely, walking along it, trying +whether they can find a place to pass underneath, and, if they do, they +infallibly lead all the rest away; but, failing this, they squat down +and become at once almost invisible; so exactly does their plumage +assimilate itself to the dead leaves that, unless you happen to catch +their eye, you would never detect them. Then come a lot of young cocks +in a terrible flurry, running here, there, and everywhere, occasionally +twisting round like teetotums; these, too, at length squat, picking out +tufts of brake or grass, where their dark heads are covered, and their +back and long tail-feathers just match the stuff they are lying in. +Presently some hares come along, and these are all listening so +intently to the beaters, and looking back as well, that they blunder +against the net, greatly to their astonishment; for they sit up and +stare at it, and then trot away to see if they can make off by one of +their visual runs; failing in this, they lie down in some of the +thickest cover, hoping to escape by this plan. Numerous rabbits come +hopping along, and, meeting the net, turn and hide themselves in stumps +or any other place they can find. And really, as the beaters come +nearer and nearer, you would never imagine the quantity of game there +is; a novice would at once declare there was none, so absolutely +motionless does it remain until it is forced up; and then, although you +have been at the post all the time, the quantity seems quite +astonishing. Pheasants begin to whirr up, at first by twos and threes, +and then almost by scores at a time, and the firing is incessant; it +seems now that every tuft of grass or piece of fern has a pheasant +under it; but in spite of the beaters, several old cocks run back +between them, being far too clever to rise and be shot at, knowing that +a beater may almost as well strike at a flash of lighting as at an old +cock running. + +I may here remark that some of these old cocks will often escape being +killed season after season by some dodge or other. In a cover of my own +there was an old cock-pheasant who lived between six and seven years, +always escaping the guns. We used to drive this cover regularly to the +same point, and just before the beaters had finished, this old fellow +would get up close to the outside hedge, rising above the underwood as +if he would give an excellent shot; but, just as you thought he was as +good as bagged, closing his wings, he would drop into the field close +to the hedge, turn round, and run back like a racer, hopping over the +fence again into the cover just behind the beaters. He practised this +dodge successfully for several years; but at length the keeper +complained so much that he disturbed the cover, and would not let any +other bird come near, that I had to devise means to kill him, which was +effected by driving the cover the opposite way to which he was +accustomed. The old fellow was so bewildered that he rose, gave a fair +shot, and was killed. A more splendid bird than he was could scarcely +have been seen--in full plumage, a broad and perfect white ring round +his neck, and spurs an inch long, and as sharp and hard as if they had +been made of iron. + +Very amusing it is, too, to watch the shooters. There stands one man, +picking his birds, and dreading a miss for the sake of his reputation; +here is a greedy shot, firing at everything, blowing much of his game +to pieces, for fear anyone else should get a shot; and again, there is +the keeper's horror and detestation--a man who sends off his birds +wounded, as a rule hitting them, but very seldom killing one clean, +with the exception of those that he utterly annihilates. Lookers-on are +apt to laugh at sportsmen for missing pheasants, so large do they look, +and such apparently easy shots do they give; and until a person tries +himself, he has no idea how fast they really do fly, or how easy it is +to miss them. + +Rabbit-shooting is capital sport; indeed, none can be better for +affording sport to a large Christmas-party in the country. Everybody +enjoys it, and brightens up at the idea, from the schoolboy home for +the holidays--who has been in and out of the house scores of times +already to see how the weather looked, whether the beagles would be +ready, or on some other wonderful pretext--to the old sportsman, who +did not know whether he should come, but cannot resist the temptation, +merely trying at first to save his dignity by saying he should just +come and see if any woodcocks were sprung, and ending in being as +enthusiastic about it as the youngest. The "form" displayed by the +shooters is diverse. There is the elderly gentleman who gets away by +himself to a quiet corner, and is found at lunch-time with three or +four mangled rabbits, none of them having been more than a couple of +yards from his gun when they were shot. Then there is the man who will +always fire both barrels; if he misses with the first, of course he +tries with his second; but if he does hit the first time, discharges +the second barrel as a sort of salute in honour of his successful +first. And here is an amateur--this one usually a schoolboy or 'Varsity +man--who fires at whatever he gets the slightest glimpse of; a robin +flitting about amongst the brambles is safe to have a shot fired at it; +and indeed the dogs, keepers, and shooters have all, in their turns, +very narrow escapes from this gentleman: the position he has held is +well and distinctly marked by the cut-down underwood and well-peppered +trunks of trees. Then there is the sportsman, generally a great swell, +who fires at everything he sees in the distance, and claims all game +killed within a radius of a quarter of a mile. He cannot be induced to +shoot at a rabbit or any game within a reasonable distance, his excuse +always being, "Choke-bore, my dear fellow--blow it to bits;" the fact +being that he never hits anything except by accident, and fancies by +this plan that he is not detected. + +I once saw a capital trick played on a person of this kind by a couple +of mischievous schoolboys. They procured a dead rabbit, and fixed it +firmly in a lifelike position by means of sticks, &c.; then tying a +long piece of string to each foreleg, they went and ensconced +themselves behind two large trees in the cover, one on each side of the +road, about seventy yards from the gentleman's stand. Putting down the +rabbit, one of them drew it slowly across the road, the other giving a +shout, which made their friend look round and immediately shoot at it, +when the string was jerked and the rabbit fell on its side. Whilst he +was reloading and fiddling with his gun, the rabbit was drawn away, and +in a short time the game was played again; in the end about twenty +shots were fired at it by the victim, not one of which touched it, and +the string was only cut once. When lunch-time came, and the keeper went +round to collect the rabbits, he was saluted by the gentleman with: + +"Well, Smith, got my eye in to-day. Never saw such a gun; killed at +least thirty rabbits straight off crossing the road up there. Must have +been one of their regular runs." + +Off went the keeper to pick them up, and of course detected the trick +at once. His good manners would not allow him to laugh there; so he had +to make a bolt for it, and, to my great surprise, I saw this staid and +serious head-keeper burst through the cover into the ride I was in, and +begin to shout with laughter in the most uproarious manner. For a +moment I thought he had gone mad, and on walking up to him could get +nothing out of him, except between his fits of laughter, "Beg pardon, +sir, but them 'limbs,' them two 'limbs!'" At last he got sufficiently +calm to tell me what had occurred, and I need hardly say that I laughed +almost as heartily. The indignation of the victim was great when he +discovered the trick, and he stalked off to the house at once; and +perhaps it was well that he did, for the two young scamps' account of +the whole thing was enough to send anyone into fits. It is needless to +say that they ever after occupied the foremost place in the keeper's +affections. + +It is, indeed, a very pretty sight to see a pack of beagles working in +cover. How they try every tuft of grass or rushes! Soon you notice that +they are working more eagerly, and some begin to lash their tails, and +suddenly out bolts "bunny" from his seat, sure to be saluted by a hasty +shot from some one, not the least to its detriment, but a very narrow +escape for the leading dogs. Away go the pack, making the woods ring +with their tongues. Excited individuals race after them, often with +their guns on full cock, and their fingers on the trigger. What their +ideas may be in this performance is difficult to say, but I suppose it +is the effect of that temporary insanity that seizes many people at the +sight of a rabbit. As a rabbit invariably runs a ring, and returns to +its starting-place, there is not the least use, except for the sake of +the exercise, in trying to follow it; and the first one put up is safe +to run his ring, as the good shots will not fire at him, that the +youngsters may have a chance, and the indifferent shots are sure to +miss the first through excitement. You hear plenty of shots whilst the +dogs are running, as other rabbits, frightened by their noise and +passage, bolt from their seats and scuttle about everywhere. Besides +these, a few old cock-pheasants, who have strayed from the preserves, +are sure to be found and shot. You shortly hear a shot from the cover +the rabbit was found in, followed by "Who-whoop!" showing that the +hunted one has been killed. + +The keeper then begins to draw afresh, and you may notice that certain +of the older sportsmen are very attentive to the hounds whilst drawing, +the reason being, as is soon evident, that they hope a woodcock may be +flushed, and their hopes are usually realised. If you mark one beagle +poking about by himself, sniffing along, evidently on scent, yet not +opening, you may be pretty sure he is on a woodcock. But very soon +another rabbit is found, and away goes the pack, this time not quite so +steadily, as the number of rabbits up tempt the younger hounds after +them. However, this adds (except in the opinion of the staid elders) to +the sport; and soon, by the noise of the beagles' tongues and the rapid +shooting, it appears as if every hound had a rabbit to himself. There +certainly must be some "sweet little cherub" sitting "up aloft," who +protects rabbit-shooters and beagles, so reckless does the shooting +always appear. Here you see an excited youth fire at a rabbit not a +yard in front of the dog. How he manages to miss both seems +incomprehensible, but he does. There another rushes round a corner, and +blazes both barrels at one, just in a line with another gun, and only a +few yards from him; but he escapes too. In a word, rabbit-shooting with +beagles is one of the most amusing, but at the same time one of the +most dangerous, sports going. + +The advance of civilisation and cultivation has almost entirely spoiled +snipe and wild-fowl shooting. In the districts where, thirty years ago, +ducks might be found by dozens and snipe in swarms, the former are +extinct; and as for the latter, if there happens to be one, it flies +off before you are within half a mile of it, as if it was ashamed of +being seen in such a place. I well remember the capital shooting I used +to get in Berkshire. There was a large swampy common of several hundred +acres, all rough sedgy grass and rushes; on one side was a wide ditch +full of twists and turns, with high reedy banks, and at the further end +a narrow tributary of the Thames, with beds of water-rushes on both +sides; and on the other side were acres of small meadows of from six to +ten acres, divided by high hawthorn hedges and deep wide ditches. It +was a real "happy hunting-ground" for anyone fond of the sport, and +many have been the long days that I and my retriever passed on it. The +common itself was invariably full of snipe, and they behaved themselves +properly in those days, not rising and going off in whisps directly you +appeared, but trying to be shot at decently, like respectable birds. +Then the ditch and river were sure to hold ducks; and after you had +hunted the common, it was very exciting work, creeping up the various +well-known curves and turns in the ditch, where the ducks usually +remained, my dog creeping after me, quite as much interested as I was +myself, and showing most wonderful intelligence in avoiding stepping on +any little pieces of thin ice or anything that would make a noise; then +the careful look over the bank, and if the stalk had been successful, +the rapid double shot at the ducks, as they rose with a rush, followed +by the drop of killed or wounded, if the shot had been lucky, and the +subsequent hunt after the cripples, if unfortunately there were any, +for nothing on earth is so difficult to get as a wounded duck. The way +they will dive, and the time they can keep under water, only rising and +putting the tip of their beak up to get air, and the extraordinary +places they get into, will puzzle the best retriever, and weary out his +master's patience, unless he has a very large stock of that, or +obstinacy, in his composition. But very often, when I peered cautiously +over the bank, the ducks could just be seen swimming away down a +further reach of the ditch, making for the larger stream below, and +then it was a race as to which should get there first, as the cunning +birds knew as well as I did that if they once got there, and into the +reed-beds, they were comparatively safe. It was no joke, running as +hard as you could go, in a stooping position, for several hundred +yards; and often they would escape me, an unfortunate step on a piece +of thin ice, or a stick, making them rise, and I then had the pleasure +of seeing them fly off and drop into a reed-bed half a mile off, which +I could not get at. + +I had often been warned that the ditch was dangerous, and proved it on +one occasion, very nearly to my cost. Some ducks dropped into a rushy +pool in a field on the opposite side of it, and as I should have had a +walk of a mile to get round to them, I determined to try and cross, +fortunately for myself selecting a place where there was a stout young +willow; so putting down my gun, and catching firm hold of the tree, I +put one leg into the ditch, and soon found, though it passed down +through the mud above my knee, that no bottom was to be found, and on +trying to withdraw it, discovered that my leg was fixed as if in a +vice. Fortunately the willow was strong, and having one leg on the +bank, after pulling until I thought the other must be dislocated, I +succeeded in extricating myself. + +But the meadows on the further side were where the best sport used to +be got. These, as I have said, were divided by large hawthorn hedges +fully twelve feet high, and intersected by deep ditches full of reeds, +with an open pool here and there. The meadows, too, had narrow gutters +cut in them to act as drains, I believe, and these abounded with snipe; +and after you had flushed the common ones, if you hunted carefully a +good many jacks could be found. The ditches were very good for ducks. +By help of the hedges you could get up to them unperceived, and many a +fine mallard I got here. Hares were also fond of the rough grass, and +partridges might usually be found in the middle of the day. I remember +bagging one December day six and a half couple of ducks, eleven couple +of snipe, besides some jacks, three hares, and three and a half brace +of birds. This does not sound much, but to me it was a thoroughly +enjoyable day. No keeper following at one's heels, full of advice, but +just going where and how I pleased; then the successful stalk after +ducks, and the unexpected luck with partridges and hares, in addition +to the snipe, have indelibly impressed this day on my memory. Being in +this neighbourhood a short time ago, I went down to look at my +favourite ground, and found that the large marshy common, with a few +donkeys and some wretched cows trying to get a living off it, had been +drained, and subdivided by neat post and rail fences, and sheep were +grazing where snipe used to abound. The only thing unchanged was the +old ditch. I suppose it is all right, but I prefer the ducks and snipe. + +Many years ago very fair duck-shooting, and some snipe as well, might +be got on the Thames between Marlow and Windsor, and this was a very +luxurious kind of wild-fowl shooting; for all you had to do was to hire +a punt and a good puntsman who knew the river well, and, wrapping +yourself up comfortably in a warm coat, drop down the river, going into +the quiet back waters and round the eyot-beds. In favourable weather a +good many ducks might be found, and it was curious to notice how they +would hide themselves under the banks where they were undermined by the +stream, and the roots of the osiers hung down. An old mallard would +constantly stay until fairly poked out; and often when you thought you +had tried them thoroughly, after you left an old fellow would rise and +go quacking off. The eyot-beds were favourite places for snipe; but you +could not do much with these unless with a steady old dog, who would +poke slowly all over the place, the stumps and stalks of the osiers +entirely preventing any walking. But now, I believe, this style of +shooting is at an end. + +My last attempt at duck-shooting was very exciting, in fact rather too +much so. A friend, who knew my weakness for it, wrote and asked me to +come to his house, as I could get capital flight-shooting close to his +place. Of course I went, and in the evening we started for the river, +which was much flooded, and embarking in a boat, I was soon landed on a +small mound in the middle of the floods, about twelve feet square, and +was told it was a first-rate place, as the ducks, in their flight from +some large ponds about five miles off, always passed over it. I was +also told I might be sure to know when they were coming by the flashes +of the guns of other wild fowlers on the banks some miles away. A +whistle was given me to signal for the boat when I wanted it, and I was +left alone in my glory. It was very cold, and my island was too small +for exercise. Soon a flash caught my eye, and then the report of a gun +fired some miles off came to my ears, soon followed by a succession of +flashes and reports from gunners posted along each side of the river. +The effect was very pretty, and I admired it greatly, until an idea +struck me that there might be guns posted on the bank behind. Just then +some ducks came along, and I fired rapidly at them; almost +simultaneously came two reports from the bank, and some heavy charges +of shot cut up the water all round; in addition something weighty +struck the ground just in my rear, covering me with mud. Instantly +blowing my whistle, the boat soon came, and on landing I saw two men, +one of whom coming up asked me where I had been. I told him "on the +mound"; to which he rejoined, "Was you, really? Lor, now, if I didn't +think it was the miller's old donkey! and, thinks I, if the aggravating +old beast gets there, a shot or two won't hurt un, and teach him not to +get there again; so I lets 'goo' when the ducks comes along. There, and +so 'twas you, sir; lor, now, to think of that!" and the old fellow went +off into a series of chuckles. + +His gun was an extraordinary one--a single barrel, something like four +feet long, about eight bore. I asked what charge he put in, and he +showed me a measure that held at least four drachms of powder, and +another that would contain about three ounces of number two shot. This +was how he loaded, and in addition, he said, he always put in a couple +of pistol-shots--"they did bring anything down so sweet that they hit." +So these were the pleasant things I heard strike the ground just behind +me. I went home at once, thankful that I had not been bagged. + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Sporting Society, Vol. I (of 2), by Various + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40301 *** |