and their huntsman, as I said in my account of their proceedings, were too hastily judged of; and, to a certain extent, such was the case respecting Mr. Hodgson's pack. Now these (Mr. Hodgson's) appeared to me, and I saw them in all situations, to have only one fault, and that fault may readily be mended. When the scent fails, they "come to hunting," as the term is, rather too soon for a roomy country, like Leicestershire. They might fling themselves wider before they come back to the line, which would give them a chance to hit off their fox more quickly than they do, and before the crowd of horses come upon them. The Belvoir hounds do this to perfection, and still no hounds in the world are more true to the line. But in my experience of hounds, I have generally found that those which are kept on a limited establishment, as Mr. Hodgson's were kept in the Holderness country, are not free from this failure, and it may easily be accounted for. As their owners only breed to a limited extent, they cannot draft so closely as the owners of larger kennels; consequently they pursue with hounds which require much breaking, and the effect which I have alluded to is too often the result. Mr. Hodgson's hounds, however, showed that when the scent served well, they could go fast enough for the fastest men; and with a very bad scent, none could be more steady and patient, or try harder to kill their fox. In the second place, allowance must be made for all hounds last season, which was one of the worst for scent that the oldest sportsman can bring to his recollection, caused by excessive rains, and variations of temperature to an extraordinary degree. Even Lord Lonsdale's hounds, who rarely tread on ploughed land, could do but little; nay, more, they are admitted to have had the worst season they have ever had since the pack was established.

With the form of Mr. Hodgson's hounds, although it may not reach that high standard of perfection to be found in the Belvoir kennel, no man need find fault; and for their blood, let the list speak to that; much of the best in Great Britain will be found in it.

* It will be observed that, after the seven-year-old hounds, it is omitted to distinguish the ages of the others in this list.

Cheshire Envoy

their Gladsome

MANAGER

PROPHET

Badsworth Levity

Duke of Rutland's Bluecap
Lord Yarborough's Druid
Mr. Foljambe's Admiral
Duke of Grafton's Palatine
Lord Yarborough's Fountain ditto Destiny

Mr. Foljambe's Abigail
Ditto Comedy
Ditto Tuneful
his Hecube

Mr.Applethewaite's Monitor Cheshire Curious
Rufford Comus
Ditto Proserpine

Stud Hound.-VAGRANT, by Sir T. Sykes's Valiant, out of the Rufford Abigail. Of Mr. Hodgson, as a master of hounds, let his fifteen years' character, as the servants say, speak to that. Barring his horsemanship, no man can be better qualified for the situation; and, as I have said of the list of his hounds, in reference to their blood, let the following account of a piece of plate given to him by the farmers—not the gentlemen, which much enhances the compliment-of the Holderness country, in testimony of the high opinion they entertained of him as a sportsman and a gentleman, during fifteen years' experience of him in the field and elsewhere.

Presentation of Plate to T. B. Hodgson, Esq., Master of the Quorn Hounds.-It will be known to most of our readers that Thomas Bent Hodgson, Esq., who hunted the Holderness hounds with great spirit for fifteen seasons, left that country at the end of the season before last, to hunt the Quorn country, in Leicestershire. The farmers who had hunted with Mr. Hodgson in Holderness, being desirous of presenting him with some token of respect, a subscription was opened for that purpose, which speedily amounted to 100 guineas; and it was then resolved to present Mr. Hodgson with a tea service of that value; and in order to give the subscribers and friends of Mr. H. an opportunity of meeting him, and witnessing its presentation, it was determined that it should be presented at a dinner to be given to Mr. Hodgson, at the Red Lion Inn, in Great Driffield, on Tuesday, the 28th of April. The dinner was confined to the subscribers, and the personal friends of Mr. Hodgson, who were invited to meet him. At six o'clock

Valiant, from Sir T. Sykes's kennel, by their own Woodman, out of their Comfort.

about sixty gentlemen sat down to a sumptuous entertainment, provided by Mr. Johns. George Legard, Esq., occupied the chair, and was supported on his right by Lord Hawke, the Rev. Christopher Syke, John Grimston, Esq., Ellis Hodgson, Esq., and others, and on his left by William Constable Maxwell, Esq., T. B. Hodgson, Esq., G. S. Foljambe, Esq., G. H. Thompson, Esq., and others. The vice-chair was occupied by Mr. George Robert Dawson, of Poundsworth. After the cloth was drawn, the chairman gave, without preface, the following toasts: "The Queen," "Prince Albert," "The Queen Dowager, and the rest of the Royal Family," "The Army and Navy." Ellis Hodgson, Esq., having been called upon, briefly acknowledged the latter toast. The plate was then brought into the room, and placed in the centre of the table. It consisted of a superb silver tea-pot, coffeepot, cream ewer, sugar basin, two steak dishes and covers, sugar tongs, and a dozen tea-spoons. The whole of the articles were marked with Mr. Hodgson's crest, and the principal ones bore the following inscription: "Presented, by the Farmers of the Holderness Hunt, to T. B. Hodgson, Esq., as a token of respect and esteem." Mr. G. R. Dawson, the vice-chairman, then rose, and, addressing Mr. Hodgson, said he had great pleasure in offering for his acceptance the plate purchased by the subscription of the farmers of the Holderness Hunt, not more as a token of the high opinion they entertained of him as a sportsman, than of their esteem for his character as a private gentleman. He (Mr. Dawson) believed that every farmer who had been in the habit of hunting with Mr. Hodgson, had come forward as a subscriber; and, in their names, he wished that gentleman health and prosperity, and that he might long live to preside with satisfaction to himself and friends over the first hunting establishment in the world. After a few words in addition, from the chairman, Mr. Hodgson returned thanks for the compliment paid to him, in a very feeling manner. The subsequent part of the evening was spent in a very agreeable

way.

This eulogium on Mr. Hodgson calls forth one more remark: "A master of hounds," says Mr. Delmé Radcliffe, in his "Noble Science," "can have no durable prospect of success, unless he carries with him the voice of the whole country." Mr. Meynell was also aware of this, as was apparent by his conduct towards the farmers in the Quorn Hunt in his time.

(To be continued.)

HOG HUNTING.

To give the first spear, in a well contested field, is decidedly the object of every hog-hunter, and deservedly so; but, at the same time, the struggle is mostly a trial of horsemanship, there being less chance of getting cut by a flying boar, than after he has been wounded and irritated, except in instances where he proves to be such a warrior as

all true sportsmen delight in meeting with; one that, when roused from his lair, scorns to fly a single yard, but, bounding on to his legs, stands grinning defiance at a whole field of riders, and, wetting his tusks, dares any one to the battle. Of such a one the first spear becomes a matter of honour and danger; for not having exhausted his wind in a fruitless attempt at escape by the aid of his heels, the arrow-like rapidity and strength of his charge upon you is incredible. On such occasions, both man and horse must be skilful and steady indeed to gain a victory unhurt.

In getting the horse cut, the fault almost invariably lies with the rider, if in an open country. In jungle (grass six feet high, or brushwood), of course it is not always in your power to avoid the boar, nor are you always able to receive him with your spear; some branch or other obstruction turns the point away, and leaves you unprotected. Then it is you find the advantage of having an active horse. Many a horse has been known to jump fairly over them, often as much to the surprise of the rider as the boar. Most extraordinary capers are frequently seen on such occasions, and people taking lessons in sticking to their horse on neck or tail, or wherever they happen to be pitched. Few, however, come off entirely; the boars tusks appearing to have the charm of adhesion in them, which invariably seems to be imparted to the knees by all observant eyes. Sometimes a spill does happen to the best riders, when the dust is bitten in spite of the charm. Such a thing happened to the renowned OLD BOOTS, than whom a stronger rider or better horseman never graced a saddle. He was mounted on a small country-bred mare, much below his weight, and had ridden her to a stand-still, whilst two of the party had brought the boar to bay. By dint of severe spurring he managed to make the mare walk, and, contrary to the persuasions of his brother sportsmen, went straight at the boar. When near enough, he lifted his hand aloft, intending to give an awful dig, but missed the animal, coming over the mare's head at the same time, right upon the top of the boar, who, however, was too much engaged in cutting away at the mare's shoulder to take notice of him, and allowed him to recover his legs, and be ready with his spear, which he had never quitted, to receive the boar.

Of the same party Mr. M- -e made one: he is the most reckless rider at the boar that perhaps ever was known; and it is difficult to say how he escaped without either of his horses getting a scratch. They were, to be sure, two of the cleverest Arabs for the purpose that the eyes of a sportsman ever looked upon; compact, strong, and active; and, moreover, one of them a most determined kicker at boars. He has been known to send some of them staggering back for yards, when they attacked him from behind. Both nags would follow a boar almost without guidance, and seemed to delight in the sport. To give some idea of Mr. Me's style of riding, it will be unnecessary to mention more than one circumstance, illustrating how indifferent he appeared to be to the chance of getting himself or his horse cut. He had speared a boar, and been unable to withdraw his spear again: no one being near to assist him, and being close to the jungle, the boar would have escaped had not M- e placed himself in the way, and allowed the animal to charge down upon him, and cut