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envy of his neighbours. With what delight did I make all my arrangements on the last day but one of September, previous to my departure on the following day! Was there not a satisfaction in paying a bill here, and a bill there, and repeating the same words over and over again to each creditor, "that as you were going out of town, you had called to settle that little account"? I should rather guess there was. It was satisfactory to think that you would not be the last rose of summer, and that you could close your shutters as well as other people. Well, the morning of the 30th at length arrived, and as I looked out of the window, like a second Mr. Pickwick, I felt as happy as a prince. Even of the milk-man, who was going down the street with his milk-blue, I felt independent, as I should not have to trust to his tender mercies for some time. As soon as I had discussed my breakfast I summoned a cab to go to the Great Western Railway-station at Paddington. Arrived there, I was soon steaming along towards my destination. The latter part of my journey was performed by a coach, which ran from a station, and passed close by my friend's house, at the door of which it put me down. I was greatly amused at hearing a horse-keeper say to the coachman, as we were changing horses, "Please, sir, I want a holiday to-morrow, to go and bury my sister." Arrived at H————, I was received with a hearty welcome both by my friend and his amiable wife, who came smiling to the door to give a warm reception to the old friend of her husband. After having indulged in a little chat, I was shown to my dormitory-a most perfect little sanctum, furnished with one of the most comfortable arm-chairs I ever sat in; and as soon as I had indulged in a warm bath-the greatest luxury a man can have after a dusty journey-I dressed, and we proceeded to the dining-room to partake of a most récherché dinner; and perhaps the Queen never sat down to a better dressed one in her life.

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My host was a sportsman every inch of him"-not one of the sort who have their guns loaded for them, and who cannot walk alone an hour or two each day, but an indefatigable fellow, active, and thoroughly conversant in every thing connected with sporting. It is not surprising then that our conversation turned, as soon as the ladies left the room, upon the prospect for the following day; upon kennels, and their economy; and upon dogs and guns. I now learned that my friend possessed a leash of first-rate pointers, a setter which I knew from experience was a good one, a team of spaniels, and a retriever; that the accounts of the pheasants were favourable; and that there were plenty of hares and partridges. All this was satisfactory; and it only remained that we should hold the guns straight the following day. To ensure this we tarried not over the bottle, though the claret given us by our friend was perfection, but shortly joined the ladies in the drawing-room, who treated us with some music, both vocal and instrumental, as we partook of a cup of delicious coffee. Before retiring to rest our host had in the keeper-a usual custom with him to make all necessary arrangements for the following day, which being done, we retired to bed to dream of the doings that were to take place on the morrow.

As we had to commence operations early, we were up and stirring in good time the following morning; and as soon as we had discussed the substantials invitingly laid out on the snow-white napery,* and had

* Damask.

washed them down with a famous cup of that beverage which "cheers, but not inebriates," we pronounced ourselves ready for action. A more lovely morning to take the field sportsmen never had. The sun was up, but not too warm; and there was an invigorating breeze, which braced the nerves, and rendered buoyant the spirits. We had some little distance to go to the cover we were to commence at, and as we walked along with vigorous steps, climbing the hill together, I can, I am certain, safely say no two ever felt happier or more satisfied with mankind in general. As I turned repeatedly to contemplate the lovely view behind me, of a country always beautiful, but at this time rendered more particularly so by the autumnal tints, I could not help pitying those whose vocation prevented them ever enjoying such scenes, and who could never leave the town to go to the woods and fields. Such people must have very little idea of the wondrous works of nature, which can be seen only in the country.

The covert we were about to commence at lay on the side of a hill, and underneath, bordering it, were corn-fields. As we knew, from observations taken a few days before, that the birds usually fed on these fields, our object was to cut them off from the wood, and so drive them to the hedgerows. A few hundred yards from the spot we diverged from the road, and as soon as we had loaded and put our muskets ready for work, we proceeded to steal cautiously round, and so get between the fields and the covert. This we succeeded in doing, and upon looking cautiously over the hedge I counted no less than forty pheasants on one field of barley-stubble. As soon as we showed ourselves every bird ran to the hedges, which in Herefordshire are thick, and afford ample security for game. When two men shoot in company, it is the best plan for one to go on either side the hedge: this we did, and I had the luck to obtain the first shot of the day, having knocked down the old gentleman of the party, who no doubt was knowingly endeavouring to effect his escape by creeping up the ditch, and so hoping to regain the covert; but unfortunately my Westley Richards came in his way, and put an end to his plans. We had him for dinner a few days after he was killed, and I am sure he had lived quite long enough, for a tougher bird never was, I am persuaded, brought to table, and one so tough I trust never will be again. The cock-pheasant always looks the best for a present, but the hen is to be preferred for eating; and the same may be said of the jack-snipe, which is far superior to the large one of that species. Now I am on the subject of cookery, let me ask my readers if they ever tasted a snipe-pie? if not, let them have one made immediately, and I will warrant it is pronounced to be the best thing they ever discussed. But perhaps I should say, "first catch your snipe !"—ay, there's the rub' Well, if you cannot shoot them, beg, borrow, or steal; at all events, have your pie—and I am a Dutchman if you don't have another, which, out of gratitude, you should ask Ramrod to partake of: but, however, he will leave that to your own good taste, which you show you possess, by reading this Sporting Magazine. Every one, Prince Albert included, acknowledges it to be the best publication extant, and it will, I trust, continue to meet with the support it so justly merits; and I have no doubt such will be the case so long as it is conducted by its present clever and much-esteemed editor.

"Bang!-bang!-both birds down!" exclaims my friend from the

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other side of the hedge. "Look out !-there is an old hare going along the ditch." Out jumped her ladyship on my side, and I took the liberty of knocking her over; and before I had done loading, two pheasants came within shot over my head. Flinging down the ramrod I threw the gun to my shoulder, and, strange to say, killed both with one barrel, for just as I pulled the trigger at the cock, the hen crossed him, and received some of the shot. She was in this case her own enemy, and the verdict upon her should have been accidental death! Again I heard the double report of my companion's gun, which laid low two more cock birds, four having risen close under his feet; and whilst he was loading three more got up, two of which came over the hedge, within fifty yards of the place where I was standing: one I bagged; the other escaped owing to the cap of the left barrel having fallen off. I suppose in my naste I omitted to place it on securely. It is always of the utmost importance that percussion-caps fit close to the nipple, otherwise such a misfortune as I have mentioned will be continually occurring; and not only to this should attention be paid, but also to the metal of which the cap is made, which if not of the best quality will constantly endanger the eyes of the sportsman. I have frequently seen people using those cheap unribbed caps, which are constantly flying when struck by the hammer; but how such persons, for the sake of a paltry saving of a few pence, could bring themselves to place their eyes in jeopardy, I am at a loss to understand. The best and most economical plan is to purchase caps from some eminent maker, from whom they can be had in bags containing some hundreds. Those sold by Westley Richards and Messrs. Parker, Field, and Sons, are excellent, as are those made by Mr. Joyce and many others. When we consider how close the eye is to the cap when it explodes, we cannot but see how necessary it is to take every precaution, to ensure the safety of that valuable member of our frame, the loss of which is irremediable.

As we moved down the hedgerow the birds continued to come out on one side or the other as fast as we could load and fire; and occasionally the shooting was diversified by a hare or rabbit popping out; but the most satisfactory shot of the season fell to my lot, and caused me to feel myself the great man of the day-the lion of the sportsmen. In the field in which I was grew turnips, and just as I reached the hedge at the lower end, the old steady setter which had ranged a little way into the turnips, suddenly brought herself up, and made a most handsome point. I saw, by the way she stood, it was something uncommon she was upon; and so it proved, for up rose a woodcock. I was certainly nervous, fearing I might miss it; and so I did with the first barrel, but with the second was more successful, for when the smoke cleared away, leaving a few oscillating feathers in the air, I could see the mottled favourite lifeless on the ground. To kill the first woodcock is always a source of congratulation, much more so at such an early period of the season, consequently I was soon overwhelmed with compliments. It has been ascertained beyond doubt that these birds occasionally remain all the year, and lay in this country; but I am inclined to think the one in question had not long arrived, and I am led to form such an opinion from the fact of the bird being so very thin, and it had every appearance of having had a long flight. This was not the first woodcock I had killed at such an early period of the year, for, when shooting in Norfolk

in 1840, I moved one from a turnip-field, which I bagged, and this was on the second of October.

One o'clock, the hour my host had fixed for luncheon, having arrived, we betook ourselves to a shady nook, and near to which was a picturesque stream, where a bottle of Guinness' stout lay cooling; and oh! what can equal the enjoyment of the first pull at the tankard to the thirsty sportsman?-nothing. The second is not to be compared to it; and so thought my friend, if appearances are any criterion, for he buried his nose for a very long time in the pewter-so long, indeed, that I who was second turn began to feel some misgivings as to the quantity that would fall to my share. As soon as our repast was concluded we proceeded to examine the bag, which we found to contain ten brace of pheasants, a leash of hares, two couple of rabbits, and though last not least, the long bill. Thoroughly refreshed, we moved forward to beat some ground where we knew there were partridges, and we soon fell in with a fine covey of eighteen, which we drove to some potatoes, and there thinned. A second covey we found in some turnips, and a third on wheat stubble; from these we bagged six brace-all fine birds; but owing to some mistake the old ones got away, which should not have been the case, as they ought to have been killed first. In the turnips I knocked down a landrail; and from a ditch my friend rose a wild duck, which he killed.

By five o'clock we had pretty well satisfied ourselves, and proceeded to turn our steps homeward: arrived there, the game was displayed on the hall table, for the inspection of the stay-at-homes, the return of killed being ten brace of pheasants, six brace of partridges, one woodcock, a leash of hares, two couple of rabbits, a landrail, and a wild duck -pretty good sport, I should say, considering we had walked for all this, and the game had not been driven to us, after the manner of battues; indeed, I felt well satisfied with what we had done; and after dinner, as we sat sipping our wine, I was expressing a hope that we should enjoy equal success the following day, when it suddenly occurred to me that I had not inquired if there were any letters for me; upon which the bell was rung, and in answer to my inquiry the servant placed one in my hand which I opened, and read as follows::

"DEAR RAMROD,

"I am very sorry I am obliged to put an end to the pleasure I have no doubt you are enjoying, by summoning you back to town on the H. business. I have received some papers which require your immediate attention, so pray lose no time in setting off.

"Yours truly,

"J. PARCHMENT."

All I could say was "Confound those lawyers!" as I handed the letter to my friend to read.

"Law's a ticklish thing" said he, "to deal with; so you had better go. But mind you come back, and have some woodcock-shooting." "That you may rely upon," replied I; "the sport you gave me today was too good to allow me to let you off easily; therefore, if you do not mean the invitation, you had better not have given it. Another glass, and then let us adjourn to the drawing-room; and let the last glass be a toast- The Health of all True Sportsmen !'-Hip, hip, hip, hurrah! hurrah! One cheer more! And now for some coffee."

GLANHEST:

A SPORTING REMINISCENCE;

BY W. H. MAXWELL, ESQ.,

AUTHOR OF "WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST," &c. &c.

"Old days are gone, old manners fled," and all that was looked forward to inauld lang syne" with joyous expectancy, or regarded as a happy reminiscence, has vanished. "Mumming and masquing," which that sour puritan, John Knox, traced directly to the inventive genius of the gentleman in black, have sunk into desuetude. On the welcome return of that season, hallowed to the saint, and hailed by the sinner, when the genial affections were awakened, and separated families were once more united for the nonce; when the cottage-hearth was gladdened with good things thriftily reserved, and the rich man's table groaned beneath superadded luxuries; when the churl's heart was opened, and the miser's purse-strings were untied; when the day spent in manly pastime was followed by the evening carouse, and after the worn-out bacchanalian had slunk to his pillow to repair exhausted spirits for returning revelry, even then the sounds of wandering minstrelsy were heard at "witching hour," and all beneath the roof-tree, from squire of high degree to the wearied Cinderella reposing on the kitchen-settle, all were particularized by name, and wished a polite return of the season.* In Ireland there was dancing, and courting, and drinking, and selon le règle, as their accompaniments, broken vows and damaged reputations, and splintered glass and shattered sculls. In sober Scotland, shintyt was played, and whiskey was liberally distributed; while John Bull amused himself by grumbling against times and taxes; wondered, if matters went to the devil as they were doing, whether a sovereign would be, at next Advent, visible throughout the land; and he cherished his wife and whipped the children; paid all his yearly engagements; found out to his perfect satisfaction that he was robbed equally by Church and State, and desperately resolved to make this, his last Christmas, a pleasant one, that he might recal it in the workhouse-that being his certain destination before the following festival should come round; yet, wonderful to narrate, even after "boxing demands"—and their name was Legion-were liquidated, he stood better than on the antecedent anni

* In the west of Ireland, and within the writer's memory, every member of the family was distinctly named; and the census of each household was so accurately known, that even a visitor, who made the domicile his nocturnal halting-place, was specially honoured with a complimentary commendation to "soft repose," and a tune upon the fiddle.

+ A game similar to what is called "Commons" in Ireland. Rude action and no skill is required from the players; while cricket in England, and hurling, admit of beautiful displays of agility, strength, and science.

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