other?—and shall you find fault with any one for indulging his hobby, and fancying he is riding a winning race upon a thick-winded cob against a phantom jockey on a marvellous bit of blood; or run down a respectable young man for obeying the instructions of his ridingmaster, and bumping himself perhaps a little more than is agreeable because as yet he knows no better, and could not lean over his horse's shoulders without imminent risk of pitching on his nose! I should have liked to see what a fine figure you cut yourself when you first began to ride. But no doubt you will tell me that when first you cast your dexter leg over the pig-skin, you felt as comfortably seated as ever did child with a belly full of raw fruit on his chaise percée, or, to choose a more decent simile, as ever did new-made Chancellor on the Woolsack. That you Amateur.-" Quo hæc tam putida tendunt Furcifer ?" Do you think I am not proof against your revilings, and that I am not sufficiently aware of the natural acerbity of your disposition, and of its cause-an empty stomach-to know that a good luncheon is absolutely necessary to the suavity of your demeanor, which else breaks forth in these angry gusts? But do not think to escape so easily from the instructions I was about to give thee, for I promise thee I have yet a terrific yarn in store. Dick. God help me then! Amateur.-I trust he may; and, in the meantime, do thou help me into my stilts, for truly this north wind, if it have somewhat increased the rheumatism in my knees, hath, like honest Jack Falstaff's sherrissack, "a two-fold operation," for it hath given me une faim de loup, and a few dozens of "Natives" would be a 66 crowning mercy" to my stomach that is in trouble. Take care; do not be so rough; recollect you'll not always be as young as you are. Oh! A plague o' both these stilts; I think they have the cramp as well as my legs, for they do not seem much disposed to move. Come, "get for'ard, get for'ard there! First home for a hundred !" (To be continued.) HUNTING TOUR CONTINUED. Visit to the Atherstone Country-Accommodation for Horses in travelling no mean considerationCalloway, the Jockey-Close of the Season-the Kennels, and List of the Atherstone Hounds. WHEN travelling from one country to another for the purpose of hunting with different packs of hounds, the accommodation for horses becomes a consideration of no mean importance. Even under the most favorable circumstances, a constant change of stabling is certainly anything but conducive to condition: but if the hay and corn be bad, its injurious effects are soon visible. On most occasions I endeavor to station my horses at those inns where accommodation is provided for race-horses, if races be held in the town, or at such places as they are accustomed to stop at when moving from one place to another: there you are almost certain to meet with good stabling, and generally good provender; and at the better description of such hostelries you may usually meet with comfortable entertainment for your own proper person, some little of which, however, I would at any time sacrifice for the sake of my horses if circumstances required me to do so. When journeying to Atherstone, my route being through Lichfield, I took up my quarters for one night at the house kept by Calloway, the jockey, and I must do him the justice to declare that I never was made more comfortable, nor could the essentials necessary in the cavalry department be more assiduously provided for. Independently of the twofold character of landlord and jockey, Calloway has combined that of trainer, having the old Lichfield race-course to exercise upon, which for a limited number of horses is well adapted for the purpose: he has already got three or four horses at work, and there is no doubt that he will bring them to the post with credit to himself and justice to his employers. On my arrival at Atherstone I found that the hounds had nearly concluded their engagements for the season, from two powerful reasons-one, the long succession of dry weather that we have experienced, which has rendered the country exceedingly hard and dangerous to ride over, as also that it has destroyed all probability of scent; the other, a scarcity of foxes, which would render the unfortunate death of a heavy vixen a serious loss. Up to about the 20th of February we had a continuous succession of wet, when a sharp dry frost set in; and although there was little or no snow, the ground was so hard for nearly three weeks, that it was impossible for hounds to go out, with the exception of one or two days on which the power of the sun dispelled the frost in the middle of the fields towards the afternoon; but even there it was very hard under the hedges on the northern side; and as fox-hunters are not usually provided with compasses to determine the north from the south, it was more than imprudent to think of riding, and the season may almost be said at that period to have been brought to an abrupt and unexpected conclusion. The sport which the Atherstone hounds had last season that is, 1838 and 1839 was of the most brilliant description: it is scarcely probable that they should have two equally good in succession; but this, which was by no means equal to it, has been at all events upon a par with their neighbours. The kennels are situated at Witherley, about a mile from Atherstone on the left of the road to Hinckley, and have been built at the expense of the Gentlemen of the country: they are exceedingly commodious and well arranged, and do infinite credit to the architect, whoever he may be. Doubtless he was a Sportsman, or he would not have contemplated so clearly what is requisite for the accommodation of hounds. They appear to want but one addition, which is that of a grass yard for them to run into; though probably, after all, that is no very great loss, inasmuch as it renders it more necessary to take them out to exercise-an arrangement which I have no hesitation in stating is not in general sufficiently attended to. When the hunting season commences, few other hounds are taken beyond the precincts of their own kennels, except on hunting days, unless it be during a frost; but I am quite satisfied they would be in better condition under such management. These hounds, not having a grass-yard, are evidently the better for it; nevertheless, it causes more trouble to the servants. Their appearance indicates great care and attention, and from what I saw of them I was quite convinced of their ability to go had they found a good fox and the scent had served them. The locality of the kennels is particularly well selected, being quite in the centre of the country, consequently they never have to lie out except occasionally during the cub-hunting season. Ditto. Clencher...... Mr. Smythe Owen's Challenger. His Juliet. Commodore.. Diomed... Comedy. Ditto. Mr. Smythe Owen's Challenger. His Countess. D ESPER WAT VATSHECALD thus spake, and said, as he drew Squire Western's bed curtains-(the aforesaid Esquire is, I rather think, the last of the genus Westernum; and the aforesaid youth of the comical name is his valet and groom)-"If you please, Sir, it has gone nine o'clock."-"Well, well!" snorts his sleepy master, "what sort o' weather is it?"" Dry, if you please, Sir, with frost."-" Well, that does not exactly please me: howsomdever, take on my bay horse to the covert side."-Thus having spoken, the gentleman again closed his hands across his breast for slumber, and again closed his eyes in sleep, which laziness, peradventure, lost to him a good run with our crack pack of fox-hounds. Then a mischievous chap of a poetaster pricked him with the spur of wakefulness in the shape of the following stave :— Arise, Sluggard, arise, And clap on your hunting togs ; The weather's so dry, o'er the moors you'll fly, Time flies, Sluggard, Time flies! The foxes they are at play; What aye be the weather, Dog and Vick together |