348 THE STEED OF THE DESERT. BY J. E. CARPENTER, ESQ. (From the French of Paul de Kock.) BENEATH Arabia's fiery skies, Far from the breezy ocean's shore, Bearing away the maid he loves Young Alcar skims the desert o'er : His courser, answering to his voice, In burning flight speeds o'er the sand, As faithful to the form he bears, As patriot to his native land. No water laves that arid plain, Soon must the gallant courser tire- He flies, and seeks the desert wild For some lone, blessed, water-spring. While wandering o'er the scorching sand, A strange and costly caravan Passes the spot where Irma lies.- The light o' love is far away. In vain, to seek the living well, Joy lights the courser's closing eyes; ENGLISH FOX-HUNTING AS IT IS; WITH A NOTICE OF THE DISPUTED RIGHT OF COUNTRY IN WEST SUSSEX, BETWEEN GENERAL AND COLONEL WYNDHAM. THE economy of the chase in this country is, in the present day, conducted upon three systems; namely, where a country is hunted solely at the expense of the proprietor of a pack of foxhounds,-where it is hunted with a subscription,-and where it is hunted for a subscription. The first is, no question, the legitimate principle-the fine old English fashion; and still numbers among its supporters the noblest names to be found in the chronicles of our country. The second is an off-shoot from it; a branch, having all the natural characteristics of its species, but withal lacking the strength and dignity of the parent tree. The third is an exotic of modern origin, introduced to meet a recent and pressing demand. A glance at these three estates will serve to shew their condition and social influence. He who desires to learn what English fox-hunting should be, must seek his information in the splendid specimens of its former and its present glory. Let him visit such establishments as the Belvoir and the Cottesmore-those of the Dukes of Beaufort, Grafton, and Cleveland-the Brocklesby, the Burton, the Pytchley, and others of the same class; and he will see what no other country ever could, or ever can, exhibit. If he turn his attention to the system adopted in many counties in Shropshire, Cheshire, Hertfordshire, Surrey, for instance, -he will find a body of distinguished gentlemen associated to relieve the master of some of the charges incident to his expensive office, and to uphold a most popular rural sport by the weight of their local position. This is the best view of it: the medal has its reverse. It will fall out, occasionally, that young men of fortune, but in all else wofully unfitted for the office, desirous of the eclat attaching to a M. F. H., become candidates for a vacant country in which they possess influence as lords of the soil, or from other causes; and, as they propose to supply a third, in some cases one-half the necessary funds, the offer is accepted. The mischief of such an arrangement is, unfortunately, not merely of a temporary character-such as a change of masters might remedy. The want of knowledge and experience, which have been openly detected in the field, have been covertly working in the kennel, and every department of the ménage; and the evils brought about by a single season's mismanagement require, probably, years to eradicate and correct. Next, however, to the proud dynasties of the chase, whose lords rule supreme and alone, certainly come those establishments at the heads of which are sportsmen of position and tried capacity, supported by clubs, providing a share of the charges and responsibilities. It might be thought invidious to single out for especial notice such countries as come within the third division. Still the principle of hunting for a subscription is one of the necessaries of the modern chase, and, it is much to be feared, will become far more general than it is. The anecdote is a stale one of a celebrated patron of the turf, who, in his early days, was wont to say that fox-hunting would be perfect if it were not for the cursed dogs that were for ever in a horse's way. Over-riding hounds had begun in his time: it progressed under the Osbaldeston dynasty at Melton; and has, at last, broken into open rebellion, headed by the reckless band of steeple chasers. The introduction of that un-English, inhuman practice, steeple chasing, is the heaviest blow that fox-hunting has ever experienced. It is, to sport, what stark drunkenness and red riot are to a well-bred graceful festivity. It has demanded an arena for the display of its gladiatorial propensities in the hunting field; and such it has found in the country hunted for a subscription. No man who regards the rural institutions of this country as the sinews of its strength-the alembics wherein, from the various elements of society, is distilled the precious attar of patriotism—can look without concern upon any chance whereby their character and stability may be ultimately jeopardied. First in importance, because of paramount influence, has ever stood the chase. Never was its condition so critical, so precarious, as at this hour. That new and most pestilent plague of mammon, the railroad, already threatens to be a formidable adversary. The lavish expenditure and profuse magnificence of some modern establishments have certainly not served the cause; while the experiment of hunting countries by means of agents-strangers, without local position or influence, does not appear likely to be a popular, neither a convenient measure. Where a society of men wholly support a pack of foxhounds, what shall prevent them "doing as they like with their own?" The master on commission may cry, "Hold hard, gentlemen," an he please: he may also whistle in the teeth of the tempest: he will take about as much by either of his motions. In this state of things it becomes the positive and instant interest of all who believe that our rural sports are of national concern, to give their zealous assistance to those who support establishments devoted to them, after the good old national principle. Such men are, indeed, faithful stewards, turning to the best account the talents committed to their care, by promoting good-will and social enjoyment. It is for this reason that a mere local question becomes of general importance. A pressing instance of this-one having strong claims on popular sympathy, and loudly demanding an expression of the popular feeling-is the disputed right of country in West Sussex, now at issue between the brothers Colonel and General Wyndham. The merits of that case lie in a nutshell. Years ago, the Earl of Egremont put General Wyndham in possession of all his, Lord E.'s, rights and privileges in the eastern division of the Petworth country, in a fox-hunting relation, and went so far as to purchase farms for him, in consequence of some favourite coverts being upon them. Herein, surely, his animus was sufficiently manifested. But the good lord dies, and Colonel Wyndham says, as he has left me the rents of such and such farms, their 'easements' follow as matters of course." Now there is no such corollary-Colonel Wyndham is not the heir of Lord Egremont: it is a pity he forces people to canvass the condition of his accession to his present wealth. Unless by the especial will of his late father, he has no more claim to the broad lands of Petworth than the wandering piper, or the wandering Jew. Matters of family reference-personal 66 differences merely-are made the instruments whereby a district has The Rev. John Hurst to Major-General The Rev. John Hurst to "MY DEAR GENERAL, "I have received a parcel from Napper, containing a case drawn for judgment and decision by three masters of hounds. Now, from what I have always heard upon the subject, it is not fairly drawn: most of it is supposititious (so in MS.), nor can there be any doubt but that Lord Egremont paid for the hounds, just as he did for the Colonel's coat and hat: however, I'll not pull the protocol to pieces, because I shall see you soon; but I cannot help remarking on the monstrous declaration in his (Colonel Wyndham's) statement, addressed to J. King, Esq.,* that, ‘let the decision be what it may, he shall prevent his coverts being drawn by you:' then why appeal to a third party? The Duke of Beaufort was not an unbiased or impartial person to appeal to, because he is, or has been, advancing claims to a country which the late Duke, without any reservation whatever, gave up. The opinions of Lords Tavistock and Segrave are fair enough, and guarded by 'ifs; they are both men of common sense, and know that an ex parte statement must be received with ifs." There can be no manner of doubt that no man has any right to claim to draw another person's covers if he objects. I would not dispute that for a moment; but if Colonel Wyndham is contending for what Now ought to be called the Sladeland country, the country north of Petworth, that is quite another point. "Thakeham, Storrington. May 3rd, 1839." "I shall certainly not preserve foxes for a pack of hounds, much less hunt with them, which will have to cut about from post to pillar, to avoid an action of trespass; and (with my view of the unjust way in which you have been treated) I think it better to get rid of hounds altogether, kept under such circumstances; and I am prepared to act on that opinion, as far as my farm, of between five and six hundred acres, in Thakeham is concerned. Will you have the kindness to let me hear what your views are as to the resumption, on your part, of the eastern district of the Petworth country? "Thakeham, Storrington, July 27th, 1839.' See SPORTING REVIEW for August last, (page 86, No. 7) for Colonel Wyndham's statement. Unless we were much deceived, this is the reverend gentleman we saw in the rumble of the General's britscha daily during the last Epsom races; and who, during that week, was the General's guest in Mount-street! May this sample of worldly counsellors have the effect for which it is produced. Let Colonel Wyndham eschew the Iago workings of Iscariot priests and Mammon-serving laymen. Let no base eaves-droppers be permitted to poison the ears of natural affection. Let the feud end-and soon. Be the amende honourable offered by him-from whom the first offence proceeded; so shall he gather content from his own heart, and win golden opinions from all good men. RACING IN GERMANY, &c. To the Editor of the Sporting Review. SIR,-Perhaps a short account of what has been doing in Germany (whence I am just arrived) last year, may interest your readers. If so, you are at liberty to insert the following: : I begin with Baron Biel, of Ziero, near Wismar, the father of the German turf; and, for so young a father, he has done much his winnings of this year exceed £1,000, which is saying a good deal. He has, among other fortunate events, had the pleasure to see the first stock of his two new stallions-Predictor, by Soothsayer, and Flame, by Master Robert, out of Felt, among the winners of this year. Two Predictor colts won Sweepstakes; and a three-yearold filly, by Flame, won three times. Among other purchases, Baron Biel has given Lord Tavistock 1,000 guineas for Taurus; and also bought Fawn, the dam of Venison, in foal to Camel, for 250 guineas. This, sir, is the way to do business. Count Hahn, another friend of Nimrod's, was very fortunate, at the commencement of the season, with his Figaro stock, but was beaten towards the conclusion. There are some very superior race-horses now in Germany, Prussia, &c.; and the performances of some of them have been difficult to account for, except according to the uncertainty of all racing speculations. For example:- My Lady, by Zany, at Brunswick, beat Phosphorus very easy, although he was quite fit to run, and very fresh; and, also, Margaretta, by Zany, who has constantly beaten My Lady, quite at her ease, and at short and long distances. Then Zany, himself, who could only run a short distance, is getting stock that runs on well; which is a proof that the chief quality in a stallion is speed. There has, this year, taken place, for the first time, the Guelphen Stakes, to be run for, alternately, in Celle and Brunswick, to which the Duke of Brunswick gives 300 louis, and the Queen a Gold Cup, added to a Sweepstakes of thirty louis each, twenty forfeit. From 1842, it is to be a Produce Stake, for which thirty-seven foals are already named. This year, it was for horses of all ages and countries, and won by Lara, three-years old, by Cain, out of Selima, by Selim, beating My Lady by a head, the former quite fresh, the latter having been running at many places during the season, and, of course, somewhat |