quarters, seized the badger with as little delay as might be, and
endeavoured to drag it forth into open daylight. It required a dog of rare
pluck and courage, however, to accomplish this feat--one, in fact,
insensible to punishment; and few could be found willing to face and endure
hard biting, and force the badger from its lair. Pure bred bull dogs will
naturally go in and face anything, but it is in very few instances that
they make any attempt to draw. Long experience showed that the best and
truest that could be produced, were a cross between a well bred bull dog
and a terrier, commonly known as bull terriers. Sufficiently powerful and
courageous dogs were, also, to some extent, to be found amongst rough wiry
haired terriers--the Charlieshope Pepper and Mustard breed of Dandie
Dinmonts--which "fear naething that ever cam wi' a hairy skin on't;" and
the handsome, smooth, glossy-coated black and tan dog, "fell chield at the
varmin," which would buckle either "tods or brocks." Bedlington
terriers,--a distinct breed of Northumbrian origin, long known and esteemed
in Cumberland and other northern counties--have frequently proved
themselves admirable adepts at drawing the badger. These dogs, properly
speaking, are more "fluffy" coated than wiry--have greater length of leg
than the Dandie Dinmonts--are full of spirit and stamina--remarkably active
and alert--and very fierce and resolute when called into action.
The badger is not often much hurt in the drawing, the thickness of their
skin being sufficient to prevent them from taking any great harm. The
looseness of the skin is such that they can turn easily, and, moreover,
they are so quick in moving about, that the dogs are often desperately
wounded in the first assault, and compelled to give up the contest.
To give an idea of the extreme sensitiveness for cleanliness which
characterize the habits of the badger, let the following example be taken.
On being drawn from its barrel by the dog, it not unfrequently happens in
the scuffle which ensues, that the animal is rolled over and over, among
the mire of the road, or the dirt of some neighbouring dunghill. Should the
badger, however, be able to escape to its place of refuge in the barrel,
even for a minute or two, the onlooker is surprised to find it turn out
again as "snod" and clean, as if the dragging process through the dirt had
never been undergone.
Several proverbial sayings are current, which have been drawn from the
nature and habits of this animal. For instance, a man of much and long
continued endurance, is said to be "as hard as a brock;" and any one, upon
whom age is creeping, and whose hair has lost a good deal of its original
brightness, is said to be "as grey as a badger." Relph of Sebergham, in
detailing in his native patois, the woes of a young and lusty love-sick
swain, gives an illustration of one of the modes of hunting the animal:--
Nae mair i' th' neets thro' woods he leads,
To treace the wand'rin' _brock_;
But sits i' th' nuik, an' nowt else heeds,
But Jenny an' her rock.
In addition to the haunts of the badger incidentally mentioned,
Brock-stones, in Kentmere; Brock-holes, at the foot of Tebay Fells;
Graythwaite woods, in Furness Fells; Greystoke forest, near Penrith;
Brockley-moor, in Inglewood forest; Brock-hills, near Hesket Newmarket; and
Brocklebank, on the east side of Derwentwater;--these and many other like
coverts in the Lake Country, (as their names indicate,) were all
strongholds and places of much resort for these animals, in the olden time.
Within the memory of living man, badgers have burrowed in the sand hills on
Brocklebank, where it was not uncustomary for the tag-rag and bob-tail
fraternity of Keswick, to hunt and capture them for the purpose of baiting.
About the year 1823, Tom Wilson, a shoemaker--reared at The Woodman inn,
Keswick--remembers one being caught in a sack at the foot of Brockle-beck,
when a novel but extremely foolish experiment was tried in the way of
hunting it. It was let off in the midst of a gang of rough men, half-grown
lads, and dogs, in deep water, near Lord's Island on Derwent Lake, and the
chances are that the poor animal perished by drowning. At all events, it
soon disappeared under the surface, and was never seen again by man or dog.
A husbandman, named Jonathan Gill, captured another on Great How, a steep
wooded mountain which rises on the east side of Thirlmere lake. These are
the two last badgers in the Keswick locality, of which we have any tidings.
It is more than probable that the Brocklebank herd became dispersed or
extinct about this period.
ADDENDA
MIDNIGHT CHASE OF A BULL BY PROFESSOR WILSON.
THOMAS DE QUINCEY.
Represent to yourself the earliest dawn of a fine summer's morning, time
about half-past two o'clock. A young man, anxious for an introduction to
Mr. Wilson, and as yet pretty nearly a stranger to the country, has taken
up his abode in Grasmere, and has strolled out at this early hour to that
rocky and moorish common (called the White Moss) which overhangs the Vale
of Rydal, dividing it from Grasmere. Looking southwards in the direction of
Rydal, suddenly he becomes aware of a huge beast advancing at a long trot,
with the heavy and thundering tread of a hippopotamus, along the public
road. The creature is soon arrived within half a mile of his station; and
by the grey light of morning is at length made out to be a bull, apparently
flying from some unseen enemy in his rear. As yet, however, all is mystery;
but suddenly three horsemen double a turn in the road, and come flying into
sight with the speed of a hurricane, manifestly in pursuit of the fugitive
bull. The bull labours to navigate his huge bulk to the moor, which he
reaches, and then pauses panting and blowing out clouds of smoke from his
nostrils, to look back from his station amongst rocks and slippery crags
upon his hunters. If he had conceited that the rockiness of the ground had
secured his repose, the foolish bull is soon undeceived; the horsemen,
scarcely relaxing their speed, charge up the hill, and speedily gaining the
rear of the bull, drive him at a gallop over the worst part of that
impracticable ground down to the level ground below. At this point of time
the stranger perceives by the increasing light of the morning that the
hunters are armed with immense spears fourteen feet long. With these the
bull is soon dislodged, and scouring down to the plain below, he and the
hunters at his tail take to the common at the head of the lake, and all, in
the madness of the chase, are soon half engulphed in the swamp of the
morass. After plunging together for about ten or fifteen minutes all
suddenly regain the _terra firma_, and the bull again makes for the rocks.
Up to this moment, there had been the silence of ghosts; and the stranger
had doubted whether the spectacle were not a pageant of aërial
spectres--ghostly huntsmen, ghostly lances, and a ghostly bull. But just at
this crisis, a voice (it was the voice of Mr. Wilson) shouted aloud, "Turn
the villain! turn that villain! or he will take to Cumberland." The young
stranger did the service required; the villain was turned, and fled
southwards; the hunters, lance in rest, rushed after him; all bowed their
thanks as they fled past; the fleet cavalcade again took the high road;
they doubled the cape which shut them out of sight; and in a moment all had
disappeared, and left the quiet valley to its original silence, whilst the
young stranger, and two grave Westmorland "statesmen," (who by this time
had come into sight upon some accident or other) stood wondering in
silence, and saying to themselves, perhaps,
"The earth hath bubbles as the water hath;
And these are of them."
But they were no bubbles; the bull was a substantial bull, and took no harm
at all from being turned out occasionally at midnight for a chase of
fifteen or eighteen miles. The bull, no doubt, used to wonder at this
nightly visitation; and the owner of the bull must sometimes have pondered
a little on the draggled state in which the swamps would now and then leave
his beast; but no other harm came of it.
INDEX.
Abbot, Joseph, Bampton, and Tom "Dyer," 165,
and Weightman, 190, 198
"A bit iv a lad stept oot of a corner o' the ring," 202
Alston town, description of, 135
" wrestlers, 135
Arlecdon moor wrestling meetings, 68
Armstrong, "Solid Yak," 131, 143, 151
Armstrong, Jacob, thrown by Weightman, 199
Ashburner, Tom, Grasmere, and Roan Long, 92
Atkinson, Robert, Sleagill giant, 8
BADGERS AND BADGER BAITING, 235
" at Naworth, 236
Balmer, John, nearly drowned in Windermere, 78
Bateman, William, Yottenfews, 176
Barrow, John, Windermere, 77
Bedlington terriers, 241
Best, George, Yarrow, xliv
Bewick, Thomas, and his Ainstable cousin, 14,
bull baiting, 222
Bigg, John Stanyan, quotation from, 134
Bird, George, Langwathby, 33
" Joseph, Holme Wrangle, 66, 71, 72
Border wrestling at Miles end, xlv
Bowstead, John, brother to Bishop of Lichfield, 32
Bridewain or Bidden Weddings, 15
Brown, Rev. Abraham, wrestler, 63
Brunskill, George, and William Wilson, 185
BULL BAITING, 219
Bull-dogs and Bull-terriers, 240
Burns, Arthur, Ullater, and Roan Long, 92, 175
Caldbeck, familiar name at, 157
Carlisle wrestling, list of men who contended at first annual meeting, 107
Cass, William, and Tom Todd, 171,
and Weightman, 184, 203, 204
Casson, Robert, Oxenpark, 177
Chapman, Richard, 33, 146, 167
Christopherson, Brian, Oxenpark, 176
Clark, William, Hesket-new-market, 153, 160
"Clattan," (_see_ Mc.Laughlan)
Cock-fighting prohibited by the Puritans, xxvii
Cock-fighting at Elleray and Alston, 142
"Cork lad of Kentmere," 3
Cornish wrestling, xxv, xxviii
Cromwell, Oliver, at a wrestling meeting, xxvii
Crow park, Keswick, 179
CUMBERLAND AND WESTMORLAND WRESTLING, ANCIENT, 1
Dandie Dinmont terriers, 241
DENNISON, GEORGE, 141
" thrown by William Dickinson, 140,
sets a dislocated shoulder in the Carlisle ring, 144
Devonshire wrestling, xxv, xxviii
DICKINSON, WILLIAM, 135
DIXON, MILES, 74
" JAMES, 84-103
" George, "aw t' Dixons errant doon yet," 85
"Dixon's three jumps," 13
Dobson, John, Cliburn, 24, 163
Dodd, Adam, Langwathby, 24, 28, 32, 64
Dodd, Robert, Brough, 7
"Doon on ye'r knees, fadder, an' boo like a bull," 222
Eals, Sarah, Alston, a shrew, 140
Earl, John, Cumwhitton, 120, 160
Earl, William, and "Clattan," 212, 214
ENGLISH WRESTLING, OLD, xxiv
Faulds Brow sports, 56
FAWCETT, JAMES, 36-24
Fearon, John, Gilcrux, 171, 172
Fidler, John, Wythop hall, 67
Ford, T., Ravenglass, 56, and Weightman, 189, 190
Forster Brothers, the, of Penton, 168, 193
Foxes and Badgers fraternising, 237
"Fwok sud aye be menseful, an' menseful amang fwok," 206
"Gwordie Maut" and Weightman, 192
Gibson, Alexander Craig, "Folk Speech of Cumberland," 97
Golightly, Thomas, Alston, 24, 129
Graham, Sir James--black mare, 187
Graham, James, and Weightman, 193, 199,
throws "Clattan," 210
GRAHAM, HARRY, 116-66
Grecian wrestling, ancient, ix
Gretna fight, the--Carter and Oliver, 173
Harrison, Thomas, Blencow, 10
" John, New Church, 54, 143
" John, Lowick, "Checky," 175
Herdwick sheep, 58
High street mountain, sports on, 11
Hodgson, Tom,--quarrel with Weightman, 197,
throws "Clattan," 210
Hogg, James, Ettrick Shepherd, xxxviii
Holmes, John, King of Mardale, 32
Holmes, John, tailor, 93
"Hoo 'at thoo let him hipe the' i' that stupid fashion?" 183
Howard, Mr. Philip, Corby Castle, and Weightman, 197
Howell, Edward, Greystoke, 184
Huddleston, Mr. Andrew, 10
"If thoo says Clattan isn't a gud russler," 182
Indian wrestling, xviii
Irish wrestling, xlvi
Irishmen, two, and Tom Nicholson, 111
Irving, George, 204, 210, 212
"I's nobbut shy--I's nobbut varra shy," 206
Jackson, Joseph, sickle maker, 176
Jameson, Samuel, Penrith, 54, 145, 159
" William, 34
Japanese wrestling, xii,
contrasted with Northern English, xvii
Jordan, John, Great Salkeld, 117
"Jwohn Barleycworn's ruin't mony a gud heart," 206
"Keg," the Keswick bully, 111
LANGWATHBY ROUNDS, 27
Liddle, John, Bothel, 171, 209
LITT, WILLIAM, 61;
and William Richardson, 50,
and Miles Dixon, 83,
describes Weightman, 195
_Little_, John, facetious letter on Carlisle ring, 196
LONG, ROWLAND, 90-51, 179
LONG JOHN, 96
--throws Tom Nicholson, 104
Longmire, Thomas, 93
Lonsdale, Earl of, patronizes the wrestling ring, 149
Lowthian, Isaac, Plumpton, 34
Lowden, Charles, challenged, 58
" John, Keswick, 67, 96, 104, 138, 145
MACKERETH, WILLIAM, 115-96,
and "Clattan," 215
"Marcy, Jwohn! is that thee?" 173
Marshall, the forgeman, at Sparkbridge, 176, 177
Mason, Isaac, Croglin, 29, 32, 182
Maughan, Isaac, Alston, 25
Mc.Donald, Anthony, Appleby, 33, 34
MC.LAUGHLAN, JOHN, 208-110, 153,
and William Wilson, 181,
and Weightman, 203
MELMERBY ROUNDS, 20
Michie, Robert, Hawick, xliii
Miles End athletic Border games, xlv
Morton, Thomas, Gale, 25, 33
" Joseph, Gale, 26
Mulcaster, Richard, on the art of "wrastling," 5
Muncaster bridge, "built by men from Grasmere," 86
Nanny, Louis, Haltwhistle, 171
Nicholson, Matthias, Penruddock, 11
NICHOLSON, THOMAS, 99
--thrown by Miles Dixon, 83,
match with Harry Graham, 117
Nicholson, John, 46, 100, 109
"Noo, lads, I've clear'd rooad for yee," 92
Olympic games, ix
"Owther the coo back, or the brass to pay for't," 205
Parker, John, Sparkgate, 54
" Joseph, Crooklands, 75
Parkyns, Sir Thomas, treatise on wrestling, xxviii,
rules and conditions, xxxii
Parkyns, Sir Thomas.
Some account of his life, xxxiii
" and Professor Wilson, similarity between, xxxvii
Pearson, Henry, great upholder of wrestling, 106, 161, 199
Pearson, Shepherd--a curious bet, 49
Peart, Cuthbert, and Jemmy Fawcett, 40
Peat, Thomas, Blencow, 24, 32, 194
Pocklington, Mr., and Keswick regatta, 179
Pooley, Ralph, Longlands, 35
Powley, Miss, "Echoes of Old Cumberland," 20, 27, 155
Puritan anathema against Cumberland and Westmorland, 2
Pythian games, ix
Relph, Rev. Josiah, quotation from, 242
Reminiscences of West Cumberland, by William Dickinson, 236
Richardson, John, Staffield hall, 130
Richardson, John, Caldbeck, and Scotch rebels, 158
Richardson, Lady, Lancrigg, 87
RICHARDSON, THOMAS, "THE DYER," 156
" and Tom Todd, 168, 169,
and William Wilson, 180
RICHARDSON, WILLIAM, Caldbeck, 43
" 118, and Dennison, 147,
and William Wilson, 183
Ridley, Tom, "the glutton," and Tom Nicholson, 112, 138,
and Weightman, 191
Robinsons of Cunsey, and Roan Long, 94
ROBINSON, JAMES, 149-195, 209
Robinson of Renwick, 212
" Jonathan, Allerby, 214
Robley, John, Scarrowmannock, 24
" Joseph, Scarrowmannock, 56
Rodgers, Jonathan, Brotherelkeld, 75
Routledge of "Clockymill," 189
ROWANTREE, ROBERT, 126-54
Salmon poaching in the Derwent, 113
Savage of Bolton, 143
Scotland, wrestling in, xxxviii
Scott, Sir Walter, at St. Ronans games, xxxviii
SCOTT, JAMES, Canonbie, 119
Scougal, George, Innerleithen, xl
Selkirk, John, Beckermet, throws "Clattan," 215
Skulls of Calgarth, 97
Slee, William, Dacre, 139, 152, 159
Snow storm of 1807, great, 133
Spedding, John, Egremont, 147
Stagg, John, blind bard, 15
Stamper, George, Underskiddaw, 110
"Standback," assumed name for trail hounds, 172
"Stangings" at Langwathby, 30
Steadman, George, Drybeck, 35
Stephenson, Thomas, and Jemmy Fawcett, 41
Stone Carr, ancient sports at, 8
Taylor, Benjamin, bone setter, 141
Thompson, Joseph, Caldbeck, 33
Thompson, Teasdale, High Rotherup, 23
Thwaites, William, and Professor Wilson, 177
Tinling, Dr., Warwick bridge, 189
Tinnian, Job, Holme Cultram, 47
Todd, "Brandy," Wigton, 48
TODD, TOM, Knarsdale, 167-160, 161
Trail Hounds, 172
Turkey, wrestling match in, xxi
Ward, William, North Tyne, 128
Watson, Jonathan, 184, 193, 194, 210
Weardale wrestlers, 136
WEIGHTMAN, JOHN, 186-160, 171
" and Tom "Dyer," 165,
and William Wilson, 184,
and "Clattan," 211
WESTMORLAND AND CUMBERLAND WRESTLING, ANCIENT, 1
"What's t'e gaen to mak' o' yon 'an, Tom?" 166
"When a bit iv a tailyer can thra' me," 93
Whitfield, "Pakin," 38
WILSON, WILLIAM, 175-55, 88, 163
Wilson, William, "Wicked Will" of Grasmere, 177
Wilson, Professor, and Sir Thos. Parkyns, similarity between, xxxvii
" on the wrestling at Carlisle, 18,
fracas with Tom Nicholson, 104
" Midnight chase of a bull, 244
" 78, 81, 83
Windermere lake, wrestling on frozen surface of, 14
Woodall, John, Gosforth, 8
Wrestling on St. Bartholomew's day, xxv
" and riots near the Hospitall of Matilde, xxvi
Wrestling match for £1000, xxviii
" not a Scotch game, xliv
Wright, Wilfrid, and Tom "Dyer," 166
"Wully! we sud beàth been weel bray't," 148
G. AND T. COWARD, PRINTERS, CARLISLE.