As my hosts were in nowise privy to my plans, I may venture to say, that
for the next three days I was more or less a guest at Drohoregan Manor.
This ancient homestead of the Carroll family is very well described by
Mr. Russell in his "Diary:" his visit, however, was to the late
Professor, who died last year. The law of primogeniture does not prevail
here, and it was only an accidental succession of single heirs, that
brought an undivided patrimony down to the present generation. One
cannot help regretting that the estate is to be cut up now into five
shares or more. Eleven thousand acres of fertile hill and dale, sinking
and swelling gently, so as to attract all the benignity of sun or
breeze--not more densely wooded than is common on our own western
shores, and watered to an ornamental perfection--truly on any civilized
land, such is a goodly heritage.
The home-farm of Drohoregan Manor has long been celebrated for the
breeding of a high-class stock of all kinds. I saw sheep there scarcely
coarser than the average of Southdowns; and some fine, level,
clean-limbed steers. Here has stood, for a dozen years past, the
renowned Black Hawk, considered by many superior to his sire, the Morgan
stallion of the same name. As I before said, he realized my idea of a
thoroughbred weight carrier, better than anything I saw in Maryland;
though if one of his stock--a brown two-year-old colt--"furnishes"
according to present promise, he will probably be surpassed in his turn.
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