CAPTAIN FORESTER TO THE WAR 203 



Of course all credit was due to hounds and hunts- 

 man ; but I cannot help feeling sympathy for the 

 hunted on this occasion. 



We all have to die some time, and he died gal- 

 lantly as he had lived. 



Lord Londsale resigned the mastership of the 

 Cottesmore at the end of this season, and General 

 Brocklehurst was appointed in his place. 



The opening chapters of the season 'ii-'i2 were 

 marked by several smart little gallops with all 

 three packs. General Brocklehurst made an excel- 

 lent start with the Cottesmore in the first year of 

 his reign. It was at the commencement of this 

 season that Capt. Pennell Elmhirst (" Brooksby ") 

 retired from the active list. 



In my opinion he was the pioneer of modern 

 hunting journalism, and I do not think anyone has 

 yet ever come up to him in writing a readable 

 account of a run. 



How much the Field owe him for having assisted 

 in making their paper the leading sporting weekly, 

 only those who were on the staff forty years ago 

 could tell, and they must be all dead now. 



The Field, it is true, deals with many other sub- 

 jects besides hunting ; but the " sport of kings " was 

 the chief factor in increasing its circulation, and I 

 think they make a great mistake in relegating the 

 chase to a secondary position. I was paid — very 

 much reduced rate now — to write for them, and it is 

 not my business to criticize their editorial methods ; 

 but quite apart from the money question, I took a 

 great interest in doing my best to maintain the stan- 

 dard which " Brooksby " had set up when he wrote 

 for the Melton district. 



