INTRODUCTION 



the last. One of them, a blood-mare, kept the track 

 with the whipper-in, and gallantly followed him for 

 about two hours over every leap he took, until 

 Reynard ran to earth in Mr, Hibbert's plantation. 

 These spirited horses were led back to the inn at 

 Monk's Heath and performed their stage back to 

 Congleton the same evening." 



George Heron held the management until 1818, 

 but in consequence of a bad fall, by which he was 

 disabled. Sir Harry Mainwaring, who eventually 

 succeeded him, had undertaken the field manage- 

 ment in 18 1 3. 



Sir Harry, after a reign of nineteen years, gave 

 them up in 1837. His first huntsman was Will 

 Garfit, who left in August 1820, when John Jones 

 took his place, coming from Lord Scarborough, and 

 continued until May 1823. Will Head, who had 

 been educated under Sir Bellingham Graham, and 

 had been first whip to the Cheshire for three seasons, 

 then obtained his promotion, and continued to hunt 

 them until May 1832. A letter from the late Sir 

 Harry Mainwaring, containing these particulars, 

 ends thus: "In 1832 Joseph Maiden came from 

 Mr. Shaw, and remained with me until I gave up 

 the hounds, August 1837, continuing with other 

 managers — a first-rate huntsman and a most excellent 

 servant in every respect." It is with great pleasure 

 that I record this testimony to the character of one 

 who so well deserved it. I cannot give the young 

 fox-hunter a better summary of the sport (which had 

 then, I think, reached its climax) than is contained 

 in the following letter, addressed to the present 

 xlii 



