46 REMINISCENCES OF 



We bought the lot for ^^250, and engaged Jim 

 Edwards as whipper-in. 



Colonel Pryse wrote : — 



" Of the entry, I may say I think they will all 

 be good. Those that I have had most luck in 

 catching foxes or rather being out when foxes were 

 caught, are : ' Lashwood,' wonderful for a puppy ; 

 ' Lady,' ' Lavish,' ' Lifter,' ' Leader,' ' Ranker,' ' Prim- 

 rose,' ' Rustic '. 



"If the others babble a little over hares and 

 rabbits, have a little patience. I know they will 

 make good hounds with one good cub-hunting. Of 

 the three mentioned, I consider ' Restless ' as fine 

 a bitch as I have had in for years. The two dog 

 hounds are likely to make good working hounds. 



"(Signed) Pryse". 



The huntsman came to Witherley with the 

 hounds ; he was a tall, dark, silent man, rather like 

 a gipsy. The Atherstone people were very curious 

 to see the hounds, and ask questions about them. 

 His only answer was, " They will catch the fox ". 



Lord Curzon's sale of the Atherstone hounds 

 took place on 28th April. We bought several lots. 

 We got drafts from Bramham, Belvoir, Cotswold, 

 Fitzwilliam, Fife, Grove, Oakley, Pytchley, Quorn, 

 Rufford, Southwold, Tailby, Portman. We got 

 together 1 50 couple ; and then did a good deal of 

 dog dealing for some weeks, and reduced them 

 down to eighty couple. 



Lord Curzon's hounds had suffered much from 



