150 REMINISCENCES OF 



I engaged Clarke, and he went down to Ather- 

 stone and commenced his duties. A short time after- 

 wards I received a letter from Mr. Head Best, who 

 was on the committee of the Craven Hounds, saying 

 that Mr. Villebois had died, and that Ben Foote, his 

 old huntsman, had sent in his resignation. They had 

 just engaged Will Mawe from the Cottesmore as 

 first whip. They asked me to allow Clarke to return 

 to their country as huntsman, as he knew the coun- 

 try, and that Mawe would exchange places. I knew 

 Mawe well from having hunted with the Cottesmore 

 when he was in Mr. Greaves' service, and as he was 

 a good man I agreed to the arrangement, as I 

 thought it not right to stand in the way of any man 

 getting a huntsman's place. 



Tom Clarke eventually became huntsman to Mr. 

 Morrel, in the Berkshire country, and afterwards for 

 many years to the Duke of Beaufort. 



Mr. Best wrote : — 



"The difficulty in which the Craven Hunt are 

 placed in consequence of the death of our late excel- 

 lent Master, Mr. Villebois, must plead my apology 

 for the liberty I am taking in addressing you. 



" The case is briefly this : Our old huntsman has 

 resigned his situation, and our first whip came to us 

 only a few weeks since, consequently perfectly ignor- 

 ant of both hounds and country. In the dilemma I 

 have been asked to take the management. Now, 

 could you, without putting yourself to any very great 

 inconvenience, spare Clarke to us as huntsman, pro- 



