CHAPTER III. 



The Essex Hunt [continued) — Colonel John Cook. 



At the close of Mr. Conyers's first period of mastership 

 he was succeeded by another soldier, John Cook, Major, 

 and afterwards Colonel, in the 2Sth Light Dragoons. 



This famous foxhunter was born at Christchurch in 

 Hampshire in 1773. Very early in life he proved himself 

 a born sportsman by his style of hunting a pack of harriers, 

 between Wareham and Poole, in Dorsetshire. 



It was in hunting; his harriers that Colonel Cook laid the 

 foundation of that wonderful stock of hunting knowledge he 

 afterwards possessed. His father was a merchant of much 

 influence in Christchurch, and dying whilst his son was yet 

 young, left Sir George Rose his executor and guardian of his 

 children. From this it may fairly be concluded that Colonel 

 Cook was not, in early life at least, the impecunious man 

 he has sometimes been represented. The family were 

 well-to-do, moved in the best society, and appear to have 



