HUNT CLUBS. 59 



countr)-, which was usually for a week or ten days each 

 time, and perhaps three or four times during the season, 

 I made that place head-cjuarters for myself and hounds, 

 and was attended by many gentlemen of the hunt ; the 

 Hertfordshire hounds on those occasions contrived to meet 

 near to us on the alternate days, and the emulation ex- 

 cited on the part of each hunt, which should show the 

 best sport, made it the more interesting^ and the dinner 

 at Old Malster's (the ' Saracen's Head,' Dunmow), who 

 did all in his power to make us comfortable, always went 

 off cheerfully. Taking into consideration the country 

 altogether, it may be ranked as a first-rate ruralist " — that 

 is to say, provincial counlry. 



Colonel Cook, it will be remembered, came from 

 Hampshire, a county in which the good tellowship of 

 Hunt Clubs had already made itself felt, and being as 

 genial and convivial a soul as ever stepped, what was 

 more natural than for him to seek to establish in Essex 

 an institution which had ilourished in Hampshire? In that 

 undertaking- he was successful. The members ot the 

 Hunt ("many of them very opulent London merchants") 

 formed themselves into a club, with "Old Cooky" as 

 their secretary, chairman, in fact, caterer in general. 

 Doubtless, he was the right man in the right place, for as 



