278 THE ESSEX FOXHOUNDS. 



Puckeridge country, succeeded him, remaining for two 

 seasons, viz., till 1875, when Mr. Offin gave up the 

 country, and Bentley took service with Mr. Selby Lowndes 

 in the broad pastures of the vale of Aylesbury. He is 

 there at the present time as huntsman. During Mr. 

 Offin's mastership the Duke of Connaught, who was then 

 at Woolwich, used frequently to come across the river 

 and have a day with the Union, and very well he went 

 on a nice roan horse. About the second time that he 

 was out we had a very good gallop from one of the 

 Belhus covers, and killed our fox in the open near Franks 

 Wood, one of the Warley covers. It having oozed out 

 that the Duke had never seen a fox killed before, the 

 master, through one of the equerries, ascertained if H.R.H. 

 would object to be blooded, which he readily consented 

 to, and the rites were accordingly faithfully performed by 

 Mr. Offin. It is not everyone who has been an eye- 

 witness of royalty being blooded. One day the Duke 

 dropped his hunting-whip, and some snob of a fellow, but 

 loyal, jumped off his horse and handed it to the Duke, 

 saying, " Will your Royal Highness allow me to give your 

 Royal Highness his Royal whip.-*" Mr. Offin .died 

 shortly after resigning. The pack during his mastership 

 was styled " Mr. Offin's Foxhounds." 



