THE END OF BUCKINGHAM. 43 



seemed to be so much of the personal element introduced, 

 so much spleen, envy, and jealousy, that my notes on the 

 pack will have to be very carefully edited. These three 

 packs then now hunt what was the Duke's country, each 

 claims in conjunction with the other to be the oldest pack 

 of foxhounds in England, but they are not alone. It is 

 said you should never argue with the Yorkshireman re- 

 garding the superiority of hunting, pigs, or women, in any 

 aHen county. So it is unwise to tell a Bilsdale, or an old 

 standard Sinnington-hunting man, you know of a pack 

 of greater antiquity than his. A gentleman who once 

 accompanied me into Bilsdale did tell old " Bobbie " Daw- 

 son he had been in a country which he fancied had been 

 hunted by a pack of foxhounds longer than the Bilsdale. 

 " You've what ? " asked Bob. "I've hunted in a country 

 in Dorset which claims, and I believe, rightly claims, to be 

 older even than your pack." " Then why the dayvell did 

 ya leave it ? " asked the old veteran. " We can deea varry 

 weel widoot ya here. Awdest hunt i' Dossett — why Ah've 

 nivver even heeard o' t' pleace, an' t'awd Deuk were nivver 

 there." This settled the matter quite satisfactory so far 

 as the old man was concerned, but claimants to the honour 

 of antiquarian premiership require a little more fact and 

 data than that. It never will be quite settled which was the 

 oldest English hunt. 



