162 England's oldest hunt. 



photograph him then and there. At that time he must have been 

 about 96 years of age. 



I believe that Thomas Ward followed W. Peacock, and was hunts- 

 man for some years, and he was followed by his son Harry. Some of 

 those between Wm. Duck and Wm. Peacock must have hunted the 

 pack for a very short time. One of Thos. Ward's nephews is my 

 tenant here, and he is very positive about it. I remember myself that 

 some of my family used to go to Thos. Ward's for a day's hare hunting 

 annually for several years in succession, and my own impression is that 

 he hunted the hounds at that time. 



At last, when for forty years he had hunted season after 

 season, it dawned upon him that he was seventy years of 

 age or more, and though still active he was not the man 

 he had been. So he laid aside his horn, not, one would fancy, 

 without a sigh, and taking up his rod, now with increased 

 affection, spent even more time whipping the river Dove, 

 which winds and twists through the beautiful dale. 



Yes ! Joe, if a Nimrod, was none the less an angler. 

 Indeed, one hears almost more in the dale regarding his 

 deftness with the rod than with his hounds. The May of 

 his life had come — not by any means the December, for he 

 was yet long for this world — and one could almost fancy 

 him singing in the words of an old song full of philosophy : — 



What though the hunter's horn is mute, 

 The wild halloo no longer heard ; 

 Though fox nor hound is now a-foot, 

 And no one wears a scarlet suit. 

 Yet still young May doth don a dres3 

 That shines a thing of loveliness 

 In raptur'd sportsmen's eye ; 

 Not, not alone, for the sweet rose 

 That now first owns the summer's sun, 

 Not for the blossoms they descry, 

 From Spring's full flow'ry lap just won ; 

 But that she calls them to the plain, 

 And beckons to the stream. 



Here, then, amid stream and flower, breathing the pure 

 air from the hills on which for so many years he hunted, 

 old Duck spent the last years of his life. 



It was in the hunting season of 1890 that he passed 

 away full of years — the end of a life full of service. On 



