240 England's oldest hunt. 



if not a privilege, to assist in the maintenance of the hunt, 

 so that the expenditure was practically nil. Hence the old 

 man could not conceive any one spending three or four 

 thousand a year on keeping hounds (it has been estimated 

 that with swell packs the expenditure is about £1,000 for 

 one day's hunting in the week, so that a pack hunting three 

 days a week would, roughly cost £3,000 per annum). The 

 Bilsdale were costing sovereigns where the Sinnington were 

 costing hundreds. However, Dawson decided the matter. 

 " Ya may say what ya like, bud you'll nivver get me to 

 believe 'at t' man's livin' what can spend £ — ,000 a year 

 if he try ivver so, even wi' hounds ta help him." 



Mr. R. Clayton Swan spent a lot of money in improving 

 the kennels and building new boxes for his hunters. 

 He had a large stud of horses, and always bought 

 everything in the district — an example which might well be 

 followed by every master of hounds in England. Unfortunately 

 foxes were very scarce during his mastership, and this 

 was the real reason why he resigned the position, for 

 he loved the country, and considered the Vale as good as 

 any in England. He made many improvements in the 

 country, and his name will be handed down in the annals 

 of the hunt, not merely as the first to kennel the pack, 

 but' also as having planted the well-known Rookbarugh 

 covert. He also added other coverts. As will be shown, 

 Mr. Sherbrooke, who followed Mr. Swan, also found foxes 

 very scarce during at least half of his mastership. 



