The Royal Buckhotmds, 159 



That -undoubted cases of hydrophobia had oc- 

 curred Mr. Goodall fully satisfied himself before 

 calling in the aid of a learned professor of the 

 veterinary art so as to relieve himself from some 

 of the serious responsibility of dealing decisively 

 with so sad a disorder. When the matter was laid 

 before Lord Hardwicke, the Master of the Buck- 

 hounds, he at once asked the Royal huntsman what 

 his views were as to the course which should be 

 pursued. Mr. Goodall's reply was that there were 

 three coui'ses that might be adopted. First, to 

 destroy the whole of the pack ; secondly, to isolate 

 the hounds; and thirdly, to keep them under the 

 closest supervision, watching them from hour to 

 hour, and dealing with them as the state of cir- 

 cumstances might require. Lord Hardwicke very 

 wisely, in my opinion, adopted the latter course, 

 which was strongly recommended by Goodall, whose 

 practical experience of this terrible disease entitled 

 him to rank as an authority on the subject. That it 

 is a serious and embarrassing calamity to happen to 

 a master of hounds there can be no doubt ; but, at 

 the same time, it is advisable to reflect, before taking 

 so destructive a step as sacrificing the whole pack 

 in a scare. By trusting to the practical knowledge 

 of his huntsman, the noble Master has preserved the 

 pack, and when I looked upon them a short time 

 since, I felt perfectly satisfied that, whatever latent 

 evil might exist, no hounds in the kingdom could 

 look more healthy, more contented, or more bloom- 

 ing in condition, than the Royal buckhounds as 

 seen by me on . that occasion. How, then, do I 

 account for the origin of the complaint? Simply 



