THE LONDON 



Until the advent of Edwards, drag-hunting had been the only form of 

 sport indulged in, but during his time there, the hounds went out after foxes 

 on off days, though this was later given up, as the members found that they 

 could not devote sufficient time to it to make it worth while. Mr. Beck 

 himself is a finished horseman, and both he and Mrs. Beck, who is also a 

 keen lover of the sport, are almost always to be seen behind the hounds 

 when they hunt the drag on three days a week during their short season, 

 which lasts only from September 1 st to December I st. 



The country is ideal for drag-hunting, the footing being excellent and the 

 fences clean and free from wire, although big. Mr. Beck has been exten- 

 sively engaged in politics, having been at one time Mayor of the city of Lon- 

 don, Ontario, and has found only too little time to devote to his favorite 

 recreation. Were it not for this fact, fox-hunting would undoubtedly have 

 been successfully established, as foxes are plentiful in the country, and the 

 coverts are moderate in size. In addition to this, the townships are so laid 

 out that it is possible to follow hounds even in the midst of winter, when the 

 snow is heavy, by riding along the roads which are laid out by the Domin- 

 ion Government in exact mile squares, thus enabling the huntsman and Field 

 to keep with hounds whichever way they turn. 



The Master has recently imported one or two stallion hounds from Eng- 

 land, and the kennel huntsman, Robert Imrie, has been a successful hound 

 breeder. At present he has eighteen couples in the kennels. 



The Field is a small but enthusiastic one and several ladies, in addition to 

 the Master's wife, are usually out, notably the Misses Gibbons, daughters of 

 the first Master. 



Two lines are generally laid for the draghounds, each from two to five 

 miles in length, over beautiful, open, rolling country, where the fences average 

 not under four feet, six inches. Most of the Field ride half-breds, although 

 the Hunt Staff is always superbly mounted from Mr. Beck's string of clean- 

 bred ones. 



The hunting territory is acknowledged to be as strongly enclosed as any 

 in America, — the Meadow Brook "north country" not excepted, — and 

 while a fast, sustained gallop over it on a well-bred and well-schooled hunter, 



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