THE MONTREAL 



relieving Mr. Macdougall of many of his arduous duties in the field. Ken- 

 nedy, the huntsman, had grown too old, and during this period Drysdale 

 acted as whipper-in to Mr. Macdougall and Mr. Alloway, the latter hunting 

 the hounds until 1 860. Mr. D. A. Bellhouse and Major J. T. D. Bourke 

 were elected to the Mastership in rapid succession ; neither of them remain- 

 ing long in office ; and in 1 862, Captain Francis De Winton, R. A., was 

 elected Master, holding the position until 1864. After that no regular 

 Master was appointed for a time, and the affairs of the Hunt were left in 

 the hands of a committee, of which Mr. W. M. Ramsay was chairman, the 

 other members being Captain Money, Mr. Thomas Davidson, and Mr. 

 William Cunningham. 



In 1 867, however, the Hunt was happy in the choice of a Master, for in 

 November of that year Mr. John Crawford was elected for the first time. 

 To anyone at all acquainted with the Hunt, a description of that typical 

 old sportsman would seem superfluous, for he was in his time a living, breath- 

 ing example of what riding can do in the way of preserving healthy vitality 

 long after the span of three score years and ten has been passed. (Mr. 

 Crawford died in April, 1903, at the age of ninety, having followed the 

 hounds within two years of his death.) He filled the position for six years, 

 and during that time the Mastership was no sinecure. There were many 

 difficulties to be overcome, and they were overcome, for Mr. Crawford had 

 administrative talents, as well as being a straight rider and a sportsman to 

 the core. The stiffest obstacles in the Pointe Claire country had no terrors 

 for him ; neither had any of the other impediments that the Mastership of a 

 Hunt involves. He was equal to them all. 



Mr. Andrew Allan was unanimously elected Master in 1 874, and was 

 assisted by a hard working committee, so that, although not doing much cross- 

 country work himself, his resignation in 1876 was regretted by everyone. 

 During his Mastership he was well represented in the field by his two sons. 

 Jack and Hugh Allan, the latter becoming later the first Master of the 

 Myopia Hunt in Essex County, Massachusetts. 



Following him, Mr. Crawford accepted the Mastership for the second 

 time, retaining command for two years, being followed by Mr. J. R. Hutchins 



105 



