THE SHELBURNE 



now, by breeding, the pack has begun to assume the proportions its young 

 Master wished for. 



Mr. Webb is a very keen sportsman ; he has done some steeplechasing 

 and flat-racing and his horses have done well at the smaller Hunt meetings 

 at which they have started. He has from time to time imported both 

 horses and hounds from England and there is every prospect that during the 

 coming years the pack will rank with the best in the country. As we all 

 know, given enthusiasm, executive ability, persistence and a bank account 

 to correspond to these qualities and the future of almost any pack is safe. 

 The M. F. H. of the Shelburne Hounds possesses all of these qualifications, 

 the greatest of which, in the opinion of the authors, is persistency. 



The greatest difficulty v^th which the Master has to contend, is the iso- 

 lation of his country and the consequent lack of a Field. It is discouraging to 

 build up a pack of hounds and have them go out day after day wath no one 

 to appreciate their excellence ; and it is very easy, under such conditions, to 

 get a little slack for want of criticism and to find one's pack going down 

 hill. Mr. Webb has two younger brothers who are quite keen, and what 

 with his friends and theirs he has a small Field part of the time. ' So far, 

 most of the hunting has been after a drag, as Mr. Webb's enforced absence 

 from home at college has not permitted him to pay much attention to earth- 

 stopping, without which good sport is impossible. The country, however, 

 compared with others on this side of the water, has excellent possibilities for 

 fox-hunting, and foxes abound. Since leaving the university he is able to 

 devote more attention to it and good results are sure to follow. The coun- 

 try, as we have said, is a most excellent " riding " one and is blessed with 

 very little wire as yet, fences being for the most part of the " worm " 

 variety. 



With so enthusiastic a Master it is only a question of time when his dif- 

 ficulties will be overcome, and the authors feel sure that the pleasure which 

 Mr. Webb is deriving from his little pack more than makes up for the 

 troubles and worries of its early days. 



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