CRISES IS ITS HISTORY. 23 



Alto^rtlior ;i most glorious clay's sport, ami murli are we imlehtiMl to 

 Mr. Bird's kimlnoss in openiiii;' this new country to us, and biddin.i; us welcome 

 wheneNcr we choose to come. 



I'rom this lime to 1S53 inclusive, the R.R.T). went every season to 

 rieeston, and sometimes twice in the season, for two days' hunting, which 

 they always wound up by a dinner to the princi[)al farmers at the 'rullemaclic 

 Arms. The final occasion of their visit was in 1S53, December loth, and 

 the last day they could not liunt, as the ground was covered dee[) in snow. 

 Since then Djeston has foraied part of the country hunted by the Chester 

 15eagles, and for the last two or three years has proved a very valuable bit of 

 country for them. 



The Royal Rock Teagles hcve always lieen on cordial and friendly 

 terms wiih the Chester Beagles ; so much so, that, at a critical period in tlie 

 history of the latter, the R.R.B. were confidently ani)caled to for support. 

 In 188S, on Mr. J. T. PownalTs retirement from tiie mastership of the 

 Chester Beagles, a great many of tlie members and subscribers took that 

 opportunity to sever their connection with the Hunt. The new Master, Mr. 

 C. W. Smith, made strenuous efforts to fill up the gaps in his subscription 

 list, and among others appealed to the R.R.B. for suppoit. 'I'his was readily 

 accorded, and many of the members of the R.R.B. became either members 

 of or subscribers to the Chester Beagles. At the present time twelve 

 members of the R.R.B. figure on the subscription list of the Che.ster 

 Beaslis. 



^nancjuration oX tbc Miural If^arricrs. 



'" Let lis score tlieir Ij.icks, 

 And snatch 'em up, as we take hares, behind. 

 'Tis sport to maul a runner." 



Antony and Cleopatra, act iv, s.cnc 7. 



The first serious crists in the iiistory of the Royal Rock Beagles was the 

 starting of the Wirral Harriers in 1868, when the Royal Rock Beagles had 

 existed for twenty-three years, and \ . A. King had been master for fifteen 

 years. 



After Sir William Massey Stanley had left the neighbourhood, and 

 dispersed his pack of fo.xhounds, some of the gentlemen who had habitually 

 hunted with the Hooton hounds, looked wiiii longing eyes on the pack of 

 beagles, and wished to hunt them on horseback. It is to be feared that a 

 few of the beaglers were not averse to this proposal, but, be this as it may, 

 the plan did not meet with " ould King's" approval. He strongly resented 

 the manner in which the promoters of the \\'irial Harriers set about the 

 formation of their club. 



