3^ ROYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUNT. 



of beagling, and serve to maintain the importance of the honourable position 

 of a Master of Hounds. 



]\Iembers who bring a friend out with the hounds, should take an 

 opportunity of presenting their guest to the Master. This formality is too 

 frequently omitted. It should be strictly adhered to, as not only is it the 

 correct thing, but it serves to distinguish the invited guest from those who 

 may have joined the sport without any invitation. 



The Saturday meets of the R.R.B. are usually attended by a sufficiently 

 large field of members, and a numerous addition of unauthorised strangers 

 is always objectionable and detrimental to the sport. There is an instance 

 in the early records of the Hunt. 



2ist October, 1848. Poulton-cum-Seacombe. Beat the whole parish well, 

 and could not see a vestige of a hare. On coming to Ripley gorse-cover we 

 must have had a mob of near a hundred men and boys. By way of shaking 

 the whole off, and giving the real dealers in the sport a run, we put on the 

 steam and made for Morton, crossing the Marsh and Fender, when we had a 

 select field of a dozen. 



It is the duty of the Master to be present at all the fixtures, or to 

 appoint a deputy to represent him. He should also be punctual, and not 

 throw off before the appointed hour, though he may give as much law as he 

 likes after, to enable late comers to arrive. No one may grumble if he 

 throws off punctually to time. Once, in 1892, the fixture was Ness, by 

 omnibus from Woodside, at 11-45 ^■^^^- -^'^^ bus was expected to arrive at 

 Ness by i p.m., but the roads being heavy, we did not reach it till 1-15 p.m., 

 and found the INIaster had thrown off by himself at i sharp. Now if he had 

 found immediately and got clean away, we should have had a distinct 

 grievance. It is of course possible for the Master to be prevented from 

 turning up at the meet, in which case, if he has not appointed some one to 

 act as his deputy, at least half an hour's law should be given him before any 

 steps are taken towards hunting ; and the question arises : who is to take 

 charge for the day and give orders to the huntsman ? If the member usually 

 deputed by the ^Master to represent him is to the fore, the duty naturally 

 devolves upon him ; but if not, a leader must be sought from the ranks of 

 the whips or Committee, whom failing, the senior member present takes 

 the lead. 



After a steady frost it is quite a common occurrence, on the first hunting 

 day, for the weather to be of such a doubtful character that very few turn up 

 at the meet. The huntsman should take the hounds home if no members 

 are present. If the ]\Iaster alone appears, of course he acts as pleases him 

 best, or as he considers for the benefit of the hounds. If one member only 

 turns up, although he has the right to have the hounds thrown off for his 

 edification, yet, as the responsibility is great in judging whether the land is 



