72 ROYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUNT. 



CHAPTER VII 



THE HUNTSMEN. 



" Nay, press not so upsii me : stand far ofT." 



yu.iTis CiFsar, act Hi, scene 2, 



Since tlie first season of the R.R.B. up to the time of our present 

 master, J. Gould Smyth, the hounds have always been hunted by the kennel 

 lumtsmcn, and it has been of great importance to the sport to secure the 

 services of a man fully qualified for the post. The club may be said to 

 have been fortunate in always getting good men, two of whom died in the 

 service, the others (except the first Davies and Cole, who both preferred 

 farming) retiring on account of advancing years. ^Vith the exception of 

 Kay, a Lancashire man. Cole, from Derbyshire, and our new kennel hunts- 

 man, Davies, all the R.R.Ij. huntsmen have been born and bred in Wales, 

 which country seems to have been an admirable nursery for Hunt servants. 

 The profession of huntsman seems to descend from father to son, and the 

 best are those who have been brought up with hounds from the cradle. 

 There are many qualities which go to make up a good all-round hunts- 

 man. He must be sober, patient, industrious, active, strong in wind and 

 limb, punctual, civil and obliging, a good manager of hounds in the kennel 

 and in the field, and a lover of the sport. 



" 'Tis double death to drown in ken of shore." 



Foe Ills — L iicrece. 



Kay was the first huntsman of the R.R.B. He is described by Mr. Rawson 

 as a rough Lancashire man, and was recommended by Captain Hopwood. 

 Mr. Tiubett says that he came from Chowbent, and that his dialect was 

 unintelligible, even to the hounds ! Kay was appointed as kennel huntsman 

 to look after the hounds, and was only expected to liunt them in the absence 

 of the master, Tinley Barton. There is no record of his antecedents, and 

 as he was huntsman for the first season only, there is not much record of his 

 qualifications, but he appears to have given satisfaction to the Committee. 

 He was engaged 29th August, 1845, at a weekly wage of one pound, with 

 house, his uniform to be scarlet coat, green waistcoat, white breeches, and 



