8o ROYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUNT. 



Then here's a health to all hunters of every degree, 



Long may they live, and happy may they be, 



Likewise to the Royal Rock Beagles, they are the men who bear the fame. 



For their hounds they bring them glory and honour to their name. 



Chorus, &c., &c. 



It is whispered tliat the second verse of this song originally stood as — 



The Master of the beagles hearing of the news, 



Says, " I can kill that champion hare any day I choose, 



I'll take ten couple of beagles, and of runners two or three,'' 



The huntsman Mister Jonathan Cole, the master was Macfie — • 



but Cole being somewhat chaffed about it, has amended the verse as above. 



In the season of 1S92-3, Cole found that his eyesight was becoming 

 defective, so that he had to take to spectacles, and just before the 

 commencement of the season 1893-4, having an offer from his old master 

 of a position as bailiff, he resigned his post with the Royal Rock Beagles. 

 His portrait appears in the background of the Raby group. 



fvan\\ Bamcs Bavies. 



"Take tlioii no scorn to wear the horn ; 

 It was a crest ere thoii wast born. 

 Thy father's father wore it, 

 And thy father bore it. 

 The horn, the horn, the lusty horn, 

 Is not a thing to laugh to scorn." 



.4s Vou Like li, act iv, scene 7. 



Our present liuntsman was born 12th September, 1872, at Crookham, 

 Hampshire. During Davies' boyhood hii father, James Paynter Davies, was 

 Imntsman to the Hadlow Harriers in Kent, and in 1879 he was appointed 

 huntsman to the Todmorden Harriers. These two packs were hunted on foot. 

 Davies may be said to have lived all his life with hounds. By helping his 

 father in the kennels he acquired an unusual amount of kennel knowledge 

 and experience in the treatment of hounds. In 1S92, the elder Davies was 

 appointed huntsman to the Anglesey Harriers, hunted on horseback, and for 

 the season 1892/3 Davies "whipped up" to his fatiier, and during the rare 

 occasions of the latter's absence or illness he took full charge of the hounds. 



On the sudden resignation of Cole from the R.R.B.. at the beginning of 

 the season 1S93/4, our Master heard of Davies from Rice Roberts, Esq., of 

 Anglesey, and, notwithstanding his youth (he was only twenty-one years of 

 age), it was felt that his exceptional experience and capital recommendations 

 quite justified us in giving him a trial in the responsible position of kennel 

 huntsman to the Royal Rock Beagles. His career is before him, and we all 

 hope he will succeed in establishing himself with us, and make as good a 

 record as any of his predecessors. 



