ii8 kOYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUNT. 



found her ; through this and along the flats to the Hrinistage road, and again 

 back under Brimstage to within a field of the plantation where we first found 

 her ; here she was viewed quite used up, but it had become quite dark, being a 

 (piartcr to five o'clock. The best thing of the season ; the hare must have gone 

 over at least 12 miles of ground. Twelve members ; ig couples. 



Saturday, December i8th, 1S52. 



Hooton Station, i p.m. A large muster of members, who were doomed to 

 see very little. In a quarter of an hour got upon the quest of a hai'e ; gradually 

 got warmer, and the hounds took her at a rattling pace to the cover near the 

 station. Got her out in view ; she took up towards Willaston Mill, and away 

 to the right for Raby, where she altered her course ; back again through the 

 wood, and over the rails up to the Eastham road ; doubled back and crossed the 

 rails between Bromborough and Spital, striking through the wood down to 

 Poulton Hall, over the hill in front of the house, crossing the swamps to 

 Clatterbridge, crossing the road into Brimstage, and away almost to Bebington 

 Church. About the most severe run on record with the hounds. We lost our 

 hare six miles from where we found her. Only three members and Jones living 

 with them out of a numerous field. Jones being close at home, shut up for the 

 day. Eighteen members ; 17^ couples. 



" He was quii;k metllc, when lie wtiit to school." 



JiU'HS Cccsar, act i, scene 2. 

 " V'our hands, than mine, .ire quicker for a fraj' ; 

 My legs are longer, though, to run away.'' 



M idsumiticr Nigiit's D>-eniii, act Hi, scene 2. 



Mr. Charles W. Smith, tlie late Master of the Chesliire Beagles, has 

 kindly furnishetl tl:e following account of a notable lun with the R.R.B., 

 some thirty years ago. He and his friend Henry Lyon (son of an old mem- 

 ber of the R.R.B.) ventured, in their salad days, before Smith had dreamed 

 of being a Master of Hounds liiniself, to perpetrate a hoax upon the R.R.B. 

 Hunt. It is (luite a pity the Sport Books of the Hunt were not kept up at 

 this time, as it would have been interesting to read what the authorities had 

 to say about this affair. 



I see it was in 1865 that myself and Henry Lyon (eldest son of Fred. Lyon, 

 Esq., of Mollington Hall) ran that drag. We started from the kennels at 

 Bebington, and ran a bee line to Mollington Hall, in the park, where, I remember, 

 we both got up a tree. In about twenty minutes or so the hounds came tearing 

 along. Distance, I should say, nine miles. We were both great runners in 

 those days,'" and used to hunt every Saturday with the Rock, as, being in Liver- 

 pool, we could get away ; besides, the Chester Beagles did not hunt regularly on 

 Saturdays then. We were about twenty years of age, and the run, I remember, 

 was the talk of the Hunt. I never told Mr. Alfred Walford about the drag, till 

 some three or four years afterwards. He was much amused. I need hardly say 

 the " field " did not arivc till about an hour afterwards, and then only two or 

 three came up. Signed, 



Charles W. Smith, Master of Cheshire Beagles. 



• H. Lyon won the " Crick" when at Rutjby, for a tliirteen mile race across country. 

 C. W. Smith wa.s a noted runner in the North of England ; during the jears 1S65 to ib6S 

 he was a crack amateur at any distance from one to two miles, Oat or acro.ss country. 



