i68 ROYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUNT 



The Gordian knot when reason at a stand 



Puzzling is lost, and all thj' art is vain. 



O'er clogging fallows, o'er dry plaster'd roads, 



O'er floated meads, o'er plains with flocks distain'd, 



Rank-scenting, these must lead the dubious wav, 



Direct the pack, who with joint crj- approve. 



And loudly boast discov'ries not their own. Souicrvilc. 



" How cheerfully on the false trail they cry ! 

 O, this is counter, you false Danish dogs." 



Hamlet, net iv, scene 5. 



Every Master of liounds has his own ideal, at which he aims in breed- 

 ing, drafting, purchasing, or exchanging for his pack. The first Master of 

 the R.R.B., Tinley Barton, was appointed to hunt the hounds in the field. 

 He had some authority in the kennels, but C. Rawson was the prime mover 

 in the estabhshment of the pack, and h\s ideal was an even, musical lot, 

 about fourteen and-a-half inches in height. As previously described, 

 C. Rawson was fortunate in having a numerous selection of hounds pass 

 through his hands. He succeeded admirably in his intention, his pack 

 giving great satisfaction to all concerned, and being considered a great credit 

 to the Hunt. From the records, they certainly afforded splendid sport, 

 killing their thirty-five to fifty hares in gallant style. 



Colonel King's ideal was not so much the hunting qualities of his 

 hounds as their individual beauty. He was indifferent to size, nose, or 

 speed, but dearly loved the music of his beagles. The consequence was 

 tliat the pack, in his days, was very uneven — of all sorts, sizes and qualities; 

 notwithstanding which he showed rare good sport, though trie hunting was 

 marred to connoisseurs, by tail-hounds, skirters, babblers, and so forth. 

 He had good coadjutors, who would have looked after the kennels for him, 

 but he was too much of an autocrat not to have his own way. 



Colonel John Jones, commander of the district, took great interest in 

 the R.R.B., and procured some very good hounds from Ireland. From i860 

 to 1874, W. Joynson made himself very useful at the kennels; he went there 

 three days a week, and would have got the pack into first-rate order if he 

 had been "let alone." He kept the kennel books in an efficient manner; 

 and so keen a beagler was he, that it is probable, if he had remained in the 

 club, we should have elected him Master after Colonel King's death. After- 

 wards W. E. Hall was invaluable at the kennels. He lived close to, and 

 did his best to weed out unsuitable hounds, but no doubt he was hampered 

 in his efforts. 



\\'hen L. R. .Stevenson was Master, he left the management of the 

 kennels to J. W. Macfie, the Deputy Master. Macfie paid great attention to 

 breeding and drafting. He found the hounds what he calls a " rum lot," all 

 sorts and sizes, from little Barmaid, iA~yi inches, to Bouncer, between 17 and 



