]'ISITS TO OTHER COl'STRJES. 199 



May Villi iKijipily li\o without sickness and cares, 

 Ahvaxs iiunt tiieni on foot, and never lack hares ; 

 Be as lively as larks, and as stronj; as the cables, 

 Here's success and long life to the Royal Rock Beagles. 



C, RaiK'son. 

 Extracts from tiik Sport Books. 



3rd December, 1846. Beeston Altogether a most glorious 



day's sport, and much are we indebted to iMr. Bird's kindness in opening this 

 new country to us, and bidding us welcome whenever wc choose to come. 

 Seventeen couples out, wlio worked perfectly together. Twelve members. 

 Kills No. 14 and 15. 



14th F"cbruary, 184S. Beeston. Turned out at half-past nine. Soon found 

 near the castle, and after a capital run of three-quarters of an hour, ran her 

 into the canal, where a boatman picked her up. Soon found again, and after an 

 hour and a-half's run we lost near the cover. Then went off to Mr. Bird's 

 house, where we received that warm and hearty welcome, that never fails us, 

 from our kind friend, Mrs. Bird. After partaking of her bountiful hospitality, 

 word was brought us that our old hare had returned to her form. We soon 

 found her, and after half an hour's splendid sport, killed her fairly in the open. 

 Every hound did his duty perfectly. Many of us then ascended the castle, and 

 when we were there posted, a hare that was set for us was started. For three- 

 quarters of an hour we witnessed every turn of the hare, every double she 

 made, and every check they came to. She never went three hundred yards 

 from the foot of the hill, and was, during all that time, never out of our sight. 

 Seldom could such a scene be witnessed as wc saw on this occasion, and the 

 truth with which the pack hunted their game pleased everyone. Finding herself 

 hard pressed, she made straight off for the new park, which, however, she 

 coiild never reach, but was fairly run down in the open, after as glorious a run 

 as ever was witnessed. Fourteen members. Seventeen couples. Kills 28, 29, 

 and 30. 



19th January, 1849. Beeston. Turned out at half-past ten, and made for 

 the foot of the castle, with a very considerable mob and about twenty members, 

 also Mr. Potts and Philip Gould, who had come up to go out with the Cheshire 

 Hounds. Found between the castle and the railway, and after a considerable 

 ring round the castle she made over the railway, and off about two miles in the 

 direction of Chester, to a bend in the canal. Here we lost all trace of her, and 

 there was no doubt she crossed the canal. Here we were joined by our kind 

 old sporting friend, Mr. Royds, of Nantwich. We made back to the other side 

 ■ of the railway again ; found immediately the most sporting hare we ever had on 

 foot ; after a ring or two, she made straight away for Bolesworth park, six miles 

 from where we started her. Here she turned and made back, almost in the 

 same track that she went, the hounds never hesitating an instant, and going a 

 racing pace, leaving our Cheshire friends behind. She was eventually run into 

 within a field of where she was found. No fox could have run better, the 

 hounds never at fault five minutes ; decidedly the most sporting run the beagles 

 ever had, Mr. Royds more delighted than ever, and our Cheshire friends quite 

 astonished and not regretting having joined us. We now adjourned to Mr. 

 Cawley's, who had a most excellent lunch prepared, to which we did ample 

 justice. After lunch, we turned out near Mr. Cawley's house, and started a fox, 

 which we ran a few fields and whipped off. We then came back tc our old 

 quarters and found immediately, and after an hour's run in the direction of 

 • Chester, ran into our hare, and finished the best day we ever had with the R.R.B. 

 We sat down at five o'clock to an excellent dinner, at which our kind friends at 



