160 ON THE GRAMPIAN HILLS. 



however, and the noble Master of the Buckhounds, 

 Lord Hardwicke, trusting to the judgment and ex- 

 perience of Frank Goodall, has proved the soundness 

 of his advice, as a finer or more blooming lot of 

 hounds are not to be found. I shall not be far wrong, 

 I think, if I predict a good time for those intending to 

 ride with the Queen's during the ensuing season. 

 The Quorn, though compelled to delay cub -hunting 

 beyond the usual period, owing to the lateness of 

 the harvest, have, nevertheless, been able to kill a 

 youngster or two, giving this fleet pack a taste of 

 blood, as an encouragement to the newly-entered 

 hounds to strive to pull down a gallant old fox when 

 the pace is severe and the country stiff. The greatly- 

 respected master, Mr. Coupland, his numerous friends 

 will regret to hear, is still an invalid. The Cottesmore 

 are rattling the cubs about in the Woodlands ; that 

 first-class huntsman, Neale, doing his best to bustle 

 the foxes out of the big covers, so that when the 

 master (Lord Carington) commences the season he 

 may find plenty of the " crafty varmint " in the thick 

 gorse covers, from which many a good run may be 

 safely anticipated. Sir Bache Cunard, having amic- 

 ably and satisfactorily arranged his differences with 

 the Quorn, is busy at work driving the cubs from 

 Allexton Wood so that they may afford sure finds to 

 his many supporters in that district. Squire Froude 

 Bellew has already had a good run with his pack the 

 Dulverton Foxhounds which hunt that lovely portion 

 of North Devon seen by the tourist when visiting the 

 range of hills known as Hawkridge and the country 

 around Withypool. The well-known pack, the Ted- 



