Fox-himting Past and Present 



own a kicker or a runaway, shoot him rather than 

 bring him into the hunting-field." 



In the days of William III. the Charlton country 

 (now Lord Leconfield's) in Sussex was one of the 

 most fashionable. ^*A mare named Swiftlass, in 

 1880-1881, carried Will Dale, then huntsman of 

 the Burton, over a drain 25 feet wide and 15 feet 

 deep — measured." When Gillard became hunts- 

 man of the Belvoir in 1870, the first problem in 

 breeding he had to solve was how to make a more 

 musical pack ; they were beautiful workers, but 

 their tongues w^ere not heard enough. The earliest 

 pack to provide sport for the many was the 

 common hunt of London, whose rights were 

 confirmed by Henry I. (1100-1135). It has been 

 calculated, ^'that in countries other than the shires 

 it costs about ;^5o to catch a fox ; in the shires it 

 costs much more." 



'' Ware hounds ! " Mr. Merthyr Guest once 



had to send home six hounds which had been 



lamed by thrusters. '' Do not make a refusal by 



your horse, a personal affront to be punished 



by whip and spur." How few people take any 



real interest in hounds ! If one wants to see 



brave men struggling against adversity, take 



nine men out of ten to spend an hour on the 



flags. Henry VIII. is said to have tired out 



eight horses in one day's stag-hunting ! Mr. 



Nevill of Chilland, Hants, used to hunt water- 



74 



