FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 153 



He undertook that country for three seasons 

 from 1 82 1, but as a matter of fact he was only 

 there for a few months when the Quorn country 

 was suddenly declared to be vacant. 



Mr. Osbaldeston, who was the Master, ad- 

 dressed the members of the Quorn Hunt by a 

 letter to the local papers, informing them of the 

 fact that owing to a recent accident, when he broke 

 his leg, he felt compelled to give up the country. 



Sir Bellingham at once offered to take the 

 Quorn, which he did through the same medium 

 of the local paper, and the offer was immediately 

 accepted. He purchased Osbaldeston's house, 

 hounds, and horses, and arranged to leave a 

 portion of his own pack with a whipper-in to 

 fulfil his engagement with the Hambledon Hunt. 

 How strange it sounds nowadays to hear of a 

 Master retiring from a country by a letter to 

 the county paper; but evidently there were no 

 Hunt Committees in those days, and they seemed 

 to have got on very well without them. 



By taking the Quorn Sir Bellingham achieved 

 the distinction, which he alone shared with 

 Osbaldeston, of hunting that country as well as 

 the famous Pytchley. They appear to have been 

 on good terms together, as the Squire went off to 

 Hampshire in his place and hunted the Hamble- 

 don country for one season. 



