i6o FOX-HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS 



repurchasing twenty-five couples of his old pack 

 for £1000, and continued to hunt the country 

 up to 1827, when he took the Pytchley. His 

 favourite hounds were Furrier, Flourisher, 

 Vaulter, Rasselas, Valentine, Hermit, and Rocket. 

 At one time there were twenty-four and a half 

 couples by Furrier, a black-and-white dog, who was 

 bred at Belvoir in 1821 by Saladin from Fallacy. 

 The Squire sometimes made the whole of his pack 

 for the day's hunting of hounds by that noted 

 sire. In 1834 he retired for ever as M.F.H., and 

 transferred his hounds privately and conditionally 

 to Mr. Harvey Combe, who took them to the 

 Old Berkeley Kennels at Rickmansworth. In 

 1840, still described as '' Mr. Osbaldeston's 

 hounds,*' they were sold in lots at Tattersall's 

 and realised £6400, but most of them went back 

 to Mr. Harvey Combe, and Lord Cardigan bought 

 ten couples to remain in the Pytchley country. 



How interesting it would be nowadays to know 

 where any of that once famous foxhound blood 

 is to be found ! 



Upon the retirement of the famous John 

 Mytton from the Mastership of the Albrighton 

 Hunt in 1822, no one could be found to take over 

 the whole of his country, and the sportsmen 

 of the district had to rely upon Mr. William Hay, 

 who hunted the Staffordshire side only from 



