172 The Bed ale Hounds, 1832-1908 



apprenticeship to hounds under a first rate 

 tutor, Will Dale, with the Brocklesby. 



His choice of a young man was fully 

 justified ; as after showing some very good 

 sport for two seasons, Freeman was induced 

 to desert the Bedale for the Pytchley country, 

 in which he has not only killed his foxes, but 

 has shown the large fields there some first- 

 rate gallops. 



He had to commence his huntsman's 

 career under some slight disadvantages, as 

 the whole of the Kennel staff, inside and out, 

 were entirely a new lot. The kennels, the 

 hounds, and the country were unknown to 

 all, with the exception of a second horseman, 

 who had a knowledge of the roads (they only, 

 we will hope). 



Having had a good deal to do with him, 

 I can say that there was no difficulty made 

 which was not at once met or over-ruled, 

 and from, the day he entered the kennels 

 to the day he left, no hitch of any sort 

 occurred. 



His hounds were very soon devoted to 

 him, and when it came to hunting, he could 

 do anything with them. This, combined 

 with a fine eye for a country, an instinctive 

 knowledge of the run of a fox, a most reten- 

 tive landscape memory (he never forgot a 

 covert or a road he had once been into or on 

 to), together with being a very fine strong 

 and quiet horseman, soon made him at home 

 in the field, and all went as smoothly as pos- 

 sible. During this year there was, generally 



