THE WAR\^^CKSHIRE HOUNDS. 



Mr. John Corbet 

 1791-1811. 



in various parts of Shropshire. He had had some 

 experience of Warwickshire before he took it, as.Jas far 

 back as 1778, he hunted the district around Meriden. 

 The echoes of Staffordshire round Lichfield and Shen- 

 stone had also been awakened by the sound of his horn. 

 The fame of his pack may be largely attributed to the 

 reputation enjoyed by a single hound — the celebrated 

 Trojan. It was just previous to the taking of War- 

 wickshire by his master that the feats of Trojan were Trojan. 

 attracting the admiration of those who followed him, 

 and gaining for "Mr. Corbet's" a worthy place 

 in hunt story. He is said to have been the 

 offspring of a Pytchley hound, Trueboy, and a 

 harrier bitch Tidings, which was in a pack of 

 harriers purchased for Mr. Corbet at Tattersall's. Mr. 

 Corbet, however, came very near losing his treasure. 

 He was in the habit of entering his puppies to hares, 

 and Trojan refusing to look at them was very nearly 

 drafted. This was, no doubt, evidence of his 

 excellence, and when put to his proper sport he proved 

 a most perfect hound. During the eight or nine 

 seasons which he hunted (1780-88) he was never lame 

 and never remained in the kennels when it was his 

 turn to hunt. He always came back fresh and gay 

 with his stern up, even on the hardest days. His leap- His powers 

 ing powers have been the most notorious of all his 

 qualifications, although it has been suggested, that it 

 was the advantageous comparison with his companions 

 which made him shine in this particular, rather than 

 any very exceptional merit of his own. Two in- 

 stances of noteworthy jumps by Trojan, which have 

 been handed down, ^re, however, worth recording 

 here. One was in his first year, the other in his 

 second. In the latter instance, a fox found at Chilling- 

 ton, in Staffordshire, was run to Weston (Lord Brad- 

 ford's) and back to Chillington, leaping the park wall 

 of considerable height. The pack followed, but all 

 who attempted the leap fell back with the exception of 



His leaping per- 

 fonnances. 



