COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 101 



Smith, the huntsman, not out. Goddard hunting 

 hounds ; not much good. Ran to Kelmarsh ; rode 

 back to Daventry, twenty miles, and drove seventeen 

 more back to Leamington. 



ist May, 1843. Marched to Hounslow. 



Sir John Halkett of Pitfirrane was a Captain in 

 the navy, and had a pack of staghounds near Ports- 

 mouth. His son, Sir Arthur, sent me a copy of a 

 letter from Charles Davis, huntsman to Her Majesty's 

 Staghounds, to Captain Halkett on the subject of 

 hounds breaking away to the deer cart : 



" ASCOT HEATH, nth December, 1839. 

 " SlR,- 



" I am delighted to hear of your good sport, 

 but am grieved at your information respecting the 

 hounds breaking away. I always profess candour, 

 and must therefore give my opinion thus : I really 

 believe there is no cure for your grievance. It prob- 

 ably might have been prevented, the method of 

 which cannot be put on paper, as it consists of a 

 thorough knowledge of the temper, disposition, etc., 

 of each hound, to so great a degree as to know what 

 each intends doing before they put their vice in prac- 

 tice. And at such times speak not harshly, but 

 kindly, and even your countenance must bear the 

 impress of friendship. 



" Correction I do not advocate, and it is equally 

 wrong to say I never suffer the whip to be used ; but 

 certainly never when you are taking them to the 

 meet, for by causing one hound to cry the others 



