10 THE ETON COLLEGE HUNT. 



The whole principle of the Beagles before the amalgamation 

 was entirely different from what it is to-day. The pack was 

 privately owned by various boys, who brought hounds from 

 their homes and lent them for the season. It may be of interest 

 to give the names of the hounds together with those of the boys 

 who owned them : 



Hounds. Owner. 



Rummager, Ruler Buddicom. 



Tapster, Gobbler, Music, Ruby ... Jones. 



Cromwell, *Coic, *Famous, *CIiorister Turner. 



Ryot, Myrtle Wellesley. 



Boscoe, Ferryman, Ranger R. F. M. -Thompson. 



Clara, Crafty, Pilot, Boxer Wakeman. 



Famous ... ... ... ... Crosse. 



Bellman... ... ... ... ... Gordon-Lennox. 



Sprightly, Dilligent Hon. R. C. Grosvenor. 



Trueman, Dexter, Music, Trinket ... C.S.Newton. 



Col. Meysey-Thompson says : '' Any one lending hounds was 

 entitled to run with the pack without paying any subscription, 

 though some did not avail themselves of this exemption. Only 

 Fifth Form were allov/ed to run with the pack, but a Lower Boy 

 bringing a hound had the special p;ivilege of accompanying 

 the pack." 



H. M. Meysey-Thompson (the brother of the Colonel) was a 

 good runner. In 1863 he won the Hurdles and was third in 

 the Mile, and in 1864 he won the Steeplechase (the ambition of 

 all beaglers) and was second in the Mile. Turnor and Sandbach 

 were also good runners. The best run the Beagles had during 

 his Mastership was in the region of Dorney, where they ran a 

 hare for an hour and five minutes, covering more than six miles. 

 In the end she burst her heart just in front of hounds. 



There was a curious and not altogether pleasant incident at 

 the end of the season. A presentation to H. M. Meysey- 

 Thompson was arranged chiefly under the fostering care of a boy 

 named Kennion (now Bishop of Bath and Wells), and he was 

 offered his choice of a;n oil painting of the pack or of a silver 

 hunting horn. He chose the latter. At the breakfast which 

 was held in honour of the event, W. W. Wood got up, and 

 proposed that it should be made a horn of office instead. 



A very warm discussion ensued, and the question was put to 

 the vote and carried, to the chagrin of those who had been 

 chiefly instrumental in raising the subscription. The horn is 



* Purchased at end of season by W. Milner (the late Sir W. Milner). 



