26 THE ETON COLLEGE HUNT, 



necessary qualifications or not. But it does not greatly 

 matter. So far as we know this privilege was never used. 

 Indeed the whole treaty fell into abeyance before very long. 

 The distinction between Collegers and Oppidans grew less and 

 less, and only Clause IV. remained for any length of time. This 

 limit of seventy was finally abolished in 1876. Unfortunately 

 we have no record of the actual members of the E.C.H. after the 

 amalgamation. But we do know that it proved an unqualified 

 success and that beagling became more and more popular from 

 this time onwards. 



The amalgamated pack had a good set off in the season of 

 1867. F. E. Armit stead, who had been first whip of the College 

 Beagles in the previous season, did not, surprisingly enough, 

 become the first Master of the combined packs. Instead he took 

 the first whip, and the more important ofiice was occupied by 

 W. C. Calvert, an Oppidan, who had not held any official position 

 the previous year. During this season the E.C.H. gave up 

 hunting drags, and from this time onwards the hare became the 

 sole quarry. The pack consisted of 1^ couples of College 

 hounds, one hound (Boscoe) from the Oppidan pack, and 

 2 J couples of hounds which had belonged to neither pack. In 

 addition to these, there were 1^ couples of first season hounds, 

 out of Jargon, by Smuggler, the property of the College Hunt ; 

 2 couples presented by Mr. Calvert, and a couple lent by Lord 

 Mandeville. In all nine couples of working hounds. Jargon 

 and Joyful had both hunted with the pack since 1863, when the 

 Journal Book was first kept. The former was evidently a most 

 remarkable hound. She was a big " black, tan and white " 

 bitch standing 16 J inches. There is a painted photograph of 

 her in the Journal Book (1865), together with A. J. Pound, 

 R. V. Somers-Smith, and another hound Valiant, and, judging 

 from the number of times she is mentioned, she must have been 

 a most reliable bitch with a good nose and plenty of dash. 



As has already been remarked, bagged foxes and hares had 

 been turned down occasionally in the previous seasons. Only 

 once after this date was a bagged hare turned down, and this 

 in the mastership of F. Johnstone. The first whip has made an, 

 entry in the Journal Book in which he expresses his loathing of 

 this *' sport," and his hope that the Master would not provide 

 any more bagged hares. After this date, no bagged hares were 

 hunted, and with the exception of the annual drag at the end 

 of the season the wild hare became the sole quarry. 



The E.C.H. in the period after the amalgamation produced 

 some well-known sportsmen, among them siich names as the 



