FROM 1886 TO 1899, 55 



later, where we were suitably, if mildly, reprimanded by the Head 

 and were also requested to write an ample letter of apology. 

 This was duly done, and apparently so ably that it touched the 

 heart of our host-by-compulsion, who promptly wrote that he 

 would be glad to see us again, and invited the Master and whips 

 to go and lunch with him. All therefore in this case ended 



The most successful Masters of this period were A. M. 

 Grenfell, in whose season fourteen hares were killed in twenty-six 

 hunting days, and G. Robarts, who in thirty hunting days killed 

 fifteen hares. . . 



Perhaps it would be interesting to some to give the opinions 

 of the various Masters on Lock and his kennel management. 



" I think Lock looks after the hounds pretty well, but a 

 Master must show to Lock that he (the Master) intends to look 

 after his pack, or Lock may be inclined to impose." — A. M, 

 Grenfell, 1892. 



'* Care ought to be taken with Lock, who does not look after 

 the hounds satisfactorily, unless he is made to understand that he 

 is not boss of the show."— H. B. Creswell, 1894. 



'' As regards Lock and the hounds, I think there is not much 

 fault to find. The hounds were always in good condition, and I 

 think he took a great deal of trouble with them. The way to 

 manage him is to make him clearly understand that you are 

 boss."— G. Sanford Hodgson, 1895. 



''Lock is very pig-headed! "— G. E. F. Ward, 1896. 



'* I entirely disagree with many former Masters, who say that 

 Lock looks after the hounds badly, and I am sure that no beagles 

 could have been fitter the whole season than these were. 

 The only thing about him is that he is a bit pig-headed and 

 always wants to feed the hounds on ' greaves.' "—R. Milvain, 



1898. ^^ ^ 



However, it must be remembered that having no paddock 

 adjoining the kennels was a terrible drawback, and made the task 

 of keeping hounds fit and the kennels clean infinitely harder than 

 it would otherwise have been. 



Lock must have been an extraordinary character. He used 

 to say to the whips as they walked along the road : '' Pop your 

 whip, Sir; pop your whip," every other minute without any 

 reason whatever. Another habit he had was that of accusing 

 any rustic he met at the end of any sort of a hunt of " picking 

 up the hare." He used to threaten the unfortunate individual 

 with a whip, and the more boys he had round him at the time the 

 more insistent he was. 



Here is an incident of R. A. Ward's Mastership ; 



