68 THE ETON COLLEGE HUNT, 



(h) The running capacities of the staff of my second 

 year (1901 — 1902) were rather a record : 



Self ... Winner of Steeplechase 1901. 



Wilson ... 2nd in „ 1901. 



Lambert ... Winner of „ 1902. 



Drake ... 2nd in „ 1902. 



''My first year was undoubtedly a very moderate one; we 

 had some baddish hounds and it was a shocking scenting season. 

 The second season was much better, and at the time I thought 

 it very good indeed. But as a matter of fact I should think, 

 looking back with my present experience, that the E.C.H. have 

 probably had many even better seasons since. 



''This I should put down to an improvement in the hounds, 

 which began from the time of the Grenfells, two years before me, 

 but did not bear full fruit till after my time. In this connection 

 it was probably a big advantage, apart from any personal ability, 

 that in six years there were only four Masters — myself and 

 Wroughton each twice, and Romer Williams was a good hound 

 man. 



" Before the Grenfell twins the whole thing was a very 

 scratch concern, and it would be difficult to exaggerate the debt 

 which the E.C.H. owe to their memory. It requires tremendous 

 push and energy to start the whole thing on a fresh basis, and to 

 raise £1000 for the purpose, which is what they did. 



" They were the keenest fellows I ever met; devoted to one 

 another really, but out beagling they constantly cursed one 

 another into heaps. The first hare I killed in my first season, 

 February 5th, 1901, is the hunt I remember best. Chiefly 

 because there wasn't an atom of scent, and I really ran her to 

 death myself (she must have been very weak !). Hounds were 

 behind, instead of in front of me, most of the way; and we 

 tracked and viewed her practically all the way from the Bath 

 Road near Cippenham to the river at Boveney. There was snow 

 on the ground, and we kept on seeing her about half a mile ahead 

 on the big fields between Cippenham and Dorney Common. I 

 nearly ran my inside out; and eventually, when she was in the 

 river, had to go in up to my middle to get her out." 



If I had to mention any Master whom Champion talks a])out 

 more than the others, it would be C. Romer Williams, who 

 hunted the E.C.H. in 1904. Champion avows that the reason 

 why he was so successful was that he was not really a first flighter, 

 and by the time he had come up hounds had had plenty of time 

 to fling for themselves, and then, says Champion, " he always did 

 the right thing." It might be claimed that last year's Master, 



