MATCH OF HOUNDS OVER NEWMARKET. 69 



the Greyhound Foxes of the Essex Rodings, his get from the best bred bitches 

 might be presumed equal to any thing. 



The famous match of Fox Hounds over the Beacon Course at Newmarket, be- 

 tween that father of the sport, the late Hugo Meynell, Esq. and Mr. Barry ; 

 together with the four mile trial of Colonel Thornton s Fox -hound Bitch Merkin, 

 have been repeated in almost every publication of this kind ; but they are in their 

 nature so extraordinary, as bringing to the test of the time-piece, the comparative 

 speed of horses and dogs, and as many of our readers may still be unacquainted 

 with the particulars, it might be deemed an improper omission, were they not to 

 be found here. 



Mr. Meynell matched two Fox Hounds, Richmond and a Bitch, against Mr. 

 Barry's two hounds, Bluecap and Wanton, to run over the Beacon Course at 

 Newmarket, for five hundred guineas. Mr. Barry's hounds were trained on Tip- 

 tree Heath, Essex, where annual Races for small prizes have been held immemo- 

 rially. The trainer was our old acquaintance Will. Crane, long-famed in that 

 quarter, as a Huntsman, and who kept Rivenhall Inn. His method with the hounds, 

 was to run a fox drag of eight or ten miles, three times a week, upon the turf, 

 during two months, feeding upon oat-meal and milk and sheep's-trotters. We 

 were informed by several Sportsmen, who saw the dogs before starting, that they 

 appeared in admirable condition. Mr. Meynell' s hounds were fed whilst in train- 

 ing, entirely upon legs of mutton, and were also in high condition : odds seven to 

 four upon them at starting, chiefly from the proprietor's high sporting character. 

 The match was run on the 30th of September, by laying the accustomed drag from 

 the Rubbing House at Neivmarket Town end, to the Rubbing House at the Starting 

 Post of the Beacon Course, the four hounds being immediately laid on the scent. 

 Mr. Barry's Bluecap came in first, and his Wanton, a very near second, the four 

 miles being run by these hounds, in a few seconds above eight minutes ', much 

 about the time, in which an ordinary Country plate horse would run the same 

 distance, carrying the weight of eight stone, or eight stone seven pounds. Mr. 

 Meynell' s hound was beaten by about one hundred and twenty yards, and the 

 bitch was in ?io place, not running her course through. It is in some respects true 

 that, the knowing ones were taken in by this match ; nevertheless on the other 

 hand, the great reputation of Will. Crane as a Huntsman had great weight. Three 

 score Horsemen started with the hounds ; and Cooper, Mr. Barry's Huntsman, 

 was first at the Ending Post, having stupidly and barbarously ridden the mare 

 which carried him, perhaps over-weighted or under-bred quite blind ! an act by 

 way of sport to one animal, productive of misery and loss of the light of the blessed 

 Sun throughout life, to another, which ought to damn the whole day's sport 

 for ever. Only twelve horses out of the sixty, were able to run in with the 

 hounds, Will. Crane, mounted upon the winner of a twelve stone or King's Plate, 

 called Rib, being the twelfth. 







