HUNTING 221 



prosecution of the particular sport of foxhunting. 

 And the results of the next year or two justified 

 their prognostications. 



Things went on all right after that, and we 

 had no more epidemics. I think that when I bid 

 farewell to the Forest in 1914, there was as fine 

 a show of foxes in it as the country has ever 

 produced. 



Mr. Heseltine, whose hounds were hunted by 

 his brother Mr. Godfrey Heseltine, who has 

 since acquired fame as a huntsman in countries 

 abroad as well as at home, had not long been 

 master when the South African War broke out. 

 The Heseltine brothers were among the first to 

 volunteer, and, their services being accepted, the 

 Hunt was left perforce somewhat in the lurch. 

 However, Mr. Heseltine made all arrangements 

 for carrying on hunting until the end of the 

 season, when the country had to seek a new 

 master. A curious coincidence then occurred. 

 In the year 1800 the sudden death of Mr. Vincent 

 Hawkins Gilbert threw the hunting arrange- 

 ments of the country into considerable disorder ; 

 Mr. John Compton of Minstead Manor stepped 

 into the breach, and by taking over the master- 

 ship solved the immediate difficulty. 



So, exactly one hundred years later, when by 

 the force of circumstances in 1900 the Hunt 



