282 THE NEW FOREST 



pony, for at least one horseman is essential for 

 rook hawking, and very well did that pony turn 

 out. 



With this modest equipment, of two falcons 

 and a pony, I spent the Easter vacation of 1870 

 assisting Robert Barr. We had a certain amount 

 of sport, and I learnt a great deal about the 

 management of hawks. The pony was a capital 

 hack, and carried a hawk well. 



Except for what I did with some merlins of 

 my own, and subsequently with a young goshawk, 

 at rabbits, I saw little hawking for a year or so ; 

 but in the autumn of 1871 it befell that Cecil 

 Duncombe, Mr. A. E. Knox, a member of the 

 former Hawking Club, and myself forgathered 

 at Gordon Castle as the guests of the Duke of 

 Richmond. The question of reviving the club 

 was mooted, and then and there letters were 

 written off to Lord Lilford, Captain Brooksbank, 

 also original members, and to one or two others, 

 proposing to them to start the club again. I 

 myself wrote off to John Barr (his brother Robert, 

 our old falconer, was dead), to propose to him 

 that he should become our professional falconer, 

 and soon made terms with him. All the old 

 members gave us support, especially Lord Lil- 

 ford, whose generosity smoothed all difficulties. 

 Francis Newcome came in place of his father, 



