130 FOX-HUNTING FROM SHIRE TO SHIRE 



the top of Castlegate Wood, to Botany Bay village, 

 across a fine line of grass country to Trent Park, 

 where the pack pulled him down after a fast gallop 

 of fort}^ minutes. Another good day was that of 

 February 4, after meeting at Woodhill, Hatfield. 

 The first fox ran to ground, after a hunt of twenty 

 minutes ; hounds then had another twenty-five 

 minutes' scurry. From Hatfield Common a real 

 traveller was started, taking a line of grass through 

 Panshanger Park and Bendwell Park to North Big 

 Wood, where he beat his pursuers after a hunt 

 lasting two hours and a half. 



The whipper-in, Frank Tucker, — a brother of 

 the huntsman to the Devon and Somerset Stag- 

 hounds, — came from the Cambridgeshire, and 

 rejoined his former master. In addition to the 

 regular staff, Mr Smith-Bosanquet has the assist- 

 ance of an honorary whipper-in, Capt. W. Sworder, 

 of the Gordon Highlanders, a good horseman, who 

 finds his own mounts. The duties of field-master 

 are ably performed by Mr W. H. Vincent, a heavy- 

 weight who has hunted all his life, and proves a 

 liberal education to a field new to the pleasurable 

 duties of the chase. Mr G. Smith-Bosanquet's 

 name is familiar to the lovers of the horse, for his 

 colours are often carried to victory under National 

 Hunt rules ; so that we were prepared to see a nice 

 lot of horses occupying the stalls of the hunt stables. 

 The pick of the stud, we thought, was the big 

 chestnut Kestrel, who has won prizes in the 

 show-yard ; Gunner, the black horse, was another 

 favourite of the master, as also was the grey mare 

 Silver Cloud. 



Mrs Smith-Bosanquet is not often seen in the 

 saddle, but is a constant follower of the chase on 

 wheels, and during February 19 11 gave a hunt 



