6o GOOD SPORT 



for every one and a nip of excellent cherry brandy, 

 making us all eagerness to find a fox as quickly 

 as possible, before the effects worked off. Of course, 

 there is never a crowded field out, but a represen- 

 tative one from both hunts, just the right element 

 to put a huntsman on his mettle to show sport, 

 for those who come these long distances have a 

 business-like air about them ! One never quite 

 knows whom we may meet, for on these rare occa- 

 sions friends from a distance turn up, like ships pass- 

 ing at sea, to hail us on life's journey, and perhaps 

 vanish again into the space of a year or more. 

 What we all perhaps like about a Corby gathering is 

 its provincial character; and the chances are for 

 these woodland hunts Leicestershire clothes and 

 manners are left behind, being out of place. The 

 farmer division is a strong one — good, honest- 

 looking sons of the soil on *' nags " innocent of 

 polish ; not the horse-dealer fraternity, who prefer 

 a day on the grass with the crowd. The whole dis- 

 trict seems endued with the right fox-hunting spirit 

 — a rare tonic for any of us — and the only ques- 

 tion of tenant right would appear to be the right 

 of the tenant to ride over his landlord, or of the 

 landlord to take the same hberty with his tenant. 



During the mastership of Mr. William Baird, 

 who came from the north and was in office from 

 1880 to 1900, great attention was paid to the breed- 

 ing of the Cottesmore hounds, the kennel being 

 considerably improved by the purchase of drafts 

 from Belvoir in the eighties. For some years 

 William Neal was huntsman to Mr. Baird, but was 

 succeeded in 1888 by George Gillson, who held the 

 post until the change of mastership in 1900, when 

 he retired. George Gillson was well known in 

 Leicestershire, having been first whipper-in at Ouorn 



