CHAPTER V 



A HUNT WITH THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT'S HOUNDS 



Whyte-Melville's verse on the Blue and Buff— The origin of the four 

 great hunts— Whyte-Melville's country — The Duke of Beaufort's 

 hunt and the Badminton kennels — Beaufort Justice— The influence 

 of Badminton blood— Badminton Rapture, 1899— Successes at 

 Peterborough — The 9th Duke of Beaufort, master and huntsman — 

 The Great Wood run, 1881 — The young Marquis of Worcester — -The 

 " Blue " Duke and the hunt uniform — Will Dale's record — The Duke 

 and the big dog pack — The hound Vaulter, 1897 — The pick of the 

 pack— The Duke of Beaufort's hunters — The Badminton stables — 

 The field out at Chavenage Green — Union Gorse — Away over the 

 stone-wall country — A nine-mile point — A long hunting run and 

 good hound work. 



" How they drive to the front ! how they bustle and spread, 

 Those badger-pied beauties that open the ball ! 

 Ere we've gone for a mile, they are furlongs ahead ; 

 In they pour like a torrent o'er upland and wall. 

 There is raking of rowel and shaking of rein 



(Few hunters can live at the Badminton pace\ 

 And the pride of the stable's extended in vain, 

 And the Blue and Buffs are all over the place." 



— Major G. J. Whyte-Melvillf. 



The fame of fox-hunting is linked with the history 

 of four noble families, owners of large estates, 

 whose ancestors established packs of hounds when 

 the necessity ceased to keep a troop of armed 

 retainers under their roof. In this way the Bad- 

 minton, Belvoir, Brocklesby and FitzwilUam sprang 

 into existence, and each has the advantage of be- 

 longing uninterrupedly to one family, extending 

 over a period of one hundred and fifty years. The 

 oldest estabhshment is said to be the Badminton, 

 which has flourished under five successive Dukes of 

 Beaufort, well managed in the kennel by huntsmen, 



