WITH THE DUKE OF BEAUFORT'S HOUNDS 79 



a commanding-looking brown horse, which carried 

 his Grace in King Edward VII. 's Coronation Pro- 

 cession, 1902. It was supposed to be an off-day 

 for Dale, but nothing short of disablement would 

 persuade him to stay at home, so he was out 

 in the capacity of whipper-in, riding an old- 

 fashioned white horse. With two whippers-in, and a 

 troop of green-coated second horsemen, the caval- 

 cade behind the pack presented an imposing ap- 

 pearance as we trotted through the park on the 

 way to the meet. The Badminton stables are of 

 vast extent, the stalls and boxes accommodating 

 over eighty hunters and harness horses, many 

 haiUng from Mr. J. H. Stokes, of Market Harboro'. 

 Latterly, motors have been added to the establish- 

 ment, and are often used by the Duke and his 

 huntsman when going to covert. Another addition 

 is a stud of hunting ponies for the young Marquis 

 of Worcester, and the Ladies Blanche and Diana 

 Somerset, who with the Duchess of Beaufort are 

 frequent followers when the meets are within 

 distance. 



The meet at Chavenage Green is on the Tetbury 

 side of the country, north of Badminton and border- 

 ing on the Cotswold. A large field were out, giving 

 us the first sight of the famous blue and buff uniform, 

 there being but one scarlet coat in the assemblage, 

 and that, if memory serves aright, was worn by 

 Captain P. A. O. Whitaker, ex-master of the Oakley, 

 who was riding a thoroughbred type of chestnut. 

 Amongst those out were Major Cosma and Mrs. 

 Little, Captain Gilbert, Colonel and Mrs. Henry, 

 Mr. Edward Henry, Mr. A. M. Wilson, Mr. and Mrs. 

 Williams of Bradley Court, Major Gist, Colonel 

 Tumour, Mr. Harding, Captain Percy and Mrs. 

 Whitaker, Mr. D. Lindsay, Colonel Haydon, Mr. E. S. 



