222 HARE-HUNTING AND HARRIERS 



are merely given as indicating the main expenses of a 



very modest hare-hunting establishment. 



A fashionable pack of harriers, run on very liberal 



lines and turned out — huntsman, whip, and all — very 



much after the style of a foxhound pack, may be 



expected to reach something like the following figures : 



I 5. d. 

 Huntsman's book (including wages of himself, 



whip, and feeder, and cost of flesh) 

 Meal and biscuit bill ..... 

 Rent of kennels and premises (to include all Hunt 



servants) ...... 



Maintenance of three horses 



Liveries, saddlery, &c. .... 



Dinner to farmers and others, who walk puppies 



Expense of young hounds 



Various incidental expenses — straw, rail, travelling, 



shoeing, taxes, &c. .... 



Total ;£790 o o 



This would be running a large pack, say twenty-five 

 couples, on extremely liberal, not to say extravagant, 

 lines, and comparatively few Masters of harriers would 

 be tempted to remain long at the head of hounds if 

 their hare-hunting cost them anything like such a 

 sum. It will be noted also that allowance has been 

 made for a huntsman, his wages and horse, which are 

 items much more often than not saved by the Master 

 hunting his own hounds. Some few packs may, and 

 no doubt do, actually cost their owners and subscribers 

 as much as £700 or £800 a year. But these are in a 

 very small minority indeed ; if it were otherwise, hare- 

 hunting, which is a cheap sport, could not possibly 

 flourish as it does in these islands. 



It may be taken, I think, as a reasonable estimate, 

 that a pack of harriers, hunted on horseback, can be 

 maintained in modest, but perfectly presentable, 



