SPORT WITH BASSET HOUNDS 295 



hunting from Chiddingstone Castle, Kent — the Knowl- 

 ton and the Stoodleigh having retired. The Knowlton, 

 it is to be noted, were mastered and hunted by Miss 

 Gladys Peto, to whom two sisters and a brother acted 

 as whippers-in. During the season, 1902-03, the 

 Walhampton and Mr. Denny's were joined by a new 

 pack, the Reepham, hunting near Lincoln. 



From these particulars it would seem that many 

 people have tried hare-hunting with bassets for a short 

 time, usually a season or two, and have then abandoned 

 it. Whether they found that the sport was somewhat 

 slow, or that these dwarf hounds required more time 

 and patience in their education than they could afford 

 to give them, it is beyond me to say. Probably 

 both reasons led to their abandonment, after a brief 

 trial. In some few instances, no doubt, the pack was 

 started as a mere passing fad or fashion, the owner 

 having acquired a few couples of these hounds and 

 wishing to see how they would behave themselves in 

 the field. 



The Walhampton pack, as will be seen, have alone 

 remained constant, season after season, to the sport 

 which they inaugurated in 1891. They have been 

 invariably mastered and hunted by the Messrs. Hesel- 

 tine, Mr. Christopher Heseltine acting as Master, and 

 Captain Godfrey Heseltine having usually carried the 

 horn, except during his absence on service in South 

 Africa. 



Captain Heseltine has been good enough to send 

 me particulars of the pack and accounts of some of 

 their best runs ; and the narrative seems to me so 

 instructive, not only in reference to sport with bassets, 

 but as regards hare-hunting generally, that I have 

 thought well to print it, in its entirety. It will be 

 noticed with what patience and care this pack has 



