296 HARE-HUNTING AND HARRIERS 



been trained and matured to a successful issue, and 

 how disappointing, comparatively, were the first 

 essays in hare-hunting during the season of 1890-91, 

 when the hounds never killed a hare. It will be 

 noticed, too, how much more readily even bassets 

 can kill hares early in the season, i.e., in September, 

 October, and the early part of November, than later 

 on when hares are so much stronger. This is a point 

 that is often forgotten by young Masters of harriers 

 and beagles. 



Here, then, follows Captain Heseltine's account of 

 the Walhampton Basset Hounds : 



" (i) The first couple of basset hounds we ever 

 possessed were given to us by Captain Peacock (late 

 M.F.H. Hertfordshire, Isle of Wight, etc.), in 1890, 

 and with four or five couples we used to chivey 

 about, but in April 1891, we purchased 9|- couples 

 from Mr. T. Cannon, Junr., of Danebury, and com- 

 menced hunting regularly in the season, 189 1-2, and 

 I have a record of every day's sport from then till 

 now. We commenced hunting badger in the New 

 Forest in July 1891, and had several good hunts, 

 both by moonlight and in the early morning, but gave 

 it up for hare-hunting in September, and have never 

 hunted anything but hare since. In the seasons 1891-2, 

 1892-3, the hounds hunted during term time at Cam- 

 bridge, having their kennels at Chesterton ; the re- 

 mainder of the season they hunted in the New 

 Forest, and around Lymington. Since 1892-3, with 

 the exception of the season, 1900-1, they have been 

 regularly hunted by the writer in the New Forest 

 and the neighbourhood of Lymington. The hounds 

 are the joint property of my brother and myself. 

 My brother is the Master of the pack, and I have 

 always hunted them, with the exception of Nov. 1894, 



