300 THE BROCKLESBY HOUNDS. 



" The Kennels, Cirencester, 



"August 26th, 1901. 

 " Sir, 



" I thank you for the compliment of wishing to quote my opinion of 

 the Brocklesby hounds. Speaking from memory, and having no reference at 

 hand, I believe they are the oldest and best-established pack in England, and 

 from which have sprung many other kennels of fox-hounds of high repute. If I 

 had the time, and the Hound List for reference, I do not think I should have any 

 difficulty in tracing every individual kennel of note of the present day, and many 

 that are now disestablished (including the late Lord Waterford's), back to their 

 main source— the Brocklesby. Taking principally packs with which I have been 

 connected — the Belvoir, to start, in early days, had drafts from the Brocklesby 

 of that day, and later, it is a byword among all well-informed huntsmen, the 

 great lift Brocklesby did for Belvoir when Will Smith let Will Goodall have 

 handsome little Brocklesby Rallywood. My father whipped-in to the Brocklesby 

 from 1849 to 1852, and knew this blood well, and always told me to stick to it, 

 as no hounds could find and chase a fox in better form. I have always been 

 told by Mr. T. Smith, huntsman of the Bramham Moor, that the celebrated 

 black and tan of Belvoir was inherited from Brocklesby sires. The Duke of 

 Buccleuch's also had much good service in their kennel from Brocklesby, and 

 the Warwickshire were benefited by several sires, but chieHy by Tapster (1882), 

 the sire of Trusty, the dam of Talisman and grand -dam of Tancred. Acrobat 

 also did well for the Warwickshire and many other kennels. In this kennel — 

 Lord Bathurst's — Brocklesby Acrobat and Foreman have both done well. Their 

 Harper was undoubtedly a most excellent sire ; he unfortunately got buried 

 alive to a great extent by going into Mr. Guest's possession. Since the re-estab- 

 lishment of the dog pack at Brocklesby, they have been fortunate in having very 

 good entries, and to a great extent of late years the Brocklesby hounds have 

 improved in their one standing weakness — weak below the knee. Tarquin and 

 AVrangler, of 1899 entry, are two ver}"- fine hounds indeed, and few equal the fire 

 and drive of Wrangler on the line of a fox. The entry of 1900 was perhaps the 

 very best put forward in any kennel, of both dog hounds and bitches. The 

 beautiful Foreman, with such power, and quick, graceful, easy movement ; the 

 lovely Finder ; and Satellite, though small, is a picture of fox-hound strength 

 and beauty; Eubicon, of the same entry, a grand hound, but a trifle tall. The 

 bitches of the same entry are remarkable for their superlative quality, in necks 

 and shoulders, well-sprung ribs, powerful loins, and grand bone and substance 

 throughout. I fortunately, or unfortunately, as the case may be, have a passionate 

 love for the Brocklesby pack, and firm belief in their excellent working qualities. 

 The past huntsmen have been noted good men, sticklers for drive and cry ; and 

 the same remark applies to the present huntsman, Jim Smith, who is the strongest 

 advocate for nose, drive, and cry, with close hunting qualities, that I know at 

 the present time, amongst all huntsmen. On the face of this, I have this year 

 dipped largely into Lord Yarborough's blood, and shall continue to do so as long 

 as I am able. Compare the breeding of Wrangler, Foreman, Satellite, and 

 Finder, and where is there stouter, hard-running blood to be found in any one 

 kennel ? The rapid strides this kennel has advanced of late years is remarkable, 

 and I venture to predict that it is well on the way to become the premier kennel 

 of England for sire hounds ; that is, for all admirers of close-hunting qualities, 

 with dash and drive and cry, accomplished by hounds that are handsome, stout, 

 and bold. 



