I30 THE OLD BERKS HUNT 



hear the result directly. He seems very anxious to 

 meet us in a fair way, and as far as his means will 

 allow him, will do all he can. I do trust that we 

 shall be able to arrange satisfactorily with him ; the 

 only thing will be that we must put up with a 

 scratchy pack for a season or two. But how much 

 better is a scratch pack with a master, than a scratch 

 pack with twenty masters ! 



I do think we shall arrange it ; but I cannot help 

 suspecting there is some queer feeling up in the 

 Highworth district about it. I have no doubt but 

 that as regards the two ends, Highworth and Ciren- 

 cester, a division would give us better hunting for a 

 time than a pack ; but if we do not sink all this 

 individual benefit, for the sake of keeping the country 

 entire, we deserve to be left without hunting at all. 

 I should say the thing will be certain to be arranged ; 

 and I trust, although you would be a gainer in 

 country by a division, you will wish us well through 

 our negotiations. You shall hear Thursday. 



Yours very truly, 



Raymond Cripps. 



Sheepstead, July 19th, 1842. 

 Dear Cripps, — I am glad to hear you are likely 

 to get Lord Gifford to hunt your country. I do not 

 imagine you will have any difficulty about the High- 

 worth country. You are aware that country as far 

 as Tadpole Brook belongs to the country I now 

 hunt ; and by an agreement I now have, which was 

 made and signed by all the owners of coverts west 

 of Faringdon, it was divided, by consent, as long as 

 Lord Ducie hunted the Cirencester and Minety 

 country, and it now comes back to the original 

 country, and I have been called upon to take posses- 

 sion of it and, of course, I must do so ; at the same 

 time, I assure you I have not, and I believe neither 



