236 Hunting Countries of England. 



If anything could "bave raised the Hunt to a position 

 of eminence, the enthusiastic exertions and profuse 

 liberality of the late Master must have done so. 

 "When Lord Guildford took the Country in hand, 

 some few years ago, it scarely contained a fox, and all 

 ardour in the cause appeared to have died out. He 

 not only succeeded in rousing the slumbering interest 

 of his neighbours, but he found them a new pack of 

 hounds; built magnificent Kennels in his park at 

 Waldershare; took the whole expense of establish- 

 ment and country on his own shoulders; and by degrees 

 brought round the covert-owners, almost without 

 exception, to his way of thinking. Everything con- 

 nected with the Hunt was done in first-rate form; 

 the hounds gradually became a pack, good in the 

 field and fashionable on the flags ; and at the present 

 moment the whole of the Country — one small portion 

 alone excepted — is thoroughly stocked with foxes. 

 On his retirement at the end of the last season he 

 lent hounds and Kennels (with the privilege of using 

 the Park for exercise) to the country, and headed 

 their subscription-list with five hundred pounds — Mr. 

 Mackenzie taking over the reins of government. 



The East-Kent Country comprises the extreme south- 

 east corner of England — a line from Whitstable to 

 Canterbury, and Canterbury to Ashford, cutting it off 

 from its neighbour, the Tickham. It goes south as 

 far as the Military Canal at Hythe, where it encounters 

 the Eomney Marshes, which are only practicable for 

 harriers. Ashford is situated in a flat grass vale, 

 worthy of any hounds — but this, the most favourable 

 ground in all Kent, is practically and obstinately 



