The Oakley. 415 



brought the pack to so high a standard^, found himself 

 unable longer to sustain the strain of four days a 

 weekj and accordingly tendered his resignation. Not 

 unnaturally, it was found difficult to hit upon a 

 successor at all adequate to fill his place. At length 

 the gap was bridged over by Mr. Arkwright finding a 

 collaborateur who would share the work with him : 

 and, since then, he and Mr. T. Macan have, with the 

 help of a committee, kept things going as smoothly 

 and satisfactorily as ever. Mr. Arkwright hunts 

 the lady pack twice a week in the northern, or wood- 

 land, part of the country, while Mr. Macan, with 

 Whitmore as his huntsman, works the more open 

 country of the south and east with the dog pack two 

 other days. Mr. Arkwright continues to superintend 

 his Kennel, with Whitmore as his kennel huntsman 

 (and as first whip on the days Mr. Arkwright hunts) . 

 Mr. Macan sees that the stable is kept up to service 

 pitch. 



The present series of sketches does not aim at 

 touching more than passingly on the packs of the 

 different countries; but, were it permissible, too 

 much could scarcely be said about the Oakley hounds. 

 At least fifty years ago the pack existed as the 

 property of the then Duke of Bedford. Next they 

 belonged to the country, who sold them to 

 Mr. Arkwright. The latter added to them large 

 drafts from the Belvoir and Brocklesby, and, by 

 dint of a quarter of a century of skilful breeding, 

 built up a grand pack — which, on his proffering his 

 resignation four years ago, the present Duke of 

 Bedford purchased from him, and generously presented 



