HUNTING TOURS. 97 



CHAPTER V. 



THE COTSWOLD HOUNDS AND COUNTRY. 



There are but few sportsmen of the present 

 age who take an interest in the arrangements 

 of hunting countries that are not aware that 

 the late Earl Fitzhardinge hunted this district 

 and the neighbourhood of Berkeley alternate 

 months, up to the time of his decease, which 

 event took place in October, 1857; and that 

 his successor, Sir Maurice Berkeley, con- 

 tinued to hunt it to the close of that season. 

 The late Earl, then Colonel Berkeley, com- 

 menced in or about 1808, and was conse- 

 quently a master of hounds wanting but one 

 year to complete the almost unprecedented 

 period of half a century. When Colonel 

 Berkeley first introduced his pack at Chelten- 

 ham, that place was of comparative insignifi- 

 cance. The High-street and the Old Well- 

 walk comprised the only fashionable pro- 



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