92 IRISH SPORT AND SPORTSMEN. 



dom and thoughtfulness worthy of commendation, 

 seldom allow the hounds to be taken out when such is 

 not the case, as they have a kindly regard for the 

 interests of the landowners: there can be no better proof 

 of this than \he ente7ide coi'diale\^'h.ich. exists between the 

 hunting men and the farmers of the district. Many 

 "crack" men from different parts of England have 

 often hunted over the country ; old Meltonians, Lei- 

 cestershire celebrities, followers of the York and 

 Ainsty, and " first-flight" Pytchley men too. '* Many 

 a time and oft" hard riding men from the shires 

 and wolds have endeavoured to cut down the Ward 

 men. 



"Hard riding swells from Leicestershire, 

 Northamptonshire, and Twickenham, 



Have tried to give the Ward Hunt men 

 A licking that would sicken 'em," 



but didn't; but they ever bestowed the highest 

 praise on the country and the pack. It is the pace 

 that kills ; and those hounds can and do go fast enough 

 to satisfy the greatest "bruiser," or most reputed 

 flyer. 



The *' fields" generally include desperate cornets, 

 reckless as middies, crack cavalry men, and steeple- 

 chase riders of renown. 



In 1828-9 there were two packs, the Dubber and 

 the Hollywood, kept in the Dublin country, and hunted 

 over what is now the Ward Hunt country. In 1830, 

 the packs were amalgamated, and kept by Mr. Ger- 

 rard, of the Bay, and called the " Wards." Captain 

 John Stanley, son of Sir Thomas Stanley, of Hooton 

 Hall, Cheshire, succeeded Mr. Gerrard as master: 

 he kept them for two seasons ; and in 1836 Mr. Peter 



