1 62 IRISH SPORT AND SPORTSMEN. 



Horse, till, in 1875, he was succeeded by Lord 

 Shannon. 



In 1868, Major Dease resigned. His reign will be 

 long remembered, as his judicious management in 

 every respect bore its fruit ; the sport was truly ex- 

 cellent, foxes became more numerous, gorse coverts 

 were made, the fowl fund carefully looked after — in 

 fact, he did all that lay in his power to promote the 

 welfare of his brother sportsmen, and his great popu- 

 larity, knowledge, real love of the pastime, and his 

 indefatigable exertions enabled him to do an immense 

 deal. On his resignation, a handsome testimonial — a 

 piece of plate value nearly ^300 — was presented to 

 him, and he well deserved this token of the esteem in 

 which he was held. He received only ^800 a year, 

 a sum which did not nearly defray the expense. 

 For the last two seasons of his management, Robert 

 Thompson was kennel huntsman, and Will Brice 

 second whip. 



A worthy successor to him soon came to the front 

 in Mr. Morton C. MacDonald. After three years' 

 experience of Irish hunting in Meath he took the hounds 

 and horn, and the energy he displayed, the pains he 

 took to improve the pack, the liberality of his expen- 

 diture in encouraging the preservation of foxes, and 

 getting up a sporting spirit in the county, were the 

 means of insuring three good seasons' sport. In 

 his time Mr. Longworth sold his hounds, and 

 they were added to the Westmeath. He kept a 

 pack for many years at his own expense, and his 

 country which was added to the Westmeath dis- 

 trict extended from Streamstown to Athlone, about 

 ten miles wide on either side of the M. G. W. Railway, 



