WITH A FARMER'S PACK 181 



the hunt and its management, but the old rough- 

 and-ready establishment with hounds uneven, many 

 of them not straight, but rare workers, establish- 

 ments which showed a lot of sport, are now re- 

 placed by hounds that would make a creditable 

 appearance at Peterborough, and the servants are 

 turned out with a smartness that was at one time 

 only associated with fashionable countries. Sport 

 is, perhaps, not any better than in the brave days 

 of old, but it is only under altered conditions that 

 it is now possible. 



They were cheery fellows, the members and 

 managers of the old-fashioned farmers' hunts. 

 Hospitable to a fault, keen enough to merit the 

 approbation of a Jorrocks, good horsemen and 

 bold, and with a fine knowledge of woodcraft, 

 they hunted the out-of-the-way districts in which 

 they lived with energy and skill. In one hunt 

 I know for many years the subscription did not 

 amount to more than £50, and when at last it was 

 increased to ^260, boundless wealth seemed the 

 portion of the hunt. But a country could not be 

 hunted five days a fortnight, or three days a week, 

 on four times that amount nowadays. The amount 

 I have mentioned, £260 per annum, was paid to 

 the Master, who found everything save the keepers' 

 fees, covert rents, and poultry damages. These 

 were paid by the hunt, and it is needless to say 

 that covert rents were only nominal, there being 

 but one gorse covert for which any rent was paid. 

 Poultry damages were also a very small item, and 

 it was only in exceptional cases that any money 

 was paid. All demands were carefully examined, 

 and presents were made of various kinds, the result 

 being that generally every one was satisfied. For, 



