MOTHER HUNT 113 



years ago vvlien there was a heavy fall of snow. He said, " We will 

 liimt on foot." We went to the Kennels, and I shall not easily forget 

 the face of his Kennel Huntsman (Kyte) when he said, " I am o-oino- 

 to hunt on foot." We drew a wood (Thatchers) near the Kennels 

 and found. There was fortunately little scent ; but we hunted some 

 two or three hours, when we were all beat to the world, and having 

 collected the hounds with difficulty took them home. Nor shall I 

 ever forget the night of 17th January 1881, when at 11 p.m. in 

 Ijright moonlight, the ground covered with snow, and 25 degrees of 

 frost, we sallied out to shoot the covers in Boreatton Park, havino- 

 impressed the reluctant menservants as beaters. We managed to 

 secure about 30 head of rabliits, pigeons, and pheasants, and alarmed 

 the whole neighbourhood. The keepers turned up rather late, 

 trembling with funk as they thought they had a gang of poachers to 

 deal with, the head keeper with a gun, and on being questioned 

 about it, said he had been stalking " Mr, Kewke " (Cooke) as he was 

 the biggest ! 



Hunt was co-Master of the Shropshire Hounds and hunted them, 

 leaving them to go out to the war in South Africa in July 1900. 

 He was a very bold rider to hounds, with an ugly seat, but perfect 

 hands ; and to see him driving at great hairy fences on his Arabs, 

 which at one time he swore by, was a sight for the gods. He won 

 the Wynnesstay Cup -at Bangor on Bertie, a horse of his own 

 breeding. And now he has cast all sport to the winds and given him- 

 self up heart and soul to politics. Long may he be member for the 

 Ludlow Division of Salop, but his many friends would Hke to see 

 him in the field of sport again. 



The above was accompanied by the following letter : — 



The Ridge, Chipping Sodbury, 

 April 11, 1911. 



Dear Mk. Kempson — I am sending you herewith Hunt's per- 

 sonal memories. He has been through it and approves of it, and has 

 made a few alterations. 



Mrs. Hunt, writing with it, says she is delighted, and that there 

 is only one thing she cannot agree with, viz. the improvement in 



I 



