MOTHEE HUNT 117 



distance. The van arrived in due course, and Cooke and Burges 

 volunteered to drive it to the Kennels. They little knew what they 

 were taking on, as they were chaffed from start to finish, such 

 remarks as " Tliat's not the way to the cemetery ! " " Next turning to 

 dissecting room ! " " The mourners are waiting 1 " and similar chaff of 

 the same nature. However, the van arrived at its destination and 

 proved a great improvement on the pig cart, and the way the hounds 

 made for it after a long day showed how they appreciated a ride 

 home under cover. 



Some little trouble was experienced with occupiers of houses^ 

 adjoining the Kennels objecting to the noise and smell of the hounds, 

 but Hunt managed wdth his usual tact to pacify them. 



The next thing he did was to set to work to cultivate the farmers. 

 He attended each Saturday Market, and he had every Saturday at 

 his rooms (which were large and nearly opposite Magdalene) a cold 

 lunch spread for any farmers who cared to go, and also to take any 

 friends. This speedily won the farmers, and Hunt was inundated 

 witli requests to come to farms which the Beagles had never been 

 to before. 



It is hard to remember the many farmers who supported the 

 hunt in those days, and extended hospitality to all comers. Those 

 that recall themselves most to the writer were Mr. Lilley, who lived 

 close to Cambridge; Mr. Ivatt of Eampton, where we had many 

 riding days; Mr. Ellis, jVIr. Baker, Mr. Bennett, Mr. King, Mr. 

 Fison, Mr. Banyard, Mr. Mason of Waterbeach, and many others 

 whose names, after a lapse of thirty years, have lapsed from the 

 writer's memory. Hunt's charm of manner and tact were such that 

 he made personal friends of all the farmers on whose land he hunted, 

 and many years after, to the writer's knowledge, his memory was very 

 green, and possibly he is remembered to this day, though many of his 

 old friends must have gone to the Happy Hunting Grounds by now. 



As an instance of his tact, there was a farmer at Waterbeach 

 who had the strongest aversion to the Beagles, and said he would 

 shoot them if they came on his land. This farm had Iteen a thorn 



1 The Fanners Book memoranda sliow some signs of this. It is found advisable 

 to "keep in witli " Histon Road neighbours by dealing with them where possible. 



