27 



CHAPTER- 11. 



FIRST DAYS IN HANTS AND BERKS. 



My first days with hounds were in Hampshire 

 and Berkshire, for my father bought Brooke 

 House, in the former county, when I was still a 

 child, and thither we removed for the benefit of 

 my mother's health. How well I remember going 

 with my father to a meet of Mr Garth's hounds 

 for the first time. I was riding a cream-coloured 

 cob that had a mouth of iron, and as I soon dis- 

 covered I could not hold him, I decided that the 

 best thing was to let him alone. As soon as 

 hounds found away we went. I rather enjoyed 

 it, but naturally we soon came to a standstill, 

 and then my disgust was great. 



It was not long after this that my brother 

 Campbell went to Oxford, and as he left a chest- 

 nut mare of his in my charge, I was now able 

 to hunt regularly. For several seasons I used 

 to go out with Mr Garth, with the South Berks 

 Hounds, of which pack Mr John Hargreaves was 

 then the Master, with the H. H. in Mr Deacon's 

 time, and occasionally with the Vine. The best 



