196 WITH HOUND AND TERRIER. 



the hounds finding homes in differents parts of 

 England, America, and France. 



The Master, who had shown such good sport 

 and kept up the country so munificently for 

 sixteen years, was not to be allowed to give 

 up his office without some expression of the 

 goodwill and gratitude felt towards him by those 

 who had benefited by his liberality and love of 

 sport. The members of the newly formed Hunt 

 Committee wished to give suitable expression 

 to the obligation under which all felt them- 

 selves to the retiring Master, and the following 

 letters will show the reason why Mr Guest did 

 not think the moment a fitting one for such a 

 demonstration. 



The late Hon. and Rev, Walter Portman, of 

 Gorton Denham, wrote on the matter as follows, 

 on March 19, 1900:— 



Dear Merthyr, — At the Blackmore Vale Committee 

 meeting, held at Sherborne on Saturday last (17th March), 

 it was unanimously resolved, on the motion of Lord Digby, 

 that steps should be taken towards offering you a testi- 

 monial in recognition of your generous services to the 

 country as M.F.H. during the last sixteen years. 



A small committee was at once nominated for this 

 purpose. It consists of Lord Digby, Major Dugdale, 

 Major M'Adam, Mr Clayton (secretary), and myself; and 

 I am deputed to acquaint you with the proposal, and — 

 what is very essential — to ask you what form you would 

 like the country's thank-offering to take. 



It seems to be a choice between plate and picture, and 

 this we leave to you. 



