Chapter XIV 



THE DUKE AS MASTER 



1858-1888 



THUS at the close of his first season the Duke had to 

 provide himself with a huntsman. By this time the 

 position of huntsman at Belvoir was looked upon as the blue 

 ribbon of the profession, and there were many applications for 

 the post. But the Duke was not a man to pass over those 

 who had served him well, and James Cooper, first whipper-in, 

 had proved himself to be good both in kennel and field. He 

 was one of the boldest of horsemen. With fine hands and a 

 nerve of iron, he could make any horse carry him. He was a 

 light weight, nine stone seven, no small advantage to a man 

 who was always to be near hounds. The following sketch of 

 his career before his appointment as huntsman was given to 

 me by his widow, Mrs. Cooper, from whom I have received 

 much kind assistance. She says : — 



" My late husband was born at Portsoy, near Banff, on 

 March 31st, 1822. When he was two years old his father left 

 to take the Fife Arms Hotel, Turriff, Aberdeenshire. He 

 was intended for the ministry by his parents, and a house was 

 bought for his future manse when quite young. He was 

 educated for ten years at the Commercial School, Turriff. 

 But having a pony of his own, called Donald, he hunted 

 regularly with Lord Kintore, who named him the Varmint. 

 He has told me many times how his pony swam three rivers 

 with him, all beginning with D. I believe his father, Richard 

 Cooper, once hunted Lord Fitzhardinge's hounds, but what 

 date I cannot tell. My husband left home at fourteen years 



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