THE HISTORY OF THE BEL VOIR HUNT 



Harry Bonner to whip in to him. It was in this season that 

 wire began to show itself in the country, and Wilson got a 

 bad fall over it, without, however, any serious result. 



In 1884 among the entries appears the famous name of 

 Gambler, the best of the sons of Weathergage. His portrait 

 has been given many times, and appears once more in this 

 book. When I saw him, he was showing signs of age, but was 

 a splendid hound of magnificent proportions, giving an idea of 

 strength and substance, united with the finest quality. His 

 head had an appearance of great intelligence, with a resolute, 

 determined look. His measurements are remarkable, and as 

 being a standard for fox-hound breeders I quote them from 

 Gillard's book. 



" Standing twenty-three inches at the shoulder, from the 

 extreme point of his shapely shoulders to the outer turn of 

 his well-turned quarters, he measured twenty-seven inches 

 and a half in length, whilst from elbow to ground his height 

 was only twelve inches. Possessing great depth of rib and 

 room round the heart, he girthed thirty-one inches, and his 

 arm below was eight and a quarter inches round. Below the 

 knee he measured five and a quarter inches of solid bone, while 

 round the thigh he spanned full nine and a quarter inches. 

 The extended neck was ten inches from cranium to shoulder, 

 and the head ten inches and a half long. His colour was of 

 the richest, displaying all the beautiful ' Belvoir tan.' " ^ 



After he had been pensioned off and allowed his liberty, 

 the old hound would go out with the pack, and the Rev. F. 

 V. Knox has told me that he has often seen the gallant 

 old fellow going home when he had lost the pack in the 

 Belvoir woods, after age had deprived him of his speed, 

 and deafness of the means of reaching his fellows. The fine 

 old hound, then in his sixteenth year, had hunted for fourteen 

 seasons, a remarkable evidence of the extraordinary stoutness 

 of his constitution. His brother, Gameboy, was nearly as 

 good, and, when both were in their third season, might be 

 seen working side by side. " The two brothers were like 

 twins in their work ; where one was, the other was sure to be." 

 ^ Hunting Reminiscences, by Frank Gillard, p. 181. 

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