GEORGE TEMPLER OE STO\"ER 25 



never seen in greater perfection than with the Stover 

 hounds under the guidance of the "" memorable 

 triumvirate " — Templer, Taylor and Russell. The 

 two latter, nominally whippers-in, would on occasion 

 encoiuracfe the hounds at a check to cast themselves 

 in different directions : a '' brilliant irregularity.*' 

 as it has been called, that would be fatal in any but 

 master hands. 



But George Templer introduced something even 

 more remarkable than a quicker style of huntmg. 

 The system, which is fully described by Ximrod^ 

 and Davies, - was unique in the history of foxhunting, 

 although the principle underlying it had at that time 

 already been adopted by the Royal Buckhounds. 



It consisted in turning out before the hounds, 

 when they failed to find the wild animal, a fox 

 drawn from a reserve of a score or so, kept in two 

 large yards at Stover, where each had his own kennel 

 to which he was fastened by a long chain revolving 

 on a swivel so as to ensure the animal getting plenty 

 of exercise. 



The fox to be hunted was turned down in view, 

 some twenty yards in front of the pack. Templer 

 standing among the hounds, watch in hand to ensure 

 fair law being allowed. So great was his control 

 over the hounds that not one would stir until he 

 gave the signal. One hound, Guardsman by name, 

 had become so knowing that he would keep his eye 

 on the watch and dash away the moment the case 

 closed with a snap. 



The great object then, and also when himting a 

 wild fox, was to catch the fox ahve, which was done 

 by picking him up by his brush after he had been 

 fairly run down. This naturally gave rise to very 



1 Ximrod's fl i m lii nj Tour*. » Lij-: :f :.v E-:':. J . B'.^s?iZ. 



