1 6 The Old Surrey Fox Hounds 



situation, though his horses did not always carry their 

 noses where they ought to have been ; still, even with his 

 plain snaffle, he was never troubled by their vagaries. 

 That fact proved him to be a good horseman. In his 

 time big breakfasts were the habit at Godstone, Pratt's 

 Bottom, or the " Swan," at Wickham, where all used to 

 meet on convivial terms ; but Mr. Haigh did not like a 

 man who smoked. He may have thought that it interfered 

 with scent." 



After giving a number of other personal details relative 

 to that worthy master — they are omitted with regret, but 

 we are bound to sift the material at our disposal — the 

 commentator already quoted goes on to say, his heart 

 being evidently in the work : — 



"On Feb. 21, 1824, under Mr. Haigh's Master- 

 ship, there was a great run with the Old Surrey from 

 Botley Hill. The field at last consisted of only four men, 

 and of those three were on their second horses. The fox 

 was killed at Titsey, making his way homewards, after a 

 tremendous run of four hours. Mr. Mortimer, of Lewis- 

 ham, father of a subsequent Master, rode his best horse, 

 Radical, who carried him bravely through this glorious 

 gallop ; and Mr. Haigh was on his noted chestnut hunter 

 George. Both acquitted themselves well, and there was 

 plenty of most audacious c lepping.' " 



One of the most popular Masters was Sir Edmund 

 Antrobus, of Cheam, who, as pointed out, finally gave 

 the hounds to the country. " A very pleasant man in 

 the field " is the account given of Sir Edmund by one 



