MR. THOMAS HODGSON 197 



sportsmen gave them plenty of room on the occurrence 

 of a check. He essayed something of the same style in 

 Leicestershire, and great was his mortification on finding 

 his hounds overridden day after day ; and it was with 

 regret that he saw his huntsman, Tom Day, forced to 

 adopt quicker tactics, more in accordance with the style 

 of hunting; in vogoie in Leicestershire. It was said that 

 his resignation was due to some action on the part of a 

 section of the farmers, but that statement is incorrect, as 

 with that body he was a great favourite. His departure 

 from the country was partly due to the above-mentioned 

 circumstances, and also to reasons of a private nature. 



He next went into the provincial countries again, and 

 was made Registrar ; and in his office the son of many a 

 huntsman found a fruitful berth. Before he left Leices- 

 tershire he held a sale, which was freely attended, and 

 both horses and hounds realised more than was expected. 

 The bitch pack was bought for 1000 guineas by Lord 

 Ducie, who was then hunting the Vale of White Horse 

 country. The first lot, ten couples of dog hounds, pro- 

 duced no more than 200 guineas, and were bought by 

 Mr. Greene. The next lot were bought in by Mr. 

 Hodgson at 490 guineas, while the outgoing master also 

 bought in another lot and a few of the best bitches. The 

 rest of the hounds were bought by Mr. Greene and 

 Lord Waterford, the latter of whom came by train from 

 London on the morning of the sale. The aggregate sum 

 produced by the whole fifty-seven couples of working 

 hounds, fifteen couples of young hounds, ready to enter, 

 and six brood bitches, was 2201 guineas. This sum, of 

 course, includes those bought in by Mr. Hodgson, but 

 the hounds which changed hands produced something 

 over 1700 guineas. Mr. Hodgson went away with a 

 very good small pack in his possession ; but his buying-in 

 of the hounds occasioned some little dissatisfaction, and 

 when he offered the country for 650 guineas, the lot 



