CHAPTER XI 



MR. J. COUPLAND 



1870-1884 



WHEN Mr. Musters found himself unable any 

 longer to carry on the Ouorn Hunt, he made 

 overtures to Mr. Coupland that the latter should join 

 him as a kind of partner, and see to the hunting of 

 the hounds, Mr. Musters, at the same time, agreeing to 

 lend his pack to the country. This arrangement was 

 virtually carried out during the season of 1870-71, but 

 Mr. Coupland was during that time the acknowledged 

 master. 



Mr. Coupland came of a Cheshire family, and was 

 born in 1834. Eor about eight years in early life he 

 was in India, and while there he established a pack 

 of hounds at Bombay. On returning to England he 

 hunted from Liverpool with the Cheshire hounds, occa- 

 sionally going out with Sir Watkin Wynn's, and this 

 strengthened the love for hunting which was always in 

 him. John Walker, then Sir Watkin's huntsman, was 

 a favourite companion of Mr. Coupland's, and from 

 the professional the future master of the Ouorn learned 

 many precepts of the chase. 



After having used Mr. Musters's hounds for a year, 

 Mr. Coupland bought the Craven pack from Mr. George 

 Willes, who had just given up the Berkshire country, 

 and concerning the first appearance of these hounds in 



Leicestershire there are two versions. Some aver they 



315 



