33o THE QUORN HUNT 



advantage. The superintendents, however, though they 

 did their parts well, were energetically backed by the 

 landowners, farmers, and occupiers of land in all direc- 

 tions, and perhaps the feeling towards fox-hunting was as 

 good at that time as it had been before or has been since. 



For some years it had been the custom at the time 

 of the earth-stoppers' and keepers' dinner for those who 

 had any claim for damages, loss of poultry, &c, to appear 

 at the same time, and as many of the aggrieved tramped 

 a good many miles to the rendezvous, they were also 

 invited to partake of the feast after their claims had 

 been fully investigated, and, if correct, paid. The total 

 number present at the three places above mentioned 

 was over 500, and the local committees to whom the 

 claims were submitted attended, the master presiding 

 upon each occasion, supported by a good many of the 

 chief farmers in the district. In connection with the 

 gathering at Gaddesby the business of investigating 

 claims began at ten, and from that time until three 

 o'clock, when the dinner took place, Mr. Coupland and 

 the committee were working hard at investigations and 

 the discharge of liabilities. 



When Auofust came round there was a hound show 

 at Harrogate, where Lord Kesteven, Captain Percy 

 Williams, and John Walker were the judges, while a 

 dozen different kennels were represented. The Ouorn 

 were a^ain successful, as in the class for unentered doo- 

 hounds the first prize went to Mr. Coupland's Rattler, 



by Factor Rival, the latter a daughter of the old 



favourite, the Craven Albion. The champion cup for 

 the best unentered hound in the yard was awarded to 

 the same dog. 



Like Mr. Musters, Mr. Coupland became so popular 

 with the earth-stoppers that, on the opening day of the 

 season 1873-74, they made him a present of a hunting- 

 horn, the presentation being made, as a correspondent 



