53 



The season 1883-84 was an exceptionally brilliant one, and this 

 •despite all opposition. Scent was good, but the month of January 

 •vvas very wild, and upon two occasions Mr. Springfield was driven 

 home by bad weather. In seventy-five days twenty-one and a half 

 brace of foxes were killed and thirty brace run to ground, all accounted 

 for in fair and sportsmanlike manner. 



On the 8th February, 1884, was a run which takes its position 

 among the best the Curraghmore ever had. It was from Coolnamuck, 

 over that fine tract of country, leaving Mothel Village close on the 

 right, straight to the Racecourse by the Carrick Gate, where the fox 

 was headed. He then turned and ran back to Coolnamuck, and was 

 killed in Mill Vale. Time, one hour, without the slightest check what- 

 ever. When taken from the hounds the fox was so stiff that Rawle 

 set him on his legs, and he stood like a block of wood. 



The Hunt entertained Mr. Springfield at dinner in Waterford soon 

 after the hunting was given up. Lord Waterford presided, and 

 although everything was supplied of the best, and the company was 

 composed of the cheeriest fellows, who occasionally enlivened the 

 proceedings with song and story, never was there a dinner where real 

 enjoyment was less felt than at this, the last of our old Hunt. 



The hounds having been returned to Lord Waterford, he sent them 

 at once to Eagland for safety preparatory to selling them. 



The Curraghmore dog pack was brought to the hammer in 

 Tattersall's yard at Rugby in November, 1881. 



The entered hounds numbered twenty-five and a half couple, and 

 were put up in lots of one couple, one and a half couple, and two 

 •couple, and fetched from lOgs. to ISOgs. a lot ; the amount totalling 

 755gs. There were eighteen and a half couple of unentered 

 puppies, which were put up in one and a half and two couple lots. 

 One and a half couple were given to Lord Cuilford by Lord 

 Waterford, and the remaining seventeen were knocked down at 

 from 5gs. to 30gs. a lot, making 160gs. for the unentered hounds, 

 •or a total of 915gs. for the whole forty-four couple. 



The highest price was obtained for lot 8, consisting of one and 

 a half couple, which were knocked down to Mr. Russell, after a spirited 

 •competition, at 150gs. They were Samson, 5 years, by Lord Coventry's 

 Rummager, by his Vampire, dam Speedy, by Milton Seaman, by Milton 

 JForester ; Villager, 3 years, by Gallant, by Bramham Dreadnought, by 

 3Ir. Chaplin's Damper, dam Vanquish, by Bramham Guider, by their 

 Gamer ; Regent, 2 years, by Milton Rifleman, by their Sultan, dam 

 Redwing, by Lord Coventry's Rummager, by his Vampire. 



The bitch pack was sold by auction also at Rugby, and the sale 

 took place on the 16th May, 1885. The entire pack, old and 

 unentered, and a few dog puppies, was offered for sale in twenty-five 

 lots of one and a half and two couple each ; they comprised thirty- 

 •eight and a half couple, and realised the sum of 904gs. One lot — 

 Graceful, by Milton Richmond ; Rosebud, by Brocklesby Glider ; and 



