Hunting in the Isle of Thanet, 173 



stores, feeding cliambers, and floors are all in good 

 form, and show by their cleanliness that the manage- 

 ment is good. The number of hounds on the books 

 at the present time is somewhere about fifty couples_, 

 amongst which are three or four old pensioners, who, 

 though past work, are, by the special desire of the 

 noble master, still retained on the muster-roll. First, 

 the dog pack is brought out on the green sward for 

 my inspection, and my attention is at once directed 

 to Comus by the Berkeley Calaban, a model hound. 

 I find, by examination of the book, that the Berkeley 

 blood enters largely into the composition of the pack, 

 and that it can boast of some of the best blood from 

 the finest kennels in the kingdom, to wit, those of the 

 Duke of Beaufort, the Hon. Greorge Fitzwilliam, the 

 Cotswold, the Quorn, the Heythrop, the Duke of 

 Rutland, Lord Portsmouth, the Blackmore Vale, and 

 Sir W. Wynn. Little is it to be wondered at that, 

 with such strains of blue blood. Lord Guildford can 

 show as good a pack of hounds as can be desired. 



Next the " ladies ^' are called forth, and, if I know 

 anything of the shape, make, and quality of the 

 breed of foxhounds, I will venture, without further 

 knowledge of them, to pronounce them ^'^ flyers;^' 

 and as a specimen of what a hound should be, I will 

 select Promise for choice. 



The East Kent country is a difficult one ; the wood- 

 lands are extensive, and difficult to get through, as 

 tliere are but few rides cut, and the hazel boughs are 

 tough, whilst the hills are steep, and the ground 

 flinty ; but as I hope during the ensuing season to 

 witness a performance of the pack, I will reserve 

 further remarks until 1 have seen them go the pace 



