The Royal Biickhounds, 297 



a knowledge of hounds that the greatest care^ atten- 

 tion, and judgment are shown in respect to the 

 quality and condition of the royal pack, and when it 

 is noted that the best blood from such kennels as the 

 Duke of Kutland^s, Lord Middleton's, Lord Ports- 

 mouth's, Sir Watkin Wynnes, Mr. Garth's, etc., has 

 been imported into the kennels at Ascot, there can 

 be little doubt that everything necessary has been 

 done to maintain the eflBciency of the Royal Buck- 

 hounds. 



I regret to hear that it is not probable that Lord 

 Hardwicke will repeat his visit to the shires this year, 

 notwithstanding the success he met with on the last 

 occasion, when the Earl of Lonsdale placed his 

 beautiful kennels at Barleythorpe at his lordship's dis- 

 posal, mounting Goodall and his men on the pick of 

 his stud, my friend, Mr. Weatherston, taking care 

 that the royal huntsman did not have the worst of the 

 lot, mounting him upon " Sunbeam/' of whom Goodall 

 had so satisfactory a remembrance that nothing would 

 content him until he had a shoe taken from the foot 

 of the chestnut mare that carried him so well, and I 

 saw the train delayed on its departure from Oakham 

 when conveying the royal visitors back, in order to 

 give time for the messenger to arrive with it, and 

 when last I visited the kennels at Ascot I found it 

 occupying a space amongst the many objects of in- 

 terest to be found adorning the walls of Goodall's 

 residence. It is apparent to anyone who remembers 

 how Davis and his men were mounted in days of yore, 

 that the stud now provided is not of the same style 

 or quality. Nor is it to be wondered at, as the allow- 

 ance for the maintenance of the buckhounds is not 



