202 COURSTNG 



' form.' The headquarters of the Cliffe Club are at the Bull 

 Hotel, Rochester, and this old-fashioned inn, with' its museum 

 of curiosities and countless relics of the late Charles Dickens, 

 is well worth a visit. Here it was that Mr. Jingle abstracted 

 Mr. Winkle's dress-coat while that worthy was enjoying a post- 

 prandial nap, and in the long room, where the club members 

 now dine, was celebrated the famous ball, whereat the extra- 

 ordinary strolling player cut out Dr. Slammer of the 99th with 

 the widow of Rochester. 



It appears that Dickens had actual foundation for this 

 particular story, for much the same thing had really occurred 

 at the Bull some years before ' Pickwick ' was written, and to 

 this day one is shown the two bedrooms, one within the other, 

 where the two Pickwickians slept, and from the inside one of 

 which the garment was taken. Be that, however, as it may be, 

 the Bull is full of interest to a lover of Dickens's works, and 

 apart from the coursing attraction at Cliffe there is much 

 to be seen in Rochester and Chatham which will repay the 

 stranger from a distance. 



At the December meeting of the Cliffe Club, which is the 

 most important fixture of their season, an annual dinner is 

 given at the Bull Hotel to the landholders on the Cliffe Marshes, 

 which function is generally attended by nearly one hundred 

 members and friends, and where, with the popular and versatile 

 Dr. Swayne in the chair, the fun generally grows fast and (almost) 

 furious as the evening wears on. I have, however, heard at 

 this dinner better speeches on coursing than I have ever listened 

 to elsewhere, and the visitor who is not identified with the 

 neighbourhood of Cliffe cannot fail to be impressed with the 

 good feeling which exists between the club and the tenants 

 of the land coursed over. 



The drive from Rochester to the marshes is through about 

 seven miles of pretty country, and the hotel need not be left 

 before 9 a.m., the ' meet ' being usually fixed for one hour 

 later. This reminds me, too, that Gravesend is also well with- 

 in reach, either by road or rail, so that anyone preferring the 



