SOME ENGLISH COURSING CLUBS 207 



many others on the line referred to, was so accustomed to 

 getting chaffed, that he had his little bolt ready for us the 

 moment he was tackled. 



THE ESSEX CLUB 



This club in itself is of such minor importance that, were I 

 to place it upon its own merits, half a dozen lines would suffice 

 to describe its doings ; but as it is- mixed up with one of the 

 most important southern fixtures, I may treat of the combined 

 affair at rather greater length. The Essex Club is, in fact, 

 affiliated to the Southminster meeting, and although that 

 gathering is nominally celebrated under the wing of the club, 

 the open stakes are of far larger dimensions than those confined 

 to members, the support of the public being absolutely neces- 

 sary to maintain the present standard. 



How matters would be, supposing the Essex Club was 

 properly worked up — like its neighbour on the south side of 

 the Thames at Cliffe — I do not pretend to know, but certain 

 it is that Southminster coursing has an exceptional popu- 

 larity among south-country followers of the sport, whilst the 

 running witnessed there is usually of the very best type. 

 Southminster used to be a most unapproachable place when 

 the nearest railway station was at Maldon, twelve miles off, but 

 now, with a new line right up to the village itself, there is little 

 to complain of in this respect, and London is brought within 

 about two and a half hours of the place. The meeting' is gener- 

 ally run off in the first week of December, and all the arrangements 

 are in the hands of Dr. Salter, a rare type of sportsman, who 

 acts for both the club and the open stakes, and who has brought 

 about, and thoroughly maintained, a feeling of extreme cordiality 

 with the Marsh farmers. 



The programme consists of a Produce Stake for dogs and 

 bitches, for club members, and the D'Arcy Cup for all ages, 

 also confined to members, but beside these there are the 

 Southminster Derby and Oaks, open to the public, and the 

 Cowley Cup (also open), a really important All-aged Stake at 



