Fores's Guide to the Foxhounds and Staghounds of England (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1849 Excerpt: ...and the other huntsman to the Warwickshire, played second fiddles to him, the music in Whittlebury Forest was inferior to none. Forty minutes was the term of life vouchsafed to a fox, when he was " handsomely" found by these artists and their brilliant pack; and, though the forest was then, as it is now, full of riot, deer bounding in all directions, and frequently crossing the line, as well as following the beaten fox, it is wonderful that such never-failing success should have crowned their efforts. No pack in England, at the time they were sold to Mr. Assheton Smith, stood in higher repute than "the Grafton," when hunted by the above trio. Lord Southampton and Mr. Selby Lowndes now occupy the country once hunted by the Grafton hounds; the river Ouse divides it--that on the right bank pertains to Mr. Lowndes, that on the left to Lord Southampton. The Badby country, which of late has been almost exclusively hunted by his lordship, will henceforth be hunted by him and the Pytchley hounds alternately Lord Southampton's head quarters are at Whittlebury, where his lordship has fitted up a commodious set of kennels; the courts, however, are on the dark side of the lodging houses, and have a cold northerly aspect. There are about 50 couple of hunting hounds in kennels, which are divided for work into a dog and bitch pack, the latter being kept chiefly for open meets, and the former for cover duty. His lordship has spared no expense to hunt the country efficiently, and has, on three different occasions, purchased three whole packs of foxhounds to strengthen his own hands. Those packs were Mr. Harvey Combe's, Lord Shannon's, and Mr. Watson's; the last are a Northumbrian pack about 36 couple. He also purchased some of Mr. Musters' hounds when he...