note that Mrs. Pryse-Rice's hounds had some really extraordinary runs
last season.[3] For instance early in December they found a hare in the
heather, and after running her down wind for nearly two miles, they
turned and went at a pace that tried their followers for a five-mile
point dead up wind, killing her in forty-five minutes from the start. In
the same month another mountain hare gave them a good five-mile point,
and on January 12th the hounds were two hours and forty-five minutes
going at a good pace, and travelling over a great extent of country, and
they did not reach kennels after this, their best run of the season,
till 7.40 p.m.
[Footnote 3: 1897-98.]
It is clear, therefore, that Mrs. Pryse-Rice is to be counted among
those who have attained more or less to the ideal they have set before
them in breeding, and she has beside scored high honours at
Peterborough. The noted Harrier Stud-book bitch, Aldenham Restless, a
veteran of pure foxhound blood, by the Whaddon Chase Tarquin--Oakley
Sarah, is now in the Llandovery Kennels. This bitch won the Champion Cup
at Peterborough in 1893, and three years later took the Silver Cup for
the best brood bitch,[4] after which she became the property of Mrs.
Pryse-Rice.
[Footnote 4: I must express my regret that it has not been found
possible to reproduce the photograph of this famous hound, though it was
most kindly sent me by Mrs. Pryse-Rice.--Editor.]
The stock of Restless are well to the fore, for last year--1897--no
fewer than nine of her descendants were winners at the Peterborough
Show.
Rigby, a fine upstanding hound, of pure harrier blood, by Eamont
Barrister--their Russet was second for the Champion Cup in 1897, and as
he was unentered and was shown against old dog-hounds, this was a
remarkably good performance.
To quote once more from Mrs. Pryse-Rice's own words: "We have never,"
she says, "had a big count of hares killed. We--my husband acts as my
first whip and A. Mandeville is K.H. and second whip--are quite content
to come home having accounted for one hunted hare, or when we kill a
brace in this way, it is quite a red-letter day for us. I do not see any
fun in either chopping them, or in killing three or four hares that only
run a few fields, though of course this does make up the count."
Touching on the subject of the introduction of the foxhound cross with
harriers, Mrs. Pryse-Rice says that she is "in favour of an infusion of
foxhound blood, in moderation, into the harrier kennel."
The country hunted by Mrs. Cheape lies round Redditch, and extends into
Warwickshire and Gloucestershire. In 1892, when "The Squire" inherited
the Bentley estates from her father, she bought the well-known pack of
harriers belonging to Captain Spicer, of Spye Park, and several couple
of the Herondon Hall harriers. The Bentley pack of the present day
includes many Peterborough winners, and deservedly ranks very high among
the harrier packs of the land. The hounds, however, have not been bred
for show purposes only, but for nose and tongue, and to show sport. At
the Peterborough show of last year (1897) the first prize for dog
hounds, under 19 inches, was taken by Mrs. Cheape's Wellfield and
Gainer. The former of these is by Lord E. Somerset's Dancer--Woodbine,
and through his dam, which was the winner of the champion cup for bitch
hounds not exceeding 19 inches, at Peterborough in 1893, strains back to
the Aldenham Restless. Gainer, on the other hand, is a home-bred hound.
A grand three couple, which took the silver cup in 1897, are Buxom
(Wellfield--Bracelet, dam by Boddington Borderer--Breconshire
Lightstone) also winner of the champion cup; Gadfly, home-bred; Verity
(Aldenham Valiant--Their Restless); Waterwitch, home-bred
(Waggoner--Woodbine); Warlike, also a son of Wellfield; and Dahlia, home
bred (Druid--Worry); the sire of the last (Ashford Valley Pillager--H.
H. Dewdrop) being one of the winners of the first prize for best couple
of entered hounds, not exceeding 19 inches, in 1894, at Peterborough.
Truly a triumph of breeding and selection of which any woman may be
proud.
[Illustration: _BRACELET_, _WATERWITCH_, _VERITY_, _WOODBlNE_,
_GENEROUS_, _WORRY_.
_MRS. CHEAPE AND HER PETERBOROUGH WINNERS._
(_Best Three Couple under 19 inches, Peterborough, 1896._)]
[Illustration: _DULCIMA, PURE HARRIER._
(_Property of Lady Gifford._)]
Lady Gifford began by having a small pack of beagles, but as she found
it impossible to keep with these hounds on foot, she gradually changed
to harriers. The ideal she then placed before herself was to get a level
pack of 17 inch hounds of pure harrier blood. In colour, too, Lady
Gifford is particular, her fancy being to get her hounds as dark as
possible, with golden-red tan on their heads, but, as she truly says,
though a smart appearance is much--and such hounds are very smart--"when
you get a good-shaped hound it does not do to quarrel as to colour." In
starting her pack Lady Gifford has gone a good deal to Mr. Allgood's
kennels, and Dulcima, a very beautiful bitch by his Durable--Darkeye,
has perfect colouring and good bone, and, moreover, an excellent nose,
and will gallop all day without tiring. Her owner naturally regrets that
owing to the fact of Mr. Allgood not being a member of the Association
of Masters of Harriers, she is not able to show hounds bred by him,
although Lady Gifford herself has joined the association.
The country over which Lady Gifford hunts is the moorland near her home
in Northumberland, and she finds the little hounds of 17-18 inches
beautiful to ride to over the open grass land, and very quick to get
over the stone walls and the heather. That they need to be speedy after
a heather-fed hare there is no doubt, for such an one is stronger than
most of her kind, and will usually go straight as a good fox, after a
ring or two to start with. The open land, too, generally carries a fine
scent, and even though you have harriers before you, you will find you
need to be riding a horse with a good turn of speed to enable you to
live with them.
In kennel management Lady Gifford takes the keenest interest, and her
system appears so excellent, that all engaged in hound breeding may find
something to learn from it. "I always think," writes Lady Gifford, "that
when hounds are in work, they are often given their food too wet. This,
I am sure, is a mistake. I give my hounds the best oatmeal that can be
got, and too much care cannot be given to the making of the porridge. It
must be boiled just right, or it is worse than useless. There is a
biscuit known as bread biscuit, which I find extremely good for hounds,
though it is a little difficult to get. It is made, I understand, from
the dinner rolls and bread left at London parties, and so you may be
sure it is made of the best meal. I always find, however, that my meal
merchant is anxious for me to have _any_ kind of biscuit except this.
The washing and grooming of hounds is, I think, a point in the kennel
not sufficiently thought of. All the summer months I have my hounds
thoroughly washed with soap and warm water, and of course thoroughly
dried, and though no doubt this takes a long time, the result well
repays you. If hounds are well groomed every day, they will keep twice
as healthy, and their coats will have a shine like satin, exactly like
a well-groomed horse. As to exercising, I take them out on the road
every morning about six o'clock, for two hours, and in consequence they
never really get out of condition, but by the time August comes round
they are quite ready for 'cubbing' so to speak."
Another point on which Lady Gifford gives information which others may
find valuable, is concerning a cure for that "kennel dread," distemper,
which she learnt from the great veterinary surgeon, Professor Pritchard.
She advises a preparation of coffee and milk in equal parts, exactly as
you would have it made for your own consumption, then to drench the
puppy continually with it, allowing him to touch nothing else, and while
the treatment lasts to keep the puppy in an even temperature. The
results of this treatment, in Lady Gifford's kennel, has been all that
could be wished, and though previously she had had heavy losses from
this cause, she has never since lost one that she has tried it on. Is it
possible that as this simple remedy becomes better known, we may find
that cruel scourge, distemper, disarmed of its terrors?
[Illustration: _MRS. PRYSE-RICE'S KENNELS._
_ALDENHAM BITCHES._]
_Beagles._ Beside the harrier, there is sport and good sport too, to be
had with the beagle after hare, and those who are young and active and
to whom the merry cry of hounds is a delight, will find a never-ending
source of interest in hunting with these little hounds. This sport has
too the advantage of being inexpensive, for it not only requires but a
small outlay to start with, but necessitates a very moderate sum for the
keeping up of the pack. Of course there are degrees of expenditure both
in the management and hunting of beagles, to be determined by the means
at your command, but a sportswoman can have a good and efficient pack of
beagles in the field for very much less than she could have other
hounds.
The first necessity, if you wish to hunt your own beagles, is to have a
country to hunt over, and you must get leave to pursue your quarry over
a farm or farms where there is a fair proportion of hares. The number of
hares, indeed, need not be very great, as not very many will fall before
beagles. Neither do you require a large extent of country to hunt over,
as a hare is not likely to be driven right away, but in a majority of
cases will circle round the place where she is found. Yet there is a
charm in beagling, which lies in the open air, the active exercise, the
music of the hounds, and the working out by them of the puzzles set by
the hare.
When you have secured a country--or before, if you are so inclined--you
will need to get together your pack. If a good pack of beagles should
come into the market, you would do well to buy them, provided you do not
mind the expense to start with. If, however, you do not object to
trouble, and do mind the outlay, then, even before you think about
country, you will buy some well-bred bitches and set to work to build up
a pack. In any case, if you mean to have beagles, _have them_, and do
not have dwarf harriers. The Beagle Stud-book will help you in your
choice of strains. Go to good beagle kennels such as those of Sir
Marteine Lloyd, or the Caledon, and having decided on the type for which
you intend to breed, keep true to it.
Having succeeded, either by buying or breeding, in getting a pack, you
will then have to keep your hounds up to a certain number. From about
six to twelve couple will be all that you will want to take out, but
this of course will mean that you want at least two couple more in
reserve. You should breed a certain number of puppies every year, and in
this you must be regulated to a great extent by the walks at your
command. You might keep one couple at home, giving them a free run of
the stables, yards and paddocks, and though you will find them
troublesome and as mischievous as monkeys, their small size will prevent
them being the unmitigated trouble that foxhound puppies undoubtedly
are. Still, the infant beagle has a marvellous appetite for sponges,
brushes, and all sorts of indigestible household requisites, and he will
besides be credited by the servants with even more mischief than he
really works. You will find some, or perhaps most of your field, ready
to undertake the charge of a few couple--and those who come out
regularly ought to look upon this as a duty--and for a small payment you
can secure homes in cottages, with those who will look after the puppies
carefully and intelligently, and who will, indeed, treat them so well
that you will not improbably have a very sulky lot of little dogs to
deal with, when they first come under kennel discipline.
Perhaps it may be thought that I have touched too lightly on the very
difficult question of breeding beagles true to a type, for except it be
the Clumber Spaniel there is no dog more likely to give you trouble
than the beagle. Still it can be done successfully, and if you choose
your bitches in the first instance and are careful in you selection of
the sires, constant care, scrupulous cleanliness, careful feeding and
regular exercise will do the rest.
The most charming and graceful type of hound, as well as the most likely
to be useful in hunting, is one that corresponds in miniature to that of
the foxhound. There should be the same alertness and good carriage, the
good shoulders and straight legs of the larger hound, and any puppies
that fall below the standard in any particular should be immediately
drafted. To a certain extent you must be guided by the sort of country
over which you are to hunt, for if this be fairly open, without thick
coverts, stout fences or wide drains, then you will find a small
lightly-built hound, of some fourteen or fifteen inches, the best, but
if on the other hand, you have much plough and strong fences, you will
require a beagle of the heavier and larger type, standing about sixteen
or seventeen inches. With beagles as with other hounds, muteness is a
fault which should immediately be met by drafting, and I would strongly
advise the same even for great economy of tongue. Skirting or any
suspicion of falsehood will meet with the same fate, as well as the very
slightest symptom of jealousy, for the little hounds should score to cry
at once.
There was in a pack I used to know well, a certain very handsome little
bitch, aptly enough named "Fallible," which, when she found the hare, or
touched the line first after a check, would hunt with the best, but if
another hound was before her, she would scour away at right angles to
the line, throwing her tongue vigorously when she had nothing whatever
before her. So good was this hound _when she pleased_, and "such a
pictur'" to look at, that it was a great wrench for the Master to part
with her. It was found, however, that it was a choice between letting
her go and having the whole pack demoralised, so "Fallible" carried her
gifts and her failings elsewhere. This instance will also serve to
remind you, that good hounds are not easily parted with from any kennel,
and, therefore, it behoves you to be very careful in the choice of those
you take into your own.
The kennelling and feeding of beagles is a comparatively simple matter,
cleanliness, warmth and wholesome food being the great requisites. On
the building of kennels you need not expend any great amount of money,
as almost any out-buildings you may have can be adapted for the purpose.
The cardinal points to be considered are:
(_a_) Freedom from damp.
(_b_) Freedom from draughts.
(_c_) Good ventilation overhead.
Then the hounds must on no account sleep on the floor, but have the
usual benches provided, and there should be a palisaded or walled-in
run, into which they can go from their sleeping room. If these points
are attended to, the workmanship of the buildings may be almost as rough
as you please, but above all things you must not let the use of the
limewash brush be spared.
The scraps from the house boiled up with vegetables--with care that
everything is perfectly sweet and fresh--and any good dog biscuit, will
be found to answer for their food. No hounds will do well on biscuit
only, and it should be remembered that rice is not nourishing food. Meat
and vegetables are needed, and of the latter I should advise a certain
amount of cabbage to be given. The amount of food, and this specially
applies to meat, should be carefully proportioned to the number of days
you hunt in the week, and the length of days you make.
It is a great mistake to feed hounds either too high, or too low. If you
have not an experienced and trustworthy kennel-man, you should see the
hounds fed yourself, and then observe the appetite and needs of each
hound in the pack.
Hounds should have plenty of exercise before hunting, and as much on the
road as you can give them when they are not hunting. They should be
trotted out with horses if possible, and out of the season eight miles a
day or even ten, will be found necessary to keep them in condition.
Since the establishment of the Association of Masters of Harriers and
Beagles--which body I would strongly advise any woman interested in
hound-breeding to join--and the foundation of Stud Books for both
classes of hounds, immense strides have been made towards the perfection
of the respective types. The competition for the prizes at Peterborough
consequently becomes keener every year, and the glory of success is
proportionately greater.
No one has done more for the improvement of the Beagle than Sir Marteine
Lloyd, whose pack known as the Bronwydd Beagles, is the best, as it is
one of the oldest packs in the land. A feature of this hunt, specially
interesting to women, is that Miss Lloyd, Sir Marteine's daughter, takes
an active part in the management of the hounds, and in the field acts as
whipper in to her father. Miss Lloyd has been kind enough to write the
following short account of her father's hounds, in which all beagle
lovers will be interested.
[Illustration: _Elliott and Fry. 55, Baker Street._
_SIR MARTEINE LLOYD
AND SOME OF THE BRONWYDD BEAGLES._]
THE BRONWYDD BEAGLES.
This pack was started in 1864 by my grandfather, the late Sir Thomas
Lloyd. Next to the Royal Rock (started by Colonel Anstruther Thomson in
1845) they are the oldest pack of beagles in the kingdom. They measure
15-1/2 inches, and we generally have fifteen couples. They are pure
bred; dwarf harriers never being admitted. In 1892, the Bronwydd "Nigel"
won the Champion Cup at Peterborough, for the best dog-hound, and in
1894, the Cup was won by our "Merryboy." The Harrier and Beagle Show was
started at Peterborough in 1889, as though before this there were rules
laid down for foxhounds on the show bench, beagles had not been given
similar attention, and it was suggested by my father and a few kindred
spirits, that it was time to stop the continual drafting of dwarf
harriers into beagle packs, regardless of rule or standard. My father
consequently appealed to the Peterborough Committee, asking them to form
a show for Harriers and Beagles upon the same principle as that on which
the Fox-hound Show was based. In 1896, the Bronwydd Beagles celebrated
their Jubilee. They have not been hunting this season.
[Illustration: _SO BORED!_]
"Sir Marteine succeeded to the Mastership in 1877, but he had begun to
hunt the hounds himself in 1867 at the age of sixteen, when the old
huntsman, John Walters, retired. George Davies commenced his career as
whip at the same time and I was added to the staff as whip a year ago."
I have only to add to this that the photograph of Sir Marteine Lloyd is
taken on his mare "Grand Duchess," and that four of the hounds with him,
named "Liberal," "Favourite," "Comical," and "Comely," are special
favourites and excellent workers in the field.
Frances E. Slaughter.
[Illustration: _Lombardi and Co. 13, Pall Mall East._
_THE HON. MRS. LANCELOT LOWTHER._]
SHOOTING.
In these few words on Shooting for Women, I must begin by saying that as
this is my first attempt at writing, I hope any faults I may make will
be lightly treated. It is only within the last few years that the idea
of a woman being able to see a gun without screaming, much less fire one
off, has even been thought of, but now I venture to say that there are
many women who are just as good shots with both gun and rifle as men,
and perhaps some better. I do not mean to infer that we can count
amongst our number anyone who can take the place which Lord de Grey,
Lord Walsingham, and a few others take amongst men, but as shooting
becomes more popular, and is more practised among women, I daresay we
shall in years to come see some of the latter just as good even as those
I have named.
I am afraid it will take some time for men to get over the terror which
the sight of a woman with a loaded gun in her hand always gives them.
The reason of this is that they think we are much too careless to be
trusted with such a dangerous weapon, and that we think no more of
carrying a loaded gun than if we had a walking-stick in our hands. The
first thing, therefore, that a women who takes up shooting has to
remember is, that as an Irishman once said about a gun, "loaded or
unloaded, she's dangerous." One cannot be too careful in handling either
a gun or rifle, always to have it at half cock when not actually
shooting, and always to take out the cartridges when getting over or
through a fence. Accidents happen quite easily enough without Providence
being tempted by the neglect of these simple precautions.
A woman requires a light gun if she is to carry it all day. There are,
of course, as every one knows, a variety of different bores. I will
mention the ones mostly used, which are the 20, 16, 14, and 12-bores.
The 20 and 16-bores are mostly made for women, but personally I prefer a
12-bore double-barrel hammerless gun. Of course it must be made rather
lighter than for a man. I have always myself used one of these that was
specially made for me, weighing exactly 6 lbs., both barrels medium
choke, and a thick india-rubber pad at the end of the stock to prevent
all recoil. The cartridges I use are made with Schultze powder 35
grains, and seven-eighths of No. 6 shot. I have found this a perfect
gun, and one I should always recommend. It is not too heavy, and is
first-rate for shooting pheasants, partridges, pigeons, etc.
The great thing in ordering a gun is to have it very well balanced, a
thing which is hard to describe but which is easily told apart, as no
one who has tried the two can fail to appreciate the well-balanced gun
as against the badly-balanced one. It chiefly consists in having the
muzzle and stock of the gun to divide their weight, neither one nor the
other being a half ounce too heavy. When choosing a gun, it is necessary
to put it several times quickly to the shoulder at an object level with
the eye, and if the sight taken comes fair on the mark aimed at, the gun
will probably suit. Another thing to remember and guard against, is
having cartridges loaded too heavily for the gun, as it makes the gun
"kick," and nothing puts you off shooting so much as expecting every
time you fire to have your shoulder bruised. This is beside very
dangerous for a woman. If, however, a gun fits you properly, and the
charge of the cartridges is proportionate to the size of the gun, a
"kick" should never happen.
You must also be particular to have the stock exactly the right length,
so that it can be brought up quickly and easily to the shoulder. It must
be held firmly against the shoulder, with the left arm extended as
straight as possible from the shoulder and the right hand behind the
trigger guard.
More accidents happen by _following_ game with the gun than by any other
means. There are very strict rules of etiquette to be observed in
shooting, as in hunting or any other sport, and nobody is more hated and
feared than a jealous shot. These are indeed a source of danger to
everyone, as they are always so anxious to add another bird to their
score that they never give any thought to their neighbours, or think of
other people. For a person, whether a man or woman, who is beginning to
shoot, the best thing is to go out with some experienced shot or keeper
who will thoroughly explain the art of shooting, and show how to load
and unload a gun and how to hold it. To quote from the excellent article
on Shooting in the _Badminton Library_: "A beginner should at first
start with a small charge of powder and be taught to fire this off at
small birds, every attention being paid to his handling his gun with
safety as if it were loaded. He may next shoot at small birds with a
half ounce of shot. If he succeed pretty well, and is above all things
careful in the way he manages his gun, he can next be permitted to fire
at pigeons--with their wings slightly clipped, so as not to fly too
fast--from under a flower-pot or out of a trap, at a distance of fifteen
yards."
[Illustration: _CLAY PIGEON TRAP._
(_Used at Charles Lancaster's Shooting Grounds._)]