Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-07-21
Hunting and Hounds.

Hunting is, par excellence, the sport
of England, and for systematized hunt
ing with hounds England is par excel
lence the country of the sport. In no
other is it carried on with such zeal,
and at so great cost; and none is there
where so many people approve of or
take part in it. Proof of this will be
found in the fact that throughout the
kingdom there are no less than $50
packs of hounds, averaging between
thirty and forty couples each. to wit:
15 of stag hounds, III of fox-hounds,
1876 of barriers, 10 of beagles, with
few packs of other hounds. Grey
hounds are also kept in large numbers
all over the country; while certain
breeds of terriers are trained as aids
and adjuncts of the sport. OF the
packs, England, of course, possesses
the majority, though Ireland, up to the
Land League agitation, had its full
quota proportioned to population.
ainous nature. are in o manner pre-
cluded from this specially of sport, the
former having in all only eight packs of
fox-hounds, with one of barriers and
one of beagles.
Some packs are the property of and
maintained by private individuals; rich
magnates to whom money is of slight
consequence when weighed against the
grandeur of owning and keeping up a
pack of hounds. These are few, how
ever, most being subscription packs"
supported by regular subscribers who
are members of the Hunt, with occa-
sional voluntary contributions from out
siders. But there is often deficiency
of cash, with much strain in meeting
the expenses of the year; so much that
now and then pack falls to pieces, the
hunt is given up, and the hounds, with
horses and other belongings, are. sold
off under the hammer. After time a
fresh spirit of hunting zeal may spring
up in the abandoned district, from new
men of wealth coming to reside in it,
when an effort will be made to resusci-
tate the hunt, which is generally sue
cessful Every year some packs are
broken up, and others either re-estab-
lished or for the first time got together.
The cost of keeping pack of hounds
varies much, and is dependent on sew
eral circumstances, as the number and
character of the official staff of manage
ment, the frequency with which the
pack is hunted, and, to some extent, its
size. Each pack has a Master, pre-
sumptively gentle man in. the social
sense of the word; and the Office is sup
posed to be honorary-at least there is
no fixed salary attached to it. But as
the Masters have sole control and ex-
penditure of the fund, it is pretty well
understood that they recoup themselves
not only for outlays of money, but for
time and trouble, too. Most of them
certainly do so, though not all; some
being losers by it, for glory's sake. In
all cases, however, there is an under
standing that the Master shall not be at
any expense for his mount; this being
provided for him, and of the best. But
the usual method is: Before undertake
ing to hunt pack of hounds, the Mas
ter that is to be demands certain fixed
sum subscribed and put into his hands,
sufficient to cover all expenses, which
he also binds himself to meet With
this money he can deal as it seems best
to him; expend it all and hunt the pack
well; or be stingy and save some of it
for himself, turning out the hounds in
an unhandsome manner. There are
even Masters of this kind, though not
many.
After pack has been established,
kennels built hounds and horses of the
hunt purchased, the chief outlay is in
the pay of the subordinate officials and
the keep of the horses, as also that Of
the hounds themselves. In addition to
the Master, every pack has a Huntsman
and Whip; in the majority of cases two
of the latter, and in noted hunts, as the
Pytchley, BerSley, Quorn and Belvoir,
three or even more. Attached to such
packs there is also "Kennel Hunts
man." whose duty consists in looking
after the hounds at home; and if fox
hounds there will be numerous tribe
of earth-stoppers," needing TO be re
munerated for the quantity curious
part they are called upon to play
All these men receive handsome
wage, the Huntsman and Whips
we'll earning it. For not only is theii
work hard, but they must be the best O
riders, able to keep we'll up to thu
hounds, and SO risking their necks every
day they are out. AS most packs hun
from three to five days a week, som,
even six, it will be seen that the calling
of either Huntsman or Whip is no sine
cure. The amount required for thu
maintenance of an ordinary pack ma,
be roughly estimated at Fl, 500 year
but there are large establishment wher
this is far exceeded, and many smal
ones conducted economically at mucl
less expense-say one-half for the aver
J age. OF course these figures have moth
, ing to do with the cost of establishin,
the pack which calls for a considerabl
, outlay ON the items above adduced
When the hunting days are frequent