Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-14
Tomfoolery That Surrounds an Eng
lish Custom Now Little More
Than q Renaissance.
PETTED HOUNDS AND TAME DEER
Made 10 Represent the Royal Hunts That
Once Were the Pride of the Tight
Little Island.
FAT PLACES FOR vICS FAv0RITEs.
The so-calsd Sport Costs Hundred Thousand Dollars
sYssr, but It's Popular.
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DISPATCH. I


picturesque and interesting in the royal
hunt which is now taking place at such in
tervals as people can be found willing to
undertake its exactions=and enjoy its pleas
ures. To be sure, the enjoyment Is mostly
fancy, for it is little more than a mock
chase if they do have real deer and pack of
fine hounds to drive them over the fields.
believe there are 120 dogs in the Queens
pack, or what may be more properly called
the royal pack, for the stag hounds are as
much part of the official household as any
other of its many departments.
Years ago the royal hunt was a very sig
! nincant affair, and was attended with great
| pomp or show, but, like all other sports of
the field in this country, it has shifted with
years into what Euglishmen look upon as a
farce. Yet, 1 doubt whether the average
Britisher, If he were consulted, would con-
sent to dispense with the royal kennels, for
they are a feature of old-time life that seems
to them halt sacred.
LOVE EVEN TAME SPORT.
The love of sport is SO bred in the bone
with the English people that they still want
| to keep up all the reminders of those old
times when they had wild game to hunt,
which is no longer the case, except on some
of the ranges in Scotland. That is the
reason why the Queen keeps her stag
hounds. and has hunts every fall after the
deer that are bred for the purpose are
trained to run well. They are tame enough
to give little evidence of that delightful
sport which always goes with the chase
after the wild buck or doe, but that does not
matter if all the other conditions for the
| RIVAL hu nf satisfnaforv
Ascot is a delightful part OF England,
and lies south about 80 miles frum London.
This old country 1t is a well-wooded
region, with plenty of open fields; and
many typical English scenes unite to make
day over the country delightful one,
even il dogs and deer were not added to the
ride over the fields. Besides beautiful
pictures of charming countryside life a
great race-course is at Ascot, and thorough
| bred horses meet every year there in some of
the most famous contests of the world.
Then the farmers do NOT object to seeing a
lot of fancifully dressed ladies and gentle
men riding at breakneck speed after the fly-
ing deer, taking a fall now and then, while
jumping the fences, and getting new inspira-
ton from day of glorious exercise.
TOO DAN GERoUs FOR VICTORIA.
1t is needless to say that the Queen does
not hunt She never did because of its dam
gers. Nevertheless tine royal pack is kept
up just the same, and her friends go down
TO Ascot when the weather begins to get
sharp and ride after the dogs just az though
| it were the real sport o! the Adirondacks or
the great Northwest of the United States
If they cut one another down occasionally
| and fall over hedge or two, as they often
do, it makes little difference 50 that the
semblancc of the old-time royal hunt is
maintained, just as many other useless
forms are preserved, merely as matter of
sentiment.
The Prince of Wales does not take part in
these occasions and never did take much in
terest in chasing the deer. His penchan.
took different turn. Up until few years
! ago he kept pack of hounds, but he sent
them only after the willy fox, and followed
them with dash that won for him the ad-
miration of all sportsmen. I met the land
| lord of quaint old hotel in the south of
| England who sold the Prince his dogs, and
the old boniface said that a finer pack never
started after fox. But they were sold a
few years ago, and since the duties of his
maturer life crowded upon him he has not
owned or followed the hounds, but given
considerable attention to race horses, and
| his stable promises to be one of the strongest
| in England.
CARE OF THE QUEENS HOUNDS.
The Queens dogs are splendidly housed,
we'll fed, and carefully cared for by the most
| expert huntsman in England. He is we'll
thought of and regards himself as man of
Importance in the affairs of the nation. He
directs the hunt, and. in his gaudy dress of
green plush, jockey cap, red vest, white
pants and black top boots, he is very
picturesque character. His whole heart is
| huS soil
have the hounds in the pink of perfection
and well trained for what the people who
follow them call sport.
He lives we'll, and many q country gentle
man of considerable means in the United
States would be glad to dwell in as good a
house and have as pleasant surroundings.
He has plenty of assistants so that his work
is not hard and in his sphere he is lord and
master. He is as tenacious of the rights
and privileges of his place as any Duke in
the Kingdom, and, withal, is a very import
ant parsonage. People who go down to
Ascot in the hunting season pay him a
| good deal of deierence, and his opinion
about dogs and deer is regarded as authority.
Besides the men Of all work about him, he
has two "whippers-in," who dress gaudily
like the huntsman, and are prominent
part of the royal hunt.
EQUIPPED FOR THE CHASE.
There is no more beautiful sight in the
realm than group of men and women
mounted for the chase these November days.
The men are dressed much like the hunts
man / have described, and are -spleudidly
mounted. The women wear exceedingly
nobby costumes in the wav of riding habits,
each selecting the color which best suits her
taste. AS rule, the women are very reck-
less riders, and it is the common chat OF
every circle that they will take as many
chances, If not more, than the men,. Thew
enter into the sport with great spirit, and
rarely hesitate to take any jump in their
road. For each person in the chase there is
what is called second horsemen, light riders
from the stables, dressed like the" e"whippers-
in, and they follow the hunt, saving their
horses as much as possible so that those who
are engaged in the chase may have fresh
animal, ii their horse tires or is run down.
The magnificent horses the dogs eager for
the run, the variegated costumes of the
riders, all unite to make very spirited
picture. Every one is the personlfcation ot
health, and bright anticipation is written
upon every face, even though it be the most
stolid English countenance.
IN FULL PURSUIT.
The horn of the huntsman is the signal
for the start, and away they go over the
fields, across the hills, jumping fences,
bitches or anything in their way, while the
deep baying of the dogs makes all the coun-
trvside resound with the music Of the chase.
Hundreds watch the men Is the stag hounds
rush after the deer, and those who are in al
the death are the honored Of the day.. Farce,
1 oil hIu 4 = Al