The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1890-12-14

now ard then q rich American is !
invited to take part, but neither our men or
women come to accept this hospitality
They do not like the hazards of the sport, |
and IL is altogether too much trouble and
work for an American to enjoy. l have
great respect for the caution of my coun-
trymen, for l can conceive of no more dan
gerous fun than mounting on an English
hunter and starting over the fields after
the dogs. The horses get as wild as the
dogs or the pee :, and an old-fashioned
hunter educated Tor the chase is rather a
dangerous customer for a novice to handle.
for they often get wild with the spirit OF
the occasion.
The Queens hounds live in buildings
which many man with a nice fumily
would be GLAD to occupy. They are care
fully dieted on oatmeal cooked to perfec-
ton. When being prepared for the chase
they only get one meal day, out that IS
very generous one, and consists only Oh
this hearty food. They are carefully ex-
ercised and follow the horn and the hunter
many miles every day; for he is as careful
to have his dogs in a fit condition as
trainer is to have his race-horseS perfect
for the start and run. None but the pick
of the pack are taken for the chase, and
none but those well schooled in their work
are started in these royal hunts. in which
royalty, in the strict application OF the
term, rarely takes part.
A gentleman who ought to know told me
that the Queens stag hounds were worth
$50, 900. and doubtless this is inside the fig
ure for many an Englishman, as matter OF
sentiment, would be glad TO pay good
deal of money for hound from the royal
kennels. The old landlord who told me the
story of selling his dogs to the Prince of
cd
Albert Edwards representative paid him
for the high-bred CANNES which he used to
follow in the days before he got too lazy to
hunt, or the responsibilities Of his position
warned him to keep clear of its dangers.
But the value of the pack is but small
matter as compared with the cost OF main
tanning it. The men who care for the dogs
and hunt them when the chase is on, are
also well housed, well Faid and well fed.
They live in handsome cottages with a
garden of their own, both for flowers and
vegetables, for even the humbleSt English
man win have his flower garden and all
the accompaniments of home if 1t is box
on the windowsill. The dog kennels are
well arranged buildings, built for the pur-
pose, and they are kept up in good style for
| nothing is too good for the royal hounds.
To maintain this relic of royal extrava
gance there is far greater expense than the
mere cost of maintaining the dogs. The
men who are known as master Of the
hounds" and grand falconer'' get large
salaries. The POSITIONS are all regarded as
very dignihed places. For instance the
Earl of Coventry is the master of the
hounds at a salary of $500 a year. OF
course he has nothing to do with the hounds
or with their care except to say word
now and then to the "huntsman" or buy a
good dog as he uses one. The Duke Of St.
| Adams is the grand falconern at salary
of nearly $1,000 year. To that title is
allied that of q herder, and in the fiction of
| this curious custom and condition he is sup
posed to have some control over the breed
ing and management of the deer that are
bred for the hunt. But he has about as
much to do with them as stranger who
never saw Ascot, the Queens kennels or
Witnessed a run over the fields after the
! deer. Those positions were created and
are maintained for the purpose OF increas-
| ing the income of such people as may enjoy
the queens favor, and they are piled upon
one another until duke or earl, who has
commended himself to the queen, occupies
dozen different positions so far as drawing
the salary is concerned without rendering
any service therefor. / suppose at a rough
estimate the stag hounds for the royal hunt
cost 100000 year, and yet if serious
effort was made to abolish the caprice,
doubt if it would be seriously considered.
1t is curious phase of English life to
find with what disgust the fox hunters
look upon this hunt after the deer. They
regard it as the height Of folly and ridicule
the whole proceeding. This is quite natu-
raj, when the really genuine sport after the
fox Is contrasted with the dull sport after
the tame deer. OF course up in Scotland
they have some genuine deer hunts where
the wild game can be followed and killed
but the hunt at Ascot is of very different
kind and kept up to keep up old traditions
and provide some good places for depend
ants. 1t is singular fact of this sport
ing tendency in this country to find thai
the largest owner of land for raising game
and hunting it is an American. Mr.. Win
ems, of Baltimore is credited with keeping
more land in Scotland for that purpose
than any other person. The canny
Scotch have been giving hin
more or less trouble about tying
up SO many acres for sporting. TC
the American mind there is something de-
cidedly humorous in this idea of the roya
, hunt. But there is great deal more in i
than appears on the surface. spent de
lightful day looking it over, and thinking
of what people in the United States woult
! think of the expense as days pleasur
with the Queens dogs. Yet, we are follow
, ing very closely some of the very condition
! that found at Ascot and who can tell blu
that some day, not very many years dis
tant, some of the very wealthy men of III
E United States may have their hounds an
! their hunters Just as the nobility do here
. Probably the President will never have
, master Of hounds or q master @
: horses for his stable at salary of 81, GO
: year, but VINO can tell what years ma
= bring forth when life becomes settled o
! the other side OF the Atlantic and peopl
get rich enough to be indo!ent and are cot
, stantly on the hunt for something to anus
: themselves. FRANK A. BURR.