“Tuesday, Jan. 19th. Had a bag-fox. A bright day but a good many clouds about and a splendid scent. Turned him down by Crosse’s Farm. Away he went, past the river jump into the road leading to Aldridge’s, down which he went to the left till he came to the grass field there, up which he turned to the left through Aldridge’s rushy field straight for Dorney, where he was coursed by some greyhounds, but he went away through Burnham Abbey, when he turned to the left to Maidenhead. Here he was headed and turned to the right to the gardens at Burnham (which are about two miles distant from the Abbey), where we lost him. Distance about seven miles. Time, 40 minutes. Crosse was riding, and said it was all he could do to keep up. He said Ferryman and Boscoe led the whole way. We who were running got in about twenty minutes after. Only about twelve out of a field of about forty showed up at the end. We were obliged to get into a cab, as many of us as could, and just got back for absence.”
The whole principle of the Beagles before the amalgamation was entirely different from what it is to-day. The pack was privately owned by various boys, who brought hounds from their homes and lent them for the season. It may be of interest to give the names of the hounds together with those of the boys who owned them:
| Hounds. | Owner. |
|---|---|
| Rummager, Ruler | Buddicom. |
| Tapster, Gobbler, Music, Ruby | Jones. |
| Cromwell, [2]Coic, [2]Famous, [2]Chorister | Turnor. |
| Ryot, Myrtle | Wellesley. |
| Boscoe, Ferryman, Ranger | R. F. M.-Thompson. |
| Clara, Crafty, Pilot, Boxer | Wakeman. |
| Famous | Crosse. |
| Bellman | Gordon-Lennox. |
| Sprightly, Dilligent | Hon. R. C. Grosvenor. |
| Trueman, Dexter, Music, Trinket | C. S. Newton. |
Col. Meysey-Thompson says: “Any one lending hounds was entitled to run with the pack without paying any subscription, though some did not avail themselves of this exemption. Only Fifth Form were allowed to run with the pack, but a Lower Boy bringing a hound had the special privilege of accompanying the pack.”
H. M. Meysey-Thompson (the brother of the Colonel) was a good runner. In 1863 he won the Hurdles and was third in the Mile, and in 1864 he won the Steeplechase (the ambition of all beaglers) and was second in the Mile. Turnor and Sandbach were also good runners. The best run the Beagles had during his Mastership was in the region of Dorney, where they ran a hare for an hour and five minutes, covering more than six miles. In the end she burst her heart just in front of hounds.
There was a curious and not altogether pleasant incident at the end of the season. A presentation to H. M. Meysey-Thompson was arranged chiefly under the fostering care of a boy named Kennion (now Bishop of Bath and Wells), and he was offered his choice of an oil painting of the pack or of a silver hunting horn. He chose the latter. At the breakfast which was held in honour of the event, W. W. Wood got up, and proposed that it should be made a horn of office instead.
A very warm discussion ensued, and the question was put to the vote and carried, to the chagrin of those who had been chiefly instrumental in raising the subscription. The horn is still in existence. A beautiful piece of work it is, with the names of every Master since 1864 inscribed on it. It is now kept on the dining-room table of the house at which the Master of the Beagles boards.
Kennion was a regular follower in those days. It is surprising how many churchmen, and eminent churchmen at that, have enjoyed the sport with the Eton Beagles. Three Bishops to-day, the Bishop of St. Albans, the Bishop of Bath and Wells, and the Bishop of Cape Town, were all keen followers at Eton. M. B. Furse, Bishop of St. Albans, was actually first whip in 1889, while the late Canon E. K. Douglas was one of the most successful of the early Masters. There is scarcely anything so pleasing as to see a parson taking his own line over a hunting country. They are few in number these sporting parsons, but very often they are the best sportsmen of all.
In 1865 C. S. Newton was Master with R. F. Meysey-Thompson as his first whip and E. Royds as the second whip. Royds was a very good long-distance runner, and won both the Mile and the Steeplechase in 1865, while R. F. Meysey-Thompson was a good all round athlete.