Under the mastership of F. Fenwick a wonderful day’s sport was enjoyed on Feb. 22nd, 1872, when no less than three hares were killed within two hours. The meet was at Athens, and a short time before the meet two hares had been seen to swim the river from the Eton side, a striking proof that hares will take to the water even when not pressed. Hounds were taken over the weir bridge and both these hares were killed after short runs, but the hunt of the day was yet to come. A hare was found near Surley, and after a fast ringing hunt of 1 hour 10 minutes was rolled over in the open near Aldridge’s. The account of the run ends with the words: “Thus it was ‘From a find to a run, From a run to a view, From a view to a kill In the open.’” But the good runs are too numerous for selection to be easy, and at any rate there is no great interest in the mere recounting of a run. But this chapter cannot close without mention of the annual drag to Franklin’s, a farmhouse near Bray, where the members of the hunt were entertained with unlimited champagne and sandwiches. Unfortunately this custom was not repeated after the year 1869 for reasons which are not known, but which may easily be imagined. [Illustration: “AN UNPARDONABLE INTRUSION.”] CHAPTER IV. ROWLAND HUNT AND HIS SUCCESSORS. The year 1876 was as full of surprises as any that the E.C.H. has ever seen. It was a year of changes, one might almost say of revolution. For ten years the hunt had struggled on since the amalgamation with no very marked improvement in the sport. The pack belonged to various boys. It consisted of hounds of all sizes and shapes. Many things were crying out for reform. The year did not open with any great promise. None of the whips of the previous season remained to hunt the hounds, and so the office of Master devolved on Rowland Hunt, whose chief qualification was that he was an amazingly good runner. He had never once whipped-in the year before, and is not even mentioned in the Journal Book previous to 1876. But directly the season began, he astonished everyone by the talent and knowledge he displayed. Not only did he prove the most successful huntsman the E.C.H. had ever possessed, but he showed himself to be an organiser of the highest degree. No sooner had he taken over the Mastership than he realised that the hounds were disgracefully kennelled, and that Ward, the kennelman, was making a great deal too much money out of them. He obtained leave from the Head Master to have the hounds removed to kennels at the back of a Turkish Bath in the town. Here he made an arrangement with William Lock, who kept the Turkish Bath. But it is better given in his own words: