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 Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine 
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The Sportswoman's Library. 
 
 Vol. I. 
 
THE AURCH/ONESS OF I^PORC ESTER. 
 
THE 
 
 sportswoman's library, 
 
 EDITED BY 
 
 FRANCES E. SLAUGHTER. 
 
 VOLUME I. 
 
 "«H.'&».J 
 
 
 WITH ILLUSTRATIONS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS AND 
 OLD PRINTS. 
 
 WESTMINSTER: 
 
 ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO., 
 
 2, WHITEHALL GARDENS, 
 
 • 1898. 
 
DEDICATED 
 
 BY PERMISSION TO THE 
 
 MARCHIONESS OF WORCESTER 
 
 A KEEN SPORTSWOMAN AND WIFE 
 
 OF ONE OF THE FOREMOST 
 
 SPORTSMEN OF THE AGE. 
 
BIRMINGHAM: 
 PRINTED AT THE GUILD PRESS, 45, GREAT CHARLES STREET. 
 
THE SPORTSWOMAN'S LIBRARY. 
 
 Vol. I. 
 Contents. 
 
 Preface, 
 Englishwomen and Sport - - The Editor. 
 
 Fox Hunting _ _ _ _ Mrs. Burn. 
 
 Hare Hunting _ _ _ - The Editor. 
 
 Shooting - The Hon. Mrs. Lancelot Lowther. 
 Fishing for Tarpon - Mrs. Murphy-Grimshaw. 
 Archery - -Mrs. Berens and Miss Walrond. 
 
 Skatingr _ _ _ _ Miss May Balfour. 
 
 Golf ----- Miss Starkie-Bence. 
 Croquet ----- Mrs. Spong. 
 
 Appendix A. Golf Rules and Glossary. 
 Appendix B. Croquet Rules. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 iHEN I look at the completed MSS. 
 ot the first volumes of the Sports- 
 xcomans Liibrar)\ I teel deeply grate- 
 ful to the many good sportswomen 
 who have aided me in my work, not only for the 
 great stores of practical knowledge they have 
 brought to bear on the several subjects of which 
 we have treated, but for the way in which they 
 have collaborated with me. For this my warm- 
 est thanks are due to them one and all. 
 
 The object we have placed before us, is to give 
 women the information and help they are not 
 likely to find in those books, which are written 
 chietiy from a man's point of view, and we have 
 therefore avoided, as far as possible, trenching 
 on ground that has been already adequately 
 covered by those who, to sportsmen and sports- 
 women alike, are the best authorities on the vari- 
 ous subjects. If, therefore, our writings some- 
 times seem to be wanting in completeness, it 
 
xii PREFACE. 
 
 is, I venture to think, to be attributed to this 
 cause. 
 
 When I first gathered round me the body of 
 contributors, some of whom were personally un- 
 known to me, I could but feel that the many 
 threads I held in my hand might prove to be a 
 very " tangled skein," before the work was 
 brought to completion. This foreboding, how- 
 ever, I am glad to say, was entirely without 
 foundation, for each writer threw herself into 
 her part with such genuine determination to do 
 the best she could for the matter of her work, 
 that the minor details as to the manner' in which 
 it should be given to the world, did not assume 
 undue proportions, and there has been nothing 
 to throw the slightest shadow over the harmony 
 in which we have worked. That the effort we 
 have thus jointly made to give some help to our 
 sister-sportswomen may be successful, is to wish 
 the writers the best reward they can have, for 
 the labour they have bestowed. 
 
 Besides my fellow workers, I have a debt of 
 gratitude to discharge to all who have so kindly 
 assisted me in my work. Foremost among these 
 1 must acknowledge the valuable help given by 
 Lady Gifford, Mrs. Pryse-Rice, Mrs. Cheape, and 
 
PREFACE. xiii 
 
 Miss Lloyd, of Bronwydd, without whose assist- 
 ance I could not have ventured to write on the 
 subject of Hare-Hunting : by Mr. T. F. Dale, 
 author of T^he Game of Polo^ whose great prac- 
 tical knowledge of sport has made him an invalu- 
 able referee on many important questions : by 
 another good sportsman, Captain the Hon. R. C. 
 Drummond, who generously gave me the benetit 
 of his advice on matters which have been a life- 
 long study to him : by Elizabeth, Lady Wilton ; 
 Lady Theodora Guest, Lady Gerard, Lady 
 Dorothy Coventry, Mrs. Wrangham, Mrs. T. E. 
 Harrison, Miss Serrell, Mr. C. H. Bassett, late 
 Master of the Devon and Somerset Staghounds ; 
 Mr. Ian Heathcoat-Amory, Master of the Tiv- 
 erton Staghounds; Mr. W. L. Wyllie, A.R.A.; 
 Miss Maud Earl, Miss Walrond, Mr. Cuthbert 
 Bradlev, Dr. Lewis Mackenzie, Miss Florence 
 Ritson, and Mrs. Dudley Smith. 
 
 I must also acknowledge the help so readily 
 given by Mr. Charles Lancaster, and Messrs. 
 Holland and Holland, on the sport with which 
 their names are so closelv connected, and I must 
 thank those photographers who have exercised 
 their skill on our behalf, viz. : Messrs. Lombardi 
 and Co., who, from the first, have helped us 
 
xiv PREFACE. 
 
 largely; Messrs. Lambert Weston, J. Weston 
 and Son, Stuart, Becken, and A. Debenham. 
 
 My thanks are also due to the Proprietors of 
 Bally s Magazine, The Field, Fhe Gentlewoman, 
 and The Lady s Pictorial for the use of blocks 
 which have been re-produced in their pages. 
 
 Lastly, I must discharge the debt of gratitude 
 I owe Messrs. A. Constable and Co., for the un- 
 failing courtesy I have met with at their hands, 
 and for the hearty way in which they have 
 thrc.wn themselves into the interests of the book. 
 Whether we have all succeeded in our object, 
 viz., to give clear, practical directions to women 
 in the several out-door recreations of which we 
 have written, it is for our readers to determine, 
 and on their verdict will depend the extension ot 
 our plan to other branches of sports and pastimes. 
 To the great body of sportsmen, who so tar 
 have held almost undisputed swav in the realm 
 of sporting literature, I would plead: 
 
 " Softlv, my Masters ! 
 Do me this rights hear me with patience." 
 
 The Editor. 
 Deeding, 
 
 March 31st, 1898. 
 

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ENGLISHWOMEN AND SPORT. 
 
 IN all ages of the world's history, women 
 'have taken part in the out-door recrea- 
 tions in which men have ever delighted, 
 the extent to which they have joined 
 in these health-giving exercises being regulated, 
 by the amount of freedom and independence 
 allowed to the sex, by the unwritten laws of the 
 spirit of the age. In a consideration of the sub- 
 ject that is rather suggestive than attempting to 
 deal with the matter in anv final sense, we can 
 perhaps trace in the easiest way the position held 
 by women in the world of sport, at different 
 epochs of our history, by seeing how the subject 
 was regarded by the authors of the period. 
 
 In the romances of the middle ages — to go no 
 further back in our researches — sport tor all 
 divisions of the upper classes of society was re- 
 garded with a favourable eye. The nobles, the 
 superior clergy, and the dames of high degree 
 had their deeds of prowess in the field extolled by 
 
2 ENGLISHWOMEN AND SPORT. 
 
 the literary lights of the time. For a noble not 
 to care for hunting was considered nothing less 
 than a disgrace, while the clergy were expected to 
 require the relaxation of the chase, and to them 
 was given the right to hunt in their own parks 
 and enclosures. Of this privilege they seem to 
 have availed themselves to some purpose, as at 
 the time of the Reformation the see of Norwich 
 is said to have possessed no less than thirteen deer 
 
 parks. The wives of the nobles and those who 
 ruled over the religious houses for women, seem 
 to have had an almost equal amount ot liberty in 
 sharing in these recreations, and in organising 
 hunts for themselves. The doings of these gay 
 dames — for the religious habit seems to have 
 made but little difference — are extolled by the 
 poets, and if the feats recorded of them are true, 
 they must not only have been accomplished horse- 
 women but very keen and determined huntresses. 
 
ENGLISHWOMEN AND SPORT. 3 
 
 On many occasions, we are told, they organised 
 hunting parties, " winding the horn, rousing the 
 game and pursuing it by themselves." Nor, in 
 spite of what it is the fashion of the present time 
 to say of that period of our history, do the stay- 
 at-home embroidery-loving dames come in tor the 
 same share of praise at the hands of the old writers. 
 
 In hawking especially women were proficient, 
 and one scribe even tells us that they excelled 
 their husbands and brothers in the knowledge and 
 exercise of the art of falconry, from which, how- 
 ever, he deduces the ungallant conclusion that 
 the pastime was to be regarded as " frivolous and 
 effeminate." 
 
 At the time of the great revival of letters, the 
 art of falconry was at the height of its popularity, 
 and both in- England and in other countries ot 
 Europe it was the rule for women of noble birth 
 to train, handle, and liy their own hawks. It 
 was the seventeenth century which saw the decay 
 of this sport as a royal and aristocratic amusement, 
 for though in the early years of the age it was 
 still the most popular form of recreation in the 
 field, by the time the following century had 
 dawned it was all but extinct. 
 
 After this, during the eighteenth century, there 
 
4 ENGLISHJVOMEN AND SPORT, 
 
 is no doubt that the prowess of women in the 
 field suffered an ecHpse, and the few bold spirits 
 who from time to time broke through the tram- 
 mels that restrained their less enterprising sisters, 
 were regarded with a certain amount of suspicion 
 and distrust. To come to the days when the 
 writings of Sir Walter Scott opened up a new 
 field of enchantment to his readers, we know that 
 his creation of Di Vernon needed excuse at the 
 hands of the author for her sport-loving tastes, as 
 the presumption was against her being a true 
 specimen of the " womanly " woman, in the best 
 sense of the word. 
 
 Whyte Melville, entirely devoted to the chase 
 as he was himself, is yet doubtful of the place of 
 his heroines in the hunting field, and in his well- 
 known novel, Kate Coventry^ he seems to consider 
 it a reasonable condition on the part of the man 
 Kate is about to marry, that she should give up 
 hunting when she becomes his bride. In the 
 pages of Surtees, which give such a vivid picture 
 of the fox-hunter's life in the first half of the 
 century, the woman who hunts is nearly always 
 an adventuress, while in the social sketches of 
 Trollope sport has no place in the life of his 
 otherwise charming heroines. 
 
ENGLISHWOMEN AND SPORT. 5 
 
 But gradually and surely women once more 
 made good their position in the realm of sport, 
 one of the early books to take a decided line in 
 this matter being, I believe, a little-known novel 
 entitled A Matched Pair. In this book which 
 was published anonymously, a young man and 
 woman who have kindred tastes, are brought to- 
 gether through their common love of hunting, 
 and an amusing instance of the prevailing spirit. 
 
 is eiven at their wedding breakfast. When the 
 hour is drawing near for the departure of the 
 bride and bridegroom, news is brought to the 
 latter that the M.F.H. of the country has met 
 with an accident, which will keep him from the 
 saddle for the remainder of the season. The lady 
 of course is told the news, and she receives the 
 suggestion that their honeymoon should be given 
 up, in order that her husband may stay and hunt 
 the hounds, with the most obliging readiness. 
 
6 ENGLISHWOMEN AND SPORT. 
 
 This incident I give from memory, as it is now 
 many years since I have seen the book. The 
 strangest thing about the incident, perhaps is, 
 that such a truly sporting couple should not have 
 delayed their marriage till the end of the hunting 
 season. 
 
 It is during the last ten years that women have 
 come to be reckoned as a power in the land, in the 
 matter of soort, and it is now a matter of course 
 for the novelists of the day to make their leading 
 women-characters of almost all classes. Join in 
 some one or more form of out-door recreation. 
 Vivid pictures of the hunting-field, the banks of 
 the salmon river, the croquet lawn and the golt 
 links, show the love of the nineteenth century 
 maid and matron for the healthy out-door exer- 
 cise, which has given to the younger generation a 
 physique that would have been regarded with 
 wondering awe, not unmixed with disapproval, 
 by their gentle and delicate great-grandmothers. 
 
 In a bird's-eye view, too, of the course of our 
 history, we may note that at the time of the ab- 
 sence ot the great body ot the nobles in the Holy 
 Land in the days of the Crusades, the women, so 
 many ot whom had been left in charge of the 
 castles and lands of their lords, came very promin- 
 
ENGLISHWOMEN AND SPORT. 
 
 7 
 
 ently forward in the domain of sport, as well as 
 in the social life of the period. On the return 
 of the warriors, this liberty seems in some degree 
 to have been curtailed, and whether this is to be 
 attributed to any undue exercise of freedom 
 during their time of independence, or to the hict 
 of the minds of their lords and masters having 
 been effected by the Oriental ideas as to the con- 
 duct of women, does not seem very clear. 
 
 The restraint however was but temporary, and 
 when the highest place in the land was filled by 
 a woman, and '' Queen Bess " ruled her subjects 
 with a judicious determination none could gain- 
 say, her humbler sisters shared in the reflected 
 glory of her tame. Elizabeth herself, as we all 
 know, was an ardent sportswoman, and took the 
 keenest delight in a run with hounds, or a trial 
 of skill with the cross-bow, long after she had 
 passed the age, at which even modern Dianas are 
 
8 ENGLISHfVOMEN AND SPORT. 
 
 wont to retire from an active share in the 
 fatigues of the hunting-field. 
 
 The reign of Queen Anne on the other hand, 
 although the Sovereign herself and the members 
 ot her court were lovers of the chase, seems to 
 have had a distinctly depressing effect on the in- 
 dependent position of women. It was not till 
 the present century, when our beloved Queen by 
 her conduct on the throne, and in her private 
 lite, gave such a stimulus to the position of her 
 sex, that women came forward to take their 
 share in the sports, as well as in the more serious 
 duties of our national life, in a way that was new 
 in the world's history. 
 
 That the young Queen whose every act was 
 eagerly copied by her girl subjects, could have 
 ridden after hounds as she did in the early years 
 of her reign, without having many followers, is 
 not to be supposed. Thus indirectly — for Vic- 
 toria's early succession to the duties of a sovereign 
 left her but little time for the enjoyment of the 
 lighter side of life — Her Majesty's example has 
 probably had not a little to do with the increased 
 love of sport among the women of the present 
 day. 
 
 In the history of sport, therefore, as in other 
 
ENGLISHIVOMEN AND SPORT. 9 
 
 departments of our life as a nation, the name of 
 Victoria will be remembered as the great bene- 
 factor of women, by having given them larger, 
 truer conceptions ot lite, and by opening to them 
 spheres of usefulness and pleasure which the 
 deadening influence of the eighteenth century, 
 seemed to have closed to them tor ever. 
 
 The Editor. 
 
Sreight, 
 
 MRS. BURN. 
 
 Rughy. 
 
FOX HUNTING. 
 
 Y dear young lady, you would enjoy 
 your hunting so much more if you 
 would only watch the hounds !" I once 
 heard a Master of Hounds say to an 
 eager young woman whose only aim and object 
 seemed to be to get on. Such indeed was her 
 anxiety to do this that she was quite oblivious of 
 the tact, she was meanwhile riding the hounds 
 off the line. The M.F.H. quoted being one of 
 the finest huntsmen in England, I have remem- 
 bered his words. For it is simply wonderful to 
 think of the hundreds upon hundreds of people 
 in Great Britain, who hunt regularly week after 
 week in the season, and who never " watch the 
 hounds !" Talk and chatter when they draw, 
 gallop of course and jump — most probably — 
 when they run, but "know what they are doing ?" 
 No. 
 
 And yet to anyone who is really fond of hunting, 
 
14 FOX HUNTING, 
 
 the greatest charm ot all is in watching the 
 hounds and in taking- an intelligent interest in the 
 hunt itself. Not that this interest is o^iven to all, 
 for crowds come out, some because they can afford 
 it and it is the right thing to do, some to see 
 their friends, and others to r/^r/f, and lastly some, 
 not many, to /unit. 
 
 These last have generally been " bred to it," 
 as a man would say, and have the love of hunting 
 born in them, and so they are able to enjoy them- 
 selves when others do not. For even though the 
 scent be bad, and they "• cannot run a yard," these 
 few will take a pleasure in watching hounds really 
 hunt, and will hug themselves with delight as 
 they distinguish old Rhapsody feather up a fur- 
 row away from the rest till she can assure herself 
 that it is right, and then with a note like a bell 
 bring all the others flying to her cry, till one 
 after another they pick up the line and proclaim 
 that it is good. 
 
 Part of the charm ot hunting is the beauty ot 
 its surroundings. I know nothing prettier than 
 the different scenes of a hunt. To watch the 
 hounds put into covert, to stand at a corner and 
 see down the ride the huntsman's red coat and 
 all the hounds round him, among the brown leaves 
 
FOX HUNTING. 15 
 
 on the ground and the dark trees in the back- 
 ground is simply a picture, and time after time 
 in each hunting day such pictures appear, and 
 dehght the eye. Then the joy of hstening to the 
 cry, and not only the cry, for it does one good to 
 hear the huntsman cheering the hounds in covert, 
 especially if he has a good voice and can blow a 
 good note on his horn. 
 
 Even the smell of the dank leaves turned over 
 as the hounds rustle through them is delightful, 
 and like all loved scents it brings back more than 
 anything else the days of long ago. 
 
 I never go out cub-hunting now without that 
 scent bringing back to me the old days at Brig- 
 stock, when my father* hunted the Pytchley 
 hounds. In Spring and early Autumn we always 
 went to the Woodlands, for the Woodland Pytch- 
 ley had not then become a separate pack, and I 
 once more seem to see him, long ot leg and lithe 
 of limb on the raking chestnut mare, and hear his 
 cheery voice drawing those great woods. And 
 as I listen to his view halloa I feel a thrill run 
 through me, and in tancy I see them striding 
 down the broad grass ride, while the hounds iiy 
 to him from every side, and with an " over, over, 
 
 * Colonel J. Ansiruihcr-'rhoinson. 
 
1 6 FOX HUNTJNG^ 
 
 over, over," v^^hich simply make one shiver, he 
 cheers them over the ride, while they swing to 
 the right and crash into the covert with a glorious- 
 burst of music like a chime of silver bells. It is 
 odd how these things remain in one's heart. 
 
 " Wire and silence " will be the end of hunt- 
 ing, so he says ; he being my father whom on all 
 things venatic I firmly believe. 
 
 I suppose hardly one " hunting " woman out 
 of every hundred who go out, ever know how 
 many couple of hounds there are out, or think ot 
 counting them while the Master sits outside the 
 covert blowing them to him. Yet this is inter- 
 esting in itself, and if you know the hounds per- 
 sonally all the more so, as you watch them come 
 tumbling through the fence by ones and twos and 
 go smiling up to their huntsman's side, with a 
 satisfied expression as if they were saying " here 
 I am anyhow." 
 
 Hunting in the provinces has that great advan- 
 tage over the shires, that you have fewer people 
 out, and consequently you really can take an 
 interest in the hound work and watch what they 
 are doing, and when they run you can keep your 
 eye on them all through, and ride to them.^ 
 whereas in a fashionable country you get cramped 
 
^4 
 o 
 
 o 
 
 o 
 o 
 
FOX HUN-TING. 19 
 
 up at a corner of a covert with three or tour hun- 
 dred people hemming you in, behind a narrow 
 gateway may be, hardly wide enough tc^r one 
 horse to get through at a time. Your horse 
 probably gets frightened in the thick of the tray, 
 and tries to go backwards instead ot torwards, 
 the man's horse in front of you has his ears 
 back and a ribbon in his tail, while those behind 
 keep cramming on with cries ot " Get on, do^ or 
 else let ine come," so by the time you have 
 sniggled yourself through this turmoil, hounds 
 have slipped away and are out of sight. You 
 may then ride for all you are worth, but you 
 probably will never see the hounds again until 
 they kill, or at any rate check. So you must 
 e'en be content with galloping in the wake ot 
 somebody else's back, and trust to luck that he 
 is going the right way, but it is dull work com- 
 pared to picking your own places and using your 
 own head to get to hounds the shortest way. 
 
 Of course the countrv in the shires makes up 
 for almost anything, and to stride away over the 
 pasture lands of Leicestershire or Pytchleydom, is 
 truly the realisation of the " Happy Hunting 
 Grounds." After you have once learned to tind 
 your way over a cramped country, intersected 
 
20 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 with lime and mortar walls and barbed wire, in 
 Scotland, or after you have scaled the heights and 
 fathomed the depths of the banks and drains in 
 Ireland, then to go down for a hunt in the shires 
 is a holiday worthy of the name. " Call this a 
 ditch ? " you exclaim inwardly as you flick over 
 an English fence, after encountering those grue- 
 some dykes in Meath. True, I only hunted in 
 Meath one season, but my private verdict at the 
 end of the time was, " a splendid education, but 
 an awful experience as far as the fences are con- 
 cerned." But then I do not like a ditch I cannot 
 see the bottom of, especially when it has sheer 
 cut-out sides which every person in front of you 
 makes bigger and bigger. I also have a vivid 
 recollection of seeing several top hats (nothing 
 else) wandering up and down on the level ot the 
 ground, as other brave souls went at those ditches 
 and cleared them and their contents, human, 
 equine and all. This was on a pleasant spot in 
 Meath, known as the '' Bush Farm," and I don't 
 mind saying that for appalling fences I have 
 never met its equal, and devoutly trust I may 
 never come in contact with its superior, unless I 
 am mounted either on a bird or a balloon. But 
 for sport it was undefeated, and the beautiful old 
 
FOX HUNTING. 21 
 
 turf was a pleasure to ride on. A great blessing 
 too it is having no ridge and turrow, tor really 
 sometimes in England, the Bay of Biscay " is 
 jokes" compared to the ground you ride over. 
 The continued galloping up and down is so hard 
 on horses, and though ot course one knows the 
 dodge of taking them slantways, still it is not 
 half such fun as swinging away over smooth 
 grass. 
 
 One thing about Ireland — and when I say Ire- 
 land, I am thinking only ot the countv Meath, 
 for I have never hunted with any other pack 
 over there, barring one day in Kildare — is that a 
 pony can get over it. It will creep about and 
 jump like a cat, and cross the country as it never 
 could in England. Then, too, people do not 
 seem to hurt themselves so otten when they fall 
 over there, and that no doubt is because they 
 ride slowly at their fences, but then how one 
 misses the gates. It is almost impossible to 
 believe at first that there really are not any, but 
 the cruel fact is proved time after time, till at 
 last you are forced to own that it is only too 
 true. 
 
 Scotland, some years ago, betore so much wire 
 crept in, was as good a school as need be to teach 
 
22 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 anyone how to get to hounds. You sometimes 
 had to crawl and creep, and sometimes to jump 
 a bit of timber standing, perhaps uphill in a 
 corner, or an awkward place under a tree, with 
 generally a wire somewhere through it or stand- 
 ing handy by, and it is a great thing to kiirn 
 where there are difficulties, for it teaches you to 
 use your head, which is as important out hunting 
 as it is in daily life. Yet how few people seem 
 to hunt with their heads. As long as they can 
 gallop and jump in sight of someone else's coat 
 tails, there are many who seem to be quite con- 
 tent, and will assure you they enjoy their hunt- 
 ing immensely. 
 
 But this is not the real way. 
 
 To use your own judgment, to have a quick 
 eye to hounds, and as they turn and swing to cut 
 off the corners, to save your horse by choosing 
 the weak places in the fences and the best going 
 in the fields, this is the science of riding to 
 hounds. Yet very few know how to do it, and 
 fewer still have the gift of being able to make a 
 horse gallop. In a crowded country where every- 
 thing depends on your getting a start much also 
 depends on this. 
 
 To be strong on a horse is given to tew, to ride 
 
FOX HUNTING. 23 
 
 light to very few, and vet to be a reallv good 
 horsev^^oman one ought to be both. It is pretty 
 to see a really good man or woman riding to 
 hounds. How they keep iiitting along to one 
 side of the pack, never seeming in a hurry, but 
 always moving on, down the furrows and over 
 the gaps, and those who trv to catch them will 
 find they are always in front and generallv clean. 
 
 One great thing to learn, and especially I think 
 for a woman, is to go quietly and not to splash. 
 One hates to see the women of a hunt always on 
 the gallop, going trom covert to covert across the 
 fields. It looks so much better, and /s so much 
 wiser to trot quietly over them than to go helter 
 skelter past everybody else, probably squelching 
 muddy water over them as you go, and incurring 
 the condemnation of the opposite sex, who, if 
 they are sportsmen of the right sort, will seldom 
 be seen bustling between times. 
 
 Not only to ride your horse quietly, but to /?e 
 quiet yourself is also an advantage. I shall never 
 forget once in Leicestershire, after an almost blank 
 day, the whole field was drawn up to one side ot 
 a small spinney by the road, and all our hopes of 
 retrieving the day lay in our getting a tox away 
 from the tar corner of the wood. All who under- 
 
24 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 stood the importance of keeping quiet were dumb, 
 and we could not help feeling a little bit bored 
 by one good lady, who in strident tones gave an 
 exhaustive history of her aluminium watch. Her 
 listener would evidently have gladly cut her 
 short had his manners been less good, and the rest 
 of us wished heartily that both she and her watch 
 were at the bottom of the sea. Poor lady, she 
 hunted with the greatest regularity several days a 
 week, but she had never learned the w/iy of things 
 out hunting. 
 
 Then there are what may be called the ■•' let 
 me come " women — those who have to gallop at 
 their fences because they dare not go at them 
 slower, and if anybody happens to be before them 
 think it necessary to shout. I know, of course, 
 that opinions differ as to riding fast or slow at a 
 fence, though personally I hold to the latter, and 
 cannot help thinking that people who always 
 ride at them fast are afraid to do so any slower. 
 Certain it is that a horse will jump a place more 
 surely and more cleverly if you give him time to 
 see what he is going at, and most of them can 
 jump very much bigger places even standing than 
 people generally give them credit for. If you 
 take a pull to steady your horse when you are a 
 
FOX HUNTING. 25 
 
 little distance Irom your fence, you will probably 
 arrive at the other side far more collectedly, and 
 be striding away again over the next field, before 
 others who allow their horses to gallop on right 
 up to the fence are near you. They are going 
 too last to notice the grip before they arrive at it, 
 and consequently their horse takes off from the 
 wrong leg and lands like a star-fish in the next 
 field, then stumbles, pecks, and recovers again 
 before he is once more set in motion. All this 
 takes time and tires the horse, moreover should 
 the luckless animal thus ridden fail to recover 
 from the stumble and peck, he will give his rider 
 a far worse fall than if he had gone at it slower. 
 "Hands" of course have everything to do with 
 the niceties of riding, and " hands " cannot be 
 taught. But, atter all, th'mking has a great deal 
 to do with good riding, and if people would but 
 remember that horses are not machines, that they 
 do feel and their poor mouths are sensitive, it 
 would go far towards improving their horseman- 
 ship and hands. I am sure that half the falls we 
 get are due to our own faulty riding, though we 
 all know how we say if our horse falls with us 
 he is a stupid brute tor doing it, yet if the same 
 mishap should occur while a groom is on his 
 
26 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 back, it is then he who gets that title for letting 
 him down. We read sometimes about people 
 " lifting " their horses, but I do not know what 
 that means. One must t?^ust them to a great ex- 
 tent, and any interference at the critical moment 
 is most likely to land them head over heels. 
 
 I remember hearing a well-known coper say 
 to a friend of mine who could ride a runaway 
 horse without being even pulled, " Ah, but then 
 you've got the fingers." I once tried to explain 
 to my sister that she must " carry her own hands," 
 and she laughed at me for telling her to try and 
 make them be like soufles. " Anything will pull 
 if you pull at it," I have often beeji told, but it is 
 ?iot easy to be like a soulie when you are going 
 forty thousand miles a minute, skew-ways on at 
 a double wire fence with a river in between. 
 
 How women long ago could possibly ride 
 across country without a third pommel is a mys- 
 tery to me. Yet we are told they went well. I 
 cannot credit their having been able to ride any- 
 thing but patent safety horses, tor one needs all 
 the strength the third pommel gives to steer an 
 awkward horse along, though of course one's 
 knee should hang below it in the ordinary way of 
 riding. I believe the great tip in women's riding 
 
o 
 to ? 
 
FOX HUNTING. 29 
 
 is to ride off the right leg. So much strength is 
 to be got out of pressing the leg against the saddle 
 flap, and it is noticeable what a much prettier 
 seat those have who rise in trotting: off the rio-ht 
 thigh than others who laboriously rise out of the 
 stirrup. 
 
 Another thing that often strikes me is how few 
 women carry their stirrup foot in the right place. 
 The proper position for the left foot is to hang in 
 a straight line from the knee, with the foot easy 
 in the stirrup, not pressed against it, but home in 
 it / think, though I see many who only touch it 
 with their toes. It is pitiful to ride behind a 
 woman and see the sole of her foot sticking up at 
 the back, vet some find they get their grip in this 
 way, so thev tell me, the grip which should con\& 
 from the pressure I mentioned before, of the right 
 leg against the saddle flap. 
 
 A well-known woman to hounds was once 
 pointed out to me as a wonder on a horse. So 
 she was, very good ; but if she had ridden with a 
 spur she would have been killed long before, for 
 she rode with her toe out and her heel pressed 
 against her horse's ribs. Whv many women have 
 not broken their necks before now I do not know. 
 Those who ride with a loose rein, for instance. 
 
30 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 I once saw a gallant girl galloping hard across 
 a heavy plough, with her reins hung over one 
 finger. It may have been smart, it certainly was 
 brave, but the sad thing was it showed her ignor- 
 ance so patently that one pitied her from the 
 heart, and her horse still more, for had he not 
 been one of the cleverest in England he must have 
 tumbled her head over heels. 
 
 Women out hunting should take their chance 
 with the rest, and never trade on the chivalry of 
 the opposite sex, tor this is what makes them un- 
 popular in the hunting field. 
 
 If they are not brave enough to take their own 
 place at a fence, thev must be content to wait 
 their turn at the gap or gate. If they are wise 
 they will keep on the very outside of the crowd 
 in a gateway, as they will pass through quicker 
 like that than if they go straight into the mass of 
 struggling humanity, which will probably jam 
 them out the more they try to get in front. 
 
 If you hunt, be ready to help other people, 
 '' and do unto all men as you would they should 
 do unto you." 
 
 Don't let a loose horse gallop past you, because 
 you happen to be a woman, but catch him. 
 Always do what is wanted promptly. If the 
 
FOX HUNTING . 31 
 
 Master says " hold hard," or only holds up his 
 hand, " stop." It would be very bad form for a 
 woman to lead the way on such an occasion by 
 going on, as the Master cannot so well tell her 
 what is in his heart, as he probably would if the 
 delinquent were a man. If you should make a 
 mistake and earn a reproof, hold your tongue, 
 and remember an M.F.H.'s life is not a happy 
 one, and there is more to worry and aggravate 
 him every hour of every hunting day, than his 
 field ever dreams ot. So instead of feeling angry 
 at his speaking to you, be sorry that you have 
 deserved it. Remember too that most people 
 out hunting are exactly like a flock of sheep, so 
 if you show the way over a seedfield for instance, 
 or by unnecessarily jumping fences when hounds 
 are not running, your example is very likely to 
 be followed, and the result will be damage done 
 and consequent trouble. 
 
 Women are more p-enerallv accused of ridintJ; 
 jealous than men, but real good sportsmen of 
 either sex will never think of such a thing. Of 
 course being " alone with the hounds " is a 
 pleasure that cannot be denied, and there is an 
 uncontrollable teeling ot joy when one happens 
 to be among the favoured tew who get well away. 
 
32 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 But that is more because it gives you a better 
 chance of being with hounds, and more room to 
 ride, than when you are surrounded by hundreds 
 of people husthng and busthng all over the 
 place. Live and let live, is just as sound a maxim 
 out hunting as elsewhere. 
 
 « 
 
 Always make way for the huntsman at a gate, 
 over a gap, or wherever it may be. Let him 
 pass, for it is his proper place to be with his 
 hounds. Always too, wait for dismounted men. 
 If anyone has to get off to open a gate or break 
 down an impracticable place, cut a wire, or for 
 whatever cause it may be, pull up and wait till he 
 is on again. For remember no horse will stand 
 still to be mounted while others are galloping 
 past him, though strange to say few people seem 
 to think of that. It is rather hard on a man after 
 letting you through a gap or gate to see you 
 gallop away, leaving him to struggle with his 
 impatient horse which assuredly will give him 
 little chance of getting on again in a hurry. 
 Possibly you might be able to help him by holding 
 his horse's head till he is up. There are so many 
 little things like this that can be done quietly, by 
 a woman being quick to see what is wanted, and 
 just being helpful without being officious. 
 
FOX HUNTING. 33 
 
 It you arrive first at a gate, open it, and swing 
 it back for the others, that is to say, if you are 
 sure you wont make a mess of it, and only keep 
 the whole crowd waiting while you fumble help- 
 lessly between your whip and the latch. If you 
 think you cannot open it, do not try, but pull 
 back and let somebody else do it for you, and so 
 save time. No one will thank you tor it it you 
 get in the way, and then only fumble. 
 
 It always distresses me to hear men saying, as 
 alas, they often do, and very often I fear with 
 every excuse, " a woman of course," or, " a lady 
 as usual," when a hound has been kicked or a 
 man jumped on. It is so unnecessary, tor why 
 should not a woman use her brains as much as 
 anyone else out hunting. 
 
 I remember once hearing of a lady, who had 
 not much experience, and was mounted on a 
 kicking horse. She stood among the crowd in a 
 gateway with her horse kicking viciously at 
 everybody near, till at last an exasperated man 
 could bear it no longer, and remonstrated, saying, 
 *' Really, Mrs. Smith, do you know your horse is 
 kicking most dangerously ? " " Oh, yes," she 
 replied with an innocent smile, " I know, but I 
 assure you I don't mind." Such innocence is 
 
34 POX HUNTING. 
 
 sweet, but out hunting it is as well to remember 
 to turn your horse's heels to the hedge, and his 
 head to the hounds when they are coming past 
 you, and if your horse kicks to keep out of the 
 crowd. For the sake of all other women who 
 hunt, do not risk their reputation by doing a 
 stupid thing, or not doing a kindly action when- 
 ever you get the chance, and try never to give 
 anyone an excuse for wishing that women should 
 not come out hunting. That warning shout ot 
 " seeds," or " young grass," in an agonised tone 
 from the Master himself, is too often unheeded 
 by the hard riding woman who has not taken in 
 the fact, that in her anxiety to "show them all 
 the way," she is careering alone across a newly- 
 sown field, while the rest ot the people have gone 
 round on purpose to avoid doing damage to the 
 land. It is extraordinary how few people take 
 such a state of things in, but it is as well to know 
 young grass or sown wheat when you see it, and 
 having seen, to avoid riding over it as much as 
 possible, also to shut the gates behind you if you 
 can, and in all ways to try to keep friendly with 
 the farmers, for on them depends the continu- 
 ance of hunting. 
 
 Now a word on the disagreeable subject of 
 
FOX HUNTING. 35 
 
 fallins: and orettino^ into difficulties. In the latter 
 case I hold with the words of Solomon, who 
 said, ''Their strength shall be in sitting still,'' 
 and he generally talked sense, though perhaps he 
 was not thinking of hunting when he made the 
 remark. Anyhow, the best thing under difficul- 
 ties is to keep your head and sit still. Take 
 your foot out of the stirrup, so that you may get 
 clear away as soon as opportunity offers and good 
 sense dictates. A good thing is to kick your 
 foot free of the stirrip before you get into the 
 mess, if you think it at all likely to occur. It 
 is well to be as free as possible, and not to meddle 
 with your horse's head, for he will probably be 
 as keen to set himself straight again as you are, 
 if he only gets the liberty to do so. 
 
 One can but speak from experience, and my 
 own is this, that since I learned to ride slow at 
 my fences, I have not had one-third of the falls I 
 used to get before. By riding slow, I mean 
 taking a pull about three or four lengths from 
 the fence, and getting your horse to go steady 
 and look. When once you are over, you can go 
 striding away again as fast as you like, and so 
 not lose your " pride of place." Indeed you 
 are flir more likely to keep it in that way, than 
 
36 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 if you gallop over your fences, for before long the 
 over will relapse into throiiglu and then it will be 
 only a question of time how soon you will 
 measure your length on the ground. 
 
 Of course one is bound to fall sometimes, how- 
 ever good the horse, however good the horse- 
 woman. Blind fences, wire, a wide place on the 
 far side, or the sun low so that it catches your 
 horse's eyes, are all pretty well bound to knock 
 you over, and then the main thing is to fall clear. 
 Nowadays we are mercifully seldom hung up, 
 thanks to our safety skirts and safety stirrups, 
 without both of which no woman should, in my 
 opinion, be allowed to hunt. It is wise to 
 minimise the dangers ot hunting as much as 
 Dossible, and I think that in one's clothes and 
 saddlery for hunting, everything should be as 
 plain and as safe as possible. 
 
 I believe myself in Champion and Wilton's 
 safety stirrup, and dislike hunting on a saddle 
 without it, though some people " crab " them, 
 and say they come off at the wrong moment. If 
 indeed this does happen, the stirrups must require 
 mendino;, or else the movement ot the rider has 
 caused the leather flap which protects the bar to 
 rise, which of course will set the stirrup leather 
 
o 
 
 o 
 
 ■^ 
 
FOX HUNTING. ' 39 
 
 free. But this is obviously not the stirrup's fault. 
 I also like the arrangement on the off flap, so 
 that you can tighten vour own girths, for it is 
 nonsense to say that women's girths should 
 " never need tightening." They need it far 
 more than men's as a rule, and if you can pull 
 them up a hole or two atter a gallop, yourself, it 
 is a great convenience, and much better than 
 making some unfortunate man, or his groom, 
 fumble about at a buckle covered with mud 
 below the horse's body, as on other saddles. 
 
 As for the safety habits, I believe in the apron 
 skirt, for in that vo^-^ must tall clear. I have 
 tried several so-called safety habits, and have 
 been hung up both on the near and the off" side, 
 but since I took to the apron I have had no 
 more dan^ling-s. Of course the drawback to the 
 apron is its appearance off' the saddle, when it is 
 certainly too scanty to be becomintj. I have, 
 however, overcome that difficulty by having an 
 extra "modesty," made ot the very thinnest serge, 
 which I always carry under the near flap of my 
 saddle, so that it does not show, and yet when I 
 get off to ease my horse's back, I can put it on 
 and feel quite independent and happy. I there- 
 fore commend this plan to others, as being tar 
 
40 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 handier than buttoning the extra covering inside 
 their habit skirt, and much nicer than going 
 without altogether. 
 
 Women, as a rule, are not particular enough 
 about the way they put their boots on. Though 
 they would be very much surprised if they saw 
 a man out hunting with the tags of his boots 
 sticking out, they seem to forget that anything 
 wrong in the way they are put together, is sure 
 to be noticed, and that it is only when our clothes 
 are right that they attract no attention. One 
 should always study, therefore, to be neat and 
 clean-looking beyond everything. 
 
 I know many men assert that no woman should 
 ever wear a spur. Of course they are chivalrous 
 enough to add, because women should never ride 
 a horse that needs one. Such a state of things 
 would indeed be delightful, but as there are some 
 in the world still, who would rather go out on 
 anything than not go out at al), and that " any- 
 thing " is as often as not a refusing brute of a 
 hireling, as cunning as a monkey, I cannot agree 
 with the opinion. In saying this, however, 
 please note I do not mean by a spur., that hor- 
 rible sort of a dagger which works with a spring, 
 and is commonly sold as a " lady's spur," for of 
 
FOX HUNTING. 4^ 
 
 all the dangerous and cruel inventions, that is 
 about the worst. I mean the ordinary small man's 
 spur, with the rowels blunted, and of course this 
 should only be worn by those who know how to 
 use it, never by a beginner, or indeed by any but 
 a really fine horsewoman, for if the toot is not 
 carried in the right position you are sure to touch 
 your horse with it unwittingly, and if you make 
 a mistake you will probably have to pay tor it. 
 If your horse is very hot and eager, too, you will 
 be better without it. 
 
 One of the most useful things for a woman to 
 learn, is to be able to get on her horse off the 
 ground by herself If you cannot do this, you 
 are so utterly dependent on the kindness of the 
 long-sulfering man. It is very easy to learn, it 
 you have any spring in your body. You simply 
 put your left foot in the stirrup, catch hold of the 
 cantle of your saddle with your left hand, and 
 the pommel and reins in your right, and up you 
 go. Be careful, however, not to knock up the 
 flap over the stirrup bar, if it be a safety, in doing 
 this, or out it will come, and down you will flop 
 again. Of course the main thing is, that your 
 horse should stand still and allow you to mount. 
 A horse is generally so tactless about this, he will 
 
42 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 fidget and dance and never give you a chance, 
 but, by taking the off reins up short in your left 
 hand, you have at least so much control over his 
 curvetting, that by pulling his head av^ay, you 
 make him turn his body and saddle towards you. 
 But mind in doing this he does not trample on 
 your toes, which he is very likely to do. 
 
 Of course you should always try to get your 
 horse on lower ground than yourself, and if he is 
 still too high, you must let down the stirrup 
 until you can reach it. Always try and sand- 
 wich your horse between yourself and a fence or 
 house, so that he cannot revolve round and round, 
 as they are so fond of doing at the critical mo- 
 ment. Try, also, not to tickle or kick him with 
 your toe, after it is in the stirrup, as that will 
 probably induce him to kick you off before you 
 are safely on. 
 
 It is really a marvel how few men can jump a 
 woman on to her horse properly, and how tew 
 women go up as they should. The operation is 
 quite easy, if only the man can be persuaded to 
 stam/ still and merely give his hand a little heave 
 upwards. The majority of men who do not 
 know, no sooner feel the foot on their hand than 
 they count hard and run backwards towards the 
 
FOX HUNTING. 43 
 
 horse's head, carrying the untortunate woman's 
 foot with them. Thus, instead of sending her 
 up, dragging her down till the whole thing ends 
 in a wild struggle, she clinging round the pom- 
 mels with her chest, chin, and arms. Too de- 
 o-radintr an exhibition. If the man will stand 
 still and take it quietly, and if the woman will 
 just spring off her right leg and straighten her 
 left knee, she will arrive in her saddle gracefully 
 and lightly, and the man will not have felt her 
 weight at all. It is best to come to a thorough 
 understanding with the man before you begin, as 
 to when he expects you to spring. It this is to 
 be when he counts three, or as soon as your foot 
 is in his hand .? Do not in any case allow him 
 to have hold of the hem of your skirt with your 
 foot. Unless this is free it will hold you down, 
 and a sort of Jack-in-the-box-performance will 
 begin. You spring and the man's hand remains 
 inert, then he jerks up your left foot when you 
 are standing stolidly on the right, and generally 
 the end of all is that you arrive in a heap on your 
 saddle, and finish by kicking the man in the face. 
 How to have a quick eye to hounds ? Yes, 
 how ? But I do not know. It is a gift which 
 few have, and most people have not. To keep 
 
44 ' FOX HUNTING. 
 
 looking out for the hounds in front and all round 
 it you are ?2ot seeing them, and to keep your eye 
 on the leading hounds if you are in that lucky 
 position, to notice every turn and be quick to turn 
 with them, to cut off the corners and go the 
 shortest way, a sort ot anticipation without anti- 
 cipating, that is all I can say about it. Neyer 
 ride exactly behind the hounds, as if they check 
 you are thus sure to hustle them on oyer the line 
 and incur the wrath of the huntsman besides 
 spoiling your own sport and everybody else's. 
 Ride either to one side or the other of the pack, 
 down wind for choice, about forty yards in their 
 wake, so as to give hounds plenty ot room to 
 swing or stop, should they come to a check. 
 
 As there is hardly one woman in fitty or a 
 hundred who can go her own line and pick her 
 way all through a run — or perhaps it would be 
 more courteous to say / do not knons: many who, 
 if put down in a country on an ordinary hunter 
 alone with the hounds, could find their way into 
 and out of ten fields in succession ; it is as well 
 for most women to have a pilot. First, though, 
 ascertain that the man is wilhng to accept this 
 onerous position. Then be careful to give him 
 room., not to ride in his pocket or get in his way. 
 

 o 
 
 ^ 
 
 ^ 
 ^ 
 
FOX HUNTING. 47 
 
 and above all things to give him time at his 
 fences to land or fall without jumping on him. 
 
 When you have once chosen your pilot, obey 
 him. If at a gate or in a crowd, or for any other 
 reason, even if you do not understand it, he should 
 want you to go first. Go ! Nip through quickly 
 and quietly, and don't keep others waiting what- 
 ever you do. Take your turn whenever it comes, 
 and take every chance that offers without hang- 
 ing back, which hinders other people, and with- 
 out hustling, which annoys them. In tact, it 
 after you have achieved being gia'et out hunting 
 you succeed in being quick, you will have begun 
 to grasp the situation. 
 
 It is as well for your own comfort and that of 
 other people to ride sane horses as far as in you 
 lies. I once had a ride on an insane one, and it 
 was far from satisfactory. It was perfectly imma- 
 terial to that horse whether he arrived at his 
 fence with his head or his tail foremost. Now it 
 is not a pleasant sensation to waltz round and 
 round, or to find yourself bounding backward to- 
 wards an impenetrable black bullfinch and at the 
 last moment to whip round and swish through or 
 over as chance betalls. It was rather like having 
 a hunt on a wild cat, for I never knew where or 
 
48 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 how he intended either to take off or land, but 
 he would not fall, though the bridle behind his ears 
 was a mass of mud and grass, atter one double 
 distilled peck into a boggy field. 
 
 Of course a woman has not half the strength 
 on a phlegmatic horse that a man has to "" gar 
 them gang," as we say in the North. A man can 
 squeeze a half-hearted one over a fence, where a 
 woman would be simply powerless to do anything, 
 and I think the worst sort of a horse a woman 
 can ride is a refuser. It is bad for her in every 
 way, for body, temper, and nerve. One can tor- 
 give a horse everything it he will but try, but a 
 sulky or funking brute, who grows more and more 
 slack as he nears each fence until he collapses at 
 the brink, is too high a trial, especially when the 
 fight which must come generally ends in rearing, 
 which is of all things most dangerous for a woman. 
 
 I once had a racehorse given me, which had 
 been spoiled in training, with the temper simply 
 of a fiend. In racing, he never would try, but 
 always shut up just when he ought to have won 
 with ease, for to give the devil his due — and he 
 was one — he could gallop. That horse out hunt- 
 ing was simply purgatory; he could jump like a 
 stag, which was the most irritating part ot the 
 
FOX HUNTING. 49 
 
 whole thing, and sometimes he would gallop and 
 jump with the best for a few fields, then all ot a 
 sudden collapse, stop, dig in his toes, and that was 
 the end of my hunt, for no power on earth atter 
 that would induce him to go forwards. Back- 
 wards he would go all round the field, with in- 
 tervals of rearing. I saw him fall backwards 
 twice in one day, when one of the whippers-in 
 was riding him, because he refused to go through 
 an open gate. 
 
 Riding- a refuser does 1 think teach one to be 
 strong on a horse ; but is it worth it ? You can 
 always acquire strength to a certain degree by 
 riding difi'erent horses, which is a far more agree- 
 able form of education, and much more interest- 
 ing than always sticking to two or three of your 
 own. For a beginner, of course, it is necessary 
 she should above all things have confidence in her 
 horse that he will carry her safely, so that when 
 she finds one she had better stick to him. A 
 made hunter in the prime of life with nice man- 
 ners, easy paces, and good temper is the horse tor 
 her, for he will carry her safely without fatigue, 
 and for that there is nothing like the action of a 
 thoroughbred, whose low, slinking stride hardly 
 makes one rise. A woman should not ride too 
 
50 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 big a horse for her size, as a great stride is very 
 tiring, especially when hacking on the roads. 
 One of the greatest luxuries is a smooth hack, 
 and if you wish to keep warm on your way to the 
 meet, then, instead of driving, to canter along 
 the grassy sides of our English roads on a thorough- 
 bred polo pony, is one of the most delightful 
 sensations in life. 
 
 The ideal hunter would be neither too young 
 nor too old. For the young one will be too brave, 
 if he is bold by nature and ridden by a keen be- 
 ginner, he will with his rider probably come to 
 grief through want of discrimination. The old 
 hunter will tall short, in the sense of being too 
 cunning to jump one inch bigger than he need ; 
 moreover when he falls he will not pick himself 
 up as quickly as he might. Therefore if, when 
 riding him he falls, you do not happen to be 
 ^' top side " your peril will be prolonged, though 
 mercifully horses are mostly kind and really try 
 not to tread on one or hurt one if they can avoid it. 
 
 It is more than foolish ever to jump a tired 
 horse, it is unfair, for if he is fond of hunting, 
 horses mostly are, he will jump as long as he 
 can, so if, after a long run he refuses a place, take 
 the hint and go home. 
 
FOX HUN-TING. 51 
 
 No one knows better than I the lonely feeling of 
 being obliged to pull up in the middle ot a good 
 run because one's horse is beat, " while the 
 merry chase goes heedless sweeping by." But if 
 you have only one horse out, it is hopeless to 
 compete with more fashionable souls who are on 
 their fresh second horses, so it is really wiser to 
 make the best of a bad job, and though you feel 
 it hard, <ro home. Your horse will come out 
 again the oftener, too, and you can enjoy a hunt 
 but little, if you know you are asking more of 
 your horse than you ought. A tired horse, too, 
 makes a tired rider, and that makes a sore back, 
 and then — where are you ? Talking of going 
 home and tired horses, reminds me that it you 
 are at all tar from home it is best to put your 
 horse in a public, or some friendly stable on the 
 way, and give him a drink of gruel, tor this will 
 freshen him up and make your ride home all the 
 pleasanter. Perhaps it would be as well to men- 
 tion how the gruel should be made, in case you 
 should ever have to do it yourself Thus, place 
 two double-handfulls of oatmeal in a bucket, 
 pour boiling water over it and stir until it 
 becomes a thick cream ; then pour cold water 
 till cool enough for the horse to drink, which 
 
52 FOX HUNTING. 
 
 will be when it is about blood heat. Should 
 your horse be very done, add a pint of ale or a 
 little gin, to revive him. 
 
 The ride home is now shorn of some of its 
 terrors, by the saddles which let you sit dow^n- 
 hill. What a boon these are, for one used to 
 suffer anguish, jogging for miles on the old- 
 fashioned saddle whose pommels rose higher than 
 the seat, so that your knee was almost under your 
 chin, and the consequence was a pain between 
 the shoulder blades, which made you long for 
 rest. Oh ! those long jogs home. Miles and 
 miles at hounds' pace, on a rough or tired horse. 
 How I used to pull up and walk, and then gal- 
 lop to catch up my father, he jogging even on, 
 even on, all the time. I can hear him now 
 answering my complaints with, " nonsense, child ; 
 it rests one all the way." 
 
 Perhaps I am a Sybarite, but I do like to drive 
 both to and from hunting, and to have a second 
 horse out completes my joy. An open cart with 
 a polo pony to drive, is to me better than all the 
 broughams in Christantee. To drive on in the 
 morning through the soft damp air that smells 
 like hunting, with hopes running high for the 
 sport to come, seeing the tiniest second horseman 
 

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FOX HUNTING . 55 
 
 (J- 
 
 ioQ;o-inQ: on with the bio:2:est of horses, everythin 
 makes one feel the joy of life. And yvhen the 
 day is over, to slide off your horse and send him 
 home, and turn in yourself to a bright fire, and 
 tea and poached eggs, at some little Inn by the 
 yvay, is most comforting. Then you yyrap your- 
 self up in your fur coat and vyoolly gloyes, and 
 tuck yourself in to the rugs, and bovyl away home 
 in the twilight, with the stars twinkling above 
 you, and the blackbird chuckling his good-night, 
 while the pony trots his best in the anticipation 
 of oats to come. A pleasant sense of healthy 
 tiredness is upon you, which serves to make you 
 appreciate the comforts of your drive, as you sit 
 there cosy and warm, dreaming of the happy day 
 that is done. R. M. Burn. 
 
Q 
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 S3 
 
 f 
 
 I 
 
HARE HUNTING. 
 
 |HIS sport has a peculiar interest for 
 women inasmuch as they are able to 
 
 ml 
 
 take a leading part in it. With fox- 
 hounds, the duties ot the huntsman 
 are too arduous, even though a woman M.F.H. 
 has not been unknown in the past. But to the 
 Lady Salisbury of venatic tame who hunted the 
 fox manfully over Hertfordshire, we may refer 
 as the exception that proves the rule, tor tew 
 women would feel they had the physical strength 
 for the task. 
 
 With harriers, however, the case is different, 
 for in the first place the little hounds are very 
 handv, and the hunting of the hare is a sport 
 which should above all things be conducted 
 quietly. The less holloaing and noise there is 
 with them the better, for the hounds should be 
 trusted to work out the puzzles set them by the 
 hare, with as little interterence as possible. Of 
 
6o HARE HUNTING. 
 
 course hare hunting may be turned into a poor 
 imitation of fox-hunting, by racing a hare to 
 death with 22-inch foxhound bitches, but this is 
 not true sport in any sense, for it gives the quarry 
 httle chance of saving its Hfe, and should be dis- 
 countenanced by all lovers of the chase. Apropos 
 of this subject, there was in a certain harrier 
 country a great, flat-sided, long-legged hound 
 which attracted the notice of a sport-loving 
 stranger, as being evidently too fast tor the pack. 
 In all innocence this visitor remarked to the 
 Master, "• I suppose you will draft that hound .?" 
 To his astonishment the Master, with an ex- 
 pression of horror and indignation, exclaimed, 
 " Draft him, why he is the best hound I have. 
 He kills more hares than all the rest put to- 
 gether." The visitor said nothing, but he knew 
 the kind of sport that lay betore him. 
 
 To leave the travesty of honest hare hunting, 
 let us turn to the more pleasing subject ot how 
 the chase should be carried on, and here at the 
 threshold we may pause to recall the names ot 
 those women, who of late years have carried the 
 horn and hunted their . own hounds. Mrs. 
 Cheape, the Squire of Bentley, has shown good 
 sport for many a year, first with the Welltield 
 
HARE HUNTING. 6i 
 
 Beagles, and since 1892 with the Bentley Har- 
 riers with which her name is so intimately con- 
 nected. Mrs. Pryse-Rice became M.H. only 
 two years later, having started her pack in 1894, 
 and last season a third name appeared in our 
 hunting lists, when Lady Gifford took the field 
 and carried the horn with her harriers. Great 
 success has attended both the kennel and field 
 management of these enterprising sportswomen, 
 and when we come to consider the history of 
 their efibrts, we shall see that they have proved 
 the fitness of women for the duties in which they 
 themselves have excelled. Lady Ileene Camp- 
 bell too, before her marriage, proved herselt tully 
 equal to the hunting of her brother Lord Hun- 
 tingdon's celebrated pack in Ireland, the Duchess 
 of Newcastle at the present time enjoys the 
 pleasure of hunting her little pack in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Clumber, while Mrs. Briscoe in 
 Ireland whips in to her husband's hounds, and 
 Miss Lloyd of Bronwydd does the same to her 
 father Sir Marteine Lloyd's famous pack of 
 beagles in South Wales. 
 
 As we have already said, there should be no 
 fuss and bustle in the field with harriers. When 
 hunting them you should never interfere with 
 
62 HARE HUNTING. 
 
 them unless they are entirely at fault, and then 
 you should have some definite idea of where the 
 hare is gone, and should know, or think you 
 know, something the hounds do not. There is 
 no cracking of whips wanted in this sport. A 
 touch on the horn, or, better still, a low whistle 
 — if you possess this accomplishment which to 
 many good sportswomen is denied — should bring 
 your pack round you, and you should then 
 slowly trot off in the direction in which you 
 think you will pick up the line. It you view 
 the hare, as you often will, squatted close to your 
 horse's feet, do your utmost to prevent the hounds 
 getting a view, for it is the destruction of good 
 sport with harriers for them to view the hare till 
 within a few moments of the end. The hunting 
 should be done fairly and honestly, inch by inch, 
 till the quarry has been run down. Any hound, 
 therefore, that is given to staring about for a 
 view, I would draft, or make a present of to one 
 of those packs which holloa, mob, and course 
 hares to death. 
 
 Foot people who as a rule come out largely 
 with harriers will of course holloa, and in some 
 cases when they receive no encouragement to do 
 so, but their too noisy zeal should be steadily 
 

 ^ 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 b- 
 
 S < 
 ^ o 
 
HARE HUNTING. 65 
 
 discouraged, and while you show every willing- 
 ness to let this part of the field see sport, you 
 should let it be known that you wish for, and 
 expect silence from them. If your wishes are not 
 respected, I should then advise you either to take 
 hounds home, or trot right away for two or three 
 miles before you look for another hare. No 
 woman should attempt to hunt hounds who has 
 not the resolution to keep her field — both 
 mounted and unmounted — in proper order. You 
 may indeed — for it is very hard for some men to 
 believe that a woman can understand hound- 
 work — be troubled by suggestions from your 
 field, which they would never dream of offering 
 if a man were carrying the horn, but most 
 women will know how to meet such cases with 
 the courteous indifierence which will protect 
 them trom further interference. An instance of 
 this has lately come to my knowledge. A lady 
 M.H.'s pack was drawing for a hare on some 
 moorland, and it was evident to her that hounds 
 were on a very stale line, but were slowly work- 
 g it out foot by toot. This was not very 
 
 in 
 
 amusing to her field, and at last the farmer who 
 owned the land went up to her and said that 
 hares never worked the way hounds were going, 
 
66 HARE HUNTING. 
 
 and asked if she would not cast them up the 
 moor. The M.H., however, answered quietly 
 that while she felt sure the farmer knew the run 
 of his hares, she thought the hounds were close 
 on their's, and that in another moment or two 
 it would get up in front of them. The words 
 were scarcely spoken when up got the hare, and 
 the worthy mentor had to sit down and ride tor 
 all he was worth, for she ran as only a moorland 
 hare can, and hounds had a fast forty-five minutes 
 before they ran into her in the open. 
 
 Quietness and trust in her hounds are the two 
 qualities without which no woman can hunt a 
 pack succesfully. This brings me to the subject 
 of the hounds themselves, and though it may 
 seem rather like putting the cart betore the 
 horse, to speak of hunting them first, yet it is 
 certain that no one will find the hounds of much 
 use until she knows how to handle them. The 
 first point of course to decide is the kind of hounds 
 you mean to have, whether dwart foxhounds, 
 stud-book harriers, or the old pure harrier. 
 
 The pure harrier has undoubtedly the advan- 
 tage in tongue, but though good music is a charm 
 it is not so necessary with harriers as with fox- 
 hounds, as the former are generally in sight. As 
 
^ I 
 
 ^ I 
 
 cq V 
 
 O 
 
 2Q 
 
HJRE HUNTING. 69 
 
 against this they have, unless veij carefully bred, 
 a lightness of bone and a tendency to splay feet 
 and flat sides. Here again, however, we shall 
 see presently what the experience of those who 
 have taken the matter in hand has been. 
 
 Dwarf foxhounds are only to be recommended 
 in countries where hares are bold and strong and 
 go away like foxes, for most countries they have 
 too much drive, and will be continually flashing 
 over the line, and if you compare the hunting of 
 one of these packs in an ordinary country with 
 that of good stud-book harriers, the balance ot 
 sport in the long run is sure to be with the lat- 
 ter. What the foxhounds gain in speed they 
 lose in the tendency to over-run the line. And 
 now we must face the question ot what a stud- 
 book harrier is. A pure harrier, with an in- 
 fusion of foxhound blood some generations back, 
 so that now the hare-hunting instinct ot the for- 
 mer, and the good feet and shoulders of the latter 
 are combined in the shapely, compact, little har- 
 rier to be seen taking the prizes at Peterborough, 
 is, I suppose, about as good a description as we 
 can have. The nose and the patience character- 
 istic of the good old-fashioned hare hunting 
 hound are necessary to good sport, and that 
 
yo HARE HUNTING. 
 
 power of hunting a cold scent down a road, which 
 they transmit to their descendants, is a most 
 useful one. But the make and shape which will 
 enable them to stay through a long day's hunting, 
 and a certain amount of drive which adds greatly 
 to the sport, come from an infusion ot foxhound 
 blood. Then, after at least three generations 
 devoted exclusively to the chase of the hare, we 
 may hope to get the happy mean between the 
 drive forward on the one hand, and the pottering 
 and towling on the other, in which lies the 
 pleasure and success of hare-hunting. 
 
 When you have got over the preliminary 
 difficulties of starting a pack you should draft 
 down your hounds till you have as level a lot as 
 possible, 1 8 — 19 inches being about the general 
 standard. Larger hounds than these will smother 
 the hare, and smaller ones cannot get over the 
 fences of any ordinary country. The ultimate 
 aim of everyone is, of course, to have a level 
 pack, as otherwise, no matter how good the 
 hounds may be, they can never have the smart 
 appearance in the field so dear to the sports- 
 woman's heart. I would always prefer to have 
 even two or three couples short, than to spoil the 
 look of the pack by having out liounds either 
 
HARE HUNTING. Ji 
 
 too large or too small. It is not in any case de- 
 sirable to have out a large pack to kill hares, 
 from eight to fourteen couple being quite enough 
 for any country. Some twenty couple ot good 
 stud-book harriers then in kennel, will be enough 
 for you to have a smart workmanlike lot ot the 
 requisite number in the field, two days a week. 
 
 There are no hounds so full of faults, both ot 
 make and disposition, as harriers, and it is never 
 an easy matter to buy a pack ready made. The 
 best way, therefore, to begin is with unentered 
 drafts from known kennels, such as the Bodding- 
 ton, the Aldenham, and the Bath and County, 
 and then to breed and buy as opportunity offers. 
 
 I would remorselessly draft hounds that do not 
 throw their tongues, and this in spite ot the tact 
 that mute hounds are often good in other ways, 
 and the rest of the pack will fiy to a trustworthy 
 one directly it begins to feather on the line. 
 This recalls the amusing hypothesis recently 
 made by a brilliant writer on sport, that hounds 
 have a system of signalling with their sterns, an- 
 alogous to the " fiag wagging " of our army. 
 Did the original idea of signalling, this writer 
 asks, come to some gallant officer while he was 
 watchinir hounds feather on a scent? If not. 
 
72 HJRE HUNTING. 
 
 many will agree that the system ?night have 
 originated in this way. 
 
 But to return. Worse hound faults, even than 
 muteness, are jealousy, skirting and babbling, 
 any one of which should be at once met by 
 drafting. The last — babbling — is incurable, but 
 the other failings often appear in good hounds 
 after they have lost their pace. As these habits 
 are very catching, the only remedy is to draft the 
 hounds directly they show symptoms of them, 
 and you will find that you need to be constantly 
 drafting from the head and tail of your pack, and 
 you will be wise to keep few hounds over four 
 seasons. 
 
 The first thing in the training of hounds is to 
 get them perfectly handy and under control, and 
 to do this will mean time and trouble. You 
 must win their affection, and consequently must 
 spend much time with them, both in the kennel 
 and on the road. In this way you will soon get 
 to know the character of each hound, and you 
 will take out the docile ones first in couples, and 
 then when vou can trust these, the wilder and 
 more headstrong hounds. You should take notice 
 of the hounds continually on the road, speaking 
 to them of course by name, and your whipper- 
 
HARE HUNTING. 73 
 
 in should be ready with his thong whenever it 
 is wanted. Not that the whip should be much 
 used, this will not be necessary if you study your 
 hounds' dispositions, and treat each one according 
 to the peculiarities you have noted. But all the 
 same, chastisement should be prompt tor any at- 
 tempt at rebellion after due warning given, and 
 then you must harden your heart to the piteous 
 cries that will follow. Always keep a watchful 
 eye on the hounds when you have them out, and 
 never let them break away if you can possibly 
 help it. If, however, such a thing does happen, 
 it will add greatlv to your comfort if the ring- 
 leaders be transferred at once to another kennel. 
 At the same time when on the road, or out for 
 exercise, you should give hounds plenty of room, 
 for it is bad for them and certainly does not look 
 well, to have them packed close round your 
 horse's heels. 
 
 Never under any circumstances take a pack 
 into the field before you are sure that their dis- 
 cipline is perfect. Till the hounds know you 
 thoroughly you should drill them whenever you 
 go into the kennel. Let them greet you while 
 you make much of them, for it is thus that you 
 will win their hearts, but, this over, it is a good 
 
74 HARE HUNTING. 
 
 thing to make them "he up," and not to let 
 them venture to leave the bench till they are 
 called by name. Then you will call first one and 
 then the other, making much of the obedience 
 and readiness shown, and rewarding the hounds 
 with biscuit. If you mean to hunt the hounds 
 yourself, you must go to the kennels daily, and 
 in any case it is always well to see that the ser- 
 vants are sufficiently careful in preserving perfect 
 cleanliness and sweetness, both with the hounds 
 themselves and in the kennels. It cannot be too 
 much insisted on that cleanliness rigorous, abso- 
 lute and complete, must always prevail. This is 
 quite practicable, and no excuse should be 
 accepted as to its failure in any one particular, 
 A good disinfectant such as Jeyes' Fluid, and 
 constant vigilance on the part of the kennel-man., 
 are all that are required. 
 
 If you have a good kennel-man, it is not 
 necessary lor you to feed hounds yourself, but 
 you should irequentlv inspect the food, as even 
 the best servants are apt to be careless in this 
 matter. It, however, you study economy and 
 only have a lad in the kennels, then you or some 
 member of your family should always see to the 
 feeding of the hounds. The food may consist of 
 
IVOODBINE, JVELLFIELD, BUXOM, 
 
 BE NT LEV I/JRRIERS. 
 
 'IV. IVtn, K.H., with : hrcc Cha-nfim Winner t.') 
 
HARE HUNTING. JJ 
 
 horseflesh and old oatmeal, with a few biscuits 
 and some bone-dust, and this diet I should say- 
 would be found the best and cheapest in the end. 
 This, however, is a matter in which each hound 
 owner will use her own judgment. There are 
 of course various ways of cheapening the diet, 
 but I cannot honestly recommend any ot them. 
 On the care in the kennel depends the sport in 
 the field, and without health and condition in 
 the hounds you can hope for no good days. Far 
 better to have a less well-bred pack, or an interior 
 countrv, than hounds which are out of sorts and 
 condition. This reminds me that whenever you 
 go into the kennel you should have a watchful 
 eye for the slightest symptoms of a dull or heavy 
 look in any hound, and order such to be separ- 
 ated at once. A healthy hound should be clear 
 of eye and bright of coat, as well as bright and 
 cheery in manner. If you are in doubt about 
 the health of one of your pack, remember that 
 the pink of the mouth is a great sign ot health, 
 while paleness and yellowness about the gums is 
 the reverse. 
 
 Quite the worst part about keeping harriers, 
 in my opinion, is the constant drafting ot the 
 hounds. Perhaps in the case of some old 
 
yS HARE HUNTING. 
 
 fiivourite which you know has taken to skirting 
 and hanging on the hne, you overlook the faults 
 and refuse to part with him. But what is the 
 result ? You find the younger hounds are be- 
 coming demoralised, and reluctantly are forced 
 to recognise the truth of the verdict, that harriers 
 should be drafted in their fifth season. It is only 
 the few of exceptional constitution and strength 
 to whom this does not apply, and so you have 
 constantly to be hardening vour heart to send 
 some old favourite away. 
 
 There are only two points on which I need 
 touch further, and these are your assistants in the 
 field, and the treatment of the quarry. For the 
 first you should have two whippers-in, one an 
 amateur and one a professional, and though as 
 long as things go right they will not be needed, 
 they should always be ready in case of riot, or 
 when hounds are nearing forbidden territory. 
 For though harriers will do no harm in a country 
 if they are properly managed, it is well to re- 
 member that M.F.H.'s are tenacious, and covert 
 owners are ready to take alarm. 
 
 A question that has to be faced is, what to do 
 with the hare when your little hounds have 
 caught her, and my advice is to let hounds break 
 
HARE HUNTING. 79 
 
 her up themselves without any tuss, as the Bad- 
 minton hounds do their toxes. 
 
 And now to turn to the interesting topic of 
 the experience in kennel and field ot our present 
 lady M.H.'s, and all will doubtless like to know 
 something of the methods in which each ot 
 these pioneer sportswomen has built up her pack. 
 In South Wales, where Mrs. Pryse-Rice has 
 her kennels, the conditions of sport are very dif- 
 ferent to what they are in the southern counties 
 of England. In the first place, the spare little 
 black-backed mountain hares of Wales, have a 
 turn of speed beyond the powers of their better 
 fed English fellows, and are very hard to kill. 
 Instead, too, of circling round and round when 
 before hounds, they will generally go straight 
 away and will often give a five mile point as 
 bravely as any fox. The reason of this fitness is 
 to be found in the fact that they are constantly 
 beino; coursed by the farmers' cross-bred grey- 
 hounds and collie dogs, which are often scantily 
 fed and badly in want of a dinner, and they have 
 far to go themselves tor food, as they have no 
 nice fields of roots at hand like the more luxuri- 
 ous lowland hares. 
 
 It is evident then that the hounds to follow 
 
8o HARE HUNTING. 
 
 these speedy little hares must be quick in getting 
 away and have plenty of drive, and I cannot do 
 better than quote Mrs. Pryse-Rice's own words 
 on the subjeet, as to how she has succeeded in 
 building up such a pack. 
 
 "I started my harriers in 1894, being much 
 helped in the first instance by gifts of hounds 
 from my father-in-law, Mr. Vaughan Pryse, who 
 hunted his harriers for forty seasons, and is one 
 of the oldest Masters in the kingdom. To these 
 I added a few couple of the Woodnorton pack 
 when it was given up by the Comtesse de Paris, 
 and some small foxhounds chosen from my hus- 
 band's pack, which he had given up the season 
 before.* The first year I ran a small pack of 
 twelve couple, and though the hounds were per- 
 haps not a very level lot, they gave us a very 
 good season's sport. Now after four years of 
 breeding, buying and drafting, they run up well 
 together, and are a Stud-book pack of twenty 
 couple of 19-20 inch hounds. 
 
 " Althou<rh I am of course keen to breed a 
 Peterborough winner, still my great ambition is 
 to own a pack that will hunt and drive. I am 
 not in favour of the slow, sure and persevering 
 
 * Mr. Prysc-Rice was Master of the Tivyside Foxhounds. — Editor. 
 
HARE HUNTING- 83 
 
 type of hound, for though these may hunt and 
 constantly kill, their hare, they will by giving her 
 time, allow her to run round and round in the 
 country she knows, instead of driving her out of 
 her beaten track. I like hounds to get away on 
 the back of their quarry and if they drive her 
 into a strange country she will be almost certain 
 to 0-0 straio:ht. If hounds do this and possess 
 plenty of drive without flashiness, they will often 
 make a good scent, when otherwise they would 
 find an indifferent one." 
 
 As an apt commentary on the remarks of this 
 very successful M.H., we may note that Mrs. 
 Pryse-Rice's hounds had some really extraordi- 
 nary runs last season.* For instance early in 
 December they found a hare in the heather, and 
 after running her down wind for nearly two 
 miles, they turned and went at a pace that tried 
 their followers for a five-mile point dead up wind, 
 killing her in forty-five minutes from the start. 
 In the same month another mountain hare gave 
 them a good five-mile point, and on January 1 2th 
 the hounds were two hours and forty-five minutes 
 going at a good pace, and travelling over a great 
 extent of country, and they did not reach 
 
 * 1897-98. 
 
84 HARE HUNTING. 
 
 kennels after this, their best run of the season, 
 till 7.40 p.m. 
 
 It is clear, therefore, that Mrs. Pryse-Rice is 
 to be counted among those who have attained 
 more or less to the ideal they have set before 
 them in breeding, and she has beside scored high 
 honours at Peterborough. The noted Harrier 
 Stud-book bitch, Aldenham Restless, a veteran of 
 pure foxhound blood, by the Whaddon Chase 
 Tarquin — Oakley Sarah, is now in the Llandovery 
 Kennels. This bitch won the Champion Cup at 
 Peterborough in 1893, '^^^'^ three years later took 
 the Silver Cup for the best brood bitch,* after 
 which she became the property of Mrs. Pryse- 
 Rice. 
 
 The stock of Restless are well to the fore, for 
 last year — 1897 — ""^ fewer than nine of her de- 
 scendants were winners at the Peterborough Show. 
 
 Rigby, a fine upstanding hound, of pure harrier 
 blood, by Eamont Barrister — their Russet was 
 second for the Champion Cup in 1897, '^'^<^ ^^ he 
 was unentered and was shown against old dog- 
 hounds, this was a remarkably good performance. 
 
 I must express my regret that it has not been found possible to 
 reproduce the photograph of this famous hound, though it was most 
 kindly sent me by Mrs. Pryse-Rice, — Editor. 
 
HARE HUNTING. 85 
 
 To quote once more from Mrs. Pryse-Rice's 
 own words : "-We have never," she says, " had a 
 big count of hares killed. We — my husband 
 acts as my first whip and A. Mandeville is K.H. 
 and second whip — are quite content to come 
 home having accounted for one hunted hare, or 
 when we kill a brace in this way, it is quite a 
 red-letter day for us. I do not see any tun in 
 either chopping them, or in killing three or four 
 hares that only run a few fields, though ot course 
 this does make up the count." 
 
 Touching on the subject of the introduction of 
 the foxhound cross with harriers, Mrs. Pryse- 
 Rice says that she is " in favour of an infusion of 
 foxhound blood, in moderation, into the harrier 
 kennel." 
 
 The country hunted by Mrs. Cheape lies round 
 Redditch, and extends into Warwickshire and 
 Gloucestershire. In 1892, when " The Squire " 
 inherited the Bentley estates from her father, she 
 bought the well-known pack of harriers belong- 
 ing to Captain Spicer, of Spye Park, and several 
 couple of the Herondon Hall harriers. The 
 Bentley pack of the present day includes many 
 Peterborough winners, and deservedly ranks very 
 high among the harrier packs of the land. The 
 
86 HARE HUNTING. 
 
 hounds, however, have not been bred tor show 
 purposes only, but for nose and tongue, and to 
 show sport. At the Peterborough show of last 
 year (1897) ^^^ ^^^^ P^^^^ ^°^ ^°S hounds, under 
 19 inches, was taken by Mrs. Cheapens Wellfield 
 and Gainer. The former of ^these is by Lord E. 
 Somerset's Dancer — Woodbine, and through his 
 dam, which was the winner of the champion 
 cup for bitch hounds not exceeding 19 inches, at 
 Peterborough in 1893, strains back to the 
 Aldenham Restless. Gainer, on the other hand, 
 is a home-bred hound. Pl grand three couple, 
 which took the silver cup in 1897, '^^^ Buxom 
 (Wellfield — Bracelet, dam by Boddington Bor- 
 derer — Breconshire Lightstone) also winner of 
 the champion cup ; Gadfly, home-bred ; Verity 
 (Aldenham Valiant — Their Restless) ; Water- 
 witch, home-bred (Waggoner — Woodbine); 
 Warlike, also a son of Wellfield ; and Dahlia, 
 home bred (Druid — Worry) ; the sire ot the last 
 (Ashford Valley Pillager— H. H. Dewdrop) 
 being one of the winners of the first prize tor 
 best couple of entered hounds, not exceeding 19 
 inches, in 1894, at Peterborough. 
 
 Truly a triumph of breeding and selection ot 
 which anv woman mav be proud. 
 

 
 
 Co 
 
 O 
 
 O 
 «^ 
 
 o 
 o 
 
 ^ 1- 
 
 
HARE HUNTING. 
 
 89 
 
 Lady Gifford began by having a small pack ot 
 beagles, but as she found it impossible to keep 
 with these hounds on foot, she gradually changed 
 to harriers. The ideal she then placed before 
 herself was to get a level pack ot 17 inch hounds 
 of pure harrier blood. In colour, too, Lady 
 
 DULCIMJ, PURE HJRRIER. 
 
 {Profert\ of Lad\ Giffor.!.) 
 
 Gifford is particular, her fancv being to get her 
 hounds as dark as possible, with golden-red tan 
 on their heads, but, as she truly says, though a 
 smart appearance is much — ^and such hounds are 
 very smart — " when you get a good-shaped 
 hound it does not do to quarrel as to colour.'* 
 
90 HARE HUNTING. 
 
 In starting her pack Lady Giffbrd has gone a 
 good deal to Mr. Allgood's kennels, and Dul- 
 cima, a very beautiful bitch by his Durable — 
 Darkeve, has perfect colouring and good bone, 
 and, moreover, an excellent nose, and will gallop 
 all day without tiring. Her owner naturally 
 regrets that owing to the fact of Mr. Allgood not 
 being a member of the Association of Masters ot 
 Harriers, she is not able to show hounds bred by 
 him, although Lady Gifford herself has joined 
 the association. 
 
 The country over which Lady Gifford hunts 
 is the moorland near her home in Northumber- 
 land, and she finds the little hounds ot 17 — 18 
 inches beautiful to ride to over the open grass 
 land, and very quick to get over the stone walls 
 and the heather. That they need to be speedy 
 after a heather-fed hare there is no doubt, for 
 such an one is stronger than most ot her kind, 
 and will usually go straight as a good fox, after 
 a ring or two to start with. The open land, too, 
 generally carries a fine scent, and even though 
 you have harriers before you, you will find you 
 need to be ridino; a horse with a g-ood turn of 
 speed to enable you to live with them. 
 
 In kennel management Ladv Gifibrd takes the 
 
HARE HUNTING. 9^ 
 
 keenest interest, and her system appears so excel- 
 lent, that all engaged in hound breeding may 
 find something to learn from it. "' I always 
 think," writes Lady Gifford, "■ that when hounds 
 are in work, they are often given their food too 
 wet. This, I am sure, is a mistake. I give my 
 hounds the best oatmeal that can be got, and too 
 much care cannot be given to the making ot the 
 porridge. It must be boiled just right, or it is 
 worse than useless. There is a biscuit known as 
 bread biscuit, which I find extremely good tor 
 hounds, though it is a little difficult to get. It 
 is made, I understand, from the dinner rolls and 
 bread left at London parties, and so you may be 
 sure it is made of the best meal. I always find, 
 however, that my meal merchant is anxious tor 
 me to have any kind of biscuit except this. The 
 washing and grooming ot hounds is, I think, a 
 point in the kennel not sufficiently thought ot. 
 All the summer months I have my hounds 
 thoroughly washed with soap and warm water, 
 and of course thoroughly dried, and though no 
 doubt this takes a long time, the result well re- 
 pays you. If hounds are well groomed every 
 day, they will keep twice as healthy, and their 
 coats will have a shine like satin, exactly like a 
 
92 
 
 HJRE HUNZTING. 
 
 well-groomed horse. As to exercising, I take 
 them out on the road every morning about six 
 o'clock, for two hours, and in consequence they 
 never really get out of condition, but by the 
 time August comes round they are quite ready 
 for ' cubbing,' so to speak." 
 
 Another point on which Lady Gifford gives 
 information which others may find valuable, is 
 concerning a cure for that '' kennel dread," dis- 
 temper, which she learnt from the great veter- 
 inary surgeon, Professor Pritchard. She advises 
 a preparation of coff^ee and milk in equal parts, 
 exactly as you would have it made tor your own 
 consumption, then to drench the pnppy continu- 
 ally with it, allowing him to touch nothing else, 
 and while the treatment lasts to keep the puppy 
 in an even temerature. The results of this treat- 
 ment, in Lady Gifi^ord's kennel, has been all that 
 could be wished, and though previously she had 
 had heavy losses from this cause, she has never 
 since lost one that she has tried it on. Is it pos- 
 sible that as this simple remedy becomes better 
 known, we may find that cruel scourge, distemper, 
 disarmed of its terrors ? 
 
 Beagles. Beside the harrier, there is sport and 
 good sport too, to be had with the beagle after 
 

 Co t>i 
 
 Co ^ 
 
HARE HUNTING. 95 
 
 hare, and those who are young and active and to 
 whom the merry cry of hounds is a dehght, will 
 find a never-ending source of interest in hunting 
 with these little hounds. This sport has too the 
 advantage of being inexpensive, for it not only 
 requires but a small outlay to start with, but ne- 
 cessitates a very moderate sum tor the keeping 
 up of the pack. Of course there are degrees of 
 expenditure both in the management and hunt- 
 ing of beagles, to be determined by the means at 
 your command, but a sportswoman can have a 
 good and efficient pack cf beagles in the field 
 for very much less than she could have other 
 hounds. 
 
 The first necessity, if you wish to hunt your 
 own beagles, is to have a country to hunt over, 
 and you must get leave to pursue your quarry 
 over a farm or farms where there is a fair pro- 
 portion of hares. The number of hares, indeed, 
 need not be very great, as not very many will 
 fall before beagles. Neither do you require a 
 large extent of country to hunt over, as a hare is 
 not likely to be driven right away, but in a 
 majority of cases will circle round the place where 
 she is found. Yet there is a charm in beagling, 
 which lies in the open air, the active exercise, 
 
96 HARE HUNTING. 
 
 the music of the hounds, and the working out 
 by them of the puzzles set by the hare. 
 
 When you have secured a country — or before, 
 if you are so inchned — -you will need to get to- 
 gether your pack. If a good pack of beagles 
 should come into the market, you would do well 
 to buy them, provided you do not mind the ex- 
 pense to start with- If, however, you do not 
 object to trouble, and do mind the outlay, then, 
 even before you think about country, you will 
 buy some well-bred bitches and set to work to 
 build up a pack. In any case, if you mean to 
 have beagles, /lave t/icm, and do not have dwarf 
 harriers. The Beagle Stud-book will help you 
 in your choice of strains. Go to good beagle 
 kennels such as those of Sir Marteine Lloyd, or 
 the Caledon, and having decided on the type tor 
 which you intend to breed, keep true to it. 
 
 Having succeeded, either by buying or breed- 
 ing, in getting a pack, you will then have to 
 keep your hounds up to a certain number. From 
 about six to twelve couple will be all that you 
 will want to take out, but this of course will 
 mean that you want at least two couple more in 
 reserve. You should breed a certain number of 
 puppies every year, and in this you must be regu- 
 
HARE HUNTING. 97 
 
 lated to a great extent by the walks at your com- 
 mand. You might keep one couple at home, 
 giving them a free run of the stables, yards and 
 paddocks, and though you will find them trouble- 
 some and as mischievous as monkeys, their small 
 size will prevent them being the unmitigated 
 trouble that foxhound puppies undoubtedly are. 
 Still, the infant beagle has a marvellous appetite 
 for sponges, brushes, and all sorts of indigestible 
 household requisites, and he will besides be 
 credited bv the servants with even more mischief 
 than he really works. You will iind some, or 
 perhaps most of your field, ready to undertake 
 the charge ot a tew couple — and those who come 
 out regularly ought to look upon this as a duty 
 — and for a small payment you can secure homes 
 in cottages, with those who will look after the 
 puppies carefully and intelligently, and who will, 
 indeed, treat them so well that you will not im- 
 probably have a very sulky lot ot little dogs to 
 deal with, when they first come under kennel 
 discipline. 
 
 Perhaps it may be thought that I have touched 
 too lightly on the very difficult question ot breed- 
 ing beagles true to a type, for except it be the 
 Clumber Spaniel there is no dog more likely to 
 
98 Hare hunting. 
 
 give you trouble than the beagle. Still it can be 
 done successfully, and if you choose your bitches 
 in the first instance and are careful in you selec- 
 tion of the sires, constant care, scrupulous clean- 
 liness, careful feeding and regular exercise will 
 do the rest. 
 
 The most charming and graceful type of hound, 
 as well as the most likely to be useful in hunting, 
 is one that corresponds in miniature to that of 
 the foxhound. There should be the same alert- 
 ness and good carriage, the good shoulders and 
 straight legs of the larger hound, and any puppies 
 that fall below the standard in any particular 
 should be immediately drafted. To a certain 
 extent you must be guided by the sort of country 
 over which you are to hunt, for if this be fairly 
 open, without thick coverts, stout fences or wide 
 drains, then you will find a small lightly-built 
 hound, of some fourteen or fifteen inches, the 
 best, but if on the other hand, you have much 
 plough and strong fences, you will require a 
 beagle of the heavier and larger type, standing 
 about sixteen or seventeen inches. With beadles 
 as with other hounds, muteness is a fiiult which 
 should immediately be met by drafting, and I 
 would strongly advise the same even for great 
 
HJRE HUNTING. 99 
 
 economy of tongue. Skirting or any suspicion 
 of falsehood will meet with the same fate, as well 
 as the very slightest symptom of jealousy, for the 
 little hounds should score to cry at once. 
 
 There was in a pack I used to know well, a 
 certain very handsome little bitch, aptly enough 
 named "Fallible," which, when she found the hare, 
 or touched the line first after a check, would hunt 
 with the best, but if another hound was before 
 her, she would scour away at right angles to the 
 line, throwing her tongue vigorously when she 
 had nothing whatever before her. So good was 
 this hound when she pleased., and " such a pictur' " 
 to look at, that it was a great wrench for the 
 Master to part with her. It was found, how- 
 ever, that it was a choice between letting her go 
 and having the whole pack demoralised, so 
 " Fallible " carried her gifts and her failings else- 
 where. This instance will also serve to remind 
 you, that good hounds are not easily parted with 
 from any kennel, and, therefore, it behoves you 
 to be very careful in the choice of those you take 
 into your own. 
 
 The kennelling and feeding of beagles is a 
 comparatively simple matter, cleanliness, warmth 
 and wholesome food being the great requisites. 
 
loo HARE HUNTING. 
 
 On the building of kennels you need not expend 
 any great amount of money, as almost any out- 
 buildings you may have can be adapted for the 
 purpose. The cardinal points to be considered 
 are : 
 
 (a) Freedom from damp. 
 
 (J?) Freedom from draughts. 
 
 (c) Good ventilation overhead. 
 Then the hounds must on no account sleep on 
 the floor, but have the usual benches provided, 
 and there should be a palisaded or walled-in run, 
 into which they can go from their sleeping room. 
 If these points are attended to, the workmanship 
 of the buildings may be almost as rough as you 
 please, but above all things you must not let the 
 use of the limewash brush be spared. 
 
 The scraps from the house boiled up with 
 vegetables — with care that everything is perfectly 
 sweet and fresh — and any good dog biscuit, will 
 be found to answer for their food. No hounds 
 will do well on biscuit only, and it should be re- 
 membered that rice is not nourishing food. Meat 
 and vegetables are needed, and of the latter I 
 should advise a certain amount of cabbage to be 
 given. The amount of food, and this specially 
 applies to meat, should be carefully proportioned 
 
HJRE HUNTING. loi 
 
 to the number of days you hunt in the week, and 
 the length of days you make. 
 
 It is a great mistake to feed hounds either too 
 high, or too low. If you have not an experienced 
 and trustworthy kennelman, you should see the 
 hounds fed yourself, and then observe the appetite 
 and needs of each hound in the pack. 
 
 Hounds should have plenty of exercise before 
 hunting, and as much on the road as you can give 
 them when they are not hunting. They should 
 be trotted out with horses if possible, and out ot 
 the season eight miles a day or even ten, will be 
 found necessary to keep them in condition. 
 
 Since the establishment of the Association of 
 Masters of Harriers and Beagles — which body I 
 would strongly advise any woman interested in 
 hound-breeding to join — and the foundation of 
 Stud Books for both classes of hounds, immense 
 strides have been made towards the perfection of 
 the respective types. The competition tor the 
 prizes at Peterborough consequently becomes 
 keener every year, and the glory of success is 
 proportionately greater. 
 
 No one has done more for the improvement of 
 the Beagle than Sir Marteine Lloyd, whose pack 
 known as the Bronwydd Beagles, is the best, as 
 
I02 HARE HUNTING. 
 
 it is one of the oldest packs in the land. A fea- 
 ture of this hunt, specially interesting to women, 
 is that Miss Lloyd, Sir Marteine's daughter, takes 
 an active part in the management ot the hounds, 
 and in the field acts as whipper in to her father. 
 Miss Lloyd has been kind enough to write the 
 following short account of her father's hounds, in 
 which all beagle lovers will be interested. 
 

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THE BRONWYDD BEAGLES. 
 
 HIS pack was started in 1864 by my 
 grandfather, the late Sir Thomas 
 Lloyd. Next to the Royal Rock 
 (started by Colonel Anstruther Thom- 
 son in 1845) ^^^y '^^'^ ^^^ oldest pack of beagles 
 in the kingdom. They measure 15I inches, and 
 we generally have fifteen couples. They are 
 pure bred ; dwarf harriers never being admitted. 
 In 1892, the Bronwydd "Nigel" won the 
 Champion Cup at Peterborough, for the best 
 dog-hound, and in 1894, the Cup was won by 
 our " Merryboy." The Harrier and Beagle Show 
 was started at Peterborough in 1889, as though 
 before this there were rules laid down for fox- 
 hounds on the show bench, beagles had not been 
 given similar attention, and it was suggested by 
 my father and a few kindred spirits, that it was 
 time to stop the continual drafting of dwarf har- 
 riers into beagle packs, regardless of rule or 
 
io6 
 
 THE BRONJVTDD BEJGLES, 
 
 standard. My father consequently appealed to 
 the Peterborough Committee, asking them to 
 form a show for Harriers and Beagles upon the 
 same principle as that on which the Fox-hound 
 Show was based. In 1896, the Bronwydd 
 Beagles celebrated their Jubilee. They have not 
 been hunting this season. 
 
 
 " Sir Marteine suc- 
 ceeded to the Master- 
 ship in i^yy-, but he 
 had begun to hunt the 
 hounds himself in 1867 
 at the age ot sixteen, 
 when the old hunts- 
 man, John Walters, re- 
 tired. George Davies 
 so BORED/ commenced his career 
 
 as whip at the same time and 1 was added to the 
 staff as whip a year ago." 
 
 I have only to add to this that the photograph 
 of Sir Marteine Lloyd is taken on his mare 
 " Grand Duchess," and that four of the hounds 
 with him, named " Liberal," " Favourite," 
 " Comical," and " Comely," are special favourites 
 and excellent workers in the field. 
 
 Frances E. Slaughter. 
 
Lomhardi and Co. 
 
 II, Fall Mdl East. 
 
 rHE HON. MRS. LANCELOT LOJVTHER, 
 
SHOOTING. 
 
 [N these few words on Shooting for 
 Women, I must begin by saying that as 
 this is my first attempt at writing, I hope 
 
 'any faults I may make will be lightly 
 treated. It is only within the last few years that 
 the idea ot a woman being able to see a gun with- 
 out screaming, much less fire one ofi', has even 
 been thought of, but now I venture to say that 
 there are many women who are just as good 
 shots with both gun and rifle as men, and perhaps 
 some better, t do not mean to infer that we can 
 count am.ongst our number anyone who can take 
 the place which Lord de Grey, Lord Walsing- 
 ham, and a few others take amongst men, but as 
 shooting becomes more popular, and is more 
 practised among women, I daresay we shall in 
 years to come see some of the latter just as good 
 even as those I have named. 
 
 I am afraid it will take some time for men to 
 
no , SHOOT WG. 
 
 get over the terror which the sight ot a woman 
 with a loaded gun in her hand always gives them. 
 The reason of this is that they think we are much 
 too careless to be trusted with such a dangerous 
 weapon, and that we think no more ot carrying 
 a loaded gun than if we had a walking-stick in 
 our hands. The first thing, therefore, that a 
 women who takes up shooting has to remember 
 is, that as an Irishman once said about a gun, 
 " loaded or unloaded, she's dangerous." One 
 cannot be too careful in handling either a gun or 
 ride, always to have it at half cock when not 
 actually shooting, and always to take out the car- 
 tridges when getting over or through a fence. 
 Accidents happen quite easily enough without 
 Providence being tempted by the neglect of these 
 simple precautions. 
 
 A woman requires a light gun if she is to 
 carry it all day. There are, of course, as every 
 one knows, a variety of different bores. I will 
 mention the ones mostly used, which are the 20, 
 16, 14, and 1 2-bores. The 20 and i6-bores are 
 mostly made for women, but personally I prefer 
 a i2-bore double-barrel hammerless gun. Of 
 course it must be made rather lighter than for a 
 man. I have always myself used one of these 
 
SHOOTING. I 1 1 
 
 that was specially made for me, weighing exactly 
 61bs., both barrels medium choke, and a thick 
 indiarubber pad at the end of the stock to prevent 
 all recoil. The cartridges I use are made with 
 Schultze powder 35 grains, and seven-eighths of 
 No. 6 shot. I have found this a perfect gun, and 
 one I should always recommend. It is not too 
 heavy, and is first-rate for shooting pheasants, 
 partridges, pigeons, etc. 
 
 The great thing in ordering a gun is to have 
 it very well balanced, a thing which is hard to 
 describe but which is easily told apart, as no one 
 who has tried the two can fail to appreciate the 
 well-balanced gun as against the badly-balanced 
 one. It chiefly consists in having the muzzle 
 and stock of the gun to divide their weight, 
 neither one nor the other being a half ounce too 
 heavy. When choosing a gun, it is necessary to 
 put it several times quickly to the shoulder at an 
 object level with the eye, and if the sight taken 
 comes fair on the mark aimed at, the gun will 
 probably suit. Another thing to remember 
 and guard against, is having cartridges loaded too 
 heavily for the gun, as it makes the gun " kick," 
 and nothing puts you off shooting so much as 
 expecting every time you fire to have your 
 
112 SHOOTING. 
 
 shoulder bruised. This is beside very dangerous 
 for a woman. If, however, a gun fits you properly, 
 and the charge of the cartridges is proportionate 
 to the size of the gun, a " kick " should never 
 happen. 
 
 You must also be particular to have the stock 
 exactly the right length, so that it can be brought 
 up quickly and easily to the shoulder. It must 
 be held firmly against the shoulder, with the left 
 ^rm extended as straight as possible from the 
 shoulder and the right hand behind the trigger 
 guard. 
 
 More accidents happen hj follow 'mg game with 
 the gun than by any other means. There are 
 very strict rules of etiquette to be observed in 
 shooting, as in hunting or any other sport, and 
 nobody is more hated and feared than a jealous 
 shot. These are indeed a source of danger to 
 everyone, as they are always so anxious to add 
 another bird to their score that they never give 
 any thought to their neighbours, or think of other 
 people. For a person, whether a man or woman, 
 who is beginning to shoot, the best thing is to go 
 out with some experienced shot or keeper who 
 will thoroughly explain the art of shooting, and 
 show how to load and unload a gun and how to 
 
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 O -r 
 
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 f^ 1 
 
 
SHOOTING. 115 
 
 hold it. To quote from the excellent article on 
 Shooting in the Badminton Library : "A beginner 
 should at first start with a small charge of powder 
 and be taught to fire this ofi-' at small birds, every 
 attention being paid to his handling his gun with 
 safety as if it were loaded. He may next shoot 
 at small birds with a half ounce of shot. It he 
 succeed pretty well, and is above all things care- 
 ful in the way he manages his gun, he can next 
 be permitted to fire at pigeons — with their wings 
 slightly clipped, so as not to fiy too fast — from 
 under a flower-pot or out of a trap, at a distance 
 of fifteen yards." 
 
 You must remember that accuracy ot aim will 
 only come by practice. When you are fairly 
 sure of yourself the next step is to go out to walk 
 birds up, but you must get it carefully explained 
 by an authority what birds you ought to fire at, 
 and what are to be left alone, and on no account 
 should you, if walking in line, fire across a neigh- 
 bour's gun, or at birds that strictly belong to 
 others from their having got up nearer to them 
 than to you. It is always better to fire a yard 
 too far ahead of flying birds or running game 
 than too far in the rear. In the former case, the 
 shot is more likely to meet the mark, in the 
 
ii6 SHOOTING. 
 
 latter it never can. In the former if it does 
 count a hit it means one in a vital part, the head, 
 in the latter at most it means a wound in the ex- 
 tremities. It is utterly impossible to measure 
 distances in the air in front of a flying bird or 
 running game ; instinct, aided by practical expe- 
 rience, will alone teach the hand and eye to obey 
 the brain in this respect, and to give the correct 
 distance at which to aim in front. 
 
 If a rifle is required for small game such as 
 rabbits and young rooks, a 300-bore Holland 
 rook rifle would be useful. Rifle shooting is a 
 far more difficult thing, and requires more prac- 
 tice than shooting with a gun. You must have 
 a very steady hand and straight eye to be a good 
 rifle shot. It has often been remarked that a 
 woman as a rule shoots better with a rifle than a 
 gun. I do not quite know why this should be 
 the case, but so it is. When shooting with a 
 rifle one must never forget that a bullet from 
 even one of the smallest rifles goes a very con- 
 siderable distance. 
 
 I used, as a girl, to have many an enjoyable 
 evening's sport with my rifle in the park at home, 
 stalking " Brer" rabbit, of which there were any 
 number, but the difficulty was to get up to them. 
 
SHOOTING. 117 
 
 as they were very shy from being constantly shot 
 at, and at the shghtest noise used to scurry oft 
 and disappear hke hghtning down their burrows. 
 Some evenings I used to bring home two or 
 three rabbits, though oftener than not, none at 
 all, but whatever the result, it was all the same a 
 very pleasant way of spending a summer's even- 
 ing, and there was a good deal of excitement 
 about it. Then another great amusement ot 
 both my brother's and mine was rook shooting. 
 Most people, unless they have tried it themselves, 
 would think there couldn't be much sport in 
 shooting at a young rook sitting quietly on a 
 branch of a tree unable to tiy away, but let them 
 once try rook shooting with a 300-bore rifle, 
 when there is enough wind to blow the trees 
 about, and they will find it requires no small 
 amount of skill to fetch down a young rook from 
 the top of a high tree which is gently swaying to 
 and fro. There are two difficulties in this par- 
 ticular form of shooting which aftect a woman 
 perhaps more than a man. The strained attitude 
 in aiming, necessitated by the height at which 
 the rooks build their nests, causes serious stiff- 
 ness at the back of the neck, which soon com- 
 municates with the muscles of the shoulders and 
 
ii8 SHOOTING. 
 
 obliges one to rest awhile. Again, and this more 
 especially occurs when the tree-tops are moving, 
 the tiny target a young rook makes when peep- 
 ing out of its nest, will soon become indistinguish- 
 able among the twigs and branches around it, 
 unless the sight taken is both instantaneous and 
 accurate. Many a time has it happened to me 
 to gaze and gaze down the barrel of my rifle 
 vainly attempting to draw a bead upon the swing- 
 ing rooklet, until everything becomes blurred 
 and blotted, and I was perforce obliged to bring 
 the rifle down in despair. 
 
 I may say at once that I have a decided prefer- 
 ence for the rifle as opposed to the gun, though 
 I should be the last to minimise the pleasures of 
 pheasant and partridge shooting. I am not one 
 of those women who prefer the excitement ot a 
 regular "battue" to the more sober joys of a 
 quiet pot-hunt. To begin with, there is no 
 doubt that a woman is a great bore at anything 
 like an organised shooting party. It would do 
 the intending lady-shot good to see the faces of 
 the men on hearing that they are to have the 
 honour of her company during the day. The 
 smothered grumbles of the younger sportsmen are 
 drowned in the more forcible ejaculations of the 
 

 I ^ 
 
 O 
 
 O 
 
 0^ 
 
SHOOTING, 121 
 
 older generation. But apart from this, and I am 
 not for one moment assuming that it is the duty 
 of women to consider exclusively the whims of 
 the sterner sex, there always seems to me to be 
 some special enjoyment in sallying forth with the 
 object ot replenishing an exhausted larder, and 
 with the certainty of having to work one's hard- 
 est to accomplish the task. Every shot then 
 becomes of importance, and the comparative 
 scarcity of the prey redoubles one's vigilance and 
 activity. Should the wily partridge elude your 
 aim on these occasions, you teel as it some tre- 
 mendous disaster had occurred, and your spirits 
 do not recover their normal condition until some 
 special success has rewarded your efforts, and a 
 long and difficult shot has added another victim 
 to the bag. In shooting, as in so many other 
 pursuits, it is quality not quantity that should 
 be sought. 
 
 One ot the most amusing day's shooting I ever 
 remember was a hare drive in Austria. We left 
 the house at one o'clock and drove about ei^ht 
 miles through a very tiat country to the " ren- 
 dezvous," where we found a perfect army of 
 beaters who were chatting volublv in an un- 
 known tongue. I discovered later that they were 
 
122 SHOOTING. 
 
 talking Polish, which is the common language of 
 the peasants in that part of Silesia adjoining the 
 Austrian-Russian frontier. The men were mostly 
 harefooted, but in other respects resembled the 
 average English beater. The keepers were dis- 
 tinguished by their o^reen liverv and Austrian 
 conical hats. They carried horns slung from 
 their shoulders, and when a line had been formed 
 some quarter of a mile in length, the signal was 
 given by the head-keeper on his horn and was 
 taken up by his subordinates. An excellent 
 method was observed in allotting a certain num- 
 ber of beaters to the care of each keeper, who 
 was then responsible for their maintaining a good 
 line and preventing stragglers. 
 
 The ten (2:uns were of course distributed at in- 
 tervals along the line, and we started across level 
 fields of potato and beet-root sugar roots which 
 took the place of our turnips, and were much 
 easier to walk through. There were no fences, 
 and the fields v^^ere divided by ditches and low 
 banks. Game was plentiful, and although we 
 only shot lor about two-and-a-hali" hours, we 
 succeeded in killing about two hundred hares and 
 several partridges. The beater who carried my 
 cartrid";es was u;reatlv excited whenever I was 
 
SHOOTING. 123 
 
 fortunate enough to kill a hare, and jabbered 
 away in his native tongue. I have never heard 
 anything approaching that language. It is a 
 fearful and wonderful thing, and I wished I could 
 have brought some of it away with me to use on 
 special occasions in England. The only draw- 
 back was the weather. It rained cats and dogs, 
 and while I was glad to note that England has 
 not the monopoly of inclement weather, I must 
 confess that the Austrians think no more of 
 a wet jacket than we do. At live o'clock we 
 gave up, and returned home wet to the skin, 
 but none the less my husband and I have the 
 pleasantest recollection of our first day's shooting 
 in Austria. 
 
 Before closing this article I must refer shortly 
 to the subject ot dress. The first thing to re- 
 member, is always to have a dress or some dark 
 or neutral tinted material that will not be con- 
 spicuous on a moor or when birds are being 
 driven, and which will also keep out the rain. 
 A short skirt, breeches, thick boots, and either 
 woollen stockings or gaiters, and a double-breasted 
 loose coat are the most convenient as well as the 
 most sportsman-like. But the coat must be 
 loosely made, so as to allow one to bring the gun 
 
124 SHOOTING. 
 
 up to the shoulder quickly and easily, otherwise 
 it will seriously interfere with the shooting. 
 
 Gwendoline Lowther. 
 
SHOOTING. 127 
 
 A friend, whose name I may not divulge, has 
 kindly given me the following notes, and I ven- 
 ture to think that their excellence will make 
 them acceptable, even though the writer prefers 
 to remain unknown. — Editor. 
 
 Shooting is a sport which requires neatness, 
 accuracy, and the most persevering practice. Its 
 real pleasure lies in successful shots rather than 
 in the number of slain. Of course this does not 
 mean that you should chance doubtful shots, 
 but rather that you should gain the skill en- 
 abling you to kill a driven grouse, or partridge, 
 or rabbit crossing a ride, or a high-flying pheas- 
 ant, neatly, instantaneously, and with scarcely 
 the loss of a feather or fluff of fur. To do this, 
 constant, steady and unremitting practice will be 
 necessary. 
 
 With regard to the choice of a gun I have 
 little to add to Mrs. Lowther's remarks. Many 
 people would say that you might begin practis- 
 ing with a common gun, but my strong advice 
 is to get a good weapon to learn with, for you 
 will overcome difficulties much more e^asily it you 
 have a really good gun, and one that fits. The 
 
128 SHOOTING. 
 
 good shot, indeed, may do fairly well with a less 
 perfect gun, but in my opinion a beginner should 
 have the best possible weapons to her hand. Bad 
 shooting will not spoil a good gun, but an un- 
 comfortable ill-fitting, too heavy gun, may spoil 
 the novice as a shot for ever. 
 
 Having chosen a suitable gun, the next thing 
 to do is to learn to shoot. If the gun fits you 
 well, this is no difficult matter, at all events up 
 to a certain point. Aim should be constantly 
 taken at a small paper target set up in a room, 
 and regular practice should be had every day at 
 bringing the gun quickly up to the shoulder, 
 with the sight on the mark at which you aim. 
 Thus, fixing the eye on the imaginary point at 
 which you are shooting, and holding the gun 
 lightly and firmly, bring it up to the shoulder so 
 that as soon as it is in position you could fire at 
 the object without delay. As soon as you find 
 you can do this, the gun still unloaded, should be 
 the companion of your walks, and should be 
 brought up to the shoulder in the same way at 
 birds, rabbits, or any mark animate or inanimate 
 that you please. This practice will have the 
 double advantage of training your eye and hand, 
 and accustoming you to the weight of the gun. 
 
SHOOTING. 129 
 
 which though not great, will yet be felt after you 
 have tramped a good many miles. 
 
 Then you need to learn to judge distance. A 
 good plan is to fix on an object in front of you 
 when out for a walk, and after saying to yourself 
 how far it is off, to pace the distance. Another 
 ^ood plan is to cut out of cardboard a rough 
 figure of a bird, pheasant, or partridge, and fasten 
 it to a tree. Then measure forty yards, thirty- 
 five yards, and twenty yards, for you should never 
 shoot at birds much nearer than that. After 
 this begin at twenty yards and move slowly back, 
 aiming every yard or so and making mental notes 
 of the size of the cardboard bird as it appears to 
 you. Half the missing, and more than halt the 
 wounded birds, come from a want of power to 
 judge distance. Fortunately continued practice 
 is very easy, and vou should be always measuring 
 distance when you are out walking. 
 
 Boys when they learn to shoot either go out 
 with the keeper or get shots at jays, hawks, or 
 other vermin in the woods, or they surreptitiously 
 prowl about the hedges and shoot at anything 
 that moves. But there are objections to both 
 these plans for women, who may not have woods 
 in which to range, and it is hardly necessary to 
 
130 
 
 SHOOTING. 
 
 say that the shooting of small birds is not to be 
 encouraged. So for the next step I would suggest 
 the clay pigeon. I have found that practice at 
 these is very useful, and the flights are so in- 
 geniously arranged that plenty of variety is given 
 to the shooting. If there are several shooting 
 people in the house, it will be possible to organ- 
 ise little competitions and sweeps which will 
 improve your shooting by the spirit of emulation. 
 I may add, by the way, that in country houses a 
 clay bird shooting competition is a capital thing 
 to fill up the day in the cub-hunting season, 
 when after an early morning's sport, the rest of 
 the day sometimes hangs heavily on our visitors* 
 hands. 
 
 The next step is to the rabbit, though bunny 
 is a most difficult and deceptive animal to shoot, 
 having been made by nature at least six inches 
 too short. The best way for a beginner to shoot 
 rabbits is to go out with the ferrets, and get shots 
 at them as they are bolted. I prefer shooting 
 rabbits in this way for quite a beginner, to stalk- 
 ing them in the open when feeding near their 
 holes, as until one is pretty sure of killing them, 
 there is always a danger of wounding them, and 
 then they creep away into their burrows to die 
 
SHOOriNG. 131 
 
 miserably. Never shoot at a rabbit going dead 
 away from vou, and learn from the first to aim 
 well forward. Of course the easiest ot all shots 
 for a beginner is at a hare crossing in covert, but 
 hares are hardly numerous enough in most places 
 and often are more or less preserved tor harriers 
 or coursing. By the time you can hit a wood 
 pigeon and bowl over a rabbit neatly, you will 
 have made some progress, and will be able to 
 take up the various kinds of shooting in turn. 
 
 I will speak of grouse first, because these birds 
 aff-brd the very best shooting possible. For 
 women who have the opportunity, there is no 
 -doubt that driven grouse are in some respects 
 more suitable to their powers than the birds to 
 be obtained after a long fagging tramp over the 
 moors. With the universal popularity of driving, 
 both with shooters and the owners of moors, such 
 opportunities are likely to come frequently in the 
 way of women, whose means enable them to 
 «hoot in Scotland. Driving is popular with 
 owners because it is better for the moors, a larger 
 proportion of old and therefore useless and in- 
 jurious birds being thinned out by this method, 
 than when a moor is shot over dogs in the 
 ordinary way. With shooters it is popular, 
 
132 SHOOTING. 
 
 because driven grouse afford perhaps the finest 
 shots of any known game, with the possible ex- 
 ception oi" the Himahiyan pheasants, as they 
 sweep with their grand rush down the sides of 
 the mountains. 
 
 There are certain points which all shooters of 
 driven grouse should bear in mind, one being 
 that the eyes should be, so to speak, working 
 in front of the gun, which should come to the 
 shoulder with one movement, and the trigger be 
 pulled at once. It is this instinctive action in 
 shooting which makes the constant practice, on 
 which so much stress has been laid, so necessary,, 
 It cannot, so tar as I know, be acquired in any 
 other way, but it a woman has the perseverance 
 and keenness necessary, she is likely to acquire it 
 more quickly than a man. 
 
 Birds, it must be remembered, coming at the 
 pace of driven grouse, fly into the shot, and 
 therefore the shooter must aim further in front 
 than would be the case with birds going at a 
 slower pace. But the angle at which the birds 
 are coming, their height, and the inclination 
 of their flight, all make a difference. Infinite 
 variety is the characteristic of shots at driven 
 birds, and it will need all the coolness and steadi- 
 
SHOOTING. 133 
 
 ness of nerve of the shooter to meet each occasion 
 as it arises with promptness and success. When 
 the birds are coming within shot, the gunner 
 should fix on the bird she means to shoot at first, 
 this being the one which is easiest for her, that 
 is to say, the one which offers the sort of shot at 
 which she is best, and at which, therefore, she 
 can fire with the most confidence. Then keep- 
 ing her gun at the shoulder, she will take the 
 second available one. There is no necessity to 
 look to see if the first one has fallen, for if you 
 have missed you can do no more, and it it is 
 dead you should waste no more time on it. This 
 is undoubtedly the method ot shooting grouse 
 most suitable to women. It gives the minimum 
 of fatigue with the maximum of skill, and it is 
 to skill rather than bodily force to which a 
 woman must look if she would excel in sport. 
 For however young, strong, and active she may 
 be, it must never be forgotten by the prudent 
 sportswoman, that we are the weaker sex. 
 
 If, however, the moor on which the woman 
 has the chance of shooting is not suitable for 
 driving, and some far northern moors yield 
 better results to dogs, then she may try her luck 
 over the pointers and setters. Very delightful 
 
134 SHOOTING. 
 
 you will find this, but it is well not to overtax 
 your strength, not only on your own account, but 
 also to avoid being regarded as an encumbrance 
 by the male members of the party. Beats near 
 the lodge, it possible, should be chosen, and 
 luncheon should, in my opinion, be the signal 
 for the prudent sportswoman to retire. 
 
 When I turn from the grouse to the partridge 
 I shall probably have a much larger public, for 
 partridge shooting is, next to the rabbit, the 
 most easily attainable form of sport. It varies in 
 quality of course, but is always enjoyable, though 
 it requires very much smaller expenditure than 
 the grouse. Almost every girl that can use her 
 gun, may hope to get a shot at partridges. The 
 partridge is little inferior to the grouse, or per- 
 haps I may say, it is only inferior in its surround- 
 ings. In its pursuit the wild romantic scenery 
 of the moor, will be exchanged for the tamer but 
 not less beautiful landscape of the manor. There 
 are three ways of shooting partridges, the drive, 
 walking up, and shooting over dogs. The first 
 of these is only suitable for large estates, and is 
 not therefore within the reach of many women. 
 I well remember the first time I saw one. The 
 friend to whom I owe most of my shooting, 
 
SHOOTING. 135 
 
 whom I will call Mrs. Robinson, had herself 
 learned to use her gun in order to accompany 
 her husband who was very fond of the sport, and 
 when the management of the estates fell into her 
 hands, she threw herself enthusiastically into the 
 improvement of the shootings. Mrs. Robinson 
 does not drive her estate, as she holds that walk- 
 ing up and shooting over dogs is more suitable 
 for her ground. But she has a neighbour. Lord 
 B., who does, and it was when I was staying 
 with my old friend, that the latter asked us both 
 over for a " drive." 
 
 I was all excitement at the prospect, novelty 
 having ever a charm for me, though I was a little 
 nervous too as to how I should acquit myself 
 My friend offered some earnest advice. "" I have 
 told Lord B. you are a capital shot, so do keep 
 cool, and remember that the birds fly much faster 
 than when you are shooting over dogs or walking, 
 and, therefore, the allowance must be greater. In 
 the first drive you will probably find yourself 
 placed about twenty yards from a high hedge. 
 Stay where you are placed, and watch the top of 
 the hedge, and try to shoot the birds as they 
 appear in sight over it. There are a good many 
 red-legs on the estate, so you may expect plenty 
 
136 SHOOTING. 
 
 of single shots. If you should be near Colonel 
 A. watch him, for he is one of the finest shots in 
 England, both for style and results." It was 
 with a decided feeling of nervousness that I found 
 myself, as my friend had said, stationed about 
 twenty yards or more behind a high and rather 
 thick hedge. " You will get some really sport- 
 ing shots here," said Colonel A. as he went on 
 to his own station, which I saw was near to mine. 
 As it happened he got the first birds. I saw his 
 gun go up — quickly but without flurry — and he 
 fired as it were all in one motion. Two birds 
 were topping the hedge, and a brace of dead 
 partridges dropped, killed neatly and instant- 
 aneously. Almost immediately afterwards I got 
 my chance at a single bird. My performance 
 was not so neat, for the bird went on, towered, 
 and fell behind us. I need not go into a long 
 history of the day's performance, sufiice it to say 
 I came away thoroughly delighted with partridge 
 driving. The number, variety and sporting char- 
 acter of the shots, made it a most exciting day, 
 and when at the close the slain totalled up to 
 123 brace, I felt that we had had a really fine 
 shoot. It was not that 1 took actual pleasure in 
 the numbers killed, but I had never before seen 
 
SHOOTING. . 137 
 
 so many birds which afforded such sporting shots. 
 I have been ahiiost incHned since that experience 
 to put partridge driving, for actual skill dis- 
 played, at the head of shooting. 
 
 As an illustration of shooting partridges by 
 walking up, I may give an account of a day's 
 shootino- over some of Mrs. Robinson's best 
 ground. Our party consisted of our hostess. 
 Lord B. and his son, the rector of the parish and 
 myself. To each of us was assigned a man and a 
 dog, and in the dogs I took the greatest interest, 
 as thev had been bred and broken by my father 
 and myself. But of these more anon. They 
 were three good dogs, and one super-excellent 
 one, named Dinah, a black retriever. There was 
 also a brace of pointers, to save time on the tur- 
 nips. Mrs. Robinson adopted the formation of 
 beaters and guns recommended by Mr. Stuart 
 Wortley in his delightful volume on the Part- 
 ridge — which every shooter should read and re- 
 read — that is, of a semicircle, with a gun in the 
 centre and one on each flank. This is undoubt- 
 edly the best plan, for more, and I think better, 
 shots are obtained than by walking in a straight 
 line. In root crops we left the beaters, and let 
 loose the pointers, which is a saving of time, and 
 
138 SHOOTING. 
 
 is far the most effectual. Two guns went with 
 each dog and took the points in turn. The root 
 crops finished, the pointers were called up and 
 the beat resumed. Then we used to walk up 
 the partridges on the various beats. The estate 
 was well preserved, the keeper being both popu- 
 lar and efficient. 
 
 Bat I think perhaps the days I liked best were 
 those on which my friend and I went out alone, 
 with two steady pointers and my dear old Dinah, 
 and picked up what birds we could. Of course 
 it is difficult now to make large bags over dogs, 
 even where birds are plentiful, as they do not lie 
 to dogs in the shaven fields of modern times as 
 they used to do in the days of stubble fields, 
 nevertheless, we were generally able to pick up 
 four or five brace in a morning, and a few rabbits. 
 Hares were preserved for a pack of harriers, much 
 affected by the farmers on the estate. Sometimes 
 too, we would beat the hedgerows with a brace of 
 good clumbers for rabbits, or stray pheasants, and 
 once, in a little copse or spinney, we found, and 
 I shot, a woodcock. 
 
 In turning to the subject of pheasants I have 
 not a great deal to say, the opportunity of shoot- 
 ing them in these days coming but rarely to 
 
SHOOTING, 139 
 
 women. There are many reasons why a woman 
 is out of place in big shoots, and as pheasants 
 now are not often shot in any other way, it is not 
 easy to get much practice at them. Neverthe- 
 less, there are one or two places on my father's 
 property where, with a steady old setter, I can 
 generally find a brace of pheasants or more. A 
 pheasant flushed in a hedgerow, is no doubt 
 sometimes an easy shot when you are in practice, 
 but it is good for beginners, as is everything that 
 gives you confidence in yourself. When you 
 shoot your first pheasant and he comes down 
 stone-dead, you feel you really are a sportswoman, 
 and a new confidence which brings success in its 
 train, springs up in your heart. In woods, of 
 course, the birds give a greater trial of skill, as 
 vou must as a rule make longer shots, for they 
 will be travelling much faster. 
 
 I seem to have said but little about pheasants 
 which are after all the most important game, but 
 the principles of shooting are the same in all 
 cases, and with such pheasants as come in your 
 way, you will be able to deal, if you read and 
 put in practice the general precepts I have given, 
 not forgetting to attend to the list of " Don'ts " 
 to be found at the end. 
 
I40 SHOOTING. 
 
 We now come to rabbits, which are very im- 
 portant from one point of view, for the woman 
 who can get nothing else can often get shots at 
 " Bunny." There are so many ways you can 
 get him. You may bolt him with ferrets, you 
 may stalk him with a rabbit rifle or a gun, you 
 may drive him out of covert with fox terriers or 
 beagles, or you may make him the occasion of 
 a big shoot of his own. There is one thing 
 about the rabbit which is invaluable, he hardly 
 ever offers you an easy shot, and very often he is 
 one of the hardest animals in the world to hit. 
 Rabbit shooting in company, unless that company 
 be one of the most select, is decidedly dangerous, 
 for more stray, careless and excited shots are 
 made at rabbits than at any other form of sport. 
 I am somewhat solitary in my sporting tastes, and 
 much as I love the chasse anx lap'ms., I like it in 
 solitude, or at all events with one trusted com- 
 panion. 
 
 The form that I really prefer is that which in 
 my younger days prevailed in Sussex, ot bringing 
 the rabbits out of their haunts with a small pack 
 of rough beagles, the charming cry of these little 
 hounds adding greatly to the pleasure of the day. 
 About four couples are quite enough, and they 
 
SHOOTING. 141 
 
 should be well under control or you may find 
 yourself toiling after your vanishing pack as they 
 run the line of a hare, or even a fox. Beagles 
 w^hich are wanted for this kind of work should 
 be kept strictlv to rabbits and well exercised, so 
 that they may be steady. Some preparation is 
 desirable for a day of this kind, and in order to 
 keep the rabbits above ground it is wise to run 
 muzzled ferrets through the burrows a day or 
 two before. The rabbits will then lie above 
 ground. There is near my home a hill covered 
 with patches of gorse, which we keep tor this 
 kind of shooting. We are very careful about 
 our invited guns, as a careless shot easily mis- 
 takes a beagle for a rabbit. Indeed this sport 
 requires great care and steadiness. But to my 
 mind it is oneof the most exciting and enjoyable 
 of sports, the cry of the little hounds, the ring- 
 ing shots, the dart of the little brown forms with 
 their snowy patches of white down, the pleasure 
 ■of success as the neatly-killed " bunny " turns 
 over dead in his tracks, make up a most delight- 
 ful whole for the enthusiastic gunner. The same 
 kind of sport can be followed by spaniels, free- 
 tongued dogs of any race being the best. Spaniels 
 are better than any other dogs for working thick 
 
142 SHOOTING. 
 
 hedgerows, into which rabbits have been pre- 
 viously bolted by ferrets. Some people use 
 terriers, but I only advise these when you have 
 no other dogs handy. It is most difficult to keep 
 terriers above ground. They should at any rate 
 never be taken out in the spring, if you know of 
 an earth in which a vixen fox may have lain up, 
 or into coverts where foxes are. 
 
 If you wish to enjoy the pleasures of deer 
 stalking on a small scale, take out a small rifle 
 and stalk rabbits. You will find it a most en- 
 trancing sport, calling out all your knowledge of 
 woodcraft, and teaching you much you did not 
 know before. You will not shoot many rabbits,, 
 but those you do get will be well earned. Re- 
 member, however, that bullets from these rifles 
 travel a long way, and that you should always 
 know what is behind the rabbit when you shoot. 
 By the time you can kill a rabbit fairly often, 
 at from fifty to sixty yards with a bullet, you 
 will be a good shot. 
 
 Of other kinds of shooting it is not necessary 
 that I should write much, for if you can shoot 
 easily and well under the circumstances I have 
 spoken of, you will be able to fire at anything 
 with a fair and reasonable chance of hittins; it. 
 
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SHOOTING. 145 
 
 One form of shooting is both difficult and inter- 
 esting, and that is catching wood pigeons on the 
 return flight in the evening. Many a time have 
 I waited an hour or more for a few shots, though 
 often returning home empty-handed after all. 
 But when successful, I have had the greatest 
 possible pleasure in getting only one or two 
 pigeons, which have been due to really creditable 
 shooting. 
 
 Dogs and dog-break'mg. This is a subject on 
 which I can speak with enthusiasm, and with a 
 certain amount of practical knowledge. Every- 
 one knows that in these days landowners have to 
 consider all ways possible of utilising their land, 
 and of making money. Some years ago our 
 home farm came back on our hands in a very 
 poor state. Never very good land, the last tenant 
 who had been insolvent for years, had not been 
 able to afford to keep the stock required, much 
 less to use artificial manures. My father and I 
 decided to take it in hand ourselves, and to use 
 it partly as a game farm and partly as ground on 
 which to break our dogs. The cultivation of the 
 farm was carried on in such a way as to form 
 covert for all sorts of game, and I may say that 
 by care and personal management, the tarm is 
 
146 SHOOTING. 
 
 now one of the most profitable on the estate. We 
 always had some good retrievers, and we decided 
 to increase the size of our kennels, and to raise 
 and break a certain number of retrievers and 
 setters for the market. My father and I reckoned 
 that there was now a real market for good 
 thoroughly broken retrievers. I had seen enough 
 of keepers and their ways with dogs, to feel sure 
 that very few of them understood and cared for 
 dogs, and I determined to see to the breaking 
 process myself 
 
 We have never shown, because we think the 
 show bench and judging ring are not good for 
 dogs which are really meant for business, but we 
 use many of the leading prize strains. "" Dinah," 
 the best retriever I ever had, and a bitch which 
 seems to have the power of transmitting her vir- 
 tues to her descendants, is a black retriever of a 
 well-known strain. She is a model of intelligence 
 and a beautiful worker. She watches the birds 
 fall, and is wonderfully good in marking the spot 
 where they come to the ground. No bird ever 
 escapes her, unless it goes to ground, as pheasants 
 will sometimes, and you can call her up at any 
 moment. I attribute her obedience and docility 
 to the tact that she has been my constant com- 
 
SHOOTING. ^M 
 
 panion, for retrievers cannot be too much with 
 their owners, and the first thing in training is to 
 make friends with the puppy, and get him 
 thoroughly in hand before his field education 
 begins. Nothing is more fatal than a headstrong 
 disposition, which I am convinced is often the 
 result of bad treatment. " In for a penny, in for 
 a pound," seems to be the reflection of a retriever, 
 when looking back at his raging master and 
 evidently understanding that he will be beaten in 
 any case, he goes off-^ for an entrancing chase atter 
 a hare, thus perhaps spoiling half a day's sport 
 for you. And vice once contracted is most difii- 
 cult to eradicate, indeed it was my bitter experi- 
 ence on this point which led me to undertake 
 the education of my retrievers myself. 
 
 As soon as I had attained to some skill in 
 shooting, it was my custom to take my gun with 
 me whenever I went out for a walk. Now, 
 there is a small river which runs through our 
 grounds, and at a part of its course feeds a num- 
 ber of ponds in which probably were fish stews 
 in the time of the monks, who were our prede- 
 cessors. There are one or two small islands on 
 these ponds. One day I had out with me a new 
 purchase, a good-looking black dog. He came 
 
148 SHOOTING. 
 
 to heel, and retrieved a rabbit I shot, fairly well. 
 It so happened, however, that not far from the 
 river an old cock pheasant got out oi the hedge- 
 row, and as it was late in the season and we had 
 done covert shooting, this was a chance tor me, 
 so I fired and hit him. The bird, however, went 
 on, towered and fell into one of the ponds. 
 Directly I gave the word off went my dog, and 
 I began to think I had got a treasure. He went 
 straight for the water, plunged boldly in, and 
 swam direct to the bird, but then to my horror, 
 he went off to the island, and taking the pheasant 
 ashore proceeded to eat it. 
 
 It was then and there that" I determined to 
 break my own dogs, and such success attended 
 my first efforts that we have since done it on a 
 large scale. " Dinah " was my first attempt. It 
 so happened that a friend of ours who used to 
 breed retrievers for show purposes, took me to 
 see a wonderful litter of champion-bred puppies. 
 There were eight, all black except one which 
 had a white star on her chest. This last, the 
 owner said, he was going to drown. " Oh ! 
 give it to me," I said, moved to pity for the 
 little round sleek victim. " Well, if you will 
 take it away now, you can have it." So I car- 
 
SHOOTING. 149 
 
 ried off " Dinah," and brought her up by hand. 
 From very early years I was able to teach her 
 obedience, and to fetch and carry, being greatly 
 helped in her training, by her affection for me. 
 She has always lived in the house, and conse- 
 quently understands a great deal, and I had but 
 little trouble with her. Her lessons in seeking 
 for hidden bits of meat were a delight to her, 
 but I was very careful never to allow her to 
 chase, I believe if a dog once does this, it is 
 most difficult to cure, and that the vice is always 
 liable to break out again. 
 
 I break all the dogs to my own voice and 
 whistle, being attended by a kennel boy who 
 manipulates the check cords. As to punishment, 
 I carry a small dog whip, the crack of which is 
 generally sufficient. If a young persistent offender 
 requires a blow, three stripes will be found 
 enough, but my experience is that it I cannot 
 break a dog without beating, he is beyond my 
 powers. The great secret of breaking, however, 
 is companionship, my retriever tor the time being 
 never leaves me, and I have the kennel dogs in 
 my company as much as possible. Above all, I 
 always take them out for a run, at least once 
 every day. 
 
150 SHOOTING, 
 
 The cardinal rules for retriever breaking are : 
 
 (a) To get the dog thoroughly obedient and 
 under control. 
 
 (/;) To make them perfect at the down charge 
 before you attempt to shoot over them. 
 
 (c) To make friends of them. 
 
 (i/) To check faults at once, and never pass 
 them over. 
 
 (e) If a dog shows real vice to get rid of him. 
 
 (/) To be patient, and not confound a head- 
 strong disposition with vice, for some dogs that 
 are troublesome to break, turn out the best. 
 
 1 believe in high feeding for sporting dogs, 
 and hard work. The fewer dogs you have and 
 the harder you work them in reason, the better. 
 The kennel food of our dogs is really the same as 
 that of a pack of hounds, viz. : good Scotch oat- 
 meal, after it has been kept for a year, horseflesh 
 or mutton — I dislike beef — with a certain pro- 
 portion of cabbage boiled up with it. Once a 
 week I give a raw bone to each dog. No bis- 
 cuits, except as rewards. 
 
 As to the best kind of retriever, we have had 
 of all kinds, and perhaps the best after " Dinah " 
 herself, is a cross-bred between her and an Irish 
 water spaniel. But we do not now keep cross- 
 
SHOOTING. 151 
 
 bred dogs, as they are no use after the first genera- 
 tion, though you may often get very good ones 
 then. We now use curly and fiat-coated blacks, 
 bred from prize strains. 
 
 The grooming of sporting dogs, especially of 
 setters and retrievers is most important, and 
 cleanliness, assisted by a good disinfectant, will 
 be found after all the chief element in kennel 
 management. 
 
 I have not said anything about the breaking 
 of pointers and setters, because there is nothing 
 to add to General Hutchinson's system. Patience, 
 kindness and perseverance will lead you to success, 
 but the patience required is often great, for it is 
 sometimes not till the third season that a dog is 
 really at its best. On the other hand there is 
 much pleasure in it and some profit, and as time 
 goes on, it becomes much easier, tor the young 
 dogs not only inherit the capacities of their 
 parents, but learn a great deal from them in the 
 field, especially from their mothers. 
 
 Books. The general topics concerning shoot- 
 ing have been so ably dealt with in several recent 
 books, that it may be well to give a short list ot 
 those likely to be of service to the beginner. I 
 w^ould especially recommend 
 
152 SHOOTING, 
 
 The Art of Shooting, by C. Lancaster. The 
 diagrams in this book are most valuable and 
 practical, and there are many usetul hints. 
 
 The Badminton Library, Shooting, 2 vols. The 
 chapters dealing with Pheasant shooting are par- 
 ticularly good. 
 
 The Fur and Feather Series, The Partridge, 
 a book as delightful to read as it is usetul to 
 study. 
 
 Hutchinson on Dog Breaking, a book v^^hich 
 has never been approached, much less surpassed. 
 
 Daniel's Rural Sports, to be found in most 
 country house libraries, a thoroughly usetul and 
 practical be ok from w^hich many subsequent 
 w^riters have borrowed. It deals of course with 
 sport from an old-fashioned point of view, but is 
 none the worse for that. 
 
 Tegetmeier's Pheasants, a first-rate standard 
 work, by an expert. 
 
 Now let me give a few useful cautions to young 
 shooters : 
 
 Don't point your gun at anything but the 
 game you wish to shoot. 
 
 Don't risk a shot if you have doubts as to its 
 safety. 
 
 Don't fire at birds when too near. 
 
SHOOTING. 153 
 
 Don't try long gallery shots. It is cruel. 
 
 Don't fire at your birds, but in front of them. 
 The exceptions to this, are birds coming direct 
 to you or going away. 
 
 Don't potter in your aim, but aim and fire 
 quickly. 
 
 Don't, if you can help it, shut either eye. 
 
 Don't wound. If you can't kill neatly, don't 
 fire. 
 
 Don't fire at a pheasant's tail feathers, but try 
 to intercept his head. 
 
 Don't climb over stiles with a loaded gun. 
 
 Don't keep vour cartridges in the gun, except 
 when actually waiting for game. 
 
 Don't talk when shooting, or if you must do 
 so, let it be in a low voice. 
 
 Don't fire at fur going directly from or to you. 
 
 Don't talk about shooting except to sportsmen 
 and sportswomen. 
 
 Don't stay out too long and get over-tired, or 
 some of the foregoing warnings may be forgotten. 
 

 
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 MRS. MURPHr-GRIMSHAfP'. 
 
 'li-'ith .1 'Tin-pen caught at Fort Nhers. ff'ei<;hty l^J-Ihs. Len^th^ 6-ft. J-in, Time, I hour 
 
 25 tnimitts.) 
 
FISHING FOR TARPON. 
 
 jH ETHER there be any truth in the 
 saying "that opportunity makes the 
 thief," it is decidedly the case that 
 it makes the sportswoman, for although 
 I now find myself in such goodly company, low 
 be it spoken that until I went to Florida I had 
 never fished in my life. Such being the case, it 
 will easily be understood that when I found my- 
 self one blazing day in a very small boat, with a 
 sturdy rod in my hand, listening to a very black 
 guide retailing many wonderful stories of what 
 tarpon did when they were hooked, my feelings 
 were chietiy those of trepidation. However I 
 was destined to have a large and varied experience 
 with sharks, jew fish, bass and many other mon- 
 sters of the deep, before the eventful day arrived 
 on which I killed my first tarpon, and here let 
 me advise anyone who may be meditating an ex- 
 pedition to Florida for tarpon fishing, to beware 
 of going to Punta Gorda. 
 
158 FISHING FOR TJRPON. 
 
 This most charming and picturesque place was 
 once a very favourite haunt of the tarpon, but 
 owing to works which have been recently started, 
 which entail a constant passing of steamers up 
 and down the river, the fish have quite deserted 
 it. We fished there for six whole weeks, starting 
 often at 5 a.m. and generally staying out till 7.30 
 or so, and we never saw one fish the whole time. 
 We proved a fruitful sourse of revenue to the 
 guides and boatmen who had ever some tresh 
 reason for our non-success, and we had on the 
 whole a charming time, for the hotel is comfort 
 itself and is a perfect paradise of flowers. We 
 had lovely expeditions up the river, and any 
 amount of bass, sea trout and other fishing, but 
 neither we nor anyone else ever saw a tarpon. 
 We got tired of this at last and decided to move 
 further down, to a place called Fort Myers on 
 the Caloosahatchie River. This we found to 
 be an extremely pretty little town, with low 
 white-painted houses, nestling in roses and mag- 
 nolias, surrounded by gardens full of brilliant- 
 coloured flowers and luxuriant orange planta- 
 tions, with however most primitive arrangements 
 in the shape of an hotel. We were fortunate 
 in securing the two best guides on the river 
 
FISHING FOR TARPON. 159 
 
 and a good sailing boat, and at last our luck 
 changed. 
 
 We always followed the same routine. Break- 
 fast about 6 a.m., sometimes earlier, then we 
 sailed down the river towing our tarpon-boats 
 (for each person has his own guide and boat), 
 till we found some place where the fish was feed- 
 ing, when we anchored the sailing-boat and went 
 off each on our own account. I wish I could 
 convey the charm of those early morning sails, 
 the crisp, exhilarating feeling in the air, before 
 the heat of the day began, the brilliant sunshine, 
 the pale blue vault above, reflected in the shining 
 depths beneath, where we and our snow-white 
 boat seemed to be floating in some delicious ether 
 in a crystalline bowl. Or again it might be a 
 cloudy grey morning, when the heavens above 
 and the wide expanse of river below, were all one 
 lovely pearly opalescent haze of pinks and greys 
 and soft indefinite blues, suffused with a warm 
 liirht, telling; of the o-olden p-lorv of the sun which 
 would presently melt the clouds away ; and all 
 the teeming population of the river seemed to be 
 rejoicing with us in having awakened to another 
 long, happy, busy day. The solemn pelicans 
 decorating e^ery post and sand-bank, too intent 
 
i6o FISHING FOR TARPON. 
 
 on their breakfasts to notice us, excitable flocks 
 of little black duck which would rise scolding 
 and chattering like a crowd of school-children to 
 settle, still volubly objecting to us, a few hundred 
 yards or so further on, gaunt fishing-eagles and 
 turkey buzzards, leviathan-like porpoises gam- 
 bolling round our boat, and everywhere the flash 
 of the silver mullet as they leapt and played ; 
 both the bird and animal life being an incessant 
 source of amusement and interest to watch. 
 
 When we arrived in Florida on the 6th of 
 March, we found the weather just like that of a 
 perfect English summer, cool mornings and even- 
 ings, in which a thick cloak was always accept- 
 able, for the air on the water was invariably 
 fresh, then blazing hot in the middle of the day. 
 One's poor face sufl^ers terribly from the glare off 
 the water, and till you get hardened it is quite 
 painful from the intense burning, though at last 
 you settle down to a uniform tomato-red or 
 brick-dust tint. So far as clothes are concerned, 
 you require the very loosest form possible. Thin 
 silk shirts, and light serge or holland skirts for 
 fishing, and thin, very high boots, for when you 
 land on sand banks or on one of the fascinating 
 little islands which dot the river, your ankles 
 
FISHING FOR TARPON. i6i 
 
 will be devoured by what is euphoniously named 
 " the red bug," and then you will be driven 
 nearly mad with the irritation. Indeed one 
 English woman I met in Florida had been quite 
 lamed and laid up for weeks from these bites, 
 after having walked in low shoes along the beach. 
 Then you must have a large and shady hat, or 
 do as most of the American women do, and wear 
 sun-bonnets. I adopted the latter plan, as the 
 sun-bonnet shelters the back and sides of the 
 neck, which otherwise suffer from the heat. 
 Then for days when you are not fishing, you will 
 want the thinnest of white frocks, and for the 
 evening or sitting on the piazza, where it is always 
 deliciously cool and shady, being surrounded by 
 orange trees and a tangle of roses, I found some 
 muslin tea-gowns which I happened to have with 
 me, the greatest comfort. 
 
 Last, but most important of all, you must be 
 well provided with the thickest leather driving 
 gloves, at least one size too large, indeed men's 
 gloves will be found the best, as otherwise your 
 hands may get cut to ribbons by the line swish- 
 ing out. I have had all the fingers of one hand 
 cut to the bone through this, and it is of course 
 most painful. A leather tarpon belt such as is 
 
1 62 FISHING FOR TJRPON. 
 
 sold at the Army and Navy Stores, is also quite 
 necessary. The rod I killed most of my fish on 
 was a bamboo, about 7 feet long. In choosing a 
 rod, remember it must not have too much spring, 
 and you will require from 150 to 200 yards of 
 linen line. But all requisites of this sort are to 
 be found at the Army and Navy Stores. The 
 great difficulty is to find a really satisfactory 
 hook. We tried all kinds and varieties, but I 
 think the chief thing is to be sure that they are 
 made of the best steel, with good large eyes. 
 The hooks are attached to the line by a raw hide 
 snooding, which is tar better than wire or any 
 other kind, though it is true that sharks, which 
 very frequently take the bait, can bite through 
 that much easier than piano wire. 
 
 The bait used, is the soft part of the silver 
 mullet, and the providing of this bait was one of 
 the greatest troubles we had. Each person re- 
 quires at least one dozen mullet a day, and the 
 natives are very lazy about catching them. We 
 used to be down on the pier sometimes, with the 
 tide just right for starting, only to be told that 
 the bait had not come, and then we had to wait, 
 fuming and fussing, for nearly an hour perhaps, 
 with all our chances of getting ofi-' on the flood 
 
FISHING FOR TARPON. 163 
 
 tide disappearing. At last a coloured man would 
 come sauntering along with the long-looked-for 
 bait, and would meet all our remonstrances with 
 the most hopeless and exasperating good humour, 
 and probably the same thing would be repeated 
 the next day. At Fort Myers however, wt had 
 less trouble about it, our guides being white men, 
 Avho very often caught the mullet themselves. 
 Such nice, cheery fellows these guides were, most 
 amusing and interesting companions, and real 
 sportsmen. 
 
 After we had been at Fort Myers a few days, 
 I caught my first tarpon. He was a fine fellow, 
 6 ft. 7 in. long, and weighing 147 lbs. He gave 
 me a very hard fight indeed, lasting for an hour 
 and twenty-five minutes. I never felt so sorry 
 for anything '\n my life as I did for that tarpon 
 as I played him. He made such a plucky 
 struggle for life, and was worthy of a better an- 
 tagonist, for he could not know that it was no 
 skill on my part that finally conquered him, but 
 a sheer determination to o;et the better ot him. 
 I was thankful indeed when at last I succeeded 
 in workintr him near enough for Santi to gaff", 
 for my arms and thumbs were absolutely numb 
 with the enormous weight and strain. One very 
 
1 64 FISHING FOR TARPON, 
 
 quickly learns the knack of playing the fish and 
 tiring them out, and [ rarely took longer than 
 twelve or fitteen minutes, and sometimes less, in 
 killing my fish after a little practice. 
 
 The tarpon were late in coming up the river 
 the year we were there, owing to the water being 
 very cold after the dreadful " freeze " which de- 
 vastated so many flourishing orange plantations, 
 so that the fishing was not really good till about 
 the middle of April. From then till we left, 
 however, about the i 5th of May, we had splendid 
 sport, killing forty-eight tarpon between us, of 
 which seventeen fell to my share. My husband's 
 biggest kill in one day was five, mine was three, 
 and I found that quite enough, for though it 
 does not take long in point of time, to kill your 
 tarpon when once he is hooked, the strain on all 
 your muscles is enormous. It calls all your facul- 
 ties into play, as may be imagined, to kill a 150 
 lbs. fish on a small rod, and a line no thicker, if 
 as thick, as a salmon line. The one thing to 
 avoid is letting your reel over-run. If that 
 happens, and it easily does, for the reels are on 
 ball bearings and run at a touch, your fish is 
 practically lost, you can rarely clear the line 
 again. 
 
FISHING FOR "TARPON. 165 
 
 I was miraculously lucky in never losing a fish 
 through breaking the line, but the danger of 
 letting your reel over-run has been very strongly 
 impressed on me, and you quickly find out how 
 much strain you dare put on the rod. The great 
 point to be remembered is always to keep the 
 rod as upright as possible, and your thumb on 
 the brake. 
 
 I think very few things can equal the keen 
 excitement of playing a tarpon. You may have 
 been sitting in the boat perhaps for hours, on the 
 look-out for the bubbles on the water, and the 
 sound of the " puff," which show a tarpon is 
 feeding near. Your line, of which twenty yards 
 or so have been coiled loosely in the bottom of 
 the boat, suddenly begins to creep out, gently, 
 almost invisibly. You think, as you see it, " it 
 is those wretched cat-fish again," but no, it is too 
 determined and continuous for that. You watch 
 the line, breathless with excitement, till nearlv 
 all is gone, and the pace gets quicker and quicker, 
 then you take the rod up carefully, so as not to 
 interfere with the line, for at this stage the very 
 slightest jerk or stoppage of the line will cause 
 the tarpon instantly to spit the bait out. Now 
 the line is whizzing out. You strike with all 
 
1 66 FISHING FOR TARPON. 
 
 your might and main, and have a confused teehng 
 of having hooked an avalanche, an earthquake 
 and a thunderbolt all in one, for instantly a huge 
 mass of shining silver leaps yards high into the 
 air, falling with a mighty splash, to leap again, 
 and again, and again. Your reel is screaming as 
 the line w^histles out, but long before the tarpon 
 has finished his first leaps the guide has hauled 
 up his anchor and is away, rowing with all his 
 strength down on the fish, which soon settles 
 down to a long, steady, dash downstream. You 
 do your utmost to make him leap again and so 
 exhaust himself, by reeling up a yard or so of 
 slack at a time, then pausing with both thumbs 
 hard on break and line as he throws himself 
 wildly out of the water. But away he goes 
 again, taking out perhaps every foot of line on 
 the reel, and again you reel up, working him 
 hard. Slowly and by degrees his leaps become 
 shorter and fainter, you work him nearer and 
 nearer the boat till he lies exhausted on his side, 
 but with one wary eye on the gafi', ready to slew 
 round and make another dash for life and liberty. 
 But you hold him tight. One skiltul blow with 
 the o:aff, and another L^allant fish has met his fate. 
 A rope is passed through his gills, and in 
 

 Co ^ 
 
 o 
 
 
 o 
 
FISHING FOR TARPON. 169 
 
 triumph you return to the saihng-boat, there to 
 tie him up. This all sounds very simple and 
 straight forward, but there is no end to the tricks 
 of which a tarpon is capable. He will dash 
 backwards and forwards beneath the boat, till 
 you think no power on earth can ever prevent 
 your line becoming hopelessly entangled with 
 yourself or the oars, he will double up and down, 
 and round and round, he will even leap clean 
 over the boat, often threatening to land himself 
 inside it, and so swamp you. On one occasion 
 a fish I had hooked started away up stream, then 
 suddenly turned in his tracks, met the buoy of 
 our anchor, took three clean turns round it, and 
 continued his mad career towards the Gulf I 
 thought all was over, but Santi by some marvel- 
 lous tour-de-force somehow unwound it, shouting 
 as he did so " Let your line out as hard as you 
 can," and away we went. All this with a tide 
 running about seven knots an hour, and the boat 
 swinging wildly in mid-stream. We killed that 
 fish, which greatly surprised us both. 
 
 One hears wonderful stories of fishermen being 
 towed many miles by tarpon, and one English- 
 man we met had been over four hours one day 
 having a desperate fight with a very large fish. 
 
170 FISHING FOR TARPON. 
 
 which I believe he lost in the end. After we 
 had been at Fort Myers some time, we heard 
 great accounts of the sport to be had at a place 
 called Captiva, an island in the Gulf of Mexico. 
 We were also told it was a very dangerous form 
 of tarpon fishing there, as the place where you 
 fish is a very narrow pass between two islands, 
 where there is always a tremendous sea running, 
 so that you are liable to be swamped. They also 
 told us it would be quite impossible for a woman 
 to attempt to land a tarpon there, as owing to 
 the rapid tide you must land in order to play 
 your fish, and this entails running up and down 
 the beach after him, which is very hard work 
 with a heavy fish. All this naturally made us 
 much keener to go, so we made our preparations, 
 which had to be considerable, as the only accom- 
 modation on the Island consisted of two or three 
 fishermen's huts. We laid in a couple of small 
 camp bedsteads, while sheets, pillows, blankets, 
 and the ever necessary mosquito curtains were 
 lent us by our host at the hotel. We also in- 
 vested in a tin plate, mug, knife and fork each, a 
 few cooking utensils, the largest tin bowls we 
 could find to tub in, a large supply of tinned 
 provisions, chickens, ice, in fact, all we could 
 
FISHING FOR TARPON. 171 
 
 think of. Then we found a coloured cook, a 
 vast and very cheery young man, who turned out 
 an excellent chef. Finally we started, with our 
 guides and tarpon boats — and towing our sailing- 
 boat — on the steamer which plies every other 
 day between Punta Gorda and Fort Myers, and 
 which passes within a mile of Captiva Island. 
 
 Captiva is a dream ot loveliness, lying like a 
 pearl on the sapphire-blue, ever changing waters 
 of the Gulf of Mexico — an enchanted garden 
 where all the ordinary troubles and cares of life 
 seem to have no place. As we landed for the 
 first time on its snowy beach, where the bril- 
 liantly green trees and vegetation come down 
 almost to the water's edge, and cast intense violet 
 shadows on the low-growing cactus, with its 
 yellow, starlike blossoms and redly purple fruits, 
 and gazed out on the wondrous waters of the 
 Gulf, where every exquisite shade of palest and 
 brightest emerald green gradually deepened into 
 softest yet most vivid blue, we felt we had indeed 
 chanced on the Land of the Lotus Eaters, and 
 that here we could spend our days in dreaming 
 blissful dreams, far away from the multitudinous 
 cares of civilisation. Life was so simple there, 
 one's requirements narrowed down in a remark- 
 
1/2 FISHING FOR TARPON. 
 
 able way. The climate is so exquisite, with the 
 blazing sun tempered by breezes from the Gulf, 
 and the hut we had was a simple structure of 
 two or three poles thatched with palm leaves, 
 into which you entered by a square hole in the 
 wall. Guiltless ot furniture was the hut, beyond 
 two trestle-like tables, on one of which I erected 
 my bed, to escape the numberless cockroaches 
 which infested the thatch. 
 
 Our meals we had in the other hut, where 
 cooking went on, and what delicious repasts they 
 seemed to us. They generally consisted of fish, 
 soup or chowder, a sort of " olla podrida " of 
 bits ot chicken, vegetables, green corn, anything 
 our chef could lay his hands on, or fried fish 
 fresh caught, and such delicious varieties of these 
 there were too, and bananas fresh or cooked. 
 We always marvelled at the inventive genius of 
 our coloured Soyer. But in reality you never 
 think of being hungry, or thirsty, or tired, or 
 anything else at Captiva, you feel quite superior 
 to all bodily wants. 
 
 We used to bathe at night in the mystical 
 moonlight, when the air was heavy with scents, 
 a belated mocking bird's song perhaps miingling 
 with the soft rush of the tide on the shelly beach. 
 
FISHING FOR rylRPON. 173 
 
 Then we would sleep sounder than we had ever 
 done before, till 4-30 or so, and awake keen and 
 eager for another delightful, long, busily lazy 
 day. It used to be my greatest delight to get 
 out on the beach, before any ot the old sailors 
 even were about, and watch the dailv miracle of 
 the sunrise over the shining waters of the gulf, 
 when the air seemed stilly waiting for the won- 
 derful moment when the golden glory of the sun 
 should flood land and sea, and chase away the 
 dreamy evanescent hues of greys and rose and 
 blues, which had clothed the world but a mo- 
 ment before. 
 
 The island is about three miles long and one 
 mile wide, curved rather in the shape of a letter 
 S, which made the most fascinating little bays 
 and inlets. We used to spend all our spare time 
 rambling about and exploring it. It is quite un- 
 inhabited except for four or five old Spanish 
 fishermen, who have their little settlement of 
 two or three huts and a drying shed for the fish, 
 on the beech where we landed. The whole 
 island is covered with trees and a thick under- 
 growth, with here and there open spaces covered 
 with flowers of all varieties. The butterflies are 
 another great feature, of every size and colour 
 
174 FISHING FOR TARPON, 
 
 imaginable, and the mocking birds make the air 
 ring again with their lovely plaintive note, so- 
 like our nightingale. On the beach the shells 
 were a never ending interest to collect, so won- 
 derful and varied they are. With all these dif- 
 ferent amusements we never found time too long, 
 for when we were tired ot investigating the hid- 
 den nooks and corners of our Garden of Eden, we 
 could always sketch, and occupy ourselves in 
 vainly endeavouring to reproduce the ceaselessly 
 changing and indescribably beautiful tints of the 
 Gulf, with its waters rippling gently on the 
 golden shore at our feet, or the picturesque old 
 fishermen in their faded blue garments, as seen 
 against the dim background of the drying shed, 
 where the fish were a mass of irridescent mother- 
 of-pearl and jewel-like hues, and where huge, 
 green glass demijohns for water made yet another 
 note of brilliant light. 
 
 At Captiva you fish on the flood tide, which 
 when we first arrived there, chanced to be about 
 6 p.m. so we had all the day at our disposal. 
 About 4-30 p.m. would see us setting forth in 
 the tarpon boats, bigger and deeper ones than 
 those used on the river, so as to minimise the 
 danger of capsizing. Gently pulling down to 
 
. o 
 
 O 
 O 
 
 o 
 
FISHING FOR TJRPON. ^77 
 
 the fishing ground, half a mile or so away, we 
 would take up our places as near a tide-rip as 
 possible, for that is where the fish love to feed. 
 The pass is very narrow, about a quarter of a 
 mile across, so we and any other boats that might 
 be there would be at very close quarters, indeed 
 the swinging of the tide frequently brought 
 about collisions between neighbouring boats. 
 There we anchored, a somewhat difficult business, 
 as the bottom is so rocky it is very hard to get 
 an anchor to hold. 
 
 While waiting for the tarpon to begin to bite, 
 we would pass the time catching smaller fish for 
 the next morning's breakfast, red grouper, with 
 their cavernous rosy-red mouth, very excellent 
 eating; black ones of that ilk; king fish, an ex- 
 tremely difficult gentleman to catch, as he is very 
 active and game for his size, and in colour and 
 shape rather a cross between an eel and a mac- 
 kerel ; sea trout always welcome for the pot, or 
 some unhappy fisherman perhaps would discover 
 he had hooked a jew-fish, which would mean 
 either hours of hauling and much expenditure of 
 bad language and energy, or cutting the line and 
 sacrificing hook and snood. The jew-fish is a 
 horrible looking thing like a large pig, a dirty 
 
1/8 FISHING FOR TARPON. 
 
 yellow in colour, covered with scales so minute 
 that they look like a skin, and with a huge head. 
 These fish generally weigh over 200 lbs., and 
 fishermen naturally dread them, for they are 
 absolutely unsporting and just bore down and 
 down on the line, never jumping or showing any 
 fight, but steadily resisting all efforts to raise 
 them, till it is like trying to lift an elephant. 
 But whenever or wherever you throw a line, a 
 catch of some sort is a certainty, for the water 
 simply teems with fish, and you probably get a 
 different one every time, which adds greatly to 
 the interest and excitement. 
 
 In bottom-fishing, as it is up the river, the 
 more rods you have out the more chances of 
 bites, but at Captiva the fish bite so voraciously 
 and so incessantly that two rods are as much as 
 you can do with, one for yourself and one lor the 
 jjuide. Even then it vou hook one fish out of 
 every ten strikes, you do well. In bottom-fishing 
 you wait for the fish to gorge the bait before 
 striking. At Captiva you must strike the very 
 instant you feel a bite, or otherwise the tarpon 
 spits the bait out on feeling the line, and you 
 must strike with all your strength too, for the 
 tarpon's vast mouth is lined with a perfect coat 
 
FISHING FOR TARPON. 179 
 
 of mail, in which there is but one soft spot, an 
 inch or two in length, where the bones divide. 
 The hook is put into the bait about two inches 
 from the end, and the shank, seized to the end of 
 the bait, is connected with the line by three teet 
 of piano wire, which replaces the raw hide 
 snooding in this Pass fishing, where there is so 
 much strain on everything owing to the difter- 
 ence in the way the fish take the bait, and the 
 tremendous tide running. You need a rather 
 more limber rod too, to help you keep a tight 
 line on your fish, no easy matter in very rough 
 water. The fish are in innumerable thousands in 
 the Pass, which they must all enter on their way 
 up the river, and it is a fine sight to see the water 
 literally alive with these splendid fish, all leaping 
 and playing like minnows in a pond. 
 
 I must say I felt very nervous at first as to my 
 chances of landing a tarpon at Captiva, having 
 been told it was so impossible a feat tor a woman 
 to achieve. Great therefore was my delight and 
 pride, when, the second day after our arrival, I 
 landed a fine one, w^eighing 126 lbs., and measur- 
 ing 6ft. 5in. It was a thrilling moment, when, 
 after many futile strikes, I at last got one on sate, 
 and saw his huge silvery bulk leaping wildly into 
 
i8o FISHING FOR TARPON. 
 
 the air, while Santi threw out his buoy and we 
 started down towards the Gulf. I strained every 
 nerve to keep a tight line on the fish, working 
 in the slack by a foot at a time, while keeping 
 the tip of my rod high in the air. By very slow 
 decrees we edged towards the shore, and at last 
 felt the welcome grating of the keel on the 
 beach. I scrambled out, knee deep in water, and 
 then the real tug of war began ; for it is a very 
 difficult matter to run up and down a shelving, 
 shingly beach with nearly ijolbs. fighting for 
 dear life at the other end of your line, threatening 
 every instant to snap it, or to make a wild dash 
 out to sea. After about twenty minutes of this, 
 when I was very nearly exhausted, I felt to my 
 great relief that the tarpon's struggles were be- 
 coming less effectual. We could see him occa- 
 sionally, and at last I hauled him close up, Santi 
 made his usual clever stroke with the gaff', not 
 however till after many attempts, and much 
 splashing and objecting on the part of the tarpon. 
 I was decidedly thankful when I saw him lying 
 high and dry on the shore. 
 
 My husband had two great battles in one night. 
 He hooked an enormous tarpon which ran 
 straight out to the gulf He and his boat disap- 
 
FISHING FOR r.IRPON. iBi 
 
 peared entirely from sight, and when atter about 
 two hours we went in search, we discovered him 
 breathless and exhausted but triumphant, having 
 just gaffed his fish, which measured 6tt. loin., 
 and weighed iSolbs. ! The second one measured 
 6ft. Bin., and weighed 175 lbs., a fine kill for one 
 day at Captiva. These two, with mine, looked 
 splendid specimens lying side by side in the 
 moonlight. 
 
 It is if possible even more exciting to fish in 
 the dark than during the day. When you have 
 it all to do by " feel," it is a weird sensation, to 
 struggle with an invisible foe, the only outward 
 signs of which are the showers of phosphorescent 
 spray, as the tarpon leaps and falls again. Of 
 course on a moonlight night you can see all that 
 is going on, and the tarpon looks like a dream fish 
 as the silvery light glitters on his gleaming sides. 
 
 After ten days or so of fishing in the Pass we 
 heard they were getting a good many fish at Port 
 Myers, so we returned there, quitting our idyllic 
 life at Captiva with much regret. It is a lovely 
 trip by steamer between these two places. The 
 river is thickly studded with islands of all shapes 
 and sizes, some flat and low, covered with an im- 
 penetrable thicket of mangroves, others larger 
 
1 82 FISHING FOR TARPON. 
 
 with a few houses and probably an hotel. We 
 called at two or three of the more important 
 ones, always finding the same scene, a dilapidated 
 wooden pier, constructed on slender piles stand- 
 ing far out into the river, where most ot the 
 people gathered tor the event ot the day, the 
 arrival of our boat. A queer-looking motley 
 crowd they were, coloured people of all shades of 
 blacks and browns and dirty yellows, languid, 
 lazy-looking " crackers," as the native Floridians 
 are called, with here and there a pretty girl in a 
 sun bonnet, flirting with the lanky and very leggy 
 young men in shirt sleeves and sombrero-like 
 hats. All were lounging in the sun, most of 
 them with a line, pulling up cat-fish, sea-trout, 
 jack-fish, or sheepsheads, as fast as they put the 
 bait in. 
 
 The sea is a wondrous emerald green, and we 
 lean over the side of the boat watching the rolling 
 porpoises, some ot which follow us for miles, and 
 catching an occasional glimpse of an evil-looking 
 shark, or again passing through huge shoals of 
 stingarees, like enormous submarine birds with 
 their flapping wing-like sides. The day wears 
 on in warm drowsiness till at last we approach 
 Fort Myers, and are met at the dock with eager 
 
FISHING FOR TARPON. 183 
 
 enquiries and congratulations on our successful 
 expedition to the Pass. By the 15th of May the 
 weather had become very hot, and the mosquitos 
 very bad, and all the other fishermen having 
 already taken their departure, we felt our time 
 had also come. It was only a few days before 
 we left, that I caught what was supposed to be a 
 record fish in point of length, 7-ft. g-in., weight, 
 I 56-lbs. 
 
 On a blazing morning we lingeringly and re- 
 gretfully bade farewell to Fort Myers, where we 
 made so many pleasant friends, and had such 
 glorious sport, and we had a blazing ten hours 
 passage on the Laurence up to Punta Gorda, so 
 that we hailed the evening cool with thankfulness. 
 At Punta Gorda the big hotel was closed, and 
 the visitors and fishermen had all fied long since, 
 but we found a room in which to pass the short 
 time that elapsed till the train was ready to start 
 for Jacksonville. There we arrived after twelve 
 hot weary hours in the cars. We waited there 
 two nights for the boat to New York. Jackson- 
 ville is the chief town in Florida, and a most 
 bustling and amusing place to see. 
 
 We had an exquisite passage to New York, 
 five days of absolutely calm and glorious weather, 
 
184 FISHING FOR TARPON. 
 
 with scarcely a ripple on the sea, or a cloud in 
 the intensely blue sky. We arrived to find New 
 York shivering in cold winds and a prey to spring 
 weather of the worst description, heavy showers 
 and dreary intermittent gleams of sunshine, a 
 strange constrast, indeed, to the perfect climate 
 we had so recently left. Among our luggage 
 was a gigantic coffin-like case, in which reposed 
 the body of n:iy first tarpon. I had insisted on 
 having him stuffed and set up, as I was quite 
 convinced at the time I 'could never catch another 
 one so fine, though afterwards I rather regretted 
 mv haste, when I found I was destined to even 
 greater success. 
 
 Hermione Murphy-Grimshaw. 
 
Lomhardi and Co. I j, />,,// Mall East . 
 
 MISS WALROND. 
 
ARCHERY. 
 
 [HERE is probably no weapon in 
 modern use which can boast a more 
 ancient and distinguished lineage than 
 the bow, and so slight is the change 
 it has undergone during its lengthened career, 
 that the bow of the present day is in no-wise — 
 save in strength and finish — dissimilar to the 
 more deadly instrument of far-off' times. In 
 dealing with the history of Archery as relating 
 only to women, a volume might be filled with 
 the stories of the marvellous military exploits of 
 the warlike ladies who lived in the East. 
 
 But leaving these and coming to medieval 
 times we are told of a stirring incident, during 
 the plundering of a village in Usbec Tartary, by 
 some soldiers belonging to the Emperor Aurun- 
 zebe's army. An old woman warned the plun- 
 derers to desist, threatening them with the 
 vengeance of her daughter should they continue. 
 
1 88 ARCHERT. 
 
 Her words having no effect the marauders col- 
 lected their prisoners and booty and were retiring 
 when a damsel rode up carrying bow and arrows 
 and mounted on a warlike steed. She boldly 
 summoned the soldiers to release their prisoners 
 and return their plunder, and promised that if 
 they did so their lives should be spared. Finding 
 that no attention was paid to her, she then raised 
 her bow and shooting three or four arrows, 
 emptied a corresponding number of saddles 
 among the enemy. In return the soldiers at- 
 tempted to shoot her, but finding that their weak 
 Indian weapons were not equal to her Tartar 
 one, and that their numbers were being lessened 
 by her incessant shower of arrows, the veracious 
 historian tells us they released their captives, too 
 late, however, for their own safety, as those who 
 did not fall to her arrows were put to death by 
 the sword. Truly a remarkable episode. 
 
 In Dr. Southey's History of the Cid, it is stated 
 that Clorinda, a Moorish Queen, " was so skilful 
 in drawing the Turkish bow, that it was held as 
 a marvel," and it is said that thev called her in 
 Arabic, Nugneymat Turga, which is to say, 
 " Star of the Archers." 
 
 Hansard, in the Book of Archery, writes of the 
 
ARCHEKT. 189 
 
 Persian beauties of the Harem, who were per- 
 mitted to amuse themselves with Archery. 
 These oriental bow meetings he says, " take place 
 within the recesses of the Royal Gardens where, 
 their black-bearded tyrant and a bevy ot temale 
 attendants excepted, no spectators are allowed to 
 be present. The butts consist of moistened sand 
 enclosed in a wooden frame, and beaten into a 
 hard compact mass. These are set up in a slant- 
 ing direction at the boundary ot some verdant 
 alley, where the over-hanging branches ot vine 
 and orange tree exclude the fierceness ot an 
 Eastern Sun. Consistent with that gorgeous 
 taste so prevalent throughout the East, the whole 
 exterior of this butt is covered with elegant 
 scroll work and patterns ot flowers. Gold and 
 silver intermingled with various pigments ot the 
 most brilliant hues, are lavishly employed to pro- 
 duce this effect. A female Abyssinian slave 
 stands beside the mark, provided with a large 
 round pebble, to form and preserve an unbroken 
 hollow in the centre, and at this cavity every 
 arrow is directed. She repeats the operation 
 several times whilst her mistresses are shooting : 
 for the triumph of Persian archery consists not 
 merely in a central shot, but also in making the 
 
190 ARCHERY. 
 
 arrow penetrate deeply into the sand at every 
 discharge." 
 
 Still more striking are the words of a French 
 traveller named Gentil, who speaks of a race of 
 Amazons, seen by him in the retinue of an Indian 
 Prince They were about a hundred in number, 
 were well paid, lived in the Palace, and accom- 
 panied the Prince when he hunted, or formed 
 his body guard in time of war. 
 
 There are Prints and Records datino- from the 
 fourteenth century, which show the fondness of 
 the English women for sports. We find them 
 in the field with the men, sometimes taking part 
 in shooting at the animals as they were driven 
 past them, and proving themselves no mean 
 markswomen. They are said often to have con- 
 ducted a hunt entirely by themselves, " winding 
 the horn, rousing the game," and following it 
 without any help from the opposite sex. Strutt 
 tells us that on these occasions, some of them 
 went so tar as to wear divided skirts and sit their 
 horses like men, but we do not hear that the 
 fashion became general. 
 
 John Yonge, Somerset Herald, who attended 
 Margaret Tudor, the daughter of Henry V^H., 
 on her journey to Scotland for her marriage to 
 
From a Harhian Mf. in the British Museum. 
 
ARCHERY. 193 
 
 James IV., states under the date Alnwick, 27th 
 July, 1503: "Two mylle from the sayd place, 
 the sayd Erie (Northumberland) cam and mett 
 hyr well accompayned, and brought hyr thorough 
 hys park, when she kylde a Buk with hyr bow." 
 In Sir II. Nicolas' Household Expenses of 
 Henry VIIL we find these entries : 
 May, 1530. Itm the same day paid to Scawsely 
 
 for bowys, arrowys, shatts, brode hedds, 
 
 bracer, and shooting glove for my Lady 
 
 Anne xxxiijs iijd. 
 June. Itm the same daye paied to the King's 
 
 Bowyer for iiij bowes for my ladye Anne 
 
 at iiijs iiijd, a pece xxiiijs iiijd. 
 June, 1537. Itm payed to Charles Morley for 
 
 Bowes, Arowes, a qwyver, wt other thinge 
 
 for my lade g'ce xijs xd. 
 These show us that archery was among the 
 Royal amusements of this time. Elizabeth is 
 said to have been extremely fond of hunting, and 
 to have been expert with her bow. Roger 
 Ascham, a great lover of archery who wrote the 
 first treatise on the pastime, and after whom the 
 long cupboards so well known to every archer 
 are named, was Elizabeth's tutor, though whether 
 he initiated her in the mysteries of the art is not 
 
194 ARCHERT. 
 
 known, but certain it is that durino; this Queen's 
 reign archery was a popular pastime among the 
 ladies of the Court. 
 
 When Elizabeth was being entertained by 
 Lord Montecute at Cowdray, in Sussex, it is 
 stated in NicoPs Progresses that " On Munday at 
 eight of the clock in the morning her Highnes 
 tooke horse and rode into the parke, where was 
 a delicate bowre prepared under the which were 
 her Highnesse musicians placed, and a crossebowe 
 by a Nymph with a sweet song, delivered to her 
 hands, to shoot at the deere, about some thirtie 
 in number, put into a paddock, of which num- 
 ber she killed three or four, and the Countesse of 
 Kildare one. Aug. i8th, 1591. 
 
 It is stated on this occasion, that the Oueen 
 was surpassed in skill with the bow by her 
 favourite Lady Desmond, the latter, however, 
 courtierlike, avoided giving her mistress any 
 cause for jealousy, by judiciously missing her 
 quarry occasionally. Again Robert Cary, Earl 
 of Monmouth, speaking ot events which hap- 
 pened in 1596 says "the Queen came to dinner 
 to Enfield House, and had butts set upon the 
 park to shoot at marks after dinner."* 
 
 * Memories of Robert Gary, Earl of Monmouth. 
 
ARCHERT. 195 
 
 Lady Berkeley is said to have " used the long- 
 bow, and was in those days, among her servants, 
 so good an archer at the butts, that her side by 
 her was not the weaker, whoes bowes, arrowes, 
 gloves, braces, scarfe, and other ladylike accomo- 
 dation, I have seen and heard herself speak of 
 them in her elder year."* 
 
 Lady Shrewsbury also was an adept in the use 
 of the bow, as we find Sir F. Leake writes to her 
 husband : " My right honourable goode Lorde, — 
 Your Lordeshyppe hath sent me a verie greatte 
 and fatte stagge, the welcomer beynge stryken by 
 your ryght honorable Ladie's hande ; I trust by 
 the grace of God, he shall be meanlie eaten at 
 thes assizes, when your Lordeshyppe and my 
 ladie shall be often remembered. My bold bucke 
 lyves styll to wayte upon your Lordeshyppe and 
 my Ladie's comyng hyther ; howbeit I knoe her 
 Ladishipp takes pitie of my bucke sense the last 
 tyme yt pleases her to take the travell to shote 
 att them. I am atrsyde that my honourable 
 Ladies Alathea and my Ladie Cavendish will 
 commande their aroe heades to be verie sharpe : 
 yett I charitable trust that such good Ladies wyt 
 be pittifull." (1605). 
 
 * MS. Memoirs of the Berkeley Family. 
 
196 ARCHERY. 
 
 From this time until the revival of archery at 
 the end of the last century, its practice among 
 women appears to have been gradually abandoned. 
 
 The first Archery Society to be established in 
 1 78 1 was the Royal Toxophilite, but this con- 
 sisted only of men. Shortly afterwards many 
 other societies were started, among them in 1787 
 the Royal British Bowmen, and to them belongs 
 the honour of being the first to admit ladies as 
 members, and very sociable, pleasant gatherings 
 they seem to have had. Other societies soon 
 followed this good example, some admitted ladies 
 as members, and some like the Woodmen of 
 Arden only as guests. The assemblies at Meriden 
 are still held every year, the old customs being 
 strictly kept up. 
 
 Women were not slow to appreciate the grace- 
 fulness of archery, and it soon became a fashion- 
 able amusement, the Lady Salisbury of the time 
 being one of its most ardent supporters. Most 
 of the societies adopted a distinctive dress, in 
 which white and green predominated. The 
 Royal British Bowmen adorned their Lady Pa- 
 troness with a white feather in her hat, the other 
 lady members being compelled to wear black 
 ones, while their dresses were green with pink 
 
ARCHERY. 199 
 
 Vandykes round the edge of skirt. The Harley 
 Bush Bowmen were so fond of the distinctive 
 colour, that they even had green boots, and it is 
 pleasant to know that it was provided by the 
 rules these should be " easy fitting ! " 
 
 Archery was taken up very strongly in the 
 closing years of the last century, and of the 
 doings of this period many interesting particu- 
 lars are to be found in the collections of Miss 
 Bank Banks, daughter of Sir Joseph Banks, 
 which are in the British Museum. They give 
 descriptions of the various meetings, the balls 
 given by the different societies at which both 
 ladies and gentlemen appeared in uniform, and 
 one of the anecdotes given may be worth quoting, 
 as, if authentic, it shows greater success with the 
 bow than has been achieved by any woman in 
 modern times. " A match was shot at one hun- 
 dred yards between Mr. Gilpin, Mr. Wyburgh, 
 and Miss Littledale, in which the last was vic- 
 torious : during the shooting, which lasted three 
 hours. Miss Littledale hit the gold four times, 
 and, what evinces superior skill, the three last 
 hits made by Miss Littledale were in the gold." 
 
 Though archery was taken up so warmly, it 
 died out a few years later, in consequence of the 
 
200 ARCHERT. 
 
 war, and it was not again taken up until the 
 final conclusion of peace, in 1815, when it was 
 revived. Many new societies were started and 
 old ones restored, and from this time it has con- 
 tinued to flourish, not only in England but in 
 many other parts of the world, notably in the 
 United States of America, the Mauritius, and 
 at Melbourne. Space prevents my mentioning 
 these at length. 
 
 Besides these societies, which hold prize meet- 
 ings at intervals, there are five public meetings 
 in the year, beginning with the Leamington and 
 Midland Counties' Meeting at Leamington, in 
 June, where the Championships of the Midland 
 Counties are competed for. The Crystal Palace 
 Meeting follows, at which the Southern Coun- 
 ties' Championships are shot for in July. The 
 Grand National Meeting, where the Champion- 
 ships of All England are shot for, and the Grand 
 Western Archery Meeting, at which the Champ- 
 ionships of the West are awarded, come next, 
 either meeting being occasionally held before the 
 other. The Grand Northern Meeting for the 
 Northern Counties' Championships is usually the 
 last held. These three meetings are held in a 
 different place each year, to encourage archery 
 
 I 
 
{J bout 1832). 
 
ARCHERY. 203 
 
 in local clubs. At the Grand National, in addi- 
 tion to the prizes, badges and medals are given, 
 and it is a great joy to the young archeress to 
 get her first "spider," which is a little brooch in 
 form of a target with three arrows placed through 
 it. 
 
 If you wish to compete at a public meeting 
 you pay a subscription — unless you are an annual 
 subscriber to that particular society — and a target 
 entrance fee, besides which each archer subscribes 
 sixpence a day, for the payment of the target 
 boys. There are usually five or six competitors 
 at each target, No. 3 is the captain or scorer, 
 who has to keep order, instruct the boys how to 
 pull the arrows out of the ground, and see that 
 the judge comes to measure golds, etc. She is 
 assisted in adding up and checking the scores at 
 the target by No. 4, the lieutenant. 
 
 The first Grand National Meeting was held 
 in 1844 but no ladies shot, and it was not until 
 1849 ^^'^^ ^^^ Double National Round was first 
 shot by ladies, so that it is only possible to com- 
 pare the shooting subsequent to this date. On 
 this occasion the highest score (189) was made 
 by Miss Temple, two years later Miss Villiers 
 making 504 with 108 hits, the second score being 
 
204 ARCHERY. 
 
 only 293. The number of 600 was first reached 
 by a lady in 1857, when Miss H. Chetwynd 
 made 634, and this score remained unbeaten till 
 Mrs. Horniblow scored 660, which in its turn 
 was surpassed two years later by Miss Betham 
 with 693. 
 
 It was not until 1870, at Bath, that 700 was 
 attained, that score being made by Mrs. Horni- 
 blow. Mrs. W. Butt added ^2 to this record in 
 1876, and this remained the top score until 1881, 
 when Miss Legh made 763. The highest score 
 made by any lady at any Grand National was 
 Mrs. Bowly's 823 in 1894. Miss Legh's 866 at 
 Leamington, in 1895, being the highest ever 
 made by a lady at a public meeting, though per- 
 haps the same shooter's score at Bath, in 1881, 
 of 840, was an even better performance, as no 
 arrow was dropped on either ot the first two 
 days, and only one on the third. 
 
 It will thus be seen what a great improvement 
 has taken place in shooting during the last fifty 
 years. Beatrice P. M. Walrond. 
 
Lomhardi and Co* 
 
 X-^, Poll Mall East. 
 
 MRS. BERENS. 
 
ARCHERY.— II. 
 
 HAVE have been asked to write the 
 practical part of this article, though why 
 I cannot imagine, for although I can 
 sometimes pull off a good score with 
 bow and arrow — when the wind does not blow 
 and when my loose is good — I am of no use 
 whatever with a pen, and never wrote an 
 " article " on anything in my life. The Badmin- 
 ton book on Archery, with its valuable teaching, 
 often stands me in good stead when I get into any 
 of the innumerable tricks which beset the path of 
 the archer, and which well nigh bring the be- 
 ginner to despair of ever becoming a steady shot. 
 How many beginners have I met who have had 
 to learn by bitter experience that to shoot a good 
 arrow is not so easy as appears at first sight, and 
 that to make perhaps a very fine score of three 
 hundred and odd, does not by any means prove 
 that one has conquered all difiiculties. There 
 are so many things to think of at once, and 
 
/ 2o8 ARCHERT. 
 
 though you may try to do this conscientiously 
 you will find your performance often terribly in- 
 adequate. But after all the great fascination of 
 archery consists in the continual battling against 
 faults which creep upon the archer unawares. 
 This we find to our cost on a windy day, for there 
 is nothing like wind to prove that we do not get 
 the real power out of bow and loose. 
 
 I always recommend to a beginner an inexpen- 
 sive lancewood bow weighing about twenty-four 
 to twenty-six pounds, the cost of which amounts 
 to about twelve shillings, but when the archeress 
 has practised sufficiently to understand what she 
 requires and why^ then I should advise a yew- 
 backed yew of good quality as giving more cast 
 and retaining it longer than other kinds. I should 
 perhaps say that by cast is meant the rapidity and 
 ease with which the arrow is delivered from the 
 bow. Many shooters prefer to use a self yew 
 bow, but it must be remembered that this is more 
 delicate and requires to be drawn with great care. 
 A three piece bow of yew, fustic and hickory, 
 price about thirty shillings, will do good service, 
 though the cast does not last so long if one prac- 
 tises constantly, as that of the yew-backed yew. 
 There are many archers who have ruined their 
 
ARCHERY. ■ 209 
 
 style and shooting with too heavy a bow, one 
 weighing twenty-seven or twenty-eight pounds 
 can do all that is necessary for the National Round 
 of sixty and fifty yards if it is properly handled, 
 and for the six dozen arrows at seventy yards, 
 called the Hereford Round, I can use one of the 
 same weight. For eighty yards, however, I pre- 
 fer a bow of twenty-nine or thirty pounds, still 
 my advice to all beginners is, "Do not shoot with 
 a bow which is beyond your control." 
 
 Now to choose the bow. The first thing to 
 see to is that the grain of the wood is straight, 
 even, close, and free from knots or pins, more 
 especially on the rounded part and within about 
 six inches of each end. This applies to any sort 
 of bow, but more especially to yew, as crysals are 
 apt to develop wherever there is a pin. A cry- 
 sal is a small crack in the wood, which at first is 
 often difficult to detect, but which is a serious 
 source of weakness and often ends in the breaking 
 of the bow. The length of a lady's bow should 
 be from 5ft. 3in. to 5ft. 6in. 
 
 To string the bow, place the lower horn against 
 your right foot, the " back " or flat part of the 
 bow towards the body, and taking the handle of 
 the bow in your right hand, place the ball of 
 
2IO 
 
 ARCUERT. 
 
 your left thumb four inches from the top horn. 
 Then while drawing it to you with the right 
 hand, press it from you with the 
 left and slip the upper loop of the 
 string into the nock of the horn. 
 The method of unstringing is pre- 
 cisely similar, except that the loop 
 is slipped out instead of being 
 passed in. When the bow is strung, 
 the distance from the inside of the 
 handle should be five-and-a-half 
 inches to the string, which for one inch above 
 and five inches below the handle should be neatly 
 whipped with waxed thread or silk to prevent its 
 being injured, should it strike the bracer. Then 
 exactly opposite the top of the handle of the bow,, 
 the nocking point must be made, which should 
 be sufiiciently tight to retain the arrow when 
 hanging downwards from the string. When 
 strung the bow should be held, string uppermost,, 
 the lower horn resting on the ground, and on 
 looking down the string, it should appear to cut 
 the bow in the centre. In a good bow the cen- 
 tre sixteen inches should be rigid, and thence the 
 bend should be regular and even. The string 
 should be of the best hemp whipped with silk^ 
 
ARCHERY. 
 
 21 I 
 
 and a nocking point neatly made exactly in the 
 right spot. It is better looped at each end, as in 
 the event of its being slack it can then be twisted 
 up in a moment, thus avoiding all flurry of un- 
 doing in the old way of knotting the end. I 
 
 have alreadv said that it is 
 better to have a string with 
 loops spliced at each end, it is 
 as well, however, to say how 
 the loop can be made in a 
 new string. The knot is a 
 timber hitch, to make which 
 take a turn of the lower end 
 round the string and twist it 
 three times round the loop. 
 The string is whipped in the 
 following manner : String the bow and find the 
 exact spot where the nocking of the arrow will 
 come, then wax the string for an inch and a 
 half above, and five inches below the spot, and 
 take some silk or carpet thread, also waxed, and 
 lay half an inch of the thread along the string 
 beginning at the upper portion. Then wrap the 
 thread over that part of itself which has been 
 laid down until the waxed portion is covered. 
 In order to fasten off, take six or seven turns of 
 
212 
 
 ARCHEliT. 
 
 \sm 
 
 'mmsss. 
 
 the thread over the string in the reverse w^ay, 
 place the end ot the thread against that part of 
 
 the lapping that was last 
 done, v^rap the reverse 
 turns of the thread over 
 
 -^^ the end of the lapping 
 
 of the string, then pull 
 the end through and cut 
 it off. The manner ot 
 putting on the knocking 
 point is the same. 
 The weight of the arrow is mainly determined 
 by that of the bow. Arrows are weighed against 
 new silver, and when one talks of a 3/6 arrow, 
 the allusion is to the weight, not to the price. 
 For a beginner a 3/- or 3/3 arrow is about right 
 for a 26 pounds bow, but all these little points 
 are for the archer to work out tor herselt. If 
 the experienced archer should find that she has 
 to aim considerably below the target, she may 
 increase the weight of the arrow with advantage^ 
 as the heavier the arrow, the lower will be the 
 trajectory. It is bad economy to have any but 
 the best arrows, and these should be made ac- 
 cording to the archer's pattern, that is to say, as 
 to the colours on them, and should have her 
 
ARCHERY. 213 
 
 name and the number painted on each. To pre- 
 vent the paint from the target sticking to the 
 arrows, it is well to wipe the ends of the latter 
 with a little vaseline or sweet oil, and care should 
 be taken to choose the arrows of as nearly as 
 possible the same weight before shooting, as 
 whatever they are marked, they are sure to vary 
 slightly. The best arrows are footed as it is 
 termed, /.f., they have a piece ot hard wood 
 dovetailed in at the pile end. The best shaped 
 arrow for a beginner is the straight one, and care 
 should be taken that it is stiff, and not weak 
 at the feather end. There are two kinds of 
 feathers, parabolic and straight, but there is very 
 little difference in their flight. The best kind 
 of feathers come from the wing of the peacock, 
 turkey's wing feathers being the next best. 
 
 The other equipment required is an arm guard 
 or bracer with straps, cut out of one piece ot 
 
 brown leather, — the 
 leather bracers lined 
 with silk having elas- 
 tic fastenings are no 
 good — and a belt with 
 a quiver to hold six 
 arrows, as the first shooter at a target at a big 
 
214 
 
 ARCHERY. 
 
 meeting should always have six arrows to shoot 
 with, to avoid delay in the beginning. On this 
 belt should hang a tassel for wiping dirty arrows, 
 a pencil and scoring book, a little bag containing 
 glove, extra string, a piece of wax and some 
 silk to whip the bow string when necessary. It is 
 also useful to have a knife, and a pair ot scissors. 
 As to the question of gloves or tips, I always 
 recommend a kid glove, a size larger than the 
 
 ordinary wear, with pieces of 
 smooth leather — not soft or 
 spongy — neatly sewn on to the 
 three first fingers, care being 
 taken not to put the leather 
 below the first joint of the 
 finger. Many people, how- 
 ever, shoot with either knuckle 
 or screw tips, which are bought 
 ready made of the bow maker. 
 If tips are used they should fit 
 the fingers accurately, all three being of the same 
 thickness. It is important to have two gloves 
 or sets of tips for shooting in case of accident, 
 and they should be exactly alike. Other neces- 
 saries are a waterproof bag for bow, and a wooden 
 box with spaces for arrows. 
 
ARCHERY. • 215 
 
 The usual distances shot by women are sixty 
 and fifty yards, four dozen arrows at sixty yards 
 and two dozen at fifty yards, being what is called 
 the National Round. Of late, shooting at seventy 
 yards has been re-introduced, six dozen arrows at 
 that distance followed by four dozen at sixty 
 yards and two dozen at fifty yards, being named 
 the Hereford Round. 
 
 The targets are four feet in diameter and 
 are made of twisted bands of wheat straw 
 fastened together with tar cord, then covered 
 with painted canvas. There are five concentric 
 rings painted on them, the centre gold, which 
 scores nine, the red seven, blue five, black three, 
 and white one, and in scoring, the arrow counts 
 as being in the highest colour which it touches. 
 The targets are supported by iron or wooden 
 stands, the centre of the target being four 
 feet from the ground, and slightly tilted back. 
 They should not be placed at the exact dis- 
 tance it is intended to shoot at, but from two 
 to four yards further back, a mark being placed 
 in the ground at the correct distance tor the 
 archer to stand on, and no one should be allowed 
 to stand in front of the targets except the archer 
 who is actually shooting. It is important that 
 
2i6 ARCHERY. 
 
 quiet should be maintained behind the target, 
 and archers, especially at public meetings, should 
 assist the captain, whose duty it is to see that 
 order is kept. 
 
 The ground should be as level and smooth as 
 possible, and the targets should be placed exactly 
 opposite each other ; if more than one pair are 
 in use, the ground will require squaring, in order 
 that the pairs may be exactly opposite each 
 other. 
 
 The directions given for the position for shoot- 
 ing hold good at all distances, and no alteration 
 ought to be made with the exception that the 
 left hand must be raised higher at the longer dis- 
 tance, greater elevation being required in order 
 to obtain a sufficiently high flight. It is a great 
 mistake to draw to a different place on the face, 
 or not to draw the arrow fully up, at the shorter 
 distance. Always draw the arrow till the pile 
 reaches the bow and your hand the right place, 
 viz., under your right jaw below the axis of 
 vision ot the right eye. 
 
 Having described most of the details to be at- 
 tended to, we now come to the all important 
 subject of how to shoot. I must first of all im- 
 press on all beginners that it is absolutely neces- 
 
ARCHER!". 217 
 
 sary there should be nothing on the dress which 
 could by any means catch or interfere with the 
 string. Nothing is more suitable than a plain 
 tailor-made dress, or a skirt and blouse, the latter 
 with no frills. The sleeves should be sufficiently 
 easy to allow the elbow perfect play without 
 being too large. In putting on the bracer care 
 should be taken to keep the sleeve smooth, any 
 fulness being drawn to the back ot the arm, and 
 the top ot the sleeve pinned back out of the way. 
 
 Standing. Take up your position on the shoot- 
 ing spot, with feet six or eight inches apart, 
 standing easily in an upright position, with the 
 shoulders in a direct line between the targets. 
 Care should be taken that the knees are perfectly 
 straight, the balance of the body being on the 
 heels, and the position of the shoulders must be 
 obtained by moving the feet and not by twisting 
 the body. 
 
 Nocking. The bow to be held in a perpen- 
 dicular position, between the second knuckle of 
 the first hnger and the ball of the thumb of the 
 left hand. The main grasp of the bow should 
 be in the upper part of the hand, the other fingers 
 beintr held close to the bow. The test as to 
 whether you are holding the bow correctly is to 
 
21 8 ARCHERY. 
 
 drop the left arm by the side, the wrist being 
 quite straight, and it the string touches the 
 bracer, the position of the bow in the hand is 
 not correct. The nocking is to be accompHshed 
 by bringing the arrow over the bow, which 
 should be held directly in front, and fitting it on 
 the nocking place, remembering to keep the cock 
 feather — /.f., the one which is at right angles to 
 the nock — uppermost, and not to alter the grasp 
 of the bow until after all three arrows have been 
 shot. Place the three fingers of the right hand 
 evenly on the string, and do not pinch the arrow 
 with the first finger, otherwise it will fall off the 
 left hand at the moment of drawing. The right 
 wrist should be held straight. 
 
 Drawing. The usual position of archers before 
 they actually begin to draw, is with the left 
 elbow bent just above the hip, the bow being 
 perpendicular, but to speak from my own experi- 
 ence, I find it better to hold the bow easily in 
 the hand with the left elbow straight, though 
 without stiffness, raising both arms simultaneously 
 on a level with the point of aim. Then draw 
 in a straight line with the target, till the pile of 
 the arrow comes on to the bow, and the right 
 hand with the fingers bent, is held in such a 
 
BEFORE THE DRAW. 
 
ARCHER7''. 22 1 
 
 position that the thumb is pressed against the 
 throat below the jaw and under the axis of vision 
 of the right eye. The left arm should be straight 
 but not rigid, the final grasp ot the bow being 
 made directly the aim is taken. The head must 
 be erect, and turned towards the point of aim 
 The body should be erect and the weight thrown 
 as much as possible on the heels. A common 
 fault I have noticed with young archers, is to 
 draw the rio-ht hand too hi^-h and rest it outside 
 the jaw instead of underneath it. This should 
 be guarded against. Bring the pile of the arrow 
 on to the point ot aim immediately, keeping the 
 right elbow up as you do so and the shoulders 
 pressed back. Every care, too, should be taken 
 that the arrow does not " creep," /.f., that it is 
 not allowed to slip forward on the bow. 
 
 Aiming. To aim correctly the archer should 
 see the point of the arrow covering the point of 
 aim. By " the point ot aim " I mean some given 
 spot on the target or ground, the height of which 
 must be found by each archer for herself, as it is 
 governed by so many things, such as difference in 
 sight, height, weight, and cast of bow or arrow, 
 etc., etc. If the archer finds that she has persis- 
 tently to aim to the right or left of the target. 
 
222 • ARCHERY. 
 
 there being no wind, it is a proof that something 
 in her position, draw, or loose is incorrect, i.e. that 
 she does not stand with shoulders in line with the 
 targets, or that she does not keep her right hand 
 in the proper position, or again that she does not 
 loose the arrow evenly from all three fingers at 
 once. I must caution every young archer against 
 the terrible habit of merely glancing at the target 
 and then loosing the arrow, without taking pro- 
 per aim. Very many archers who have asked my 
 advice on decreasing scores or inability to hit the 
 target have had really 720 clear idea of any aim 
 whatever. They " think they aim at the top of 
 the target," perhaps, but by a system of catechis- 
 ing I discover that such is actually not the case, 
 and until a real firm point of aim is found and 
 known to the archer — though an occasional good 
 score may be fluked — no lasting progress will be 
 made. Therefore as soon as you have learnt to 
 draw up properly, make it your next study to 
 find your point of aim, and remember that this 
 will vary with different bows and according to 
 the direction of the wind, and also according to 
 whether the atmosphere be heavy or light. 
 
 Loosing. Remember that the grip of the left 
 hand on the bow must not give, nor the tension 
 
ARCHERY. 223 
 
 of the muscles be relaxed, until after the arrow 
 has left the string. Keep the right hand tight to 
 its place, with the thumb pressed under the jaw 
 beneath the axis of vision of the right eye, taking 
 care not to relax the pull on the string until the 
 moment of release, or the arrow will creep. The 
 release is effected by drawing the fingers back 
 evenly towards the thumb, and the hand must on 
 no account leave the face while this is being done, 
 nor must it drop down or follow the string in ever 
 so slight a degree. The wrist must be straight 
 and the elbow well up. After the release keep 
 up the bow hand and retain the right hand in its 
 place till the arrow has reached its destination, 
 then drop the right hand easily and without 
 hurry, preparatory to nocking the next arrow. 
 Nothing is more ugly or more likely to unsettle 
 you than any fiurrv or undue haste. 
 
 It is well to warn beginners that great care 
 must be taken of all the archer's equipment. If 
 the bow or arrows at any time get wet, they 
 should be carefully dried and the bow should not 
 be replaced in its waterproof case tor some time. 
 The feathers of the arrows can be restored after 
 being wet by passing them quickly backwards 
 and forwards above a jug of boiling water. 
 
224 ARCHERT. 
 
 Neither bow nor arrows should be put near the 
 fire. They should be kept in a dry even tem- 
 perature. 
 
 It is a good thing if a beginner can find a friend 
 who is able and willing to correct her and help 
 her to overcome some of the faults into which 
 she is almost certain to fall. But great care 
 should be taken in the selection of this coach, and 
 even after the beginner has obtained some degree 
 of proficiency, she ought to be very careful whose 
 opinion she takes as to her shooting. I have met 
 many young archers who will ask anybody at the 
 same target " if they would kindly tell them any 
 faults they see in their shooting." But such 
 general advice will do little good, for some people 
 cannot detect a fault when it is there, much less 
 describe it with any accuracy, and some again 
 imagine faults which do not actually exist. Too 
 many instructors thus spoil the archer, who will 
 get hopelessly muddled with all the advice given 
 her, and will often alter what she should leave 
 alone, and not correct her real faults. 
 
 The amount of nonsense heard on the archery 
 field on the subject of " why that arrow did not 
 go in" is to the old hand most entertaining, and to 
 the young one extremely contusing. But I would 
 
FULL DRAW, 
 
ARCHERY. 227 
 
 give this advice to all beginners : strive to pre- 
 serve an even temperament in all conditions ot 
 your shooting. Do not get too jubilant and ex- 
 cited when you make either a pin hole or three 
 reds or golds at one end, and when it happens, 
 as it certainly will, that what you believe to be 
 three beautifully shot arrows fall exactly under- 
 neath the centre of the target, do not give way 
 to any irritation ot temper or manner, or your 
 succeeding- arrows will be affected. I know 
 many archers who when they want to compete 
 for any coveted challenge badge do not put 
 down or add up their score, but I have always 
 found when I tried this plan that ignorance can- 
 not be kept up on one's score, as some kind friend 
 will always come up and congratulate you on a 
 dozen of eighty^ or condole on one ot thirty.^ and 
 then you get more flustered than if you had 
 known all there was to know. You should al- 
 ways endeavour to preserve a quite equable tem- 
 perament even in great success until the round is 
 over, and not o-o chatterino; all round the targ-et 
 as to what you have done or not done, tor this 
 upsets other competitors at your target, and does 
 you no good. 
 
 To form a Club. An experienced archer knows 
 
228 ARCHERY. 
 
 well how to get a club formed if there are enough 
 archers to subscribe to it, but for the beginner to 
 start one is more difficult. Having first selected a 
 ground, which should be about 80 yards in length, 
 the width being proportionate to the number of 
 targets it is intended to put up, and obtained tar- 
 gets and stands, fix one day and hour in the week 
 for your club meeting, on which you can all meet 
 and shoot your Club National Round. The 
 subscription should not be high, and when the 
 members get numerous, an entrance fee can be 
 charged. Have a little paper pamphlet of rules 
 based on those of the Grand National, or any 
 well-known club founded on those principles. 
 As soon as your members make scores of over a 
 hundred, divide them into classes, and when you 
 get members to join who can make first rate 
 scores, let your classes be as follows : 
 
 Class I. Over 300} [made on your ground 
 Class II. ,, 200 > <or at any Public or 
 
 ^Class III. Under 200' iClub Meeting. 
 
 Have all targets pitched so as to begin your 
 
 round punctually on your Club day, and begin 
 
 by shooting the tour dozen at sixty yards. When 
 
 this is over, if tea is provided it is a pleasant rest, 
 
 * These scores might perhaps be slightly lowered for a young club. 
 
b3 
 
 O 
 
 b 
 
ARCHERY. 231 
 
 and then you will shoot the two dozen at fifty 
 yards. It is a good thing to get some experienced 
 archers to join a young club, and the system ot 
 classes will prevent their taking the beginners' 
 prizes when the club has got on far enough to 
 start a prize meeting. Prizes are usually given 
 for best score in each class, and best gold. When 
 men join the club, they must either shoot alto- 
 gether at one target, or they must shoot at eighty 
 yards at each end before the women shoot at 
 sixty. Admission to a club is generally made by 
 a proposer and seconder writing the name of a 
 candidate to the Secretary, and having it entered 
 in the candidates' book, which is put on the 
 table for two meetings of the club. If a ballot 
 should be demanded the members will all vote, 
 and one blackball will exclude. When the club 
 is well on its legs, I am an advocate for getting 
 up a match with a neighbouring club, and I am 
 also very much in favour of asking visitors to 
 shoot at the prize meetings — a little prize tor 
 visitors adds to the amusement — it creates interest 
 in the young club, and often gives the members 
 opportunities of seeing good shooting. 
 
 After each weekly club meeting, the scores, 
 hits, and golds of the members at every distance 
 
232 ARCHERY. 
 
 should be entered in a book kept for that purpose, 
 and any prize won should be marked against the 
 score. 
 
 Cordiality is a great element in a club's suc- 
 cess. Let each member then take an interest 
 in the scores of her fellow competitors and re- 
 joice in their successes. 
 
 With regard to the literature on the subject ot 
 archery, the books are numerous and varied, but 
 for all practical purposes it will be sufficient tor 
 the beginner to consult Butt's Ford, the Badmin- 
 ton Library Volume of Archery, and No. L ot 
 Encyclopedia of Sport, I would recommend to 
 all archers, either beginners or otherwise, to take 
 an annual copy of the Archer s Register^ which 
 p-ives not only the scores of the Public and Club 
 Meetings in Eno-land and abroad, but also con- 
 tains many interesting and instructive articles on 
 the subject. Ellinor F. Berens. 
 
Lomhardi and Co 
 
 l^. Pall Mall East. 
 
 MISS MAT BALFOUR. 
 
 {MRS. TJLBOT.) 
 
SKATING. 
 
 I. 
 
 PROPOSE in this article simply to give 
 my own personal views on the subject ot 
 skating in general, and to say what I con- 
 sider to be the best method of attaining 
 proficiency in the art. As what I have to say 
 will be rather jottings from my personal experi- 
 ence than anything in the nature of a tormal 
 treatise, I hope I may be excused if my remarks 
 are of a somewhat scrappy and discursive char- 
 acter. 
 
 In England at the present time, the art of 
 skating is passing through a transition stage, and 
 it is quite possible that what to-day is regarded 
 as a necessary condition of good skating, will in 
 a few years' time be discarded as obsolete and 
 old-fashioned. I think it therefore wiser, not to 
 formulate any theory, or lay down any general 
 rule on the subject, but to confine myself to 
 giving my readers a few hints gathered from my 
 
236 SKATING . 
 
 own experience, which may prove useful to those 
 who wish to attain a certain measure of profici- 
 ency in the art. 
 
 My earhest skating experiences were probably 
 similar to those of most English people, that is 
 to say, I was limited to the very short periods of 
 frost that occur in English winters, and I had 
 none of the advantages of regular instruction 
 from competent teachers which it is easy now 
 for anybody to get. I learnt to keep my balance, 
 not on ice, but with roller skates on asphalte, 
 and this was sufficient to enable me to go forward 
 with a certain amount of ease when I first skated 
 on ice. I remember vividly the first time I 
 attempted the outside edge. This is a grand 
 epoch in the life of any skater, and the sensation 
 of accomplishing it for the first time, however 
 clumsily, is never to be forgotten. I may say 
 here, that I consider a real mastery of the outside 
 edge the only foundation for all figure skating, 
 and I believe it would be a mistake to attempt 
 such accomplishments as going backwards, or 
 turning a three, without first being fairly steady 
 on the outside edge. Another point that I early 
 learned to be of great importance, was to approach 
 as near as possible equality on both legs, to attain 
 
SKATING. 237 
 
 which of course it is necessary to give one's weaker 
 leg — in most cases the left — double practice. 
 
 The next advance I made was to turn a three 
 from the outside edge. For a long time I prac- 
 tised this on my right leg alone and neglected 
 my left, which of course was extremely unwise, 
 and resulted in my being much weaker on that 
 leg than on the other. The ordinary turning of 
 a three is a comparatively simple matter, but the 
 difficulty lies in being able to do it to a centre 
 on both feet. Yet this accomplishment is abso- 
 lutely essential to anyone who would attempt 
 combined figures. In my opinion there is more 
 enjoyment to be gained, both for performers and 
 spectators, from combined figures gracefully and 
 neatlv done, than from far more difficult turns 
 performed alone. I will not go into details as 
 to particular figures, because they can be learnt 
 so much better from the innumerable books that 
 have been written on the subject. 
 
 Hand-in-hand skating is another most delight- 
 ful branch of the art, and has been very strikingly 
 developed in the last few years in England, A 
 number of new scuds have been elaborated by 
 the ingenuity of experts, many of which are most 
 fascinating to do, and in many cases they have 
 
238 SKATING. 
 
 the great advantage of being performed either 
 with one or two companions. The advance in this 
 department of the art is largely due to the niim- 
 ber of covered rinks that have been started lately 
 in England and France, these being particularly 
 adapted to the practice of this style of skating. 
 
 Another accomplishment, to which the prac- 
 tice of covered rinks is specially suited is waltz- 
 ing on skates — which merely consists in a series 
 of turns of threes, and outside-edge forwards and 
 outside-edge backwards. The important point 
 to remember about waltzing is, that the partners 
 must accommodate their steps, and the woman 
 must take care not to drag. When gracefully 
 and neatly done by two people, well used to each 
 other, and to the sound of a good band, this sen- 
 sation surpasses anything that can be enjoyed in 
 ordinary dancing. 
 
 For my own part I have concentrated my 
 energies on combined figures and hand-in-hand 
 skating, and have never given much attention to 
 the great variety of difficult turns that are to be 
 done alone, though I do not by any means wish 
 to depreciate the beauty of these, or the skill 
 needed to perform them. But, under the condi- 
 tions that prevail in England, it is difficult to get 
 
U 1 
 
 ,</■ 
 
 f^::^' 
 
 ..N 
 
 rfT-^-^ 
 
 
 -It, >? 
 
 
 ■ S""- 
 
 
 
 
 ^^^C:^ ; 
 
 r 
 
 5N 
 
 
 
 
 
 i>~»:-!'r^"^v^j*^' 
 
 
 
 ^ -5 I 
 
 < cq 
 
 5 
 
 ^ i 
 
 ^ 
 
 i3— , 
 
 / 
 
 . 1« 
 
 
SKATING. 241 
 
 enough space in which to practice elaborate 
 iigures alone, so I am inclined to think that my 
 course has been a wise one. 
 
 I mentioned above, that skating in England 
 is in a transition stage, and by this I mean that 
 the last few years have witnessed the introduc- 
 tion of what is called the foreign style of skating 
 in England. At the present time most of our 
 instructors are foreigners, or Englishmen who 
 have thoroughly imbibed the foreign method, 
 and the result is that beginners are induced to 
 purchase foreign skates and to base their style on 
 foreign models. The main difference between 
 the two styles is, that the Englishman is taught 
 to keep his unemployed leg close to the other 
 and to be always erect, not to bend his knee, and 
 in general to keep the body rather stiff and quiet. 
 The foreigner, on the other hand, as might be 
 expected from his more lively temperament, 
 allows himself much more freedom in swinging 
 and bending about. He thus gives the impres- 
 sion of enjoying himself more than the English- 
 man, and, in consequence, is more attractive to 
 watch. To my mind, the ideal skater is one 
 who combines the excellencies of both styles, 
 that is one who, to the firmness and unobtrusive- 
 
242 SKJriNG. 
 
 ness of the Englishman, adds the easy pace and 
 briUiancy of the foreigner. The followers of 
 both styles have a great deal yet to learn from 
 each other, and, therefore, the blending of the 
 two methods in England at the present day, is 
 certain to lead to most beneficial results. 
 
 A few words now on the important subject of 
 
 skates. Enormous improvements have been 
 
 effected in them of late years, but in my opinion 
 
 we are still very far from possessing the ideal 
 
 skate. The main object of the best English 
 
 skates (for instance the Mount Charles, or the 
 
 Dowler) is to enable the wearer to hold long 
 
 edges, whereas the foreign blade is especially 
 
 adapted to rapid turns. What is wanted is some 
 
 invention that would combine in one skate the 
 
 special merits of both these kinds, so that the 
 
 long firm edge and the sharp turn may be equally 
 
 possible. At present this is only a dream of the 
 
 future, and in the meantime I should be inclined 
 
 to advise a modified form of the French skate, as 
 
 on the whole the best adapted for all purposes. 
 
 I should strongly recommend everybody to keep 
 
 their skates permanently fixed to one pair of 
 
 boots. This is a practice however so generally 
 
 adopted that it may seem superfluous to mention 
 
OUR SISTERS IN CANADA. 
 
SKATING. 245 
 
 it. Laced boots should be worn specially made 
 for skating, with thick soles and high in the leg, 
 so as to give as much support as possible round 
 the ankle. 
 
 In the matter of dress women have a distinct 
 advantage over men. Our skirt both conceals 
 deficiencies in style, and makes it easier to be 
 graceful, the man with his closer garb being 
 sadly exposed to the fierce light of criticism. 
 The only essential for us, is to have a skirt short 
 and well cut so as not to drag, and with this pre- 
 caution we can indulge in as much variety as we 
 choose. 
 
 In conclusion let me say, I know of no exercise 
 more exhilarating and healthful for women than 
 skating in the open air, though, I am bound to 
 say, this cannot be said of the exercise in covered 
 rinks, as one is liable to get very hot and then to 
 catch cold. The combination of hot air above 
 and the cold current rising from the ice, does 
 not tend to produce a very healthy atmosphere. 
 But as we should not make such rapid progress, 
 or have the advantage of seeing together so many 
 good skaters of all nationalities, it we had not the 
 covered rinks, many of us will not be inclined to 
 complain. 
 
246 SKATING. 
 
 I am afraid my remarks are very disconnected, 
 but the subject is a difficult one to treat from a 
 general point of view. I shall be satisfied if 
 what I have said should inspire even one of my 
 readers with a greater devotion to the beautiful 
 art of skating. May Balfour. 
 
 11. 
 
 It is natural that the art of skating should come 
 to us from the North, for it is in the land of ice 
 and snow that the problem of traversing the fro- 
 zen surface of the snow-covered ground and the 
 ice-bound water would have to be solved. With 
 the Greeks and the Romans indeed, the great 
 ruling nations of the South, there was no word 
 to designate the exercise — a conclusive proof that 
 it was unknown to them. But from Scandinavia 
 we have an old war song which tells of the pro- 
 gress of the God of Winter over the water, sup- 
 ported on the bones of animals, and this shows 
 that the skates of those early days were made of 
 bone, though they were, as might be expected, 
 of most primitive structure. It is generally 
 agreed that the necessity of crossing the enormous 
 fields of frozen snow during the long Scandina- 
 
SKATING. 247 
 
 vian winters led to the tashioning of snow-shoes, 
 and that from these were made the smaller skates, 
 by the aid of which the frozen waters could also 
 be crossed, locomotion thus being made possible. 
 
 The early form of the bone skate was brought 
 to England by the Northern tribes which settled 
 in our midst, though it was to our Dutch neigh- 
 bours, at a much later period in our history, that 
 we owed the introduction of the wooden skate 
 bound with iron, which is the prototype ot our 
 skate of to-day. From the earliest efforts with 
 the primitive bone skates to the graceful evolu- 
 tions now possible on a modern Mount Charles 
 there is a marvellous change, and the art which 
 has a history of nearly two thousand years behind 
 it, is entitled to a place among the time-honoured 
 pastimes of the world. 
 
 A beginner in this, as in all other pursuits, is 
 met at the outset of her career, when she is with- 
 out practical knowledge to guide her in the 
 choice, by the difficulty of selecting a proper in- 
 strument. She must then trust to others. As 
 the choice however is not large, she can scarcely 
 do wrong in investing in a Mount Charles, which 
 should be fixed to a well-htting boot with low 
 heels, a fairly thick sole, and laced upper leathers. 
 
248 
 
 SKA-TING. 
 
 But the first efforts will, if she is wise, be made 
 on roller-skates, for though the tide of fashion 
 
 MOUNT CHJRLES. 
 
 has set against this form of skating, and it is only 
 in far-off Simla and a few scattered places that it 
 still holds its own, it is unrivalled as a means to 
 the end of skating on ice. On roller-skates the 
 learner can follow up her study systematically 
 day after day, independent of weather conditions, 
 and can acquire the two primary essentials of suc- 
 cessful skating, viz., balance and confidence. 
 
 When these have been acquired you may then 
 make your first attempt on ice with every pros- 
 pect of success. With steady practice you will 
 soon learn to manage your skates, but never for- 
 get during these early days that you must ever be 
 on your guard against the countless tricks which 
 beset the beginner at every stage of her progress. 
 Some people will indeed advise you, when you 
 
SKJTING.. 249 
 
 first put on your skates proper, to walk about a 
 carpeted room with them, while others will tell 
 you to make your first efi^orts on the ice itself. In 
 this you will probably be guided partly by the age 
 at which you begin the pastime — whether, that 
 is to say, a fall is a serious matter or one to be 
 disregarded with the smiling; carelessness ot youth 
 — and partly by the degree of confidence you 
 have acquired on the roller-skates. 
 
 In any case, when you find yourself on the ice 
 for the first time, you will endeavour to walk 
 forward on your skates with short and caretul 
 steps. If you have assistance to prevent you trom 
 the inevitable tumbles that will otherwise be your 
 lot, your progress will be safe but slower than it 
 you take your courage in both hands and carry 
 out unaided the good old nursery maxim of "try, 
 try, try again," till the delightful foretaste of 
 success comes to you, in the first quivering glide 
 forward ^without a too sudden descent at the end. 
 
 Remember, when making these first efi:orts at 
 walking, that the foot on which you are resting 
 on the ice should have both the ankle and knee 
 kept stiff, or you will find your ankle twist side- 
 ways. You must also take care to keep the feet 
 well under you, as until you have found your 
 
250 SKAJING. 
 
 balance thev will have an inclination to slide 
 apart, and thus render a fall imminent. After a 
 short experience of this tottering effort after equi- 
 librium, you will probably almost instinctively 
 be^in to slide forward with both feet, and for the 
 moment you will find sufficient pleasure in move- 
 ment of any kind. I have indeed seen quite a 
 rapturous expression of triumph come over the 
 face of a middle-aged beginner, when she first 
 managed the smallest of small slides without it 
 ending in a catastrophe, or in a wild clinging to 
 her guide. The good lady doubtless saw in the 
 dim future the end in view for which she was 
 willing to expend so much patient effort, and so 
 shall we, and in a shorter time, if fewer winters 
 have passed over our heads before we make our 
 first venture. 
 
 A few hours at least should be devoted to this 
 preliminary experience, and then you will pro- 
 bably be able to try the inside edge forward, 
 which is the first step to master. With your teet 
 turned at an angle of 45 '^, you will press down- 
 ward with the ball of your left foot, so that you 
 may have a secure position from which to start, 
 and you will slide forward with your right foot 
 only on the inside of the skate, balancing yourself 
 
SKATING. 251 
 
 entirely on that foot. You will then bring the 
 left foot forward from the position it has held 
 with the toe of the skate held just off the ice 
 behind the right foot, and pressing the inside edge 
 of the skate under the ball of the right foot into 
 the ice, vou will slide forward with your left, 
 striking out farther and farther as vou find vou 
 can keep your balance during the stroke. The 
 position of the body should be slightlv sidewavs, 
 with the face in the direction of progress. 
 
 To perform a half-circle and a circle will then 
 be your aim, until you can succeed with a per- 
 fect figure of 8. Bv the time you have mastered 
 this, vou will be ready for the turn on both feet 
 and the backward stroke or the inside edge, after 
 which the forward and backward stroke of the 
 outside edtre will be vour studv. In all back- 
 ward movement the head must be turned in the 
 point of direction, while the weight of the bodv 
 is thrown on the back part ot the skate, instead 
 of on the front part as in a rorward movement. 
 
 As soon as complete mastery of both edges has 
 been gained, and that the fate of the immortal 
 Winkle mav not be yours, you have learnt the 
 art of stopping, you will find all the simple figures 
 within your powers. Do not, however, be hurried 
 
252 SKATING. 
 
 into trying any combination, however simple, 
 until you have acquired the art of easy and grace- 
 ful motion on the inside and outside edges, both 
 forward and backward. 
 
 The Hand-in-hand Figures are much in vogue 
 among women in all countries, and these are 
 pretty and effective, as well as simple to execute 
 by anyone who has thoroughly grounded herself 
 in the rudiments of skating. The more usual 
 way of executing these figures in this country is 
 for the partners, generally a man and a woman, 
 to stand side by side, joining their right hands 
 underneath the left, which are also clasped side- 
 ways, though occasionally what is known as the 
 Austrian mode is adopted, viz., by the woman 
 standing in front of her partner and bending her 
 hands under and backward at her side, when they 
 are taken in the clasp of the man behind. 
 
 It is to the daughters of the inventor of the 
 Plimpton roller-skates that we are indebted for 
 the various fascinating forms of hand-in-hand 
 skating now in vogue, and for the effective move- 
 ment known as " a pass," we are equally beholden 
 to Miss L. Cheetham, who was, I believe, the 
 first to put it in practice. For the many varieties 
 of Scuds and Rockers now constantly to be seen 
 
SKATING. ' 253 
 
 at the much patronised covered rinks, reference 
 may be made to Mr. Maxwell Witham's book 
 "A System ot Figure Skating," in which are to 
 be found diagrams of some very simple figures 
 taken originally from the archives of the Oxford 
 Skating Society. These will be well within the 
 powers of all, and in the case of the stronger 
 and more enthusiastic women skaters will form a 
 fitting prelude to the execution of the more ela- 
 borate " Club Figures." 
 
 In Figure i, the skaters take up their positions 
 facing one another upon each side of a square, 
 the start being made by each skater with the 
 right foot, on a curve of outside edge, continuing 
 this tor hair a circle when the left foot will be 
 put down and the stroke taken, either in the ordi- 
 nary way or from the cross, and the whole circle 
 of outside on the left foot skated. This will 
 bring each skater into the original place of the 
 other and the movement can be repeated. 
 
 The figure can also be skated backward, in 
 which case the position for starting will be with 
 the backs instead of the faces of the skaters to- 
 wards each other. 
 
 Figure 2 is very similar to the former. The 
 skaters take up their positions facing one another 
 
2 54 SKATING. 
 
 at four points of the inner circle, skating off on 
 a curve of outside edge with the right foot and 
 going round the inner circle. The left foot is 
 thus put down and the stroke taken in the or- 
 dinary way or from the cross, another circle of 
 outside edge being skated on the left foot. This 
 will bring the skater to the inner circle again 
 when the movement can be repeated, and the 
 whole figure can be skated backwards. 
 
 A variation of this figure can be made thus : 
 " The skaters only go three-quarters round the 
 centre circle, so that the outside circle described 
 always lies immediately behind the one on which 
 each skater last travelled round. The skaters 
 thus changing their positions has a pretty effect. 
 
 " Arrived at the common circle the movement 
 is repeated, each skater taking her partner's hand 
 (the four hands being thus crossed) which is re- 
 tained until the whole circle, which all have in 
 common, has been skated, when each again 
 branches off as before described."* 
 
 In all skating, neatness, precision, and an easy, 
 upright carriage are the things to be aimed at, 
 and as you feel yourself getting at home on your 
 skates, remember it should be your object to dis- 
 
 • J System of Figure Skating, by T. Maxwell VVitham. 
 
SKATING. 255 
 
 guise your stroke as far as possible, so that your 
 progress may have the smooth, graceful ease of 
 apparently unbroken motion. 
 
 Shortly, the great points to be attended to when 
 learning are : 
 
 1. An upright carriage without stiffness. 
 
 2. Straightness of the knee of the employed 
 leg. 
 
 3. Approximation of the feet. 
 
 4. A slight sideways position of the body, 
 with the face in the direction of progress. 
 
 5. Equality of power on either leg, to attain 
 which extra practice for the weaker leg — gener- 
 ally the left — will be needed. 
 
 When these have been acquired the full delight 
 of the health-giving exercise of skating will be 
 open to you. 
 
Lambert. Ifeilon and Son 
 
 Folkestone, 
 
 MISS S'TARKIE-BENCE. 
 
GOLF. 
 
 IHE object of the game of golf is to 
 complete the round ot eighteen holes 
 in as tew strokes as possible, starting 
 for each hole from a place called the 
 teeing ground, and hitting the ball with various 
 clubs till the green is reached. Upon the green 
 is a flag denoting the spot where a round hole 
 with a diameter of four and a quarter inches and 
 a depth of four inches, is cut. Into this hole the 
 player must get the ball in as few strokes as may 
 be. The distances between the teeino- grounds 
 and the greens vary at every hole. The game 
 when played by two persons is known as a single, 
 when by four persons, as a toursome. 
 
 The scores in medal play are kept upon cards 
 provided tor that purpose, each player noting the 
 other's score, which is then marked down at the 
 conclusion ot each hole, the totals being added 
 together at the end of the round, when the card 
 
26o GOLF. 
 
 must be signed by the scorer and placed in the 
 score card box. FaiHng to sign a card entails 
 disqualification. In match playing, the scores 
 are reckoned by the terms, "the like," "the odd," 
 " the two more," " one off two," etc., and the 
 hole is won by the player who has holed in the 
 fewest strokes. Being the person to lead off at 
 the tee, is styled having the honour, and is a 
 privilege accorded to either the player who has 
 the least handicap, or to the winner of the latest 
 match, or again to the winner of the last hole. 
 In foursomes the strokes are played alternately by 
 the partners, through the green and h'om the tee. 
 The o-round plaved over is known bv the name 
 of the links, or the course, and covers an area 
 generally from two, to three and a half miles for 
 a full-sized or man's course, and very often much 
 under this distance tor what is known as the 
 ledies' links, whilst the distances betwen the holes 
 very from fifty yards to 480 yards or more. The 
 game is pursued over obstacles of all sorts, known 
 as hazards and bunkers, till the green is reached. 
 This is a beautifully kept piece oi grassy lawn, 
 some tv/enty yards in extent, either undulating, 
 sloping, cr sometimes quite level, in which the 
 holes are cut. The term stance is applied to the 
 
GOLF. 261 
 
 position of the player's feet, when addressing her- 
 self to the ball. The term grip denotes either 
 that part of the handle of the club covered with 
 leather, which is held in the hands, or the grasp- 
 ing of the club itself, and the term lie, applies to 
 the situation of the ball, good or bad. The fur- 
 ther technical terms may be found in the Glossary 
 (p. 382) or in any instruction book on the game, 
 the most highly recommended of the latter being 
 The Badminton Library on Golf\ by Mr. Horace 
 Hutchinson, The Game of Golf\ by W. Park, jun., 
 or Sir W. C. Sampson's The Art of' Golf . But to 
 the early history of our game. 
 
 The exact date of the founding of the Royal 
 and Ancient game of Golf is still a somewhat 
 disputed point" But we read that in Holland 
 and also in Belgium, about the year 1353, a very 
 popular pastime was then in vogue, styled Chole, 
 and as far as can be ascertained from old docu- 
 ments, pictures, and the familiar and curious 
 Dutch tiles of that period, the mode of play and 
 the weapons used, although rather crude in many 
 respects, were not at all unlike those of the present 
 day. Some writers go so far as to tell us that 
 this game rather resembled hockey, and that the 
 ball used was about the size of an ordinary cricket 
 
262 GOLF. 
 
 ball. Others who have searched even more deeply 
 amongst the archives of the royal and ancient 
 game, relate that the aim and object used to be 
 to strike the ball against stone posts, which ap- 
 pears to have corresponded with the later practice 
 of holing out. Anyway we have it on good 
 authority that the game was much played during 
 the sixteenth century in Scotland. 
 
 In 1608 the Blackheath Club was formed in 
 England, and in 1735 that of the Edinburgh 
 Burgess Society in the north, although the game 
 had been extensively played for some time before 
 this. Closely following the institution ot the 
 Edinburgh Burgess Society Club, came those of 
 The Honourable Company of Edinburgh Golfers 
 in 1744, St. Andrew's in 1754, and Mussulburgh 
 in 1774, followed again in the south by Old 
 Manchester in 181 8, and Westward Ho ! in i 864, 
 till at the present time there are links all over 
 Europe, in America, India, Australia, New Zea- 
 land, and even in Egypt. Not content with this, 
 we even have the Royal game on the West coast 
 ■of Africa, in that spot of treachery and massacre, 
 Benin. But of course, to Scotland the gratitude 
 of the world will ever be due for having really 
 been the home of the game, besides which tor 
 
J. Ross. 
 
 North hrrivick. 
 
 MISS E. C. ORR. 
 
 (Winntr of the Championshif, 1897.) 
 
GOLF. 265 
 
 grandeur in natural hazards, and finest of fine 
 turf, the north will ever bear the palm. 
 
 Golf, as far as women are concerned, is indeed 
 both royal and ancient, for we know that Mary, 
 Queen of Scots, was a great adept and devotee 
 thereof, but till this century women's doings ap- 
 pear not to have been much chronicled, although 
 they used to play, and our Scotch sisters have 
 always been more or less brought up to it. Lat- 
 terly both the English and Irish have taken won- 
 derfully to what was at one time styled " That 
 old man's game," -and in so doing have found it 
 not at all a bad pastime, till now-a-days the lady- 
 golfers make quite a formidable army on the oc- 
 casion of the yearly championship, or the other 
 big open meetings. 
 
 To arrange for such events, and to give more 
 uniformity in general matters, the " Ladies' Golt 
 Union " was formed a few years ago. To this 
 body all troublesome questions are referred by 
 the associated clubs, for which it acts as legis- 
 lator in chief. It arranges too the details for the 
 yearly championship, and has lately started a 
 system for universal handicapping which is pro- 
 gressing very well. But I shall have occasion to 
 speak of this useful institution later. 
 
266 GOLF. 
 
 When ladies' courses were first started, they 
 were chiefly conspicuous for their shortness, and 
 general lack of hazards, it being calculated that 
 the ordinary wooden putter would be sufficient 
 to see the player safely over any obstacles en- 
 countered during the round. But woman's 
 ambition was not satisfied, she sighed and fretted 
 for more elbow-room, longer holes, more diffi- 
 culties, and last but not least on inland courses, 
 real sand at the bottom of the bunkers. Till 
 then it had not entered into the head of man 
 to conceive that any woman was equal to, or 
 would care for, daily tramps over rough and 
 broken ground, bogs, dykes, and sand, or that 
 even if she did care, she could ever become 
 proficient at so sacred a pastime. Was it pos- 
 sible either that a woman's strength would prove 
 equal to propelling the ball a sufficiently long 
 distance, to make her in any way a rival to one 
 ot the sterner sex .? But nevertheless, even with 
 all these doubts, the men's club were ready to 
 assist in giving what was asked for, by helping 
 to institute links at St. Andrew's and Westward 
 Ho! in 1868, Musselburgh and Wimbledon in 
 1872, Carnoustie in 1873, ^'^^^ i" ^^74' Troon 
 in 1882, Bath in 1883, Yarmouth in 1885, ^^c. 
 
GOLF. 267 
 
 Of golf as a game for the health, it must be 
 said that it is suited to all seasons of the year, and 
 also to the hundred and one changes of climate 
 which occur in the twelve short months. 
 Through snow we pursue the game on the frozen 
 and ice covered links, with balls painted red, 
 again in March gales, we toil round regardless of 
 the flapping skirts and blow-away hats, but in 
 May days when the weather is lovely, when the- 
 courses and their greens are at their best, then it 
 is that we lay ourselves out for pure enjoyment,, 
 and reap the well-deserved fruits of a winter of 
 steady practice. So through summer and autumn 
 the game still retains its fascinations, at least for 
 those who have mastered its inner mysteries, but 
 for the unitiated it must indeed be more than a 
 trifle dull, beside savouring rather ot madness to 
 walk miles and miles only to hit along a little 
 white guttie ball, with instruments of weird and 
 curious shape. 
 
 Although ladies' courses are now vastly superior 
 to what they were a short while back, there is 
 still room for great improvements in the matter 
 of scope for brassey and cleek play through the 
 green. The usual courses consist of a series of 
 holes, generally nine holes — eighteen being the 
 
268 GOLF. 
 
 exception — closely resembling each other, inter- 
 spersed with hazards of sorts, but in point of 
 length and play nearly all these holes are reached 
 by a fair drive, followed by a short iron or ap- 
 proach shot on the green. This is occasionally 
 varied by a cleek shot from tee to green, which 
 constitutes the whole and monotonous ring of 
 change that is to be found, to say nothing of the 
 total banishment of the brassey, one of the most 
 useful clubs in existence. Excepting, therefore, 
 when women play over men's courses, or at least 
 over a part of them, they rarely find themselves 
 called upon to play cleeks, or full iron shots 
 either. A notable exception to this is the West 
 Lancashire ladies' course, at Hall Road, near 
 Liverpool. There we find not only eighteen 
 holes most craftily laid out amidst hazards of all 
 description, which call into requisition a variety 
 of useful clubs, but the distances between the 
 greens have been so varied that any monotony is 
 quite impossible. For whilst at one hole it may 
 require three full shots to reach the green, very 
 likely the next will be but a cleek shot, and so 
 on. One of the irresistable influences ot the 
 game to a beginner, is undoubtedly that vexation 
 of spirit caused by some strange mixture of 
 
o 
 o 
 
 Co 
 O 
 
GOLF. 271 
 
 obstinacy and helplessness, which smarts and 
 rankles bitterly after a morning spent in trying, 
 to stand in the correct position with your club 
 grasped firmly in vour hands, and alter the pre- 
 liminary waggle, to swing up and down and hit 
 the ball into space. It looks so easy, ridiculously 
 easy, and as if it was quite impossible not to hit 
 that little white globe, perched on its sand tec, 
 but in reality, till the eye and the hand have been 
 trained to do so, it is one of the most difficult 
 tasks in life, and a process tending to many abusive 
 speeches ! The experience naturally produces a 
 spirit of dogged determination not to be beaten, 
 wherein lie the first seeds of interest, and the de- 
 sire tor improvement. The younger it is possible 
 to begin the game, the better, for at an early 
 age the muscles are tractable and supple, and the 
 slightest stifi^ness which gives a noticable jerkiness 
 to the strokes, is very difficult to overcome. The 
 strokes should on the contrary be pertormed, and 
 the arms and wrists should work, with the smooth 
 evenness of windmill sails. But speaking of 
 evenness and smoothness of movement, more es- 
 pecially in the case of a person in the act of 
 driving, brings to mind the late championship at 
 Gullane, where, tor the first time, it became pos- 
 
2/2 GOLF. 
 
 sible to compare, side by side, the styles of the 
 Scotch and English players. Between some 
 there yvas but little difference, excepting that the 
 Scotch swing was rather short and quick, whilst 
 that of the English was somewhat longer and 
 slower, but in whatever style our Scotch sisters 
 played, their whole action was so even and pen- 
 dulum-like, so entirely free from any jerk or 
 strain, that it clearly demonstrated their familiarity 
 with clubs from the days of early childhood. 
 
 Of course such familiarity is more than half 
 the battle, making as it does in after life a vast 
 difference to the skill and style, althou2;h in this 
 as in all else, there are many and notable excep- 
 tions amongst those who have only come across 
 the game when nearing the days of discretion. 
 The greatest example of this, is our triple cham- 
 pion, Lady Margaret Hamiiton-Russell, nee 
 Scott, whose style has been pronounced perfect 
 by many competent judges. 
 
 Great self-control and good nerve, with a large 
 amount of endurance, are the requisites of golf, 
 for without wishing to say one word to its detri- 
 ment, it cannot be denied that it is a game some- 
 what conducive to selfishness, and with a distinctly 
 rousing effect upon the temper. To those who 
 
GOLF. 273 
 
 are adepts at other out of door sports and pastimes, 
 golf presents one great difficulty, namely, that 
 most of the clubs have to be gripped firmly by 
 the left hand only, the right hand being used 
 quite lightly in comparison, simply as a general 
 support and guide to direction. 
 
 Having once decided to become a player, the 
 best course by far is to arrange for daily lessons 
 from some competent and painstaking pro- 
 fessional, for by this means we start from the 
 very beginning by being placed in the right 
 positions, and moreover, are taught to use the 
 right club in the right place, which knowledge 
 will prove ot invaluable assistance in future 
 matches and competitions. No beginner should 
 however forget to obtain a book of the St. 
 Andrews' rules and to study it well, tor one of 
 the first essentials in a grame is to know the rules 
 thoroughly. By thus starting with lessons irom 
 a qualified instructor, you do away with the risk 
 of having to unlearn most ot what has been 
 already grasped, as is so often the case where 
 your mentor has been some kind and amiable 
 friend. Once having mastered the rudiments 
 and mysteries of the game, steady daily practice 
 should be indulged in, it you would hope in 
 time to figure in the front rank of players. 
 
274 GOLF. 
 
 The driver, iron, mashie and putter are the 
 chief clubs to master thoroughly, for at any time 
 these will suffice on all courses to play a good 
 round with, whereas if only one club is taken 
 out at a time to master, the eye and hand are apt 
 to become wearied by continuous repetition, 
 whilst the varied strokes necessitated by three or 
 four clubs, prove both instructive as well as 
 absorbing. 
 
 In the choice of clubs arises great difficulty. 
 Patents unlimited are to be had, each claiming 
 special advantages. For instance, W. Park's 
 putting cleek, or wry-necked putter as it is often 
 called, and Brougham or Yeoman's aluminium 
 drivers, so utterly indestructible when playing off 
 roads or other hard lies. Then there are Taylor's 
 or Teen's mashies, the former rather short in the 
 head and broad on the face, particularly useful 
 for the high-pitched approach shots, the latter 
 shaped more like a spoon, having at the back and 
 in the exact centre, a crescent-shaped and convex 
 piece of extra steel, so as to concentrate the full 
 force and weight at the point of impact. But 
 the good old-fashioned clubs can hold many can- 
 dles to various latter-day inventions. A very 
 useful driver head of ordinary beech-wood has 
 
GOLF. 
 
 275 
 
 within the last three or tour years come from the 
 able hands of J. Ray, of Randalstown, Co. 
 Antrim, called a " Bap." This is in appearance 
 exactly like a large and rather flat penny bun at- 
 tached to the shaft, but its driving powers are tre- 
 mendous owing to the amount of wood behind the 
 
 spot from whence 
 the ball is hit, which 
 naturally induces a 
 long carry and run, 
 especially in a wind, 
 when it seems to 
 send a capital long, 
 low straight shot. 
 
 It is best to choose 
 the first clubs with 
 the assistance of a 
 professional, or that 
 of an experienced 
 amateur, who will 
 ^^s^^''^^ 2. know at once what 
 
 suited to your powers of wrist and arm. Having 
 done this, and by a study of the rules prepared 
 yourself for instruction, you will naturally wish 
 to make vour first attempt. On arriving at the 
 
276 
 
 GOLF. 
 
 first teeing ground and after mounting your ball 
 on its sand tee, take up your position with the 
 driver, so that the club head may be within easy 
 reach of the ball, and without the least straining 
 or stretching forward to reach it. 
 
 The left foot should be slightly in advance of 
 the right, rather turned in if anything, and both 
 
 feet some sixteen inches 
 or thereabouts apart, the 
 ball, club, and hands 
 being as nearly as possi- 
 ble in direct line with 
 your waist buckle, per- 
 haps slightly inclined 
 to the left. The hands 
 then require to grip the 
 club as shown in Fig- 
 ures I and 2, the lett 
 hand should hold with 
 a grip of iron, the right 
 much more easily, but 
 still with a tenacious 
 grasp, turned well over so that the back of 
 the hand is to the front. Care should be taken 
 that the thumb is not as shown in Figure 3, tor 
 such a grip would cause the head of the club,. 
 
 Figure 3. 
 WRONG GRIP. 
 
Co 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 < 
 
 t*. 
 
 
 e; 
 
 '-0 
 
 ■^ o 
 
 
■GOLF. 
 
 279 
 
 \ 
 
 when at the top of the swing, to be turned 
 broadway as in Figure 4, instead of pointing toe 
 downwards as in Figure 5. When off your 
 'drive entirely, and when instead of being able to 
 
 swing your ball nicely 
 and cleanly away, you 
 can only keep hitting 
 down on the top of it, 
 called smothering, take 
 a swing with the club, 
 pausing at the top (that 
 is to say when the club 
 has reached its usual 
 high curve over the 
 right shoulder, and just 
 before its descent is commenced) to note the 
 angle of the head. This will generally be 
 found as in figure 4, whilst the position of 
 the hands will be as in figure 3. Then alter 
 your grip to as near that of figure 2 as possible, 
 when the angle of the club-head at the top of 
 the swing, will become as in figure 5. But to 
 continue, being in the correct position for ad- 
 dressing the ball both as regards distance and 
 grip, after a short preliminary waggle which 
 will give the needed impetus, raise the club away 
 
 Figure 5. 
 
 " TOE'' OE DRIVER 
 POINTING DOWN- 
 WARDS. HANDS 
 RIGHT. 
 
28o 
 
 GOLF. 
 
 to the right, not too quickly, with a scythe-Uke 
 sweep, till well over the right shoulder, at the 
 same time lifting the left heel and turning the 
 
 body slightly on the 
 
 toes or 
 Figure 6 
 
 the left foot. 
 The action 
 
 of the swing should be 
 entirely done from the 
 shoulder, and not with 
 a twist of the whole 
 body as is often seen. 
 Descending again and 
 driving away the ball, 
 then continue the swing 
 till it finishes up quite 
 naturally over the left 
 shoulder, called " the 
 
 Figure 6. 
 GRIP WHEN AT THE TOP foUow through," Fig- 
 
 OFSiriAG. ^^jj.g y^ j-j^j^^g describing 
 
 an entire circle round the body, the whole of 
 which must be as evenly performed, without 
 the least signs of force or disjointedness, as 
 though it was the revolution ot a wheel. Many 
 players stand to drive with the ball in a line 
 with, or even outside, their left foot, but having 
 the ball nearer the centre ot the body, as de- 
 
GArJanii. 
 
 Figure 7. 
 FINISH OF Sff'ING. 
 
 [Mri. M. C. IfiUoct.) 
 
 ICoiing, 
 
GOLF. 283 
 
 scribed above, is the more usual position, and one 
 to be recommended. 
 
 Brassey shots through the green are played in 
 a similar manner to drives, the only exception 
 bein^, that instead of a ball teed on the sand, it 
 has to be taken off the flat, therefore it becomes 
 necessary to swing the club head into the ball 
 v^ith a smart click, nicking in between it and 
 the ground, so as to cause the ball to rise away 
 in its flight quickly and cleanly, avoiding any 
 taking of turf, or sclaffing as it is styled, and 
 thereby losing half the propelling force. When 
 to reach the green two or three full shots are 
 required after the drive, the brassey is generally 
 taken, • or for a medium length shot the cleek, 
 the latter being used with a full swing, till 
 some eighty or a hundred yards from the hole, 
 v^^hen the lofting iron is called into requisition. 
 
 With this latter club, as with the cleek, the 
 grip of both hands must be very firm, for at the 
 moment of striking the ball with the face of the 
 ■club, there is the danger of the sole at that very 
 second taking the turf, when, unless the club is 
 firmlv gripped in both hands, it must naturally 
 turn somewhat, with the result that the shot will 
 he hopelesslv foozled. 
 
284 . GOLF 
 
 The position of the feet in iron shots differs 
 from that of driving. For one thing the right 
 foot should be shghtly in advance of the left, 
 whilst the ball is more opposite the former, and 
 in the second place the knees must be a little 
 bent, the whole body assuming more of a crouch- 
 ing stance than when driving. The swing, too, 
 with an iron, is somewhat different, for even in 
 the full shot it is never of such a length as that 
 taken with a wooden club. It is more of an 
 up-and-down stroke. In the three-quarter shot, 
 the arms and not the shoulders are responsible 
 tor the swing, the club going as far back as the 
 length ot the arm comfortably permits (figure 
 8), whereas, in the half shot, the fore arm and 
 wrist work only, the arm from the shoulder to 
 the elbow being then nearly close into the side. 
 The approach shot with the mashie is played 
 when the green is some fifty yards or more dis- 
 tant, the player desiring either to run the ball 
 up to the hole along the ground, provided the 
 intervening space is pretty clear of hazards, or 
 to pitch it up, with that short "choppy" wrist 
 shot, so that the ball falls without run, nearly 
 dead. Many players place the right thumb down 
 the shaft of the club in this stroke, claiming 
 
Figure 8. 
 
 SWINGING UPWARDS FOR A THREE- 
 
 OUARTER IRON SHOT. 
 
GOLF, 287 
 
 that it is easier thus to guage the distance and 
 be more accurate as to direction. But which- 
 ever way it is played, remember that it is the 
 wrists and not the arms that work the club. 
 This shot is played with the face of the club 
 very much laid back (figure 9), and a peculiar 
 species of cut from right to left administered to 
 the ball at the moment of impact. A stroke 
 that can with difficulty be taught, being more 
 the outcome ot instinct after experience, than of 
 instruction. The hard part of approaching lies 
 in making the ball fall sufficiently dead, and not 
 to strike it so, that after pitching, it will run 
 nearly as far off the green on the opposite side. 
 
 The mashie is one of the most useful clubs, 
 for besides being your " right hand " in approach 
 shots, it is simply indispensable when playing 
 out of a bad lie, or whenever the ball is snugly 
 reposing in some sand bunker. To extricate one- 
 self from such a lie, it is necessary first and fore- 
 most that both feet should h^ Jirmly planted on 
 the ground, for every atom of strength must be 
 brought to bear on the right spot, at the right 
 moment. About two inches behind the ball is 
 the place to let your club-head delve into the 
 sand, and it is upon this spot that the eye must 
 
288 GOLF. 
 
 be fixed, and not upon the ball, as is otherwise 
 the case. The force of hitting the club-head 
 into the sand, causes it to shoot up, bearing the 
 ball high into the air, and over the confronting 
 obstacle. 
 
 Whilst speaking of bunkers and difficulties, it 
 is as well to have in mind the St. Andrew's rule. 
 No. 14, which runs as follows: "When a ball 
 lies in or touches a hazard, the club shall not 
 touch the ground, nor shall anything be touched 
 or moved before the player strikes at the ball, 
 except that the player may place his feet firmly 
 on the ground for the purpose of addressing the 
 ball, under the penalty of the loss of the hole, 
 but it in the backward or downward swing, any 
 grass, bent, whin, or other growing substance, 
 on the side of a bunker, a wall, a paling, or other 
 immoveable obstacle be touched, no penalty shall 
 be incurred." In medal competitions the penalty 
 for breach of this rule is disqualification. 
 
 It there should be any doubt as to what is 
 considered a hazard, rule No. i 5 is very explicit. 
 " A hazard shall be any bunker of whatever na- 
 ture — water, sand, loose earth, mole hills, paths, 
 roads, or railways, whins, bushes, rushes, rabbit 
 scrapes, fences, ditches, or anything which is not 
 

 Figure 9. 
 
 SHORT APPROACH SHOT WITH 
 THUMB DOlf'N THE SHAFT. 
 
GOLF. 291 
 
 the ordinary green of the course — except sand 
 blown on to the grass by wind, or sprinkled on 
 grass for the preservation of the links — or snow, 
 or ice, or bare patches on the course." 
 
 In match play., rule 29 states : " A ball must 
 be played wherever it lies, or the hole be 
 given up — except as otherwise provided tor in 
 the rules." Whereas in medal play., rule 8 reads: 
 " A ball may under a penalty of two strokes be 
 lifted out of a difficulty of any description, and 
 be teed behind the same." The niblick, in 
 bunkers where the sand is at all heavy, is rather 
 a better club to use than the mashie, being so 
 short, thick, and powerful in the head, therefore 
 capable of delivering a stronger blow into the 
 sand. A most useful club for bad lies through 
 the green, is the driving mashie, made much 
 after the order of a cleek, only being shorter in 
 the face and very solid in the sole, it is able to 
 hit a long, powerful shot under the most trying 
 conditions in the way of bad lies. 
 
 Having spoken ot the many clubs used from 
 the tee till the green is reached, the putter alone 
 remains for a few words. Till quite recently 
 this was made of wood only, rather in shape like 
 an elongated driver-head. In fact these very old 
 
292 GOLF. 
 
 clubs, such as were used by celebrities like Jamie 
 Allan, young Tommy Morris, Mr. George Glen- 
 nie, and others, are now worth fabulous sums ot 
 money. But ot late years, steel and gun metal 
 have come much more into vogue. Park's patent 
 putter with the twisted socket or neck, is a uni- 
 versal favourite, the tact of looking straight 
 down the shaft on to the ball appearing to make 
 the line of transition somewhat more easy for 
 the eye to take in. The mode of holding the 
 putter is similar to that of the iron, only that the 
 thumbs are both placed downwards and the 
 fingers are called more into play, as shown in 
 Figure 10. The general grip is a tritie looser, 
 although the right hand requires to be firm. 
 Mr. Horace Hutchinson, in the Badmmton Book 
 on Golf^ says as follows : " The principal secret of 
 good putting, as of good driving, is that the club 
 should travel as long as possible on the line — or 
 a production of it — on which the ball is to travel. 
 " Putting is a stroke made almost exclusively 
 with the wrists. The wrists do not hit the club 
 on to the ball and then check it, but the club is 
 swung by a movement ot the wrists 
 any checking of the club as it meets the ball 
 being fatal to consistent good putting 
 
GOLF. 
 
 293 
 
 The hands should be allowed to fall into a natu- 
 ral position . . . The putter should be held 
 
 rather short, and pre- 
 ferably with a light 
 grip, and should be 
 worked backward and 
 forward by the wrists, 
 mainly perhaps the left 
 wrist . . . The 
 left elbow may, if 
 preferred, be a little 
 crooked to the tront : 
 the club head will in 
 this method be swing- 
 ino; somewhat after the 
 fashion of a pendulum, 
 and if a golfer gets the 
 hanging arrangements 
 of this pendulum correct, it can not very well 
 swing out of the true line." 
 
 The above describes the stroke exactly. The 
 stance for putting is as shown in Figure 10, at 
 least that is about the usual position, but many 
 people putt with the ball about mid-way between 
 the right foot and the left, in a straight line with 
 the centre of the body (Figure 11). The crooked 
 
 Figure lo. 
 
 PUTTING OFF THE 
 RIGHT FOOT.. 
 
294 GOLF. 
 
 left elbow is certainly a great help in keeping 
 the ball on the right road to the hole, while the 
 right elbow should be resting against the hip. 
 Iron shots too can be kept from diverging with 
 the vagaries of the wind during a gale, it the 
 left elbow is well crooked towards the front, so 
 as to follow through in that position over the 
 line of flight of the ball. A very similar posi- 
 tion to that of playing forward at cricket. 
 
 In golf there is a good deal of etiquette to 
 be observed, but again all hints will be found 
 in the book of St. Andrew's rules, or in that 
 very useful compendium T'he Golfers Referee^ 
 which was conipiled lately by the Editor of T^he 
 Golfer, in Edinburgh. It may be as well to 
 mention that No. 2 of these rules is one to be 
 observed, if not for courtesy's sake, at least tor the 
 sake of danger, a blow from a golf ball being no 
 light matter. Therefore out of pure humanity 
 it is only right to let the party in tront play 
 their second shots, or get off the green, so that 
 they may be out of range of those behind. Be- 
 sides match and medal play, another species ot 
 competition has of late years been started, namely, 
 " Bogey." This is simply a score fixed tor each 
 of the eio;hteen holes, the same as the par of the 
 
<. 
 
 
 
GOLF. -2.(^7 
 
 green, the player having to hole out in one less 
 than the given par, if she would w^in the hole, 
 or in the like for a half. At each hole, any 
 strokes taken beyond the number of the fixed 
 par, count as a loss to the player and as a win 
 to " Bogey." The mode of marking this on the 
 competition cards being -|- for a win and O ^oi* 
 a half, and — for a loss. 
 
 One of the greatest features of golf is that al- 
 though you mav only perhaps be a third-class 
 player, and your opponent a first-class, or as it 
 is termed, scratch player, yet by the system of 
 handicapping you will both play on equal terms. 
 In match play the difference between handicaps 
 is allowed as follows: in singles, three-fourths 
 of the difference between handicap allowances, 
 in foursomes, three-eighths of the difference of 
 the aggregate handicap allowance on either side, 
 a half stroke of over counting as one, but smaller 
 fractions not beins: reckoned. Thus if the dif- 
 ference between your own and your opponent's 
 handicap in a single is i 2, you will have to allow 
 her nine strokes, or a half, viz. : a stroke every 
 other hole, whereas if in a foursome the differ- 
 ence <di handicap between yourself and partner 
 and your opponent and her partner was likewise 
 
298 GOLF. 
 
 1 2, you would then only give an allowance of 
 five strokes. As a rule, clubs have their own 
 special table of holes, at which the strokes are 
 to be taken in matches. 
 
 Nerves undoubtedly play a great part in golt, 
 for the person who can go on quietly and steadily 
 when her opponent is two up at the turn has an 
 immense advantage. For as nothing is certain 
 in life, still less is it so in golf ! A topped drive, 
 or a short putt, and the whole luck of the game 
 may alter. Therefore the player who has perfect 
 control over her nerves has a decided advantage 
 over one who becomes flustered, and she will very 
 often come in with a rush and flourish of trumpets 
 at the last. When playing a tight match never 
 risk going for the hole if a halved one will answer 
 as well, for there is always the chance in going 
 for it from some way otf of placing the ball out 
 of holeino; distance for the next shot, and so los- 
 ing the hole altogether. 
 
 Much the same in medal play: never risk a very 
 long carry or dangerous shot if instead, by play- 
 ing short and then over the difficulty, you can in- 
 sure more safety. Medal play is essentially a matter 
 of stolid steadiness, while match play bristles 
 with excitements from start to finish, but it is by 
 
GOLF. 299 
 
 no means the case that the best match player 
 will be the best in a medal round, the almost 
 mechanical steadiness of play required in the 
 latter being often found too irksome and tedious. 
 Of the faults that a golfer may drift into, slic- 
 ing, hooking, and topping are the most common, 
 and these are often too the most dilBcult to 
 cure. Slicing is caused by drawing the club 
 across the ball and towards yourself. This will 
 cause the ball to dive off to the right, and is 
 either the result of an error in the stance, or the 
 grip of one or both hands, or possibly because the 
 club is being swung away too quickly, causing 
 more of a straight up and down stroke than is the 
 case in the proper and rounded swing. If hook- 
 ing is the fault, then the ball will fly off to the 
 left. The reason of this may be either that you 
 are standing with the ball too much opposite to 
 the left foot, or that you are hitting it with the 
 club's face turned in, the latter being the result 
 of faulty gripping. Topping as the name de- 
 notes is simply not getting well down to the 
 ball, and means the ruin of both its shape and 
 paint ! Yet another fault is that of heeling, or 
 hitting the ball off the neck of the club, this can 
 generally be cured by standing a little farther 
 
300 GOLF. 
 
 away from the ball and letting the arms go out 
 well free of the body. 
 
 One of the most difficult shots you can be 
 called upon to play is when the ball is in a 
 " cuppy " lie, viz., in a small hole or hollow. 
 The club then has to be swung into it without 
 taking any of the surrounding edges, which seems 
 so impossible to accomplish, and yet to get the 
 ball away any distance, but the more quietly and 
 without pressing you succeed in doing this, the 
 more chance you will have of a good result. A 
 ball lying above you, say on the side ot a hill, is 
 awkward, as the club shaft when used in such a 
 position seems so lengthy and unwieldy, but tak- 
 ing the stroke quietly and again not pressing for 
 an extra long shot is the best way out of the dif- 
 ficulty. If on the other hand the ball lies on a 
 slope below you, shorten your grip of the club, 
 for the body will naturally fall a little forward in 
 the downward swing, owing to the stance being 
 on the slant. Sometimes the ball may be found 
 lying with a disused and grass-grown mole-hill, 
 or some such lump immediately in front. In such 
 a case it would be equally impossible to sweep 
 away the ball with a full swing, or with a 
 three-quarter one. The club must therefore be 
 
GOLF. 301 
 
 raised just as far backwards as in a half shot, 
 when it should be smartly brought down, thus 
 hitting the ball and jerking into the turf, caus- 
 ing it — the ball — to rise over the obstacle. This 
 will cut a large divot out of the ground, which 
 must be replaced and stamped down, ever remem- 
 bering the text, " It is the duty of every golfer 
 to replace, or to cause to be replaced any turt 
 cut in the act of making a stroke." Of course 
 care must be used not to break the shaft ot the 
 club, owing to the force with which the head 
 will cut down into the turf. 
 
 To keep yourself in good form it is not neces- 
 sary after the game has been thoroughly mastered 
 to practise every day. Three or four times a 
 week will keep both the eye and the hand well 
 up to their work, without getting either tired 
 or stale. Whenever the chance presents itself 
 of playing a round with a scratch player, or 
 someone who is really more skilled than your- 
 self, do so. Such experience will not only 
 serve as a lesson, but will stimulate the spirit of 
 ambition in no small degree. Besides, it will 
 be most excellent training and a decided gain 
 in the way of steadiness, and will also teach 
 you not to get tiustered when confronted by 
 
302 GOLF. 
 
 difficulties. Merely to watch your opponent's 
 self-possession, as she extricates the ball from 
 the heaviest sand, without the least sign of 
 force or irritability, will be a lesson worthy of 
 taking to heart. To have made good progress 
 in the game, and to be able to hold one's own 
 with some of the longer handicap members, 
 perhaps even to be able to give them a point or 
 two besides a beating, has the effect of making 
 most people rather proud and pleased with them- 
 selves. Then it is that a sound beating from 
 some good player will do your game pounds of 
 good and show you how much you still have 
 to learn. If one were to play golf tor ever, yet 
 would the feeling remain that there are many 
 things to be mastered. 
 
 One of the most trying times for the nerves, 
 and in fact for your play all round is when at 
 some big open meeting, or perhaps even in the 
 championship, you find yourself drawn to play 
 with or against a celebrity. Some of the on- 
 lookers may, and probably will, elect to follow 
 you round just to see your famous partner per- 
 form, as well as to criticise both players. Natur- 
 ally, this will cause you some embarrassment, 
 but beside your own feeling on the matter, you 
 
GOLF. 303 
 
 have to consider those of your partner, and the 
 risk that if you play badly you may very likely 
 put her off too. For in golf the laws of imita- 
 tion are very subtle, and nothing is more com- 
 mon than to play down to another person's 
 standard. However trying it may be, therefore, 
 to have every shot watched, whether it is a 
 long raking drive, a foozled iron, or some twelve 
 inch putt that lips the hole instead of going 
 down, do your best to be steady, even it bril- 
 liancy be out of the question, for consistency 
 can never be very hardly criticised, even when 
 seriously put in the shade by a superior display 
 of knowledge. Attending open meetings, and 
 taking part in club matches, will do more for 
 your nerves and be the means of your gaining 
 greater experience than a hundred rounds on 
 the quiet home course, with just those players 
 around you to whose criticisms the ear has be- 
 come so used, that they cease to make the 
 slightest impression. At such big gatherings 
 you can see for yourself the endless varieties of 
 style, grip, stance, and a dozen other details 
 which will go more towards teaching you how 
 you should or should not do this, or do that, than 
 many lessons and many chapters on the subject. 
 
304 GOLF. 
 
 To play a tight match in a championship, is 
 generally a doubtful pleasure. The severe strain 
 ot knowing that every stroke should be soundly 
 good, or at all events useful, the amount of care 
 that must be taken over the shortest putt, the 
 dogged determination that you will beat your 
 opponent, or if you do not quite succeed in this, 
 that you will only be beaten by the most nar- 
 row margin, and last but not least, the total 
 obliviousness to the crowd that may be follow- 
 ing the match ; all this self-possession cannot be 
 learned in a day or even in a few months. To 
 attain to such a level is a matter of test and 
 training. Before any of these big events, it is 
 as well to go and reside for a time in or near 
 the spot where the meeting is to be held, as 
 you will thus gain a thorough knowledge of 
 the course, lies, bunkers and greens, not for- 
 getting that most useful appendage, the caddie. 
 To secure a sharp boy, who knows every nook 
 and cranny of the links, will often mean half a 
 stroke a hole to the credit of your match or 
 score. 
 
 The most suitable and workmanlike clothes 
 for the game are a simple coat and skirt of 
 Harris tweed or other strong material, thick 
 
GOLF. 305 
 
 boots with a few nails in the soles to prevent 
 slipping, and a straw sailor hat by way of head 
 ■covering. Fly-away and feather-bedecked hats, 
 together with garden-party dresses, look, and 
 are, terribly out of place on a course, which in 
 this country, owing to the variable moods ot the 
 ■clerk of the weather, may not always be with- 
 out mud ! Many players wear red coats with 
 their club facings and buttons, and these always 
 look smart. Among them, and one which is 
 ■quite the neatest of all club uniforms, is that of 
 the Wimbledon Ladies' Club — a coat, with 
 black collar and cuffs, outlined with a piping of 
 white, the buttons being of black, with the 
 club initials in white on them. All clubs that 
 have the privilege ot calling themselves Royal 
 are entitled to facings of Royal blue. The 
 Littlestone ladies wear rather a smart coat with 
 white facings, round which are the narrowest of 
 narrow pipings in tri-coloured silk cord, of the 
 club colours, white, green and salmon pink. 
 Green facings are very popular, and are used by 
 the St. Anne's Ladies, the Mid-Surrey and many 
 others. Perhaps the only club with a member- 
 ship ot several hundred, which has no distinctive 
 coat is Princes, at Mitcham, but the charming 
 
3o6 GOLF, 
 
 mixture of chocolate and light blue, in the form 
 of hat ribbons and ties worn by the members, 
 makes rather a welcome change. 
 
 Going away to other links to play matches for 
 one's club is by no means the least of the minor 
 pleasures of being a golfer, for it carries one to 
 many " lands unknown." The fascinations, too, 
 of a new course are great and wonderful, espe- 
 cially during the first round when you are quite 
 ignorant of the pitfalls that await the unwary. 
 There is something so exhilarating in driving 
 over carries of unknown breadth, and in taking 
 one's iron to reach a blind, or hidden green, with 
 several sandy obstacles between you and it. 
 
 Of the five courses which have now been used 
 for the Ladies Golf Union's Annual Champion- 
 ship Meeting, that of Gullane, in 1897, was by 
 far the best and most dilhcult, Portrush being 
 next in order. But before enterino^ into further 
 details it may be as well to give just a brief out- 
 line of the said " Ladies' Golf Union " and its 
 origin. Early in 1H93, the idea of such an insti- 
 tution was started, Dr. Laidlow Purves, Miss 
 Issette Pearson and several Wimbledon members 
 being the moving spirits in the scheme, ably 
 backed up by such clubs as Ashdown Forest,, 
 

 MISS PASCOE. 
 
 [IVinner of the Champimi/up, l8y6.) 
 
GOLF. 309 
 
 Barnes, Eastbourne, East Sheen, Great Harrow- 
 den, Great Yarmouth, Lytham and St. Anne's, 
 Minchinhampton, North Berwick, North War- 
 wickshire, Portrush, Belfast, St. Andrew's, South- 
 down and Brighton, and Wimbledon. A large 
 and influential meeting was held in London 
 during the month of April, and it was then 
 decided that an annual championship should be 
 held, the winner of which was to receive a gold 
 medal and be styled Lady Champion for the 
 year, whilst a magnificent silver trophy was to 
 pass into the possession of her club for the same 
 period. Strangely enough the Lytham and St. 
 Anne's Club had already thought of, and in fact 
 advertised, a splendid ^^50 silver challenge cup, 
 to be competed for annually over their links, the 
 winner of which was to be styled champion. 
 
 This handsome offer had been made before the 
 golfing world was even aware that the subject of 
 a Ladies' Union had been mooted. After some 
 discussion the matter was amicably settled, by the 
 delegate from the St. Anne's Club and the coun- 
 cil, deciding to hold the first Championship over 
 that course. The subscribers towards the magni- 
 ficent cup include the clubs of St. Andrews, St. 
 Anne's, Ashdown Forest, Blackheath, Cotswold, 
 
3IO 
 
 GOLF. 
 
 Royal Belfast, Royal Eastbourne, Southdown and 
 Brighton, Minchinhampton, and Wimbledon. 
 The 13th of June and tJjree consecutive days 
 were chosen for the event, and the following 
 circular was issued to all the ladies' clubs through- 
 out the United Kingdom: 
 
 " The Ladies' Golf Union have decided that 
 the Ladies' Golf Championship Competition, 
 1893, open to all lady golfers, members of any 
 golf club, will take place at St. Anne's-on-the- 
 Sea, Lancashire, on Tuesday 13th, Wednesday 
 14th, Thursday 15th June, when the trophy, 
 value fifty guineas, and four medals will be com- 
 peted for under the following conditions : 
 
 1. Competitors shall enter for the competi- 
 tion through the secretaries of their respective 
 clubs. 
 
 2. The competition shall be played by holes 
 in accordance with the rules of the Lytham and 
 St, x^nne's Golt Club. 
 
 3. The draw shall take place on Friday, 
 9th June, and shall be conducted as follows : 
 
 Depending on the number of entries, such 
 number of byes shall be first drawn as shall 
 after the completion of the first round leave 
 four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two, or sixty- 
 
GOLF. 311 
 
 tour players, and one draw shall decide the 
 order of plav throughout the competition ; 
 those who have drawn byes being placed 
 at the head of the list of winners of the 
 first round, and taking their place in the 
 second round, in the order in which their 
 names then stand. 
 
 4. Each game shall consist of a round of 
 eighteen holes. 
 
 5. In the event of a tie in any round, com- 
 petitors shall continue to plav on until one or 
 other shall have gained a hole, when the match 
 shall be considered won. 
 
 6. The winner of the competition shall be 
 the champion lady golfer for the year, and the 
 trophy shall be held for that year in the club 
 trom which the winner shall have entered. 
 
 7. The winner shall receive a gold medal, 
 the second a silver medal, and the third and 
 and fourth bronze medals. 
 
 8. All entries must be subject to the approval 
 of the Lytham and St. Anne's Golf Club. 
 
 9. All disputes shall be settled by the Coun- 
 cil of the Lvtham and St. Anne's Golf Club. 
 
 10. Entries close Thursday, 8th June, 1893." 
 Truly perfect weather favoured the meeting, 
 
312 GOLF. 
 
 and some thirty-eight competitors entered, in- 
 cluding two members from the Pau club. The 
 drought that year had been exceptional, but the 
 "green committee," headed by Mr. T. H. Mil- 
 ler, had kept the greens verdant, thanks to con- 
 stant care and unlimited watering. The course 
 being one of nine holes, two rounds had to be 
 played. The chief hazards were " cops," or 
 high turf banks, sand bunkers, and one or two 
 ditches. 
 
 At that time, when ladies' golf had not reached 
 its present standard of excellence, the links ap- 
 peared sufficiently difficult for a championship 
 test, but now, when entries number a hundred 
 or so, and players think nothing ot a carry ot 
 140 yards, which will clear the great obstacles 
 easily, it becomes necessary to have a shortened 
 man's course for such events. Although at Gul- 
 lane, in 1897, ^^^^ ^'^^^ men's links were used, 
 the round ot which is two miles and three 
 quarters, with a tew yards over, at Littlestone, 
 in 1894, the course was not quite two miles and 
 a half long, whilst Portrush, in 1895, measured 
 only a few yards more than two miles and a 
 quarter; the Hoylake course, used in 1896, was 
 within a hundred and ten yards of two miles 
 
GOLF. 313 
 
 and three quarters. Great Yarmouth, which is 
 to be the scene of the present year's — 1898 — 
 struggle, is some three miles in extent, but will 
 doubtless be a trifle shortened, if it be in any 
 way possible. 
 
 Harking back to St. Anne's and the first 
 championship, it was a matter of surprise and 
 pleasure to witness the splendid play ot Lady 
 Margaret Scott, and the ease with which she 
 used her clubs, whether in a good, bad or indif- 
 ferent lie. It came in the light ot a revelation to 
 the non-goliing many, who were not used to such 
 a beautiful exhibition, and were not aware to 
 what pitch of perfection a lady-goiter might rise. 
 Whilst to the golfing few it was a fine lesson, on 
 the subject of how the game should and could be 
 played, if it was only properly engrafted into the 
 player from the beginning, and it proper pains 
 were taken not to leave the minutest detail un- 
 conquered. The only two who approached Lady 
 Margaret Scott in her easy swing, and the man- 
 ner in which she extricated herself from diffi- 
 culties, were Miss Issette Pearson, the energetic 
 and hard-working Honorary Secretary ot the 
 Golf Union, and Mrs. Wilson-Hoare, of West- 
 ward Ho ! The final issue of the great battle 
 
314 GOLF. 
 
 resulted in Lady Margaret becoming champion, 
 a title she held for three consecutive years, and 
 Miss Pearson being the runner-up. This first 
 championship was not without its fruits amongst 
 those who witnessed it. On all sides the tide of 
 ambition ran high to emulate even in a small 
 degree the splendid example that had been given, 
 which was the talk of the golfing world. So 
 much so, that by the spring of 1894, there was a 
 much improved band ready to struggle with each 
 other for the coveted title at Littlestone, Kent, 
 an ofi^-shoot of that charming and quaint cinque 
 port town. New Romney, which the continual 
 wash of shingle, and silt of the sands, has left a 
 mile and a half high and dry inland. 
 
 In comparison with St. Anne's, Littlestone was 
 three times more difficult. Not only was the 
 latter an eighteen hole course, but it fairly bristled 
 in sand bunkers, canals, rabbit holes, and endless 
 traps for the incautious. However, everyone had 
 profited by the previous experience, and the play 
 of most of the competitors called forth expres- 
 sions of approval on all sides. The number of 
 entries was sixty-four, including players from 
 seventeen different clubs. Ireland was unrepre- 
 sented this year, although at St. Anne's the pre- 
 
GOLF. 315 
 
 vious season there had been four entries trom the 
 Sister Isle. Lady Margaret Scott, and Miss 
 Pearson, again stood first and second, atter a very 
 fine match, which was watched attentively by a 
 large crowd from all the neighbouring golfing 
 centres. Following the championship in the 
 Autumn came the largely-attended and first open 
 meeting of the Ranelagh Club, at Barn Elms. 
 This was a huge success, thanks to the untiring 
 energies of the Committee, and Miss Pearson, so 
 much so that another gathering was organised 
 for the following April — 1895 — and since then 
 this fixture has been kindly allowed to become 
 an annual event. 
 
 Early in the May of 1895 the enthusiastic 
 army of golfers was under weigh tor the quiet 
 little Irish town of Portrush, the scene of both 
 the Irish and the English Championships that 
 year, the former preceding the latter by a tew 
 days. The bustle and excitement in the streets 
 of the little town was great, and outside cars 
 came tearing round the perilously sharp corners, 
 laden with red-coated golfers either off to watch 
 the semi-finals of the Irish ladies, or else to sample 
 the truly grand course on their own account. 
 Every train too brought in tresh relays of 
 
3i6 . GOLF. 
 
 competitors, till the huge Northern Counties 
 Hotel had not a corner untenanted. 
 
 The trophy of the Irish Ladies' Golf Union, 
 which is a remarkably handsome worked silver 
 bowl, had, after a good fight, together with much 
 steady play, including some glorious long putts, 
 been won by Miss Cox, Miss Maclaine being the 
 runner up. An open meeting was held the day 
 before the Golf Union Championship, where 
 the scratch prize was easily won, with the fine 
 score of 89, by Miss Sybil Wigham, the first 
 Scotch representative to attend one ot these 
 events. Miss Wigham's style was grand, being 
 both easy and sure, and she proved herself equal 
 to sending terrific long balls from any lie. It was 
 much hoped that she and Lady Margaret might 
 meet in one of the heats, but being unused to 
 play before so large a crowd. Miss Wigham's 
 nerve rather gave way in her match with Miss 
 Dod, and she suff^ered defeat by two up and one 
 to play. Two of the finest matches ot this 
 championship were those between Lady Mar- 
 garet Scott and Miss Phillips, in the opening 
 heat, and between Lady Margaret and Mrs. 
 Ryder-Richardson in the semi-final, wherein the 
 latter player was four up at the eleventh hole to 
 
LADT MARGARET HAMILTON-RVSSELL. 
 
 {IVinner of the ChatriMoiuhif, 1893, 1894, and 1895 ] 
 
GOLF. 3 1 9 
 
 the champion, who atter this gradually assumed 
 the lead, and won in the end by two up. 
 
 Perhaps the marvellous coolness and selt-pos- 
 session of Lady Margaret were never seen to 
 better advantage than in this match. The course 
 at Portrush seemed to abound in bunkers at every 
 conceivable and inconceivable corner. The greens 
 were in excellent condition, and the whole links 
 sporting as anyone could wish to play over. If 
 anything the soil was a trifle too sandy, tor it 
 was dangerous to take the least scrap of turt with 
 one's brassey or iron, for fear of a foozle. The 
 end of the meeting found Lady Margaret for the 
 third time champion, with Miss Lythgoe, ot the 
 St. Anne's Club, as Silver medallist. 
 
 The 1896 championship meeting, at Hoylake, 
 w^as remarkable for the number of very close 
 matches, many of which were only decided on 
 the eighteenth, nineteenth, or twentieth greens. 
 Miss Pascoe ultimatelv became the winner atter 
 many hard tussles, with Miss Lena Thompson, of 
 Wimbledon, as runner up. Lady Margaret Scott 
 not being among the eighty-two entrants. It was 
 noticeable what an improvement in all parts of 
 the game had taken place within the last three 
 years, many of those who had witnessed the St. 
 
320 GOLF.. 
 
 Anne's Championship being present, and stating 
 this as their opinion. In the length ot the te^ 
 shots and brassies, in getting out ot difficulties, 
 and in putting, the improvement was everywhere 
 visible. The first visit of the Union to the home 
 of Golf, viz., Scotland, took place in the middle 
 of May, 1897, when Gullane, on the East Lothian 
 coast, was the place of Meeting. Gullane is famed 
 not only for the excellence of its links and the 
 very superior quality ot its turf at the present 
 time, but in early years it was a great Pictish 
 burial place, and the ruins of an ancient church, 
 dating from about 1 170, still stands in the middle 
 of the village. In after years it was known as 
 the birthplace of the celebrated racehorse, Blair 
 Athol^ as well as of several minor lights of the 
 racing world. Gullane indeed is a spot of many 
 varied interests. 
 
 The links are most sporting, and it is altogether 
 a splendid course for a big event like the cham- 
 pionship. The only regret murmured — and that 
 but faintly — was that some would have liked 
 more hazards to carry from the tee, as is the 
 case at North Berwick. However, this want 
 was well atoned for by the manner in which 
 the greens were guarded, a style ot detence that 
 
GOLF. 321 
 
 would do credit to a first-class engineer, and 
 which taxed the powers of approaching not a 
 little. Especially was this the case at the 
 twelfth, fourteenth, fifteenth, sixteenth, and 
 seventeenth holes, where grief unlimited awaited 
 the topped or foozled ball. Starting with the 
 record entry of one hundred and two competi- 
 tors, the whole meeting, if one excepts the 
 weather, was an unqualified success. For the 
 first time, the Scotch and English women- 
 players met to do battle for the same trophy, 
 but it was to be regretted that in so many in- 
 stances the draw had coupled two very strong 
 scratch players together, or in the same way put 
 English players to do battle with each other, 
 when it would have been both so much more 
 exciting and interesting to have found them 
 pitted North against South. In the first round 
 two of the best matches were those between Miss 
 Pascoe — the holder of the cup — and Miss Issette 
 Pearson, and between Miss N. Graham — the 
 Irish Champion — and Miss Nevill, the holder of 
 the Midland Counties Championship. Miss 
 Pearson, who gave one ot the finest exhibitions 
 of golf that she has ever shown, won after a hard 
 fight by four up and three to play. Miss Pascoe 
 
322 
 
 GOLF. 
 
 too made some magnificent shots, but she cer- 
 tainly did not display the same deadly accuracy 
 which characterised her game so much at Hoy- 
 lake, in the previous year (1896). However 
 such thorough knowledge of the game was shown 
 on both sides, that some of the old Scotchmen in 
 the crowd were heard to exclaim, " Hoot, mon ! 
 This is fair golf, and worth coming to see." 
 
 The match between Miss Nevill and Miss N. 
 Graham was even closer, the latter losing only 
 at the last hole. In the next round the matches 
 of Miss Maud Aitchison v. Miss G. Graham, 
 Miss A. L. Orr -i;. Miss Frith, and Miss A. 
 Maxwell v. Miss M. R. Nimmo, attracted the 
 most attention, and in each case were won by the 
 first-named player. Round number three con- 
 tained many more tight matches, especially those 
 between Miss Titterton and Miss Maud Aitch- 
 ison, which was carried to the twenty-second 
 hole. Miss Titterton winning ultimately. Whilst 
 Mrs. Edward Smith beat Miss N. Haig, the 
 Yorkshire champion, only at the twenty-first 
 hole. Miss Bertha Thomson beat Miss Lugton 
 at the nineteenth green, and Miss Dod only suc- 
 cumbed to Miss Blyth on the last green. The 
 fourth round was not marked by any special 
 
GOLF. 323 
 
 feature, although all the matches were well con- 
 tested. But the fifth heat had some grand fights, 
 notably those of Miss Titterton and Miss Made- 
 line Campbell, which only finished on the eigh- 
 teenth green, and Miss Kennedy and Miss Nevill, 
 which was another display of real golf soundly 
 well played. Miss Nevill losing by two holes 
 only. The sixth and semi-final round was indeed 
 exciting, Miss Kennedy playing a magnificent 
 match against Miss Orr. The play on both sides 
 was bold, free, and accurate, Miss Kennedy's 
 shots from the tee and through the green were 
 brilliant, especially so at the sixteenth hole from 
 whence she reached the green in two, a distance 
 of 314 yards from the tee. It was in putting 
 alone that she lost to her formidable and well- 
 known North Berwick opponent. Miss E. C. 
 Orr, who was playing a most beautiful and 
 steady game, downed Miss Titterton by two up 
 after a fine match. The final between the two 
 Miss Orr's was a good exhibition of steady golf, 
 but Miss E. C. Orr out-played her sister some- 
 what easily, her shots all through being beauti- 
 fully judged, especially the full iron shots or half 
 iron approaches, which never tailed to be within 
 a putt of the hole. Indeed it was in these shots 
 
324 
 
 GOLF. 
 
 that she obtained such an immense pull over her 
 opponents throughout the whole of the meeting, 
 and one mio-ht with advantage take a lesson from 
 her in this most useful and necessary department 
 of the game, for it is undoubtedly in approaching 
 and putting that so many of us fail. There is 
 nothing very hard in hitting a good long drive 
 or brassey shot, but when it comes to pitching 
 the ball perfectly accurately on to the green, so 
 that it may be within a putt's length of the hole, 
 or at the outside within two such strokes, then it 
 is that we seem to be " all over the place." Per- 
 haps once or twice during the round, we may lay 
 an approach or two fairly dead, but to do this 
 consistently for eighteen holes we cannot, and it 
 was here that Miss E. C. Orr and several other 
 Scotch ladies, scored heavily. 
 
 The competitions that are held at many open 
 meetings for " approach shots," generally result 
 in anybody but the scratch players being the 
 winners, and show that this branch of the game 
 is neglected by many good players. Somehow 
 far less pains are taken about this kind of shot, 
 than for the drive. Notice before the drive, how 
 the player will fuss about the height of her tee, 
 the position of her feet, the waggle and swing of 
 
GOLF. 325 
 
 the club, then notice the same player on nearing 
 the hole, when she takes up her iron or mashie. 
 Just a glance at the hole, then a quick hit and 
 the ball lights somewhere on the green, perhaps 
 with such a run that it is nearly as far off on the 
 other side as it was on this side, before the stroke 
 was played. No pains as to position, stance and 
 anele of the club-head are taken ; an iron shot 
 
 o 
 
 in the direction of the green being the stroke 
 played, instead of an approach shot at the hole., 
 which just makes all the difference. Putting, too, 
 is much more natural to some people than to 
 others, but it is surely within the power ot every- 
 one to improve themselves in this useful science. 
 
 It is after closely watching such a display of 
 the game as we saw at the Championship meet- 
 ino; at Gullane, that one feels how much we 
 might improve in our game by simply taking a 
 little ordinary and common care. 
 
 The lengths of the holes at Gullane were 
 about as follows: 1st, 300 vards ; 2nd, 251 ; 
 3rd, 211 ; 4th, 353 ; 5th, 313 ; 6th, 252 ; 7th, 
 347; 8th, 304; 9th, 249; loth, 353; nth, 
 153; I2th, i^y^ ; 13th, 189, 14th, 160; 15th, 
 244; 1 6th, 314; 17th, 309; I 8th, 306. Lengths 
 that required every variety ot shot, together with 
 
326 GOLF. 
 
 uphill and downhill lies innumerable, but as was 
 mentioned a page or two back, the feature of 
 the course lay in the grandly-guarded greens, 
 where the consistent approacher had all the 
 best of the game, and time besides to cogitate 
 on the niblic shots of her less consistent oppo- 
 nent. 
 
 Besides arranging the annual championship, 
 and settling any questions or difficulties re- 
 lating to golf, the Ladies' Golf Union under- 
 took to organize a matter that had tor years 
 shown itself in need of revision. The Union 
 started the "handicapping scheme" among its 
 associated clubs, in order that in crowded open 
 meetings, the committee chosen to arrange the 
 handicaps, should have some basis to work upon. 
 It is a delicate matter to settle the points that 
 one player shall concede to another, and till then 
 this had been more or less guess-work, excepting 
 for such little guidance as the local handicaps 
 provided. The scheme is now in full working 
 order, with a special sub-committee to guard over 
 its interests, of which Miss Pearson is in com- 
 mand. This committee consists of tour other 
 ladies, to each of whom is portioned out six or 
 eight clubs, and whose duty it is to work out 
 
GOLF. 327 
 
 by averaging the scores returned, what handicap 
 each member ot these several clubs shall receive, 
 in accordance with the fixed par of the green, 
 also to lower the various allowances when the 
 players return scores under those from which thev 
 are already handicapped. Once a month the 
 whole ot the medal, or other stroke competition 
 returns are made up, and published in the golfing 
 papers. To stimulate interest in this scheme the 
 Golt Union offers a silver medal to every club, 
 to be won by the member returning the best 
 aggregate ot tour nett scores under their handi- 
 caps during the year, as well as a gold medal to 
 be competed for annually by the winners of the 
 silver medals. 
 
 The rules for the guidance of those who com- 
 pete, which will be tound on the notice board in 
 every associated club's golf room, run briefly as 
 tollows : 
 
 " I. Any member of a club belonging to the 
 Union, and desirous ot having a handicap for 
 this competition, must have returned two medal 
 scores, neither of which shall have exceeded the 
 par of the green, as fixed by the Union by more 
 than twenty-five strokes. A member having a 
 handicap in one club shall receive the same 
 
328 GOLF. 
 
 handicap at all clubs to which she may belong, 
 when playing for the Union medals, such handicap 
 to be the lowest she shall receive at any one club. 
 
 2. Each Honorary Secretary will receive 
 monthly a form with Members' Union Handi- 
 cap, on which she shall enter the medal scores 
 and return the sheet directly to one of the mem- 
 bers of the sub-committee. 
 
 3. The par of the green is fixed from details 
 sent by each club to the Ladies' Golf Union 
 Hon. Secretary, and all competitions for the 
 medals must be played on the full medal course, 
 but if circumstances such as ground under repair, 
 etc., prevent this, a note must be made, and the 
 difference explained when sending in the scores 
 to the sub-committee." 
 
 But a most able article on this subject from 
 the pen of Miss Pearson will be found in volume 
 four of the hadies' Golf Union Annual. A neat 
 little shilling publication, which not only con- 
 tains a splendid map of the Gullane Golt course, 
 but much useful information as to the associated 
 clubs and their members throughout England. 
 
 Golf has done much for many branches of 
 trade, giving them a stimulus in out of the way 
 corners. The revival of trade, indeed, that 
 
ReinhoLi Thiele an.i Co. 
 
 Chancery Lane, 
 
 MISS ISSETTE PEARSON. 
 
 [Hon. Secretary LaJies' Golf Union,, 
 
GOLF. 331 
 
 marks the opening of golf links, falls little short 
 of a species of colonizing, resuscitating as it does 
 decayed towns and villages, in which the game 
 has fanned the almost extinct embers of industry 
 into a glowing liame. While the men find work 
 on the course, the boys have employment as cad- 
 dies, or the sharper ones get a berth in the club 
 maker's shop, whilst the players who come and 
 go every day in the year, cause the hearts of the 
 local butchers, bakers, and grocers to rejoice. In 
 Kent alone, such old places as Sandwich, Deal, 
 New Romney and Rye, some of them famous in 
 the by-gone days of the Cinque Ports splendour, 
 owe a great deal in these bad times to the royal 
 and ancient game. The membership of their 
 respective golf clubs, number about as follows : 
 Sandwich, 650 ; Deal, between 300 and 500 ; 
 Littlestone, 500 ; and Rye, 270 ; and some of 
 these players at least, must visit one or other of 
 the courses, and spend a certain amount of money 
 in the place. New hotels and houses become 
 necessities in the neighbourhood, and the old 
 inns, too, have to look to their laurels that they 
 keep up to date, and are well stocked with food, 
 for the golfer's appetite is not renowned by 
 reason of its smallness. 
 
332 GOLF. 
 
 In the " upkeep " of the links there are many 
 and heavy expenses to be taken into account by 
 the authorities, but clubs can generally amply 
 recoup not only by subscriptions and entrance 
 fees, but by that certain source of revenue, the 
 green fees of visitors, provided of course the links 
 are fairly sporting and well kept. Taken all 
 round, the number of green keepers and men em- 
 ploved on the various courses throughout the 
 country, would alone make a respectable-sized 
 army. Then the industries in club and ball- 
 making should be considered, and the thousands 
 and thousands of dozens of the latter that are sold 
 annuallv. In a recent number of Golf it was 
 stated that some live hundred tons of gutta- 
 percha are, within twelve months, converted into 
 balls alone ! To quote the paragraph on the 
 subject : " The material is sold at four shillings 
 and sixpence or hve shillings per pound, but 
 adding the cost entailed in producing good well- 
 seasoned balls from the raw material, we find 
 that there is an outlay approximately ot ^500,000 
 a vear with manufacture and sale of golt balls. 
 A fact like this tells not only a vivid story ot the 
 growth and popularity of the game, but ot the 
 commercial importance of the golt-ball trade." 
 
GOLF. 333 
 
 Of course balls are at their best from six to 
 nine months after being finished, but for a year 
 or more they do not deteriorate to any great ex- 
 tent. The weight usually played with, is 27 or 
 27^ drams. Of different kinds there are no end, 
 some people pinning their faith to " Meltorts," 
 others to " Woodley Flyers," and so on, but very 
 satisfactory makes are the "Black A.i.," the 
 " Silvertown," or the " Eureka." Recently the 
 " Agrippa " balls have been highly spoken of^ 
 and it is undeniable that even a gale of wind 
 does not very perceptibly upset their flight, if 
 they are struck true. 
 
 Having now touched on most of the subjects 
 to do with the technical part of the game, it may 
 be of interest to add a few more words on links 
 and players generally, but before doing so, let 
 it be said again, that golf is not a game that can 
 be grasped or learned in a week, or yet in a year, 
 but it requires steady perseverance for a very long 
 period. If at any time you are off the game 
 thoroughly, it is much better to go to a good 
 professional, who will quickly put you on the 
 right road again. In so doing you will avoid any 
 chance of picking up bad habits, in your efforts 
 to make the ball speed on its journey as it should. 
 
334 GOLF. 
 
 Of Ladies' courses, that of the West Lanca- 
 shire will take a great deal of beating, for reasons 
 that have been already stated. A course of eigh- 
 teen holes, heaps of elbow room, and with a large 
 and splendidly planned club house, in which a 
 daily bill of fare is always to be found — the last, 
 by the way, not met with every day in a ladies' 
 club house — there is little left to desire. To Mrs. 
 Alsop and her able committee the visitors at the 
 last open meeting, which was held just before 
 the Hoylake ladies' championship in 1896, were 
 greatly indebted. Not a hitch occurred in the 
 starting of any of the seventy-eight competitors. 
 It was on this course too that the Southern ladies, 
 when on their Northern tour, in September of 
 1895, sustained their first and only defeat. The 
 West Lancashire Club can boast of one of the 
 strongest match teams that it is possible to place 
 in the field, seeing that it contains the names of 
 Miss Kennedy- -holder of the record with a score 
 of yj — Mrs. Ryder-Richardson, Miss Young, 
 Miss Carr — a bronze medallist of the first cham- 
 pionship — Miss Welch, Mrs. Fowler, and other 
 scratch players. The next eighteen hole course 
 is just south of London, at Mitcham, viz., that 
 of the Princes Ladies', one of the most delightful 
 
Brown, BarkeSy and Bell. 
 
 Liverf'Qol, 
 
 MISS EMMA KENNEDT, 
 
 (Bronxe Mednllist, 1897.) 
 
GOLF. 337 
 
 spots near London possible to find one's self de- 
 trained for a day's golf The holes on these 
 links vary in length from a full mashie shot to a 
 distance that will require two or three strokes to 
 reach the o:reen. The chief hazards are dykes, 
 eorse bushes, rushes, railways and turt bunkers, 
 the trenches of which appear to be amply filled 
 with sand. The putting greens are very good, 
 especially the last seven holes, the other eleven 
 being still rather in their infancy, as they were 
 only opened in May, 1897. The eighteen hole 
 record of 83, is held by Miss Phillips. A very 
 attractive object of competition at this club, is 
 the monthly medal, a unique little gold charm 
 mounted as a brooch. Twice a year, in May 
 and November, the club holds most successful 
 open meetings. Indeed for the last Spring event, 
 that of 1897, the record entry of 106 was re- 
 ceived, and at the forthcoming Spring meeting, 
 a challenge cup is advertised to be competed tor 
 annually by representatives of all counties in 
 Great Britain and Ireland, one year's residential 
 qualification being necessary. For this event any 
 number of players are permitted to enter tor each 
 county, and the cup is to be held for a year by 
 the county returning the four best medal rounds 
 
338 GOLF. 
 
 for thirty-six holes. Miss Langley is the un- 
 tiring secretary and prime mover in all matters, 
 connected with the welfare of the club. In tact 
 it is mainly due to her unrelaxed exertions, that 
 the new piece of ground for the eleven holes was- 
 obtained, and worked into the excellent state 
 that it now is. 
 
 Still another course of eighteen holes is that 
 of the County Down Club in Ireland, where play 
 is over part of the famous Newcastle links, some 
 three miles round. The " Bogey " and scratch 
 score of these links is loo, and this has only been 
 approached by Miss Maclaine, who has com- 
 pleted the course in 102. The hazards are prin- 
 cipally of the lofty sand hill order. 465 yards- 
 is the length of the longest hole, 448, 367, 325,. 
 to 93 yards, being about the lengths ot the others. 
 The p-reens are mai^-nificent, and the turf is of 
 the proverbial billiard cloth smoothness. Miss 
 N. Graham, the champion of Ireland, hails from 
 this club, which may justly be proud of such an 
 able representative. A little further north, is the 
 coures of the Royal Portrush Ladies', another 
 sporting eighteen holes. This club is presided over 
 by Mrs. J. M. McCalmont, and contains among, 
 its members Miss Cox, the ex-Irish champion. 
 
Jlemhi 
 
 Belfast. 
 
 MISS N. GRAHAM. 
 
 [Irish Champion, 1896 an I 1897.) 
 
1 
 
GOLF. 341 
 
 Crossing over to Scotland, we find only putting 
 courses at St. Andrews and at Carnoustie. But 
 at Troon, Musselburgh, North Berwick, Edin- 
 burgh, Aberdeen, Machrihanish (eighteen holes), 
 Prestwich, St. Nicholas, Dumfries, Elie and 
 Earlsferry, Bridge of Weir, and Ranfurly, etc., 
 etc., there are some fine links with perfect greens 
 and most trying hazards. Returning once more 
 to the South country, we have a splendid long 
 eighteen-hole course at Woking, where one gets 
 every variety of hazard and lie imaginable. The 
 Wimbledon Ladies' course too is most trying, 
 thanks (!) to the conservators of the common, 
 who have caused tarred circles to be daubed out- 
 side all the gorse bushes, so that when the player 
 finds herself within one of these charmed rings, 
 she is bound to drop and lose a stroke. Flints 
 too are rather prevalent, causing havoc to one's 
 iron clubs. The eighteen, and nine-hole records 
 of the green are both held by Miss Pearson, the 
 former with 68, the latter in 31, the holes vary- 
 ing in length between 100 to 190 yards. 
 
 For links that are of a lawn-like smoothness, 
 excepting for the bunkers, Eltham has no rival, 
 and some pretty iron shots are to be had there. 
 At Eastbourne the holes differ in length from two 
 
342 GOLF. 
 
 hundred and twenty, to one hundred and fifteen 
 yards, and the hazards consist of turf bunkers and 
 hurdles. The record, held by Miss M. E. Phil- 
 lips, is 69. One of the nicest short inland courses 
 on the South coast is that of the Brighton and 
 Hove Ladies' at the Dyke, the record for which 
 is yi^. Gorse bushes are the principal hazards, 
 but it is a course where good play is always 
 soundly rewarded. Being on down turf, the 
 greens are always excellent, though perhaps a 
 trifle small. Not many miles away from the 
 latter course is that of Ashdown Forest, a very 
 tricky green abounding in heather. In fact, when 
 on the long course, what with the fir trees scat- 
 tered here and there, the burns and the heather 
 stretching tor miles on every side, you can imagine 
 yourself anywhere but in the heart of Sussex. 
 Seaford is another very short ladies' course, which 
 is yet splendid practice for iron and mashie shots. 
 Miss Gilroy holds the record with 62. The long 
 course there is very taking, especially for anyone 
 who drives a long raking ball both ofif^" the tee 
 and through the green. A very successful open 
 meeting was by kind permission of the gentlemen's 
 committee held over the latter course in Septem- 
 ber, 1897, there being forty-two entries. 
 
GOLF. 343 
 
 Of all courses though, where accurate iron and 
 mashie shots tell, the Hoylake Ladies' links at 
 the Dale, take any amount of beating. With 
 holes varying in length from 60 to 166 yards, it 
 is the most delightful practice course tor short 
 shots that can be well imagined. Mrs. Ryder 
 Richardson holds the record with 63. The 
 Hastings and the Bexhill ladies both play over 
 part of the gentlemen's courses, there being plenty 
 of scope for brassey and cleek shots through the 
 green. Chorley Wood, Richmond, Barham 
 Downs, Folkestone, Lelant, Cheltenham, Chester, 
 Malvern, and Rhyl are all courses of some length, 
 and in playing over which most of one's clubs 
 are called into use. 
 
 Of links abroad, there are some eleven clubs 
 in Australia, eleven in New Zealand, including 
 four ladies' clubs, five in the Straits Settlements, 
 twenty-four in India, twenty-one in Canada, tour 
 in the West Indies, one hundred and fourteen in 
 the United States, where the game may be fairly 
 said to have " caught on," and fifteen clubs in 
 South Africa, besides links at Malta, in Egypt, 
 Cyprus, Algeria, Arabia, Ceylon, China, Tasma- 
 nia, Mauritius, Canary Islands, and nearer home 
 in Belgium, Holland, Germany, Sweden, Swit- 
 
344 GOLF. 
 
 zerland, Italy, and last but not least France, wher 
 we find fourteen clubs, most of them largely 
 patronized by the leading players from Scotland, 
 England and Ireland during the winter months. 
 Of all the colonies, New Zealand and Australia 
 are said to be the keenest over golf, so far as ladies 
 are concerned, and in both these countries they 
 have even instituted an annual Ladies' Champion- 
 ship, thus following the lead of the mother coun- 
 try. As to the American ladies, they are in- 
 tensely keen over the game and spare no pains to 
 become proficient in it, their annual woman's 
 championship being a very large gathering. This 
 tournament is played upon the lines of the men's 
 amateur championship, but only the eight lowest 
 scores qualify in the medal round, and the final 
 round, as in this country, is only eighteen holes, 
 the thirty-six hole test being considered too tedi- 
 ous for a woman. Between thirty and forty 
 players usually enter; Miss Hayt, Mrs. Turnure, 
 Mrs. Shippen, Miss F. C. Griscon, and Miss 
 Sands appear to be some who play from scratch, 
 and before long we shall hope to welcome some 
 of these cousins from over the " Herring Pond " 
 to one of our annual championships. 
 
 Recently, in America, a golf school has been 
 
GOLF. ' 345 
 
 started, in a large and well-lighted drill hall, 
 where the game can be taught by the hour. The 
 windows in the hall are protected bv netting, and 
 on the floor is a large square of rubber, trom off 
 which drives, brasseys, and iron shots can be 
 practised. Many other clever devices for learn- 
 ing the game and gaining accuracy are also in 
 force in this school. 
 
 Local championships are now established in 
 some of our counties, those of Yorkshire and the 
 Midlands being the biggest events. A real golf 
 treat on the south coast is a day at Sandwich or 
 Deal, preferably the former, the St. Andrews of 
 the south, where the carries are indeed as big as 
 one could wish for, especially at the third hole, 
 or " Unknown Sahara," as the huge sandy desert 
 of a bunker confronting the tee is called. Again 
 at the sixth hole, or " The Maiden," as its world- 
 renowned name is, a gigantic bunker some forty 
 feet high, which grows on its steep side a pro- 
 lific crop of rough bent rushy grass, gives full 
 scope to your powers be they what they may. 
 " Hades," too, is a hole that requires a very well 
 hit ball to carry the surrounding troubles, and 
 numbers nine, fourteen, and seventeen are all 
 holes where long drivers get a tremendous ad- 
 
346 GOLF. 
 
 vantage. At the same time, one finds at Sand- 
 wich a Hne marked out by blue guide flags, in 
 the following of which the rather shorter driver 
 will not be so severely punished. The total 
 leno-th of the course is some six thousand odd 
 yards, the longest hole being about four hundred 
 and eighty yards, and the shortest about one 
 hundred and eighty yards. The Gentleman's 
 Amateur Championship was held over this 
 course in 1896, when Mr. Tait won, after some 
 splendid fights with Mr. C. Hutchings, Mr. 
 J. E. Laidley, Mr. J. Ball, junior, Mr. Horace 
 Hutchinson, and finally with Mr. H. Hilton. 
 Amongst the lady-players there are many dozen 
 who might well claim notice, but space being 
 limited it is only possible to refer to a few of the 
 best known. Lady Margaret Hamilton-Russell, 
 Miss Pascoe, Miss E. C. Orr, and Miss Issette 
 Pearson have already been mentioned. But to 
 give the honour to Scotland, at Prestwich Miss 
 Sybil Whigham reigns supreme, with her splen- 
 did long raking drives and iron shots. This 
 player takes a full easy swing, using her shoulders 
 well, and turning but very slightly upon the lett 
 toe in driving. In the matter of getting out ot 
 bunkers, she is especiallv adept. From Dum- 
 
GOLF. 347 
 
 fries hails Miss A. Maxwell, another grand player, 
 but one who has the half swing only, with a 
 peculiar action of the left foot at the moment of 
 driving. Mrs. Murray, of the Torwoodlee club, 
 was one of the best " all-round " players in the 
 recent Gullane Championship, her approaching 
 and putting being nothing short of grand. Miss 
 Blanche Anderson and Miss Madeline Campbell 
 of North Berwick, are both shining lights in that 
 club which is so rich in golfing talent. Miss 
 Campbell's handling of her clubs being specially 
 taking. But turning more Southwards, at Win- 
 dermere, Miss Bownass, with her fine drives and 
 approach shots, can hold her own on that very 
 undulating course. Twice she has accomplished 
 the rather difficult eighteen holes in eighty-nine 
 strokes. In Lancashire, we find Mrs. Ryder 
 Richardson, whose play is too well known to 
 need a description. Besides taking endless prizes 
 in the North, including the Isle of Man, Mrs. 
 Richardson performed a marvellous teat at Ran- 
 elagh, in April of 1897, ^7 doing that somewhat 
 tricky course in seventy-nine strokes, the record 
 for a woman. In North Wales, Miss Kennedy 
 keeps up the golf reputation, but her recent 
 doings at Gullane have already been discussed. 
 
348 GOLF. 
 
 In Worcestershire, Miss Nevill and Miss E. 
 Nevill carry all before them. Both splendid 
 drivers, they play a very bold game all through, 
 besides which bunkers and other difficulties hold 
 few terrors for them. At Cheltenham, on the 
 Cleeve Hill Common, Mrs. Aylmer and Miss 
 Johnson are formidable opponents. At West- 
 ward Ho ! we find Mrs. Wilson-Hoare, whose 
 game is as well known as it is admired. She has 
 a fine workman-like swing, both in driving and 
 brassey shots, and very few can touch her in 
 extricating herself from a difficult lie. On links 
 not far from London, we find such players as 
 Miss Phillips, Miss K. Walker, Mrs. Worssam, 
 Mrs. Willock, Miss Lena Thomson* and many 
 others, who are looked upon in the light ot 
 towers of streno-th in club matches, or team 
 competitions. 
 
 But here a word on Esprit-de-corps^ that most 
 essential qualification of all games, without which 
 no sport can be worthily pursued. In these days 
 of endless clubs, each containino; manv ot the 
 same members, the want is felt of some species 
 of rule, or at least an understanding, on the sub- 
 ject of the same member — whose name may be on 
 
 * Holder of the Championship, 1898. 
 
GOLF. 351 
 
 the books of several clubs — playing for or against 
 such clubs promiscuously. It there be real esprit- 
 iie-corps^ there can be but little doubt which club 
 really claims one's sympathy and interest, wdien 
 the inter-club match season is in tuU swing. 
 
 Yet another matter, is a word on the penalty 
 .stroke, namely, on dropping the ball, as put forth 
 in rule 39: 
 
 " In all cases where a ball is to be dropped, 
 the party doing so shall front the hole to which 
 he is playing, standing behind the hazard and 
 dropping the ball behind him from his head." 
 
 So many women throw the ball oyer the head, 
 or else stand partly round and drop it with a kind 
 of jerk oyer the shoulder, turning the head at the 
 same time, so as to watch the place where it is 
 desired the ball should alight. Instead of doing 
 this, you should step back a tew paces in the 
 exact line in which the ball entered the hazard, 
 then stand erect, raise the hand oyer the head 
 and drop the ball simply behind you. Ot the 
 Stymie, let it be said, that as it always has been 
 a freak of the game, so let it continue to be. A 
 stymie, is when the opponent's ball is on the line 
 of your own putt. But though much is talked 
 of its abolition, yet as it has always been a case 
 
23^ 
 
 GOLF, 
 
 of " fortune's fickle smile upon the player," why 
 not let it remain so ? 
 
 Having gone somewhat lightly through the 
 various parts of the game of golf, it may not be 
 amiss to close with a few remarks taken from an 
 early volume of the Golf Annual^ and occurring 
 in an article written by Mr. John Thomson, 
 which sets forth the advantages of the game in 
 no mean manner. " Good games should benefit 
 both mind and body, and no game can stand this 
 test better than golf. To the mind it shows the 
 need of caution, courage, coolness, and many 
 other good qualities. Above all it teaches one 
 to keep the temper under due control in all cir- 
 cumstances and situations. Our royal game brings 
 out the strength and weakness of character both 
 in yourself and others, and gives an excellent 
 chance to study human nature. Some folks think 
 they can know a man from his face, his mode of 
 hand-shaking, or other such things, but if you 
 wish to look a fellow through and through, play 
 two or three stiff matches of golf with him. As 
 to the healthy nature of the game, it is surely 
 needless to say a word." 
 
 Here the writer quotes a favourable passage 
 from Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy^ closing his 
 
GOLF. 353 
 
 remarks with the words, "" All round we may 
 thus say our game promotes that greatest of all 
 blessings, sound mind and sound body." 
 
 A. W. M. Starkie-Bence. 
 
J^omhardt ani Co. 
 
 MRS. SPONG. 
 
 I J, Pa'l Mall East. 
 
CROQUET. 
 
 N Dr. Prior's " Notes on Croquet," pub- 
 lished in 1872, the origin of the game is 
 traced to Pele Mele, or Pall Mall, a game 
 played with mallet and balls as long ago 
 as 1 66 1, and written of by the celebrated Mr. 
 Pepys in his diary about that time. Pall mall 
 was played with long handled mallets,' with 
 small balls, on o^ravel, and with lono- swinein^ 
 
 ' o ' o o to 
 
 strokes, and appears to have much more resem- 
 bled golf than croquet ; but Dr. Prior writes of 
 a modified form of the game which only occupied 
 a narrow but smooth space of ground, and in 
 which two small arches and one iron peg were 
 employed, while the strokes were made with a 
 spoon-headed mallet, resembling the inace used 
 at billiards. 
 
 A hundred years later, a game bearing the 
 name croquet was played by the peasants of 
 Brittany, a rough pastime, detailed accounts of 
 which may be read in Mr. A. Lillie's work on 
 
2S^ CROaUET. 
 
 croquet published last year, or in Dr. Prior's 
 earlier book. The game, as first known in this 
 country, seems to have come from Ireland some- 
 where about 1857, when it was brought out by 
 Mr. Jaques as a social garden game ; a trivial 
 enough pastime from which gradually developed 
 the more interesting game ot the present day. It 
 was to Mr. Walter Jones Whitmore that the 
 first start of really scientific croquet is due, and 
 he it was who organised the first tournament in 
 1867, held at Evesham, when Mr. Whitmore 
 became the champion. In the following year, a 
 much larger tournament was held at Moreton-in- 
 the-Marsh, when the Championship fell to the 
 late Mr. W. H. Peel, whose interest in the game 
 never flagged, and to whose untiring exertions 
 much of the success of the present revival is due. 
 tie founded the present All-England Croquet 
 Association, two years ago, (1896), and became 
 its honorary secretary, his sadly sudden death last 
 October leaving a blank hard to fill. 
 
 In 1868, Mr. Whitmore got up the All- 
 England Croquet Club, and from this point the 
 tactics of the game became its prominent feature. 
 With the expulsion of tight croquet (viz., when 
 two balls were together, placing your foot on 
 
CROQUET. 359 
 
 your own ball to keep it in position, and hitting 
 it so as to send the other ball away), and the 
 introduction of the dead boundary, croquet be- 
 came a game more of the head than the hands, 
 the various positions in a game requiring per- 
 fectly different treatment according to the capa- 
 bilities of the antagonists. At this time, too, a 
 code of laws was drawn up by iMr. Whitmore 
 and a tew leading spirits, which in some respects 
 differed materially from the rules of to-day, nota- 
 bly in that requiring the side stroke. 
 
 From 1869, the date of the first Open Tourna- 
 ment, held on the All-England Club grounds, 
 at Wimbledon, till 1882, yearly matches were 
 played there tor the Championship and Challenge 
 Cup, and tor some years there was also a Ladies' 
 Championship contest, but either the extreme 
 narrowness ot the hoops, the large size ot the 
 grounds, or the necessity tor constant practice, so 
 reduced the number of competitors that these 
 matches were abandoned, and even the Gentle- 
 men's Championship tor three or tour years 
 practicallv dwindled down to a match between 
 two players (Mr. Bonham Carter and Mr. 
 Spong), till in 1882, the Cup having been finally 
 won by the latter, croquet became a thing of the 
 
360 cRoauEr. 
 
 past at Wimbledon. The club grounds were then 
 handed over to lawn-tennis players until 1896, 
 when a small body of enthusiastic croquet players 
 started the game afresh, and in a few weeks 
 several old players rallied round them, and one 
 or two small but successful meetings were held. 
 
 In the interval, croquet had not altogether 
 died out. At Brentwood, a small club had held 
 its meetings for some time, and at Maidstone, a 
 yearly tournament had taken place since 1894, 
 while players were to be found in the remote 
 village of Budleigh Salterton, and in the far west 
 of Somersetshire, Dr. Prior kept up a perfect 
 lawn, on which in former years most of the well- 
 known players had tried their skill. 
 
 To make a croquet lawn as perfect as possible, 
 it should be absolutely level, of line hill turf, not 
 mossy or intersected with plantains, and it possi- 
 ble there should be a layer of cinders or other 
 Ballast a few inches below the surface, as this 
 serves to drain it more quickly and also prevents 
 worms from working through. 
 
 The measurements now required are 35 by 28 
 yards, though until last year 40 by 30 yards was 
 considered a match ground. The boundaries 
 i^hould be marked by a chalk line, and at each 
 
CROaUET. 361 
 
 corner a white spot should be made exactly one 
 yard from each boundary, to mark the position 
 for replacing a corner ball, a matter ot much im- 
 portance in every game. The six hoop setting, 
 with 4-inch hoops and two stout pegs is univer- 
 sally adopted. The hoops are of round iron halt 
 an inch thich, square topped, and painted white. 
 No. I being generally a light blue to shew the 
 starting-point. They should be long enough 
 .=y ^ — ^ ^"~' to be driven 
 
 ^ / I quite nine in- 
 
 I .-^-P^ ----->-~ I J J 
 
 I /•' K ' around, and 
 
 ^ / ^N I stand the same 
 
 L/_5- -a— >--- - "^^^ - - -J-^-' distance above 
 
 it, and they are generally painted black in the 
 lower half to show when properly driven in. 
 Of the pegs, one should be plain white, the 
 other (the winning peg) painted with the four 
 colours, blue, red, black, yellow, in order, and 
 both should have small crossbars inserted on 
 which to place the clips. It is essential that 
 the balls should be in these plain colours, and it 
 would be well if the vendors of croquet imple- 
 ments would avoid the striped balls, so bewilder- 
 ing in sequence, and so much more difficult to 
 
362 CROQUET. 
 
 aim at. Every so-called set should be provided 
 with four iron clips, painted to match the balls, 
 which are used to indicate the position ot the 
 game, and are placed on the top of the hoops 
 in the first half, and on the sides in the return 
 journey. 
 
 In the matter of mallets every licence is given, 
 each player using the kind he likes best. The 
 weight of these varies from 2i to 3I lbs., and the 
 length of the head and shape is a matter of indi- 
 vidual fancy. Many well-known players keep a 
 variety of mallets and sometimes change the wea- 
 pon frequently in a game ; but for my own part 
 I believe in getting accustoired to one mallet and 
 sticking to it. The shapes are some ot them most 
 peculiar, and one of the old players for years used 
 a mallet head like a thick solid block with square 
 ends, while a player recently appeared with a 
 mallet head of extraordinary length, and some- 
 what resembling the bottom of a rocking-chair. 
 Some mallets are sliced at the bottom, with the 
 idea that by this means the ball is hit more direct- 
 ly in the centre, and is not so liable to be topped. 
 Some again have a iiat brass plate attached at the 
 bottom for extra weight, ^ hile one lady plays 
 with a beautiful ivory mallet, long in the head 
 
CROaUET. 363 
 
 but of smaller diameter than the usual box-wood 
 ones. Heads of lignum vitas are also used, and 
 many players have india-rubber :f-inch thick 
 affixed to one end, by which means two balls can 
 be rolled together a distance ot nearly thirty yards 
 without any undue effort. This is a great boon 
 to lady players, as without the india-rubber a very 
 powerful following stroke is required, a hard hit 
 only separating the balls, the hinder or playing 
 ball rarely reaching halt the distance. 
 
 The manner of equalising in a competition is 
 by handicapping the strong players, who give 
 bisques, viz., one or more extra turns in each 
 game, which mav be taken at anv time in con- 
 tinuation of a break, but not more than one bisque 
 in the same turn. 
 
 The manner of holding the mallet and striking 
 varies in the hands of different players, Mr. C. E. 
 Willis the present Champion at Wimbledon and 
 at Maidstone being the finest example of a side 
 stroke player, as set forth by Mr. Whitmore and 
 and Mr. Peel, while Mr. Bonham Carter, Mr. 
 Spong, Capt. Drummond and many others con- 
 sider the aim much more certain with the tor- 
 ward position, a kind of pendulum stroke in which 
 the weight of the mallet tells more than any force 
 
364 , CROaUET. 
 
 used. Some of the most successful of the lady 
 players, too, use this method of striking, notably 
 Miss Maud Drummond (winner of the Ladies' 
 Gold Medal in 1896, and of the Wimbledon 
 Championship Badge in 1897) '^^^^^ Miss Elphin- 
 stone Stone (present holder of the Maidstone 
 Ladies' Cup), but Miss de Winton (Gold Medal- 
 list, 1897) '^^^^ ^^s. Wood adhere to the older 
 side stroke. 
 
 Since the early days of Croquet, when six or 
 eight players engaged in one game on a small 
 lawn, with hoops often wide enough for a child 
 to crawl through, and sometimes a cage and bell 
 occupying the centre of the ground, the game 
 has changed almost beyond recognition. Then 
 " tactics " were unknown, everybody's idea being 
 to go into position for the hoop their ball was 
 to pass through, and by tight croquet to send off 
 every adversary to the greatest possible distance. 
 Players thus disposed of were often required to 
 shoot back from a ground occupied by a second 
 set ot players, and a good long shot won more 
 applause than anything else in the game ; but 
 with the introduction of the dead boundary, the 
 game changed entirely. Rules were made, more 
 than 4 balls were never employed in a game, and 
 
CROaUET. 365 
 
 the terms " roquet," " dead ball," " live ball," 
 " pioneer," " break," " rush," &c., soon became 
 familiar words, a complete list ot these, with 
 detailed instructions for playing the game in a 
 scientific manner, are so admirably set forth in 
 Mr. Lillie's book, published last year, that in- 
 tending players will do well to study it, but the 
 meaning of a few of the terms may not be out ot 
 place here. 
 
 A " roquet " is made when the playing ball 
 strikes another ball ; after a " roquet," croquet 
 must be taken by placing the two balls together, 
 and either striking your own ball so that it 
 goes to some required point, only moving the 
 other ball a little, which is called taking two 
 off; or by sending each ball in a different direc- 
 tion (a splitting stroke) ; or again by rolling the 
 two balls together. In taking croquet, if either 
 ball touches the boundary line it is considered 
 dead, and the turn ceases. The " live ball " is 
 the next to play, and the "dead ball" is the 
 name given to the adversary's ball which has just 
 played. A ball is considered " in play," when in 
 its turn it has made a point and has still to con- 
 tinue its turn, but is "in hand" after making a 
 " roquet " until " croquet " is taken. " The 
 
3^6 CROQUET. 
 
 " rush " is a roquet sending the ball hit in some 
 desired direction. Thus in taking croquet, it is 
 otten advisable to get near another ball on some 
 particular side, to " rush " it into position for a 
 hoop, etc. The rush is one of the most telling 
 strokes in a game, but requires some practice, as 
 the ball must be struck low, with the mallet 
 held freely and pointed rather in an upward 
 direction. A ball hit at all on the top is apt to 
 jump, and indeed a leapfrog stroke which will 
 clear another ball and sometimes a hoop, is often 
 successfully carried out by the best players, when 
 their ball is blocked from the desired object. To 
 " wire " is to place the balls in such a position 
 that they are screened from the next player's 
 shot, by one or more hoops. Making a " point " 
 is the hoop or peg made in order. The " pioneer" 
 is the ball sent on to the hoop next but one in 
 order, to assist the playing ball at that point. 
 " Break " is the name given to a succession of 
 points made in the same turn. A "rover" is a 
 ball which has passed through all the hoops, and 
 only has to touch the winning peg. To " finesse " 
 is to play into a corner so that the dead ball 
 shall not be easily available to assist in the adver- 
 sary's game, and that the friendly ball may join 
 
CROaUET. 3^7 
 
 it when it's turn arrives. This is only done 
 when the opponents' two balls are together. 
 " Counter finesse " is for the adversary next play- 
 ing to send his partner's ball to join the dead 
 ball in the corner, thus preventing the others 
 o-etting toc^ether. To " peel " to put another 
 ball through its hoop by croquet. This stroke is 
 named after the late Mr. W. H. Peel, who was 
 particularly successful with it, and only last 
 autumn at a handicap meeting on the Wimble- 
 don grounds he won a game in which he "peeled" 
 his partner's ball through the four last hoops. 
 
 The option of beginning in a match falls to 
 the winner of the toss, who always elects to do 
 so, and by that means usually secures the first 
 break. In a partner match, however, the winner 
 of the toss often puts in the other side first, as it 
 is an advantage for the captain to play immedi- 
 ately before his strongest opponent. In starting 
 the ball is placed one foot from the first hoop, 
 in position for making that point. It has been 
 suggested that a change in this rule would be of 
 advantage. For instance, if each ball started 
 from a spot in the centre of the ground, it would 
 make a greater variety in the opening tactics. 
 
3^8 CROaUET. 
 
 One of the advantages of 
 croquet is its suitability to 
 players of all ages and to 
 those not in robust health, 
 as, unlike golf, it requires 
 no great physical strength. 
 People who would not be 
 able to walk miles across the 
 rough ground of the links, 
 exhilarating as this is to the 
 strong, can yet enjoy the 
 more gentle exercise on a level lawn. It is a 
 well-known fact in the croquet world that many 
 ot its players attribute their improved health to 
 the hours they have spent on the croquet lawn — 
 the late Rev. Mark Pattison, of Oxford, being 
 one of these, and the Rev. D. J. Heath another. 
 There is a charm, too, in the equal terms on 
 which men and women players can meet. I do 
 not say but what men as a rule are the better 
 players — -their constant practise at aiming at billi- 
 ards and other games giving them more accuracy 
 of aim — but setting this aside, there seems no 
 reason why women should not play equally well 
 with practice. Where they often fail doubtless 
 is in attempting too much. Not content with 
 
CROQUET. 369 
 
 leaving the dead ball with their partner's ball, 
 and laying its break by sending off the next 
 player and going to act pioneer at the partner's 
 hoop, it is said ot women especially, that they 
 often try a difficult hoop with the live ball, break 
 down and thus let the other side in, which with 
 the more cautious plan would have been avoided. 
 Again, croquet is a game in which success is by 
 no means a matter of mechanical skill alone, tor 
 in croquet, as in chess, the player must look ahead 
 not only for one move but must count on the 
 probability of the adversary's success or failure, 
 judging by the power already exhibited, and by 
 the state of the ground, etc. Thus it is often 
 good policy if the opponents' balls are together 
 in a corner on a fast dry lawn, not to risk a long 
 " take off" with a probability of going over the 
 boundary in an endeavour to separate them, but 
 for the player to roll his own and partner's ball 
 into another corner (if possible across the ground) 
 leaving a rush for the partner's ball towards the 
 adversaries, or to its own hoop, thus necessitating 
 the opponent trying the difficult take off with 
 hoops in the way, and the possibility of going 
 over the boundary or catching in a wire, etc. I 
 think, too, there is less of the element of " luck " 
 
370 CROaUET. 
 
 J) 
 
 in croquet than in mauy games, though of course 
 we are all apt to cavil at our bad fortune now and 
 then. 
 
 The present condition ot croquet may be con- 
 sidered as encouraging. Its popularity has re- 
 vived very rapidly, though it is only from the 
 Southern and one or two of the Midland 
 Counties that we have as yet met players of any 
 prominence. In Scotland, it is true, there has 
 long been a championship meeting held at Mot- 
 fat, where Mr. and Mrs. Macfie, of Borthwick 
 Hall, Midlothian, are among its most liberal 
 supporters. We have had one or two Irish 
 players at the recent Wimbledon meetings, and 
 I hear that in County Down the game is much 
 played. Croquet lawns are, indeed, set out at 
 the fashionable Social Clubs of Hurlingham and 
 Ranelagh, but alas, the game and its requirements 
 are little understood there. A well-organised 
 tournament on the picturesque grounds of the 
 latter club, at Barn Elms, in the height of the 
 season, might do much to spread its popularity, 
 for the laro:e tournament at Eastbourne last 
 autumn, showed a marked increase in spectators, 
 who displayed some knowledge ot the tactics of 
 the game, and the keenest interest in the con- 
 
CROQUET. 
 
 37 
 
 tests. Another interesting feature of each season 
 would be inter-county matches. Devonshire, 
 Gloucestershire, Sussex, Hertfordshire, Middle- 
 :sex, Northamptonshire, Bucks., &c., all furnish 
 
 some strong players, and re- 
 presentative fours might be 
 selected, and gentlemen's 
 ^^^ /fc M doubles, ladies' doubles, and 
 
 ^^A WS^ mixed doubles might be ar- 
 
 ^ — ^ ^ ranged, as well as, of course, 
 
 single matches. Monthly 
 Club Handicaps, too, we 
 hope to see at Wimbledon, 
 and there are rumours of an 
 International Tournament 
 with a strono- contino-ent of 
 American players, with whom the game is popu- 
 lar, though it is hardlv played on the same lines 
 as in England. 
 
 It is contended against croquet that the games 
 are too long, and certainly, with some over- 
 cautious players, a close match becomes a verv 
 tedious thing. To obviate this difficulty, in all 
 handicap matches in the big tournaments last 
 year, time games were resorted to, an hour-and- 
 a-half being generally the allowance for each 
 
372 CROQUET, 
 
 single match, and two hours for doubles, ample 
 time to finish a game in most instances, though, 
 if not finished, the side ahead wins, and if points, 
 are even when time is called, the first roquet 
 afterwards constitutes a victory. This gives 
 scope for some amusing strategy, when the con- 
 test is a very close one. 
 
 Reducing the size of the lawns has undoubtedly 
 made the game easier and more equal, for the 
 weaker players can now get a ball from end to- 
 end, which many women were formerly unable 
 to do, while the opportunities of wiring one's 
 adversary are more frequent. The main point 
 resolves itself, not so entirely into a matter ot 
 skill, as in rightly estimating one's own strength 
 and one's adversary's knowledge of the game. In 
 handicap play this is specially needful, and it is 
 only by match practice it can be gained. In 
 double handicaps it is usual for the pairs to be 
 drawn, the captain from one of the first four 
 classes, and the partner from a lower class, and 
 nothino; o-ives an intellio;ent beginner a better 
 insight into " tactics " than being guided by a 
 really good partner. Mr. Bonham Carter is an 
 ideal captain, never leaving his partner a diffi- 
 cult stroke, and never making a long break 
 
CROaUET. 373 
 
 himself with the partner's ball behind, thus 
 being able to help the weaker player, who is 
 not discouraged with the idea that it is her ball 
 which is the laggard. It is only by match prac- 
 tice that this knowledge is gained, and to play 
 in a good tournament handicap is excellent 
 training. 
 
 As a garden-party game, Mr. Lillie, in his 
 book, suggests some amusing innovations, but 
 croquet proper, as the rules now stand, is some- 
 thing better than a garden-party game, and 
 stands among out-door amusements as chess and 
 billiards do among in-door games. 
 
 Gertrude Spong. 
 
i 
 
APPENDICES. 
 
APPENDIX A. 
 
 RULES FOR THE GAME OF GOLF, 
 
 AS REVISED AVD ADOPTED BY THE ROYAL AND 
 ANCIENT GOLF CLUB, ST. ANDREWS. 
 
 1. The Game of Golf is played by two or more sides, each play- 
 ing its own ball. A side may consist of one or more persons. 
 
 2. The game consists in each side playing a ball from a tec into 
 a hole by successive strokes, and the hole is won by the side holing 
 its ball in the fewest strokes, except as otherwise provided for in the 
 rules. If two sides hole out in the same number of strokes, the 
 hole is halved. 
 
 3. The teeing-ground shall be indicated by two marks placed in 
 a line at right angles to the course, and the player shall not tee in 
 front of, nor on either side of, these marks, nor more than two club- 
 lengths behind them. A ball played from outside the limits ot the 
 teeing-ground, as thus- defined, may be recalled by the opposite side. 
 
 The hole shall be 4^^ inches in diameter, and at least four inches 
 deep. 
 
 4. The ball must be fairly struck at, and not pushed, scraped, 
 or spooned, under penalty of the loss of the hole. Any movement 
 of the club which is intended to strike the ball is a stroke. 
 
 5. The game commences by each side playing a ball from the 
 first teeing-ground. In a match with two or mo.re on a side, the 
 partners shall strike oiF alternately from the tee., and shall strike 
 alternately during the play ot the hole. 
 
 The players who are to strike against each other shall be named 
 at starting, and shall continue in the same order during the match. 
 
 The plaver who shall play first on each side shall be named by 
 his own side. 
 
378 
 
 GOLF 
 
 In case of failure to agree, it shall be settled by lot or toss which 
 side shall have the option of leading. 
 
 6. If a player shall play when his partner should have done so, 
 his side shall lose the hole, except in the case of the tee shot, when 
 the shot may be recalled at the option of the opponents. 
 
 7. The side winning a hole shall lead in starting tor the next 
 hole, and may recall the opponent's stroke should he play out ot 
 order. This privilege is called the "honour." On starting for a 
 new match, the winner of the long match in the previous round is 
 entitled to the "honour." Should the first match have been halved, 
 the winner of the last hole gained is entitled to the "honour." 
 
 8. One round of the links — generally i8 holes — is a match, 
 unless otherwise agreed upon. The match is won by the side which 
 gets more holes ahead than there remain holes to be played, or by 
 the side winning the last hole when the match was all even at the 
 second last hole. If both sides have won the same number, it is a 
 halved match. 
 
 9. After the balls are struck from the tee, the ball farthest from 
 the hole to which the parties are playing shall be played first, except 
 as otherwise provided for in the rules. Should the wrong side play 
 first, the opponent may recall the etroke before his side has played. 
 
 10. Unless with the opponent's consent, a ball struck from the 
 tee shall not be changed, touched, or moved before the hole is 
 played out, under the penalty of one stroke, except as otherwise 
 provided for in the rules. 
 
 11. In playing through the green, all loose impediments, within 
 a club-length of a ball which is not lying in or touching a hazard, 
 may be removed, but loose impediments which are more than a 
 club-length from the ball shall not be removed, under the penalty 
 of one stroke. 
 
 ■ 12. Before striking at the ball, the player shall not move, bend, 
 or break anything fixed or growing near the ^a'l, except in the act 
 of placing his feet on the ground for the purpose of addressing the 
 ball, and in soleing his club to ad.iress the ball, under the penalty 
 of the loss of the hole, except as provided for in Rule 18. 
 
 13. A ball stuck fast in wet ground or sand may be taken out 
 and reolaced loosely in the hole which it has made. 
 
 14. When a ball lies in or touches a hazard, the club shall not 
 touch the ground, nor shall anything be touched or moved before 
 the player strikes at the ball, except that the player may place his 
 
GOLF. 379 
 
 tect firmly on the ground for the purpose of addressing the ball, 
 under the penalty of the loss of the hole. 
 
 At the General Meeting of the Royal and Ancient, held in the 
 spring of 1895, the following addition was made to Rule 14: — 
 " But if, in the backward or downward swing, any grass, bent, whin, 
 or other growing substance, or the side of a bunker, a wall, a paling, 
 or other immovable obstacle be touched, no penalty shall be in- 
 curred." 
 
 15. A "hazard" shall be any bunker of whatever nature — 
 water, sand, loose earth, mole-hills, paths, roads or railways, whins, 
 bushes, rushes, rabbit scrapes, fences, ditches, or anything which is 
 not the ordinary green of the course, except sand blown on to the 
 grass by wind, or sprinkled on grass tor the preservation of the links, 
 or snow or ice, or bare patches on the course. 
 
 16. A player or a player's caddie shall not press down or remove 
 any irregularities of surface near the ball, except at the teeing- 
 ground, under the penalty of r.he loss of the hole. 
 
 17. If any vessel, wheel-barrow, tool, roller, grass-cutter, box, 
 or other similar obstruction has been placed upon the course, such 
 obstruction may be removed. A ball lying on or touching such 
 obstruction, or on clothes, or nets, or on ground under repair or 
 temporarily covered up or opened, may be lifted and dropped at the 
 nearest point of the course, but a ball lifted in a hazard shall be 
 dropped in the hazard. A ball lying in a golf hole or flag hole may 
 be lifted and dropped not more than a club-length behind such hole. 
 
 18. When a ball is completely covered with fog, bent, whins, 
 etc., only so much thereof shall be set aside as that the player shall 
 have a view of his ball before he plays, whether in a line with the 
 hole or otherwise. 
 
 19. When a ball is to be dropped, the player shall drop it. He 
 shall front the hole, stand erect behind the hazard, keep the spot 
 from which the ball was lifted (or, in the case of running water, the 
 spot at which it entered) in a line between him and the hole, and 
 drop the ball behind him from his head, standing as far behind the 
 hazard as he may please. 
 
 20. When the balls in play lie within six inches of each other, 
 measured from their nearest points, the ball nearer the hole shall be 
 lifted until the other is played, and shall then be replaced as nearly 
 as possible in its original position. Should the ball farther from the 
 hole be accidentally moved in so doing, it shall be replaced. Should 
 the lie of the lifted ball be altered by th^ opponent in playing, it 
 
38o 
 
 GULF 
 
 may be placed in a lie near to, and as nearly as possible similar to 
 that from which it was lifted. 
 
 2 1. If the ball lie or be lost in water, the player may drop a 
 ball, under the penalty of one stroke. 
 
 22. Whatever happens by accident to a ball in motion, such as 
 its being deflected or stopped by any agency outside the match, or 
 by the fore-caddie, is a "rub ot the green," and the ball shall be 
 played from where it lies. Should a ball lodge in anything moving, 
 such ball, or, if it cannot be recovered, another ball, shall be dropped 
 as nearlv as possible at the spot where the object was when the ball 
 lodged in it. But if a ball at rest be displaced by any agency out- 
 side the match, the player shall drop it or another ball as nearly as 
 possible at the spot where it lay. On the putting-green the ball 
 may be replaced by hand. 
 
 23. If the player's ball strike, or be accidentally moved by, an op- 
 ponent or an opponent's caddie or clubs, the opponent loses the hole. 
 
 24. If the player's ball strike, or be stopped by, himself or part- 
 ner, or either of their caddies or clubs, or if, while in the act of 
 playing, the player strike the ball twice, his side loses the hole. 
 
 25. If the player, when not making a stroke, or his partner or 
 either of their caddies touch their side's ball, except at the tee, so 
 as to move it, or bv touching anything cause it to move, the penalty 
 is one stroke. 
 
 26. A ball is considered to have been moved if it leave its ori- 
 ginal position in the least degree and stop in another; but if a 
 player touch his ball and thereby cause it to oscillate, without caus- 
 ing it to leave its original position, it is not moved in the sense of 
 Rule 25. 
 
 27. A player's side loses a stroke it he play the opponent's ball, 
 unless (l) the opponent then play the player's ball, whereby the 
 penalty is cancelled, and the hole must be played out with the balls 
 thus exchanged ; or (2) the mistake occur through wrong informa- 
 tion given by the opponent, in which case the mistake, if discovered 
 before the opponent has played, must be rectified by placing a ball 
 as nearly as possible where the opponent's ball lay. 
 
 If it be discovered before either side has struck off at the tee that 
 one side has played out the previous hole with the ball of a party 
 not engaged in the match, that side loses that liole. 
 
 28. If a ball be lost, the player's side loses the hole. A ball 
 shall be held as lost if it be not found within five minutes after the 
 search is begun. 
 
GOLF. 3^1 
 
 29. A ball must be played wherever it lies, or the hole be given 
 up, except as otherwise provided for in the rules, 
 
 30. The term "putting-green" shall mean the ground within 
 20 yards of the hole, excepting hazards. 
 
 31. All loose impediments may be removed from the putting- 
 green, except the opponent's ball wdien at a greater distance trom 
 the player's than six inches. 
 
 32. In a match of three or more sides, a ball in any degree lying 
 between the player and the hole must be lifted, or, if on the putting-' 
 green, holed out. 
 
 33. When the ball is on the putting-green, no mark shall be 
 placed, nor line drawn as a guide. The line to the hole may be 
 pointed out, but the person doing so may not touch the ground with 
 the hand or club. 
 
 The player may have his own or his partner's caddie to stand at 
 the hole, but none of the players or their caddies may move so as 
 to shield the ball from, or expose it to, the wind. 
 
 T'he penalty for any breach of this rule is the loss of the hole. 
 
 34.. The player or his caddie may remove (but not press down) 
 sand, earth, worm casts, or snow lying around the hole or on the 
 line of his putt. This shall be done by brushing lightly with the 
 hand only across the putt and not along it. Dung may be -emoved 
 to a side by an iron club, but the club must not be laid with more 
 than its own weight upon the ground. I'he putting line must not 
 be touched by club, hand, or foot, except as above authorised, or 
 immediately in front of the ball in the act of addressing it, under 
 the penalty of the loss of the hole. 
 
 35. Either side is entitled to have the flag-stick removed when 
 approaching the hole. If the ball rest against the flag-stick when in 
 the hole, the player shall be entitled to remove the stick, and it the 
 ball fall in, it shall be considered as holed out in the previous stroke. 
 
 36. A player shall not play until the opponent's ball shall have 
 ceased to roll, under the penalty of one stroke. Should the player's 
 ball knock in the opponent's ball, the latter shall be counted as 
 holed out in the previous stroke. If in playing the player's ball 
 displace tne opponent's ball, the opponent shall have the option ot 
 replacing it. 
 
 37. A player shall not ask for advice, nor be knowingly a ! vised 
 about the game by word, look, or gesture from any one except his 
 own caddie, or his partner or partner's caddie, under the penalty ot 
 the loss of the hole. 
 
382 
 
 GOLF. 
 
 38. If a ball split into separate pieces, another ball may be put 
 down where the largest portion lies, or, if two pieces are apparently 
 of equal size, it may be put where cither piece lies, at the option of 
 the player. If a ball crack or become unplayable, the player may 
 change it, on intimating to his opponent his intention to do so. 
 
 39. A penalty stroke shall not be counted the stroke of a player^ 
 and shall not affect the rotation of play. 
 
 40. Should any dispute arise on any point, the players have the 
 right of determining the party or parties to whom the dispute shall 
 be referred ; but, shoula they not agree, either party may refer it tO' 
 the Green Committee of the green where the dispute occurs, and 
 their decision shall be final. Should the dispute not be covered by 
 the Rules of Golf, the arbiters must decide it by equity. 
 
 SPECIAL RULES FOR MEDAL PLAY. 
 
 1. In Club competitions, the competitor doing the stipulated 
 course in fewest strokes shall be the winner. 
 
 2. If the lowest score be made by two or more competitors, the 
 ties shall be decided by another round, to be played on the same or 
 any other day, as the Captain, or, in his absence, the Secretary shall 
 direct. 
 
 3. New holes shall be made for the Medal Round, and there- 
 after no member shall play any stroke on a putting-green before 
 competing. 
 
 4. The score shall be kept by a special marker, or by the com- 
 petitors noting each other's scores. The scores marked shall be 
 checked at the finish of each hole. On completion of the course,. 
 the score of the player shall be signed by the person keeping the 
 score and handed to the Secretary. 
 
 5. If a ball be lost, the player shall return as nearly as possible 
 to the spot where the ball was struck, tee another ball, and lose a 
 stroke. If the lost ball be found before he has struck the other 
 ball, the first shall continue in play. 
 
 6. If the player's ball strike himself, or his clubs, or caddie, or 
 if, in the act of playing, the player strike the ball twice, the penalty 
 shall be one stroke. 
 
 7. If a competitor's ball strike the other player, or his clubs, or 
 caddie, it is a "rub of the green," and the ball shall be played from 
 where it lies. 
 
GOLF. . 383 
 
 8. A ball may, under a penalty of two strokes, be lifted out ot 
 a difficulty of any description, and be teed behind same. 
 
 9. All balls shall be holed out, and when play is on the putting- 
 green, the flag shall be removed, and the competitor whose ball is 
 nearest the hole shall have the option of holing out first, or of lifting 
 his ball, if it be in such a position that it might, if leh, give an ad- 
 vantage to the other competitor. Throughout the green a compe- 
 titor can have the other competitor's ball lifted, if he find that it 
 interferes with his stroke. 
 
 10. A competitor mav not play with a professional, and he may 
 not receive advice from anv one but his caddie. A fore-caddie may 
 be employed. 
 
 11. Competitors mav not discontinue play because of bad wea- 
 ther. 
 
 12. The penalty for a breach of anv rule shall be disqualification. 
 
 I V Any dispute regarding the play shall be determined by the 
 Green Committee. 
 
 i\. The ordinarv Rules of Golf, so far as they are not at vari- 
 ance with the special rules, shall apply to medal play. 
 
GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS USED 
 IN THE GAME OF GOLF. 
 
 Addressing the Ball : When the player puts himself in 
 
 position to strike the ball. 
 Approach : When the player is sufficiently near the hole 
 
 to be able to drive the ball to the putting-green his 
 
 stroke is called the " approach shot." 
 
 Baff: To strike the ground with the "sole" of the 
 
 club-head in playing. This sends ball high in air and 
 
 causes it to fall " dead." 
 Bajf}' : A wooden club much lofted in the tace. 
 Bent : Rough, coarse grass on seaside greens. 
 Bogey, Colonel : A score, usually par play, fixed for each 
 
 hole. 
 Bone : A piece of ram's horn or other substance inserted 
 
 in the sole of the club to prevent it from splitting. 
 Borrow : When the player, on a sloping putting-green, 
 
 plays the ball up the slope a little way. 
 Bottom : Putting back-spin on a ball. 
 Brassev : A wooden club with a brass sole. 
 Break-club : An obstacle lying near a ball of such a 
 
 nature as might injure the club when played. 
 
 Bulger : A wooden club with a convex face. 
 
 Bunker : A sand-pit. 
 
 Bye : Any hole or holes that remain to be played after 
 
 the match is finished. 
 Caddie : A person who carries the golfer's clubs. 
 Carry : The distance the ball is driven before it touches 
 
 the 2;round. 
 
GOLF. 385 
 
 Cleek : Iron-headed club used for driving. 
 
 Club : The implement with which the ball is struck. 
 The heads are ot various kinds — wood, aluminium, 
 wood with a brass sole, and iron, steel, or gun-metal. 
 
 Course : That portion of the links on which the game 
 ought to be played. 
 
 Cup : A small hole in the course, frequently one made 
 by the stroke of some previous player. 
 
 Dead : A ball is said to be " dead " when it lies so near 
 the hole that the " putt " is a dead certainty. A ball 
 is said to fall " dead " when it does not run after 
 alighting. 
 
 Divot : A piece of turf cut out by club. Replace care- 
 fully. 
 
 Do?'my : A player is said to be " dormy " when he is as 
 many holes ahead as there remain holes to play. 
 
 Drazv : To drive widely to the lett hand. (Synonymous 
 with "hook," "screw" and "pulL") 
 
 Di'iver or Play-Club : A wooden-headed club with a 
 full-length shaft, and with which the ball can be 
 driven the farthest distance. 
 
 Duff: To hit the ground behind a ball. 
 
 Face : First, the slope of a bunker or hillock ; second, 
 the part of the club-head which strikes the ball. 
 
 Flat : A club is said to be " flat " when its head is at a 
 very obtuse angle to the shaft. 
 
 Fog : Moss, rank grass. 
 
 Foozle : A bungling stroke. 
 
 Fore ! The warning cry to any person in the way of 
 the stroke. (Contracted from "before.") 
 
386 GOLF, 
 
 Fore-Caddie : A caddie employed to go in advance of 
 the players and locate the balls. 
 
 Foursome : A match in which tour persons play : two 
 on each side. 
 
 Gobble : A rapid, straight " putt " into the hole, such 
 that, had the ball not gone in, it would have gone 
 some distance beyond. 
 
 Grassed : This is said of a wooden club whose face is 
 slightly " spooned " or sloped backward. 
 
 Green : First the whole links ; second, the putting-green 
 around the different holes. 
 
 Grip : First, the part of the handle covered with leather 
 by which the club is grasped ; second, the grasp it- 
 self. 
 
 Gutty : A gutta-percha golf ball. 
 
 Half-one : A handicap of a stroke deducted every second 
 hole. 
 
 Half-shot : Less than a full or a three-quarter shot. 
 
 Halved : A hole is said to be " halved " when each side 
 takes the same number of strokes. A " halved 
 match " is a " drawn game " — that is, the players 
 have proved to be equal. 
 
 Hanging ball : A " hanging " ball is one which lies on a 
 
 downward slope in the direction in which the hole 
 
 lies. 
 Hazard : A general term for bunkers, long grass, roads, 
 
 water, sand, whin, molehill, or other bad ground. 
 
 (Rule 15). 
 
 Head : A head is the lowest part of a club and possesses, 
 among other mysterious characteristics, a sole^ a heely 
 a toe or nose, a neck, and -x face I 
 
 Heel : First, the part of the head nearest the shaft ; 
 
GOLF. 387 
 
 second, to hit from this part, thus sending the ball to 
 the right hand. 
 
 Hole : First, the hole lined with iron ; second, the 
 whole space between any teeing-ground and the hole 
 in connection therewith. 
 
 Honour : The right to plav off first from the tee. 
 
 Hook : See " Draw." A hooked club has the face lying 
 in to the ball. 
 
 Horn : See " Bone." 
 
 Hose : The socket of iron-headed clubs into which the 
 shaft is fitted. 
 
 Iron : A club with an iron head, more or less laid back 
 to lott a ball. 
 
 Jerk : In " Jerking," the club should strike with a 
 quick cut behind the ball. 
 
 Lie : First, the inclination of a club when held on the 
 ground in a natural position for striking ; second, the 
 situation of a ball, good or bad. 
 
 Lift : To take a ball out of a hazard and drop it behind 
 or tee it. 
 
 Like : See under "Odds." 
 
 Like-as-we-lie : When both sides have played the same 
 number of strokes. 
 
 Links : The ground on which golf is played. 
 
 Loff : To send the ball into the air. 
 
 Long odds : When a player has to play a stroke more 
 than his adversary, who is much farther on — that is, 
 nearer the hole. 
 
 Long game : Driving from the tec and playing through 
 the green. 
 
 Mashie : An iron club with a deep, short blade. 
 
388 GOLF. 
 
 Match : First, the sides playing against each other : 
 second, the game itself. Match play reckoning the 
 score by holes. 
 
 Medal play : Reckoning the score by strokes. 
 
 Miss the globe : To fail to strike the ball is counted a 
 stroke. 
 
 Neck : The bent part of the head where it joins the 
 shatt. 
 
 Niblick : A small narrow-headed heavy iron club, used 
 when the ball has a bad lie. 
 
 Nose : The point or front portion of the club head. 
 
 Odds : First, means the handicap given by a strong 
 player to a weaker in a single match, consisting of 
 either one, two, three, or more holes to start with, or 
 one stroke per hole, or every alternate hole, or at 
 every third hole, etc. ; second, to have played " the 
 odds" is to have played one stroke more than your 
 adversary. 
 
 One-off-two, one-off-th'ee, etc. : When your opponent has 
 played two strokes more your next stroke is one-off- 
 two, and so on. 
 
 Play-club : See " Driver." 
 
 P?'ess : To strive to hit the ball harder than usual. 
 
 Putt : To play close to the hole. (Pronounce u as in 
 
 but.) 
 
 Putter : An upright, stiff-shafted, wooden, iron, or gun- 
 metal headed club, used when the ball is on the 
 putting-green. 
 
 Putting-green : The prepared ground round the holes. 
 
 Rind : A strip of cloth under the leather to thicken the 
 grip. 
 
GOLF. . 389 
 
 Rub of the green : A favourable or untavourable knock 
 to the ball. (Rule 22.) 
 
 Run : Running the ball along the ground instead of 
 lofting it ; and also the run of a drive is the distance 
 the ball runs after reaching the ground. 
 
 Scare : The narrow part of the club head by which it is 
 glued to the shaft, and which is spliced over. 
 
 Screw : See " Draw." 
 
 Sclaf- : Hitting the ground behind the ball first, thus 
 not getting a clean stroke. 
 
 Scruff: Slightly razing the grass in striking. 
 
 Set : A full complement of clubs. 
 
 Shaft : The stick or handle of the club. 
 
 Slice : To draw the face of the club across the ball, 
 sending it with a curve towards the right. 
 
 Socket : That part of the head of iron clubs into which 
 the shaft is fitted. 
 
 So/e : The flat bottom ot the club head. 
 
 Spoons : Wooden-headed clubs of three lengths — long, 
 middle, and short : the head is scooped or grassed so 
 as to loft the ball. 
 
 Spring : The degree ot suppleness in the shaft. 
 
 Square : When the game stands level, neither party 
 being anv holes ahead. 
 
 Stance : The position ot the player's teet when address- 
 ing himself to the ball. 
 
 Steal : To hole a long unlikely " putt " from a distance, 
 not bv a " gobble," but by a stroke which just 
 succeeds in getting the ball as far as the hole. 
 
 Stroke : Anv movement of the club which is intended 
 to strike the ball. 
 
390 GOLF. 
 
 Stymie : When your opponent's ball lies in the line of 
 your " putt " ; trom an old Scotch word, meaning 
 " obscuring." 
 
 Swing : The sweep of the club in driving. 
 
 Tee : The pinch of sand on which the ball is placed at 
 the teeing-ground. 
 
 Teeing-ground : A space marked out within the limits 
 of which the ground must be teed. 
 
 Third : A handicap of a stroke deducted every third 
 hole. 
 
 Toe : Another name for the nose of the club. 
 
 Top : To top the ball is to hit it above the centre. 
 
 Two-more, three-more, etc. : See under " Odds." 
 
 Upright : A club is said to be " upright " when its head 
 is not at a verv obtuse angle to the shaft. 
 
 Whins, furze, or gorse. 
 
 Whipping : The pitched twine uniting the head and 
 handle. 
 
 Wrist-shot : Less than a half-shot, generally played with 
 an iron club — the old saying was " played trom the 
 knee." 
 
APPENDIX B. 
 
 THE ALL-ENGLAND CROQUET LAWS. 
 
 1897. 
 
 1. Mallets. — There shall be no restriction as to the number, 
 weight, size, shape, or material of the mallets ; nor as to the part of 
 the handle held. The ball must only be struck with cither end of 
 the head of the mallet. 
 
 2. Size of Balls. — The balls used in match play shall be three 
 and five-eighth inches in diameter, of even weight, each ball weigh- 
 ing not less than thirteen and three-quarter oz. or more than four- 
 teen and a quarter oz. 
 
 3. Choice of Lead and of Balls. — It shall be decided by lot which 
 side shall have choice of lead and of balls. In a succession of 
 games the choice of lead shall be alternate, the sides keeping the 
 same balls. 
 
 4. Commencement of Game. — In commencing, each ball shall be 
 placed on the starting spot. The striker's ball, when so placed and 
 struck is at once in play, and can , roquet any other ball in play or 
 be roqueted whether it has made the first hoop or not. 
 
 5. Stroke., zvhen taken. — A stroke is considered to be taken it a 
 ball be moved in the act of striking ; but should a player, in taking 
 aim, move his own or any other ball accidentally, it must be re- 
 placed to the satisfaction of the umpire or the adversary, and the 
 stroke be then taken. If a ball be moved in taking aim, and then 
 struck without being replaced, the stroke is foul (see Law 25). 
 
 6. Hoop, when run. — A ball has run its hoop when, having passed 
 through from the playing side and ceased to roll, it cannot be 
 touched by a straight-edge placed against the wires on the side trom 
 which it was played, after the hoop has been placed upright. 
 
392 CROQUET, 
 
 7. Ba// driven partly through Hoop. — A ball driven partly through 
 its hoop from the non-playing side cannot run the hoop at its next 
 stroke, if it can be touched by a straight-edge placed against the 
 wires on the non-playing side. 
 
 8. Points co'.aited to Non-Striker s Ball.— A ball driven through 
 its hoop, or against the turning peg, by any stroke not toul, of its 
 own side, or bv any stroke of the adverse side, scores the point so 
 made. 
 
 9. Points made for Jdirrsary' s Ball. — If a point be made tor an 
 adversary's ball, the striker must inform his adversary ot it. Should 
 the striker neglect to do so, and the adversary make the point again, 
 he may continue his turn as though he had played tor his right 
 point. 
 
 10. Tie Turn. — A player, when his turn comes round, may 
 roquet each ball once before making a point, and may do this again 
 after each point made. The player continues his turn so long as he 
 makes a point or a roquet. 
 
 11. Croquet imperative after Roquet. — A player who roquets a 
 ball must take croquet, and in so doing must move perceptibly both 
 balls {vide Law 27 (/••) (/)). 
 
 In taking croquet, the striker is not allowed to place his toot on 
 
 the ball. 
 
 12. Ball in Hand after Roquet. — No point or roquet can be 
 made by a ball which is in hand. If a ball in hand displace any 
 other balls, they must remain where they are driven. Any point 
 made in consequence of such displacement (.ounts, notwithstanding 
 that the ball displacing them is in hand. 
 
 13. Balls roqueted simultaneously. — When a player roquets two 
 balls simultaneously, he may choose from which ot them he will 
 take croquet ; another roquet will be required betore he can take 
 croquet from the other ball. 
 
 14.. Balls found touching. — If at the commencement of a turn 
 the striker's ball be found touching another, roquet is deemed to be 
 made, and croquet must be taken at once, but if it be tound touch- 
 ing two balls the striker can take croquet of which ball he chooses. 
 But another roquet will be required before he can take croquet 
 from one of the other balls. 
 
 15. Roquet and Hoop made by same Stroke. — Should a ball, in 
 making its hoop, roquet another that lies beyond the hoop, and then 
 pass through, the hoop counts as well as the roquet. A ball is- 
 deemed to be beyond the hoop if it lies so that it cannot be touched 
 
CROaUET. 393 
 
 by a straight-edge placed against the wires on the playing side. 
 Should any part of the ball that is roqueted be lying on the playing 
 side of the hoop, the roquet counts, but not the hoop. 
 
 1 6. A rover can be pegged out by any stroke (not foul) of 
 another rover, whether of the same or the adverse side. Players 
 can, however, mutually agree before the commencement ot the 
 game that rovers shall not be pegged out by adverse rovers. 
 
 17. Roz'er pegged out by Roquet. — A player (rover) who pegs out 
 a rover by a roquet loses the remainder of his turn because a rover 
 when pegged out is out of the game and croquet cannot be taken 
 from it. The law does not apply when there is no pegging out. 
 
 1 8. Balls sent off tie Ground. — A ball sent oft" the ground must 
 at once be replaced three feet within the boundary, measured from 
 the spot where it went off", and at right angles to the boundary. It 
 this spot be already occupied, the ball last sent off" is to be placed 
 in contact with the other, but no ball is to be placed less or more 
 than three feet from the boundary, the player merely having option 
 whether he place the second ball going off" at the same spot to the 
 right or left of the first ball. If a third ball go oft" on the same 
 spot it must be placed touching the first ball. 
 
 19. Ball sent off' 7! ear Corner. A ball sent off" within three feet 
 of a corner is to be replaced three feet from both boiindaries. It 
 more than one ball be sent otf within three feet of any corner, the 
 ball last sent oft' is to be placed in contact with the ball occupying 
 the corner spot, and three feet from one of the boundaries at the 
 option of the player. When a player roquets one of the corner 
 balls he is entitled to place the balls in any order, provided one is 
 on the corner spot, and the others touch it or some other corner 
 ball ; but he must take croquet off the ball he has roqueted. 
 
 If a player's ball be in a corner with two or more other balls the 
 player is at liberty to choose oft" which ball he will take croquet, 
 and previous to his doing so he may alter the position ot the other 
 balls to his liking, provided one is on the corner spot and the others 
 touching it or some other corner ball. 
 
 20. Ball touching Boundary. — If the boundary be marked by a 
 line on the turf, a ball touching the line is deemed to be oft" the 
 ground. If the boundary be raised, a ball touching the boundary is 
 similarly deemed to be off the ground. 
 
 21. Ball sent off and returning to Ground. — If a ball be sent off 
 the ground, and return to it, the ball must be similarly replaced, 
 measuring from the point of first contact with the boundary. 
 
394 CROQUET. 
 
 22. Ball sent zvithin three feet of Boundary. — A ball sent within 
 three feet of the boundary, but not off the ground, is to be replaced 
 as though it had been sent off; except in the case of the striker's 
 ball, when the striker has the option of replacing his ball, or oi 
 playing from where it lies. 
 
 23. Boundar'^ interferiug with Stroke. — If it be found that the 
 height of the boundary interferes with the stroke, the striker, with 
 the sanction of the umpire or the adversary, may bring in the balls 
 a longer distance than three feet, so as to allow a free swing of the 
 mallet. Balls so brought in must be moved in the line of aim, and 
 placed at the same relative distance. 
 
 24. Dead Boundary. — If, in taking croquet, the striker send his 
 own ball, or the ball croqueted, off the ground, he loses the re- 
 mainder of his turn, unless {a) with the playing ball he make a 
 roquet, or [b) the croqueted ball be caused to make a point in order 
 (the striker's ball not passing the boundary). 
 
 25. Balls touched by Jdversary. — Should a ball when rolling, 
 except it be in hand, be touched, diverted from its course, or stopped 
 by an adversary, the striker may elect whether he will take the 
 stroke again, or whether the ball shall remain where it stopped, or 
 be placed where in the judgment of the umpire or the striker it 
 would have rolled to. 
 
 26. Balls diverted or stopped by Ufnpire. — Should a ball be 
 diverted from its course or stopped by an umpire, he is to place it 
 where he considers it would have rolled to. 
 
 27. Foul Strokes. — If a player make a foul stroke he loses the 
 remainder of his turn, and any point or roquet made by such stroke 
 does not count. Balls moved by a foul stroke are to remain where 
 they lie, or be replaced at the option of the adversary. It the foul 
 be made when taking croquet, and the adversary elect 10 have the 
 balls replaced, they must be replaced in contact as they stood when 
 the croquet was taken. The following are foul strokes : 
 
 {a) To strike with the mallet another ball instead of or besides 
 one's own, in making the stroke. 
 
 {b) To spoon — i.e., to push a ball without an audible knock. 
 
 {c) To strike a ball twice distinctly in the same stroke (except in 
 the case of rolling two balls together if only one player 
 use indiarubber). 
 
 {d) To touch, stop, or divert the course of a ball when in play 
 and rolling, whether this be done by the striker or his 
 partner. 
 
CROaUET. 395 
 
 (e) To allow a ball to touch the mallet [or any part of the player's 
 
 person] in rebounding from a peg or wire. 
 {/) To move a ball which lies close to a peg or wire by striking 
 
 the peg or wire [i.e., to touch with the mallet a wire or 
 
 peg in making the stroke]. 
 {g) To press a ball round a peg or wire (crushing stroke). 
 {/:) To play a stroke after roquet without taking croquet. 
 (/) To fail to move both balls in taking croquet. 
 (k) To croquet a ball which the striker is not entitled to croquet. 
 (/) To knock a wire of the hoop out of the ground when making 
 
 a stroke. 
 {m) To move a ball in the act of taking aim without replacing it 
 
 to the satisfaction of the umpire or the adversary before 
 
 striking it. 
 (n) To hit a ball with any part of the mallet other than one of 
 
 the ends of the head (r/V^ Law i). 
 {o) To improperly handle or touch a ball with foot or mallet 
 
 {vi^e Laws 5, 3-I-). 
 
 28. Playing out of Turn or with the Wrong Ball. — If a player 
 plav out of turn or with the wrong ball, no point made after the 
 mistake can be scored unless as specified below. The balls shall be 
 replaced by the umpire, or to the satisfaction of the adversary, 
 where they were immediately before the mistake was made, and the 
 player shall recommence or continue his turn as the case may be. 
 But if the adverse side play without the mistake being discovered 
 the turn shall hold good, and any point or points made properly {i.e., 
 in order for the ball he is playing with) during the turn shall be 
 scored. In the case when the error is not discovered the adversary 
 cannot be penalised for playing with either ball (of his own side), 
 provided that he can prove that a mistake was made in the turn 
 immediately preceding. 
 
 29. Playing for Wrong Point. — If a player make a wrong point 
 it does not count, and, therefore (unless he have, by the same 
 stroke, taken croquet, or made a roquet), all subsequent strokes are 
 in error, the remainder of the turn is lost, and any point or roquet 
 made after the mistake. The balls remain where they lie when 
 the penalty is claimed, or are replaced as they were immediately 
 before the last stroke was made, at the option of the adversary. 
 
 30. Information as to Score. — Every player is entitled to be in- 
 formed which is the next point of any ball. 
 
1 
 
 96 CROaUET. 
 
 31. Stute 0/ Game, if disputed. — When clips are used, their posi- 
 tion, in case of dispute, shall be conclusive as to the position of the 
 balls in the game. 
 
 32. Wires knocked out of Ground. — Should a player, in trying to 
 run his hoop, knock a wire of that hoop out of the ground with his 
 ball, the hoop does no: count. The ball must be replaced, and the 
 stroke taken again. 
 
 33. Pegs or Hoopi not upright — Any player may set upright a 
 peg or hoop, except the one next in order ; and that must not be 
 altered except by the umpire. 
 
 34- — Ball lying in a Hole or on Bad Ground. — A ball lying in a 
 hole or on bad ground may only be moved with the sanction of the 
 umpire or with the consent of the adversary. The ball must be 
 put back, i.e., away from the object aimed at, so as not to alter the 
 line of aim. 
 
 35. Umpires. — The duties ol: an umpire are : 
 
 [a) To decide any questions that may arise during the game, if 
 
 appealed to. 
 
 [b) To keep the score, and if asked by a player to disclose the 
 
 state of the game. 
 
 {c) To move the clips or to see that they are properly moved. 
 
 {_d) To replace balls sent off the ground or to see that they are 
 properly replaced. 
 
 (1?) To adjust hoops or pegs or to see that they are properly ad- 
 justed (c7^> Law 33). 
 
 {f) To inform the striker when he is about to play or has 
 played out ot turn, or with the wrong ball, or when he 
 has made a wrong point. 
 
 With the exception of the instances named in clause (_/^), an 
 umpire shall not draw attention to, or give his opinion on, 
 any mistake made unless appealed to by one ot the 
 players. The decision of an umpire on a question of fact 
 shall be final, but on a question of law, if required by a 
 player, he must appeal to the referee. 
 
 36. Absence of Umpire. — When no umpire is present permission 
 to move a ball or to set up a peg or hoop, or any other indulgence 
 for which an umpire would be appealed to, must be asked of the 
 other side. 
 
CROaUET. 
 
 397 
 
 PRIZE MEETINGS, HANDICAPS, ETC. 
 
 A committee must be appointed and a referee. They will issue 
 a programme announcing the details of the matches, size of grounds, 
 width of hoops, amount due for entry, date ot the draw, hour ot 
 the match play. 
 
 ENTRIES. 
 
 No entry shall be valid unless the entrance money is paid by 
 such date as the committee appoint. 
 
 THE DRAW. 
 
 This is now conducted as in lawn tennis, the byes being got rid 
 of in the first round. 
 
 If the number of players should be 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, or any higher 
 
 power of 2, there are no byes. If on the other hand the number 
 of plavers is not a power of 2 (let us say 19) matters are arranged 
 after this fashion. The names of the players are drawn out of a 
 hat and written down in order. To ascertain how many ot these 
 shall be byes subtract the number of players from the next highest 
 power of 2 (19 from 32), which gives us 13. Of these, halt go to 
 the top of the list, the other half with the odd one to the bottom. 
 
 Wi 
 
 inners. 
 
 Winners, 
 
 First 
 
 Second 
 
 R( 
 
 jiind. 
 
 Round. 
 
 A bve 
 
 A ^ 
 
 ^ B 
 
 B bve 
 
 B , 
 
 
 C bve 
 
 C ^ 
 
 ^ c 
 
 D bye 
 
 D . 
 
 E bve 
 
 E " 
 
 ^ F 
 
 F bye 
 
 F . 
 
 
 G 
 
 
 H //^ 
 
 G ~ 
 
 J> G 
 
 I - 
 
 
 
 J 
 
 J - 
 
 
 K .. 
 
 K 
 M . 
 
 y K 
 
 M bve 
 
 X 
 
 N bye 
 
 N 
 
 
 
 bve 
 
 
 
 P bye 
 
 P 
 
 
 
 <J bve 
 
 <^ 
 
 
 k bve 
 
 R 
 
 \, s 
 
 S bye 
 
 S 
 
 
 winners. 
 Third 
 Round. 
 
 Semi-finals. 
 
 Finals 
 
 c \ 
 
 G 
 
 O 
 
398 
 
 CROQUET.. 
 
 This leaves six players, G H, I J, K and L, to play the matches 
 of the first round. Let us suppose that G, J and K win. Sixteen 
 players now are left in. Consequently there will be no more byes.. 
 The players are paired in order through the line for the remaining 
 rounds. 
 
 HANDICAPS. 
 
 For handicaps the players are divided into classes by the referee, 
 class I giving one bisque to class 2, two bisques to class 3, and so 
 on. In partner handicaps the bisques of the partners are added to- 
 gether and then divided by two. Thus if Miss A. (class 6) and Mr. 
 G. (class 2), eight bisques in all, play Miss B. (class 7) and Mr. F. 
 (class 4), eleven bisques in all, the weaker side gets one and a half 
 bisques, the half being always changed to a whole one. These 
 may be taken by either partner. 
 
 TIME HANDICAPS. 
 
 These are often a necessity at croquet meetings. The All- 
 England Club laid down that there should be not more than eight 
 players for singles and sixteen for double matches. One third of 
 the time should be allotted to each game. If a game be unfinished 
 the side ahead in points wins, a player being allowed to finish his 
 break and take a bisque if one remains. If the points are equal the 
 first roquet decides the contest. 
 
 In time handicaps the side which receives more than one bisque 
 can only take half its bisques, until both balls have passed the turn- 
 ing peg. 
 
i^i)p:k. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 A good bag of Tarpon - - - - - - 17, 
 
 J Matched Pair: Story of wedding breakfast and accident 
 
 to M.F.H. in- ----- - 5 
 
 Aberdeen, ladies' golf links at - - - - - • 341 
 
 ALDENHAM RESTLESS. 
 
 Descendants winners at Peterborough Show - 84. 
 
 Winning Champion Cup, 1893 _ _ _ g^ 
 
 All-England Croquet Association - - - - - 358 
 
 All-England Croquet Club - - - - - 358 
 
 AUgood Kennels __.---_ go 
 
 Archer's Register - - - - - - - 232 
 
 ARCHERY, by Miss Walrond ----- 187 
 
 Bow, lineage of ------ 187 
 
 Eastern ladies' exploits - - - - - 187 
 
 Improvement in ------ 204 
 
 Revival of ------- 200 
 
 Roval amusement - - - - - - 193 
 
 ARCHERY (practical) by Mrs. Berens- - - - 207 
 
 Aiming - - - - - - - - 221 
 
 Arm guard - - - - - - - 213 
 
 Arrow, weight of- - - - - - 212 
 
 Before the draw - - - - 218, 219. 229 
 
 Beginners, advice to - - - - - - 208 
 
 Books recommended - - - - - - 232 
 
 Bows recommended ------ 208 
 
 Club National Round - - _ _ - 228 
 
 Club Prize Meeting - - - - - 231 
 
 Coach desirable for beginners - - - - 224 
 
 Distances shot by women - - - - 2 1 |; 
 
 Drawing - - - - - - - 218 
 
 Dress suitable for - - - - - - 2i~ 
 
402 INDEX. 
 
 Equipment needs care ..... 223 
 
 Full Draw - - - - - - - 225 
 
 Gloves or tips - • - - - - 214 
 
 Hereford Round - - - - - - 215 
 
 Loosing ...-..-. 222 
 
 Nocking - - - - - - - - 217 
 
 Standing - - - - - - - - 217 
 
 String recommended - - - - - - 210 
 
 Stringing bow .-.---. 209 
 
 Targets - - - - - - - - 215 
 
 To form a club - - - - - - - 227 
 
 Weekly Club Meeting - - - - - 231 
 
 Archery Dresses (about 1832) ..... 201 
 
 Archery Societies .._... ig6 — 200 
 
 jirt of Golf \ Sir W. C. Sampson ..... 261 
 
 Art of Shootings by C. Lancaster - - - - - 152 
 
 Ascham, Roger, treatise on Archery .... 193 
 
 Association of Masters of Harriers and Beagles - - loi 
 
 Australia, Golf Clubs, Ladies' Championship - - - 343 
 
 Austria, hare drive in - - - - - - - 121 
 
 B. 
 
 BADMINTON LIBRJRT. 
 
 Archery ....... 
 
 Golf -..-... 
 
 Quoted on Shooting ..... 
 Balfour, Miss May, Article on Skating 
 
 Portrait -.-...- 
 Banks, Miss, on Archery _ . . . . 
 
 Banks, Sir Joseph ...... 
 
 Barham Downs, ladies' golf course .... 
 
 Beagle Stud-book ---.... 
 
 BEAGLES. 
 
 Breeding ....... 
 
 For rabbit-shooting ..... 
 
 Hunting with ...... 
 
 Kennelling and feeding . . . '. 
 
 Bentley Harriers ....... 
 
 Account of ...... 
 
 Berens, Mrs., Article on Archery .... 
 
 Portrait ....... 
 
 Berkeley, Lady, using long-bow .... 
 
 Betham, Miss, archcrv score ..... 
 
 207 
 
 261 
 
 116 
 
 235 
 
 23+ 
 
 199 
 
 199 
 
 3+3 
 
 96 
 
 96, 97 
 
 I+O 
 
 92, 95 
 
 99 
 
 61 
 
 85 
 
 207 
 
 206 
 
 195 
 
 20+ 
 
INDEX. 403 
 
 Book of Archer-^, Hansard, quoted on Persian ladies' archery 189 
 
 Bowby, Mrs., archery score - - - - - 204 
 
 Bownass, Miss, golfing at Windermere - - - - 3^7 
 
 Brentwood Croquet Club _.---- 360 
 
 Brighton and Hove ladies' golf course - _ - - 3^2 
 
 Briscoe, Mrs., whipping in hounds . _ _ - 61 
 
 Bronwydd Beagles, account of, by Miss Lloyd - - 105 
 
 Budleigh Salterton Croquet Club _ - . _ 360 
 
 Burn, Mrs., Fox Hunting - - - - - - 13 
 
 Portrait -------- iz 
 
 Burton, Anatomy of Melancholy^ quoted - - - - 352 
 
 "Bush Farm," Meath, fences ----- 20 
 
 Butt, Mrs. W., archery score _ - - _ - 204 
 
 Butterflies at Captiva Island - - - - - 173 
 
 Buxom (hound) account of ----- 86 
 
 Buxom, Bentley Harrier ------ 67 
 
 Caledon Beagle Kennels ------ 96 
 
 Campbell, Lady Ileene, hunting Lord Huntingdon's pack - 6 1 
 
 Canada, golf clubs in ------ 343 
 
 Captiva Island (Gulf of Mexico). 
 
 Account of - - - - - - - 171 
 
 Tarpon, fishing at ----- - 17° 
 
 Vegetation _.---_- 173 
 
 Carnoustie, ladies' putting course at - - - _ 341 
 
 Carter, Bonham, croquet playing ----- 372 
 
 Cartridges recommended tor women - - - - III 
 
 Cheape, Mrs., and' her Peterborough winners. Bracelet, 
 
 Waterwitch, Verity, Woodbine, Generous, Worry 87 
 
 Cheape, Mrs., buying harriers - - - - - 85 
 
 Cheape, Mrs., Wellfield Beagles and Bentley Harriers - 60 
 
 Cheetham. Miss L., skating "a pass " - - - - 252 
 
 Cheltenham, ladies' golf course ----- 343 
 
 Cheltenham, lady golfers at . - - _ - 348 
 
 Chester, ladies' golf course _ _ _ _ _ 343 
 
 Chetwynd, Miss H., archery score . - - . 204 
 
 Chole, game of ------- 261 
 
 Chorley Wood, ladies' golf course - _ _ - 3^3 
 
 Clay Bird shooting competition - - - - - 130 
 
 Clay Pigeon Trap - - - - - - - 113 
 
 Clorinda, Moorish Queen, skilful with bow - - - 188 
 
 Clumber Spaniel -___--- 97 
 
404 INDEX. 
 
 Comet (property of Lady Gerard) ----- 37 
 
 County Down ladies' golf links ----- 338 
 
 Cox, Miss, ex-Irish Golf Champion - - _ _ 338 
 
 CROQUET, All-England Laws. Appendix B. - - 391 
 
 Article on, by Mrs. Spong - - - - - 357 
 
 Advantages of ----- - : 368 
 
 Balls -------- 361 
 
 Beginning, option of - - - - - - 367 
 
 Bisques -------- 363 
 
 Championships ------- 370 
 
 Clips -------- 362 
 
 Clubs -------- 360 
 
 Handicapping bisques _ - - _ - 363 
 
 Hoops - - - - - - - - 361 
 
 Lawn measurements - - - - - - 360 
 
 Lawns at Hurlingham and Ranelagh . - - 370 
 
 Lawns, size reduced - - - - - - 372 
 
 Mallets, 362 ; manner of holding - _ - 363 
 
 Origin of game - - - - - - - 357 
 
 Pegs -------- 361 
 
 Qualities necessary for good player - - - 369 
 
 Revival of ------- 370 
 
 "Roquet" ------- 365 
 
 Terms employed in- - - - - - 3^5 
 
 Tight croquet, expulsion ot - - - - 358 
 
 Time games - - - - - - - 37' 
 
 Tournaments - - - - - - - 3 5^ 
 
 Crusades, women prominent in sport during - - - 6 
 
 Crystal Palace Archery Meeting ----- 200 
 
 Cub-hunting at Brigstock ------ 15 
 
 D. 
 
 Dahlia (hound) -------- 86 
 
 Davies, George (Whip) - - - - - - 106 
 
 Deal Golf Club -------- 33 1 
 
 Desmond, Lady, skill with bow - - - - - 194 
 
 " Dinah," retriever ------ 146, 148 
 
 Dog breaking, secret of - - - - - - - 149 
 
 DOG BREEDING, by Hutchinson recommended 152 
 
 Dogs and dog-breaking, utilising land for - - - 1^5 
 
 Driving popular with shooters and owners ot moors - - 131 
 
 Dulcimer, pure harrier, 89 ; account of - - - - 90 
 
 Dumfries, ladies' golf links at ----- 3^1 
 
 I 
 
INDEX. 405 
 
 E. 
 
 Eastbourne Ladies' Golf Course - - - - - 3+^ 
 
 Edinburgh, ladies' golf links ac . _ - - - 3^1 
 EDITOR (FRANCES E. SLAUGHTER). 
 
 Englishwomen and Sport ----- i 
 
 Hare-hunting ------- 59 
 
 Portrait -------- 1 
 
 Elie and Earlsferry, ladies' golf links at - - - - 341 
 
 Eltham Ladies' Golf Course ------ 341 
 
 Englishwomen and Sport, by the Editor - - - - I 
 
 F. 
 
 "Fallible," beagle bitch ------ 99 
 
 FISHING FOR TARPON, by Mrs. Murphy-Grimshaw 
 
 Bait used ------ 
 
 Bottom-fishing ----- 
 
 Catching first tarpon - - - - 
 
 Clothes required for ----- 
 
 First tarpon stuffed and set up - 
 
 Fishing at Captiva - - - 
 
 Florida, arrival in - - - - 
 
 Playing a tarpon, 164; excitement of - 
 
 Rod suitable tor _ - _ - 
 
 Season for - _ - - - 
 
 Flat-coated Retriever, Champion Darenth 
 Folkestone Ladies' Golf Course - - - 
 
 Fort Myers, on Caloosakatchie River 
 
 Fishing for tarpon at - 
 FOX-HUNTING, by Mrs. Burn. 
 
 "Alone with the hounds," pleasure ot being 
 
 Beauty and fit surroundings - 
 
 Champion and Wilton's Safety Stirrup - 
 
 Country in the shires - - _ 
 
 Driving to and trom hunting 
 
 Falls ------ 
 
 Gates, opening - - - - - 
 
 Gruel for horse, directions for making - 
 
 " Hands" cannot be taught 
 
 Hunting in provinces advantage over shires 
 
 Huntsmen, way to be made for - 
 
 Ideal hunter - - _ - _ 
 
 Mounting _ - - _ _ 
 
 Need for pilot - - - - 
 
 aw 
 
 1)7 
 
 - 
 
 162: 
 
 - 
 
 178. 
 
 - 
 
 165 
 
 - 
 
 160 
 
 - 
 
 184 
 
 76-77, 
 
 179, 
 
 - 
 
 160 
 
 - 
 
 165 
 
 - 
 
 162 
 
 - 
 
 164 
 
 - 
 
 1+3 
 
 - 
 
 343 
 
 I?i, 
 
 183 
 
 - 
 
 158 
 
 - 
 
 31 
 
 - 
 
 14 
 
 - 
 
 36 
 
 - 
 
 19 
 
 - 
 
 52 
 
 - 
 
 35 
 
 - S' 
 
 ^ 33 
 
 - 
 
 51 
 
 - 
 
 25 
 
 
 16 
 
 - 
 
 32 
 
 - 
 
 50 
 
 - 
 
 .: 1 
 
 - 
 
 44 
 
4o6 INDEX. 
 
 People hunting like a flock of sheep 
 
 Quick eye to hounds ----- 
 
 (Quietness necessary ----- 
 
 Riding a refuser - _ _ _ - 
 
 Riding sane horses ----- 
 
 Riding slow ------ 
 
 Riding to hounds, advice on - - - 
 
 Safety habits ------ 
 
 " Seeds " " Young Grass " - 
 
 Spurs ------- 
 
 Stirrup foot, position of - - - - 
 
 Tired horse, jumping a - - - - 
 
 Women in hunting field, why unpopular 
 Women riding without third pommel - 
 France, golf clubs in ----- - 
 
 Gadfly (hound) ------ 
 
 Gainer (hound), account of - 
 
 Game of Golf, by W. Park, junr. - - - 
 
 Gentil on Amazoni in retinue of Indian Prince 
 
 GifFord, Lady 
 
 And her Harriers - - _ - 
 
 Beagles-harriers - - - - - 
 
 Carrying horn with harriers 
 
 Cure for distemper - - - - 
 
 Interest in Kennel Management - 
 
 On hounds' food - - - _ 
 
 Golf Annual, Article by John Thomson in 
 
 GOLF, by Miss Starkie-Bence _ - - 
 
 Approach Shot - - - - - 
 
 "Approach Shots," Competitions tor 
 Balls, different kinds - - - - 
 
 "Bap" - 
 
 " Bogey " Competition 
 
 Books recommended - - - - 
 
 Brassey ------ 
 
 Bunkers ------ 
 
 Cleek ------ 
 
 Clubs ------ 
 
 Clubs, choice of (instruments) 
 
 " Cuppy " lie - 
 
 Dress suitable for - - _ - 
 
 31 
 
 43 
 
 24' 47 
 48 
 
 47 
 
 35 
 
 22 
 
 39 
 
 34 
 
 40 
 
 29 
 
 50 
 
 30 
 26 
 
 344 
 
 ^6 
 
 86 
 
 261 
 
 190 
 
 58 
 
 89, 90 
 
 61 
 
 92 
 
 90 
 
 9' 
 
 352 
 
 259 
 
 284 
 
 32+ 
 
 333 
 
 275 
 
 297 
 261 
 
 2S3 
 260 
 
 283 
 262 
 
 274 
 
 300 
 
 304 
 
INDEX. 407 
 
 Driver ----___ 274., 279 
 
 D/opping the ball, Rule on- - - - - 351 
 
 Esprit-de-Cerps - - - - - - - 351 
 
 Etiquette to be observed ----- 294 
 
 Failing to sign card - - - - - - 260 
 
 Faults — Slicing, Hooking, Topping - - - 299 
 
 Foresome - - - - - - - - 259 
 
 Founding of ------ - 261 
 
 Green - - - - - - - - 260 
 
 Grip 261 ; wrong grip ----- 276 
 
 Grip of hands for driving - - - - - 275 
 
 Grip when at top of swing- - - - - 280 
 
 Handicapping ------- 297 
 
 " Handicapping Scheme " 326 ; Rules - - - 327 
 
 Hazard, St. Andrew's Rules 14., 288; 15 - - 288 
 
 Hazards - - - - - - - - 260 
 
 Iron 274; lofting iron ----- 283 
 
 Iron shots- ------- 284. 
 
 Ladies' Courses ------ 266, 267 
 
 Lessons from professional desirable - - - 273 
 
 Lie ---------261 
 
 Links, size of------- 260 
 
 Links, "upkeep" of - - - - - - 332 
 
 Mashie ------- 274, 287 
 
 Medal play ------- 298 
 
 Object of game- - - - - - - 259 
 
 Position for driving ----- 269, 276 
 
 Practice required for - - - - - 2~i. 301 
 
 Putter ------- 274, 291 
 
 Putting - ■ - - - - - - 293, 295 
 
 Scores in Match playing - - - - - 260 
 
 Scores in Medal play - - - - - - 259 
 
 Scotch and English players. Styles of • - - 272 
 
 Short Approach Shot with thumb down the shaft - 289 
 
 Suited to all seasons ------ 267 
 
 "Smothering" ------- 279 
 
 Stance -------- 260 
 
 Stimulus to trade given by - - - - - 328 
 
 Stymie - - - - - - - - 351 
 
 Swing 2S0; Finish of ----- 281 
 
 Swinging upwards for three-quarter iron shot - 285 
 
 Glossary of Technical Terms - - - - ^84 
 
 Golf Links abroad ------ ^5^1; 
 
 G(?^ quoted on gutta-percha used for balls - - - 332 
 
4o8 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Golf Rules, Appendix A ----- - 377 
 
 Golf School in America ------ 344 
 
 Golfers Referee -------- 292 
 
 Gone to Ground (Portraits of four B.O.H. Prize-winners) 53 
 Graham, Miss N., Golf Champion of Ireland - - - " 33^ 
 
 Portrait - - - - - - - - 3 39 
 
 Grand National Archery Meeting - - - - 200, 203 
 
 Grand Northern Archery Meeting . _ - - 200 
 
 Grand Western Archery Meeting ----- 200 
 
 Great Yarmouth Golf Links - - - - - - 3^3 
 
 Greeks and Romans no word for Skating - - - 246 
 
 Grev, Lord de ------- - io9 
 
 Grouper, red and black - - - - - - 177 
 
 Grouse Shooting - - - - - - - - ^3^ 
 
 Best Method - - - - - - - I33 
 
 GuUane, Ladies' Golf Union Championship Meeting at 306, 320 
 
 Gullane Links, lengths between holes at - - - - 325 
 
 Guns suitable for women - - - - iio, iii, 127 
 
 H. 
 
 Hamilton-Russell, Lady Margaret {?iee Scott) 
 
 Golfing ------- 272,313 
 
 Portrait - - - - - - - " 3^7 
 
 Hare Drive in Austria - - - - - - - i^^ 
 
 HARE-HUNTING, by the Editor - - - - 59 
 
 Cleanliness absolutely necessary in kennels - - 74. 
 
 Dwarf foxhounds ------ "9 
 
 Feeding hounds- ------ 74 
 
 Harrier, advantage of pure ----- 66 
 
 Harriers, faults of - - - - - - I'^il'^ 
 
 Hounds, drafting - - - - - - 11 
 
 Hounds, kind of ----- - 66 
 
 Hounds, signalling - - - - - - 7^ 
 
 Hounds, signs of health in - - - - - 77 
 
 Hounds, standard for ----- - 7° 
 
 Lady M. H.'s Pack, story of - - - - 65 
 
 Quietness necessary tor - - - - 59' 61, 66 
 
 Stud-book harrier ------ 69 
 
 Training hounds ------ 7^ 
 
 Viewing the hare ------ 62 
 
 Whippers-in ------- 7o 
 
 Harrier and Beagle Show, Peterborough - - - - 105 
 
 Hastings and Bexhill Ladies' Golf Course - - - 343 
 
L\])EX. 409 
 
 Hawking, women proficient in - - - - - 3 
 
 Hertfordshire Society of Archers ----- 197 
 
 Himalayan pheasants - - - - - - - 132 
 
 History of tke Cid, bv Dr. Southev, quoted on "Star of the 
 
 Archers"' - - ' - - - - - 188 
 
 Horniblow, Mrs., Archery score ----- 204 
 
 Hoylake Golf Links - - - - - - - 311 
 
 Hoylake Ladies' Golf Links ------ 3 + 3 
 
 Huntingdon, Load, harriers in Iceland - - - - 61 
 
 Hutchinson, General, system of breaking pointers and 
 
 setters - - - - - - - - 15 ^ 
 
 Hutchinson, Horace, Golf, Badminton Library - - 261 
 
 Hutchinson Horace, on putting ----- 292 
 
 I. 
 
 India, golf clubs in ------ - 343 
 
 Irish Ladies' Golf Union, meeting at Portrush - - 315 
 
 Irish Setters, Champions Shandon II. and Geraldine - - 126 
 
 Irishman on gun - - - - - - - - ^^^ 
 
 J. 
 
 Jacksonville, Florida - - - - - - - 183 
 
 Jaques bringing out Croquet - - - - - - 35° 
 
 Jew-fish --------- 177 
 
 K. 
 
 "KATE COVENTRY," heroine, giving up hunting 
 
 when she marries ------ 4 
 
 Kennedy, Miss Emma : 
 
 Golfing in North Wales ----- 347 
 
 Portrait -------- 335 
 
 Kildare, Countess of, shooting deer - - - - I94 
 
 King-fish -------- - 177 
 
 Ladies' Golf Union ------- 265 
 
 "Handicapping Scheme," 326; Rules - - - 327 
 
 Outline of ------- 307 
 
 Ladies' Golf Union Annual^ Miss Pearson's article \x\- - 328 
 
 Ladies' Golf Union Championship Meetings - - - 306 
 
 Great Yarmouth - - - - - 3^3 
 
 Gullane ------- 306, 320 
 
 Hoylake - - - - - - 312, 319, 334 
 
4IO 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Littlestone ------ 
 
 Lytham and St. Anne's - - - - 
 
 Portrush ------ 306, 
 
 Lancer (Irish horse) ------ 
 
 Leake, Sir F., extract from letter to Lord Shrewsbury 
 Leamington and Midland Counties Archery Meeting 
 Legh, Miss, archery schore - - - - - 
 
 Leicestershire, account o't blank day in - 
 
 Lelant, ladies' golf course _ - - - - 
 
 Lillie, A., work on croquet, 355 ; suggestions in 
 Littlestone Golf Club ------ 
 
 Littlestone Golf Links ------ 
 
 Lloyd, Miss, of Bronwydd : 
 
 Account of Bronwydd Beagles - - - 
 
 Whipping-in beagles - - - - - 
 
 Lloyd, Sir Marteine : 
 
 And some of the Bronwydd Beagles 
 
 Beagle kennels ------ 
 
 Beagles ------- 
 
 Bronwydd Beagles - - - - - 
 
 Lloyd, Sir Thomas, started Bronwydd Beagles - 
 Lowther, Hon. Mrs. Lancelot, Portrait - - - 
 
 Lowther, Hon. Mrs. Lancelot, Shooting - - - 
 
 Lytham and St. Anne's Golt Club - - - - 
 
 Ladies' Union, meeting at - 
 
 M. 
 
 M. F. H. advice to young lady - - - - - 
 
 Machrihanish, ladies' golf links at - - - - - 
 
 Maidstone Croquet Club ------ 
 
 Malvern, ladies' golf course ------ 
 
 Mandeville, A., K.H. and Second Whip to Mrs. Pryse-Rice 
 
 Mary, Oueen of Scots, adept in golf 
 
 Maxwell, Miss A., golfing at Dumfries - - - - 
 
 Meath, hunting in ------- 
 
 Melville, Whyte, heroines in hunting field 
 
 Meriden, archery assemblies at - - - - - 
 
 Midlands Golf Championship _ _ _ - - 
 
 Mitcham, Princes Ladies' Golf Links _ - - - 
 
 Meetings -------- 
 
 MofFatt, Croquet Championship Meeting at - - - 
 
 Monmouth, Robert Cary, Earl of, extract from Memories of 
 Montccutc, Lord, entertaining Queen Elizabeth at Cowdray 
 
 312, 314 
 309, 311 
 
 312, 315 
 
 ■ • 27 
 195 
 
 200 
 
 20^ 
 
 23 
 
 343 
 
 373 
 
 331 
 312 
 
 105 
 • 61, 106 
 
 101, 
 
 104 
 96 
 61 
 
 145 
 
 105 
 
 108 
 109 
 
 309 
 
 310 
 
 13 
 
 341 
 360 
 
 343 
 
 85 
 265 
 
 347 
 20, 2 1 
 
 4 
 196 
 
 345 
 334 
 337 
 370 
 194 
 194 
 
WD EX. 411 
 
 Murphy-Grimshavv, Mrs. : 
 
 Fishing tor Tarpon ----- 
 
 Portrait, 156; on board the tarpon boat 
 Murray, Mrs., golfing at Gullane _ _ - - 
 
 Mussellburgh, ladies' golf links at - 
 
 N. 
 
 Nevill, Misses, golfing ------ 
 
 New Zealand golf links in — ladies' championships 
 Newcastle, Duchess of, hunting harriers - - - 
 
 Nicholas', Sir H., Household Expenses of Henry V lll.^ 
 entries from ------ 
 
 NicoT s Progress quoted _ _ - - - 
 
 North Berwick Ladies' Golf Club - - - - 
 
 North Berwick, ladies' golf links at - - - 
 
 Norwich, deer parks owned bv See - - - 
 
 Orr, Miss E. C, Portrait 
 Our Sisters in Canada - 
 
 o. 
 
 p. 
 
 Park, W., junr.. Game of Golf - _ - - . 
 
 Paris, Comtesse de, giving up Woodnorton harriers - 
 Partridge., Fur and Feather series recommended 
 Partridge Shooting - - - .. .^ - 
 
 Driving -_-___-- 
 Over dogs _.-___ 
 
 Walking up . - 
 Partridge, work by Stuart Wortley on - 
 Pascoe, Miss, Portrait - - - - - - 
 
 Pearson, Miss Jssette, 
 
 Article in Ladies' Golf Union Annual - 
 Golfing - - . .- - 
 
 Portrait - - - - - - . 
 
 Records at Wimbledon - - . _ _ 
 
 Peel, W. H., founded All-England Croquet Association 
 Pelicans --------- 
 
 Persian ladies amusing themselves with Archery 
 
 Pheasant Shooting __-.--- 
 
 Pheasants, by Tegetmeier recommended - - - - 
 
 Pointer on Partridge 
 
 Portrush Golf Links ------- 
 
 Portrush, Irish Ladies' Golf Union Championship Meeting 
 
 157 
 
 - 167 
 
 3+7 
 
 341 
 
 - 348 
 
 343 
 
 61 
 
 1 
 
 193 
 
 194 
 
 347 
 
 34' 
 
 2 
 
 - 263 
 
 243 
 
 261 
 
 Fo 
 
 152 
 
 121, 134 
 
 I 34. 
 
 134. 13S 
 
 137 
 
 137 
 
 307 
 
 328 
 
 306, 313 
 
 329 
 
 341 
 
 358 
 
 1:9 
 
 189 
 
 138 
 
 152 
 
 119 
 
 312 
 
 3i=i 
 
412 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Prestwich, ladies' golf links at _ - - - _ ^^i 
 
 Prior, Dr., Notes on Croquet- - - - - - 3^7 
 
 Pritchard, Professor, cure for distemper - - - - 92 
 
 Pryse-Rice, Mrs. 
 
 xAccount of harriers ------ 80 
 
 And her harriers - - - - - - 81 
 
 Kennels, Aldenham Bitches . - - - g^ 
 
 Kennels (Woodmorton, Charity and Wilful) - - 63 
 
 M.H. -------- 61 
 
 On hares killed - - - - - - 85 
 
 On infusion ot foxhound blood into harrier kennel- 85 
 
 Runs of hounds- - - - - - - 83 
 
 Pryse, Vaughan, hunting harriers for forty seasons - - 80 
 
 Punta Gorda 183; deserted by tarpon - - - - 158 
 
 Purves, Dr. Laidlow ------- 306 
 
 o. 
 
 Queen Anne, lover of the chase . . . -8 
 
 Oueen Elizabeth, an ardent sportswoman - - - 7 
 
 Oueen Elizabeth at Covvdray, skill with bow - - - 194 
 
 Oueen Victoria, benefactor of women . - - - 9 
 
 Oueen Victoria riding after hounds ----- 8 
 
 R. 
 
 Rabbit difficult to shoot ----- 130 
 
 Rabbit Shooting ----- 140 
 
 Ranelagh Club, Ladies' Golf Meeting at - - 315 
 
 Ranelagh Ladies' Golfing group, 1897 - - 349 
 
 Ranfurly, ladies' golf links at ----- 341 
 
 Retriever breaking, rules for ----- i 50 
 
 Rhyl, ladies' golf course ------ 343 
 
 Richardson, Mrs. Ryder, golfing - - - - - 347 
 
 Richmond ladies' golf course - - - - - 343 
 
 Rifle for small game - - - - - - - I 16 
 
 Rigby, second for Championship cup in 1897 - - - 84 
 
 Romans and Greeks no word for skating - - - - 246 
 
 Rook shooting - - - - - - - - 117 
 
 Royal British Bowmen - - - - - - - 196 
 
 Royal Portrush Ladies' Golf Links ----- 338 
 
 Royal Rock Beagles, started by Colonel Anstruther Thomson 105 
 
 Royal Toxophilite Archery Society - - - - 196 
 
 Rural Sports, by Daniel, recommended - - - - 152 
 
 Rve Golf Club ------ - - 331 
 
INDEX. 413 
 
 S. 
 
 St. Andrew's, ladies' putting course at - - - - 34.1 
 
 ■St. Nicholas, ladies' golf links at - - - - - 3^1 
 
 Salisbury, Lady, hunting tox over Hertfordshire - - jg 
 
 .Salisbury, Lady, supporting archery - - - - 196 
 
 Sandwich Golf Club - - - - - - - 331 
 
 Sandwich Golf Course ------- 3^^ 
 
 Gentlemen's Amateur Championship at - - 3.(.6 
 
 Lady golf players at ------- 3_|^6 
 
 Sampson, Sir W. C, Jrt of Golf - - - ■- - 261 
 
 Scotch ladies' golf links ------- 3_|.i 
 
 .Scotland, hunting in ------ - 21 
 
 Scott, Sir Walter, excuses Di Vernon for sporting tastes - 4 
 
 Sea trout --------- j j- 
 
 Serrell, Miss, on Colleen - - - - - - ^q 
 
 .Shooters, cautions to young - - - - - - i;2 
 
 SHOOTING 
 
 Article on, by the Hon. Mrs. Lancelot-Lowther - 109 
 
 Badmingto7i Libnn-y on - - - - - - 115 
 
 Beginners, advice to - - - - - ' - 112 
 
 Books recommended - - - - - - 152 
 
 Dress suitable for - - - - - - 123 
 
 Etiquette to be observed - - - - - 112 
 
 Judging distances- ------ 129 
 
 Measuring distances - - - - - - i i ^ 
 
 Practice recommended - - - - - - 128 
 
 Qualities necessary for - - - - - - 127 
 
 Shrewsburv, Ladv, adept with bow - - - - - 19- 
 
 SKATES' - ' - ■ - - - - - _ -■ 2-^2 
 
 Bone --------- 24.6-47 
 
 Mount Charles ------- 247 
 
 Primitive -------- 246 
 
 Roller-Skates ------- 248 
 
 SKATING 
 
 " A pass " - - - - - - - - 252 
 
 Beginning -------- 249 
 
 Club Figures - - - - - - - 253 
 
 Dress suitable for ------ 245 
 
 Equality on both legs - - - - - - 236 
 
 Exhilarating and healthful exercise - - - 245 
 
 Foreign style introduced in England - - - 241 
 
 Half-circle and circle - - - - - - 2^1 
 
 Hand-in-hand skating ----- -237,2^2 
 
414 
 
 Ideal Skater ------ 
 
 In Holland - - . - 
 
 Introduced from North - - - - 
 
 Mastery of both edges - - - - 
 
 Outside edge - - - . _ 
 Points to be attended to - - 
 
 Rockers -_.__, ^ 
 
 Scuds - - - - , - 
 
 Transition stage in England _ _ _ 
 
 Turning a three - ^ _ _ 
 
 Waltzing on skates - _ _ ._ 
 
 South Africa, golf clubs in - - - - - 
 
 Spaniels for rabbit shooting ----- 
 
 Spicer, Captain, of Spye Park, harriers sold to Mrs. Cheape 
 Spong, Mrs., article on croquet - - - - 
 
 Portrait ---__-_ 
 Sport tor upper classes in middle ages _ _ _ 
 
 Sporting dogs, grooming ----- 
 
 Starkie-Bence, Miss, article on golf _ _ _ 
 
 Portrait ------- 
 
 Straits' Settlements, golf links in - 
 Stuart-Wortley, work on partridge _ - - 
 
 Surtees, his hunting women ----- 
 
 System of Figure Skating, by Maxwell Witham 
 
 T. 
 
 Tarpon boats, 159; at Captiva - - - . 
 
 Tarpon fishing (see Fishing for Tarpon). 
 Temple, Miss, archery score - - - - . 
 
 Thomson, Colonel Anstruther, started Royal Rock Beagles 
 Thomson, John, article on Golf Annual - 
 Trollope, sport no place in life of his heroines 
 Troon, ladies' golf links at - - - - - 
 
 Tudor, Margaret, journey to Scotland 
 
 u. 
 
 United States, golf clubs in - - - - - 
 
 Usbec Tartary, incident during plundering of village in 
 
 V. 
 
 Verity (hound) -■-.-..- 
 
 Vernon, Di, excused tor sport-loving tastes 
 
 Villiers, Miss, archerv score ----- 
 
 J. T -L^ - 
 
 L-/-^i • 
 
 - 
 
 241 
 
 - 
 
 239 
 
 
 246 
 
 
 251 
 
 ' 
 
 236 
 
 - 
 
 255 
 
 - 
 
 252 
 
 - 
 
 252 
 
 235: 
 
 241 
 
 - 
 
 237 
 
 - 
 
 238 
 
 - 
 
 343 
 
 - 
 
 i + i 
 
 pe 
 
 85 
 
 - 
 
 357 
 
 - 
 
 356 
 
 - 
 
 I 
 
 - 
 
 151 
 
 - 
 
 259 
 
 - 
 
 258 
 
 - 
 
 3+3 
 
 - 
 
 137 
 
 - 
 
 + 
 
 
 253 
 
 - 
 
 17+ 
 
 - 
 
 203 
 
 es 
 
 105 
 
 - 
 
 352 
 
 - 
 
 4 
 
 - 
 
 341 
 
 
 190 
 
 . 
 
 343 
 
 - 
 
 187 
 
 
 86 
 
 - 
 
 4 
 
 - 
 
 203 
 
INDEX. 415 
 
 W. 
 
 Walrond, Miss, article on archery - - - - - 187 
 
 Portrait - - - - - - - - 186 
 
 Walsingham, Lord - - - - - - 109 
 
 Walters, John, huntsman - - - - - - 106 
 
 Warlike (hound) -------- 86 
 
 Waterwitch (hound) ..----. 86 
 
 Wellfield (hound), account of . - . . . 86 
 
 Wellfield Beagles - - -' - - - . - - 60 
 
 Welsh hares, speed ot - - - - - - - 79 
 
 West Indies, golf clubs in ----- - 343 
 
 West Lancashire ladies' golf links - - - - 268, 334 
 
 Match team - - - - - - - 334 
 
 Whigham, Miss Sybil, golfing at Prestwick - - - 346 
 
 Whitmore, Walter Jones, started scientific croquet - - 358 
 Wilson-Hoare, Mrs., golfing - - - - - 313, 348 
 
 Wilton, Elizabeth, Countess of, on Willoughby - - 17 
 
 Wimbledon ladies' golf club uniform - - . - ^03 
 
 Wimbledon ladies' golf course ----- ^^i 
 
 Witham, Maxwell, System of Figure Skating - - - 253 
 
 Woking, ladies' golf links at ------ 341 
 
 Women. 
 
 At shooting parties - - - - - - 118 
 
 Middle ages, hunting in - - - - - 2 
 
 Position in world of sport - - - - - I 
 
 Proficient in art of falconry ----- 3 
 
 Woodbine, Wellfield, Buxom, Bentley Harriers - - 75 
 
 Woodmen of Arden - - - - - - .- 196 
 
 Yonge, John, Somerset Herald - - - - 190 
 
 Yorkshire golf championship .... - t^^:^ 
 
BIRMINGHAM: 
 PRINTED AT THE GUILD PRESS, 45, GREAT CHARLES STREET 
 
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