THE REV. JOHN RUSSELL. 245 



immediate auspices for many successive years, it 

 was admitted on all sides bv the Nestors of the 

 field, that the sport shown was fullv equal to 

 that of the most brilliant period of the Chulmleigh 

 Hunt ; and that it was due, in no small measure, 

 to a plan adopted by him with respect to the 

 main earths in the neighbourhood of the moor, 

 there can be no doubt. About a week before 

 each meeting, Will Rawle, his trusty kennel- 

 man, was regularly sent with a couple of terriers, 

 to rattle and turmoil every stronghold visited 

 by the foxes, far and near. That being thoroughly 

 done, a few drops of a certain strong-scenting 

 liquid were sprinkled over the entrance of each 

 earth, which was then stopped. The name of 

 the liquid neither Russell nor Will Rawle would 

 ever divulge ; but its object was to prevent the 

 foxes from digging themselves in again, before 

 the meeting had come to a close. Directly 

 afterwards, however, the earths were unstopped, 

 and allowed to assume, as they soon did, their 

 pristine and natural appearance. 



The success of the plan exceeded even 

 Russell's expectations ; for, however stormy the 

 nights might have been, the foxes were not 

 only to be found above ground, but were 

 undoubtedly much bothered by the blockade so 

 ubiquitously maintained against them. They 

 proved this unmistakably, by the strange line 

 of country they were so often driven to take — 



