58 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



this, he turns his horse's head as he sees the 

 hounds turn, and gains a great advantage over 

 those men who only look at the body of the pack, 

 and who go beyond where it is necessary for their 

 horse to go. A man with a good eye to hounds 

 will beat others who have not, although much 

 better mounted than himself, and at times save 

 his horse much distance and deep ground. 



If men would pay attention to the cry of hounds 

 when running in cover, instead of riding in to the 

 end of the ride, without listening, merely because 

 when they started the hounds were going in that 

 direction, they would often save their horses much 

 work ; for, on listening, they would find that the 

 hounds had turned in another direction. One fool, 

 it is said, makes many ; and it is no uncommon 

 thing to see one man start off, and a whole string 

 of horses follow without knowing why, and have 

 to return after going all through the wood. A 

 very little trouble and patience will teach any 

 man which way hounds are turning in cover ; and 

 he will find it a great saving and advantage to 

 his horse and himself too. It is true, that old 

 sportsmen beat men of the present day ; they were 

 properly entered to fox-hunting, and were taught 

 to depend on their own eyes and ears. For 

 instance, a fox after a run gets to a large cover, 

 where there is an earth stopped at the farther end, 



