SPORTSMAN 61 



have seen — particularly if it is a good one, and if 

 so, it will be a feather in his cap. A real good 

 run seldom occurs, and when it does, it is seldom 

 duly appreciated ; for to get one requires so many 

 circumstances combined — first, a good fox, then a 

 good find and a good scent, then a good country, 

 good luck, etc. The chances against it are innu- 

 merable — a bad scent, bad fox, bad find, not 

 getting well away with him, and a hundred 

 accidental circumstances to bring them to a check, 

 without being overridden. The fox is headed by 

 an old woman, or even a child of four years old 

 may spoil a run ; a dog, pig, sheep, cattle, cross- 

 roads, false halloos, changing foxes — in short, no 

 end to chances. But when there is not a good 

 scent, more mischief is done by overriding than 

 by all the other obstacles together ; and it is much 

 to be regretted that all men will not learn when 

 hounds throw up, that is, when they throw up 

 their noses at a check, which a man must either 

 be blind not to see, or is afraid some other man 

 will ride by him. And there are men who will 

 pass the first man when he pulls up at a check, 

 and they are the men who do the mischief — on 

 whom the huntsman or master of the hounds 

 should keep an eye. The first man forces on 

 amongst the hounds at a check, and drives them 

 beyond it ; when up come lots of horses, smoking 



