64 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



thrown out, as he will be sure to hear them, and 

 be able to get to them afterwards. 



Nothing is more common, though most absurd, 

 than for men who reside in a particular quarter 

 in a hunting country to confine themselves to the 

 meets of the hounds in that quarter, although 

 they meet often quite as near, or nearer, and in a 

 better country, probably the other side of some 

 road, which is this person's boundary. It is true 

 they know that country better ; but surely to 

 men who can ride, the wilder and stranger a 

 country is the more it is like fox-hunting. It is 

 the doubtful feeling when a fox is found, not 

 knowing where you will be the next ten minutes, 

 that makes fox-hunting so different from all other 

 sports. Men who really like sport had better go 

 ten miles to meet hounds in a good country, than 

 two in a bad one. 



When men have favourite horses they do not 

 like to run any risk by sending them on over- 

 night from fifteen to twenty miles, but prefer 

 sending them on early in the morning; which is 

 certainly an odd way of showing their regard, for 

 on no occasion can it happen but that a good 

 inn is to be found near the place of meeting, 

 and surely there can be no hesitation whether to 

 choose a horse which has been travelling three or 

 four hours, or one fresh out of the stable, even if 



