FOX-HUNTING— EAELY AND LATE 79 



is extracted from his refuge — for blood is a necessity 

 at the beginniDg of the season — and the brush is 

 taken to Lady Knight. 



Now let us turn to the Dartmoor. A meet there is 

 a more full-dress affair than that I have last presented 

 to the reader, for the nearness of the large garrison 

 town of Plymouth alone accounts for a score of 

 *' pinks" and '^ blacks." Among the hunt servants is 

 one official who, I believe, is unknown with any other 

 English pack. This is the " terrier-boy," an urchin 

 in scarlet, who carries in the two leather bags behind 

 his saddle two hard-bitten fox-terriers with their 

 heads peeping out. The reason for this is that there 

 are on Dartmoor many great masses of rocks which 

 cannot be stopped, and as foxes often make for these, 

 it is necessary to have terriers at hand to bolt them. 

 These hounds, at the time I write of, were hunted by 

 a professional huntsman. 



On the day I am going to try and bring before my 

 readers there is very little "pink" to be seen — only 

 the hunt servants in fact, for is it not the 4th of May 

 and a hot day at that ? Filham Village is the meet, 

 and Filham Furze the draw. There is a fox here sure 

 enough, but the eager foot-people head him back. 

 However, there is a rare scent in spite of the heat, 

 and he must go or die. The next attempt to reach 

 the moor is more successful, and away go the hounds 

 at a pace which is simply terrific. The Rifle Butts 

 and Hangershell fly past, and we reach the ridge 

 overlooking Pyles — alas ! only to see hounds marking 

 where the " varmint " has saved himself by taking 

 refuge in that well-known stronghold. Only a quarter 



