CUB-HUNTING. 341 



cubbing, because they must rise at, say, five o'clock in 

 the morning and dress by candle, lamp, or gas-light. 

 When they are ready to ride perhaps a long distance to 

 covert, there is often only sufficient daylight to see 

 with, rain drizzling down steadily and everything 

 looking cheerless. A light meal, if it be only a cup of 

 cocoatina and a slice of bread and butter, should be 

 taken before starting, and if it is wet or threatening, a 

 good rain coat should be worn. Towards the end of 

 September and throughout October there will be 

 galloping and jumping, and often the pace will be fast 

 enough for the condition of both horse and rider, as we 

 may see by steaming animals and flushed faces at the 

 end of a run. I have so greatly enjoyed these cub- 

 hunting runs with their freedom from crowding and 

 crush, that I can heartily endorse the opinion of Cap- 

 tain Elmhirst, who says : " Call it cub-hunting, or call 

 it what you like, there will be few merrier mornings 

 before Xmas than that of the Quorn on the last days 

 of September." It seems like the breaking up of a 

 family party when the cubbing ceases and all the pomp 

 and circumstance of fox-hunting commences. I often 

 wonder if people who take no interest whatever in cub- 

 hunting, but who regularly appear on the opening day 

 of the season, really ride to hunt, or hunt to ride ? 

 Jorrocks tells us that, " Some come to see, others to be 

 seen ; some for the ride out, others for the ride 'ome ; 

 some for happetites, some for 'ealth ; some to get 

 away from their wives, and a few to 'unt." Our tyro 

 who is enjoying her cubbing will be wise to take a 



