1 64 HUNTING THE GRISLY. 



having their run, and of having it at the 

 appointed time ; and the only way to insure 

 this is to have a drag-hunt It is not the lack 

 of foxes that has made the sport so commonly 

 take the form of riding to drag-hounds, but 

 rather the fact that the majority of those who 

 keep it up are hard-working business men who 

 wish to make the most out of every moment 

 of the little time they can spare from their 

 regular occupations. A single ride across 

 country, or an afternoon at polo, will yield 

 more exercise, fun, and excitement than can 

 be got out of a week's decorous and dull rid- 

 ing in the park, and many young fellows have 

 waked up to this fact. 



At one time I did a good deal of hunting 

 with the Meadowbrook hounds, in the north- 

 ern part of Long Island. There were plenty 

 of foxes around us, both red and gray, but 

 partly for the reasons given above, and partly 

 because the covers were so large and so nearly 

 continuous, they were not often hunted, al- 

 though an effort was always made to have one 

 run every week or so after a wild fox, in order 

 to give a chance for the hounds to be properly 

 worked and to prevent the runs from becom- 

 ing a mere succession of steeple-chases. The 

 sport was mainly drag-hunting, and was most 

 exciting, as the fences were high and the pace 

 fast. The Long Island country needs a pecu- 

 liar style of horse, the first requisite being 

 that he shall be a very good and high timber 

 jumper. Quite a number of crack English 

 and Irish hunters have at different times been 



