3IO CENTURY OF ENGLISH FOX-HUNTING 



in order that he may not be misled on the return 

 journey. Such is the man who would make a 

 reliable scout in times of war, and would not be 

 likely to allow his retreat to be cut off. Probably 

 you will not want to return by exactly the same 

 route as you went out, but if you have kept note 

 of your landmarks you can take a line running in 

 a similar direction, which will bring you back to 

 your starting point. Again, keep looking behind you 

 as well as in front and around you, for a landmark 

 such as a small covert often looks very different 

 when viewed from behind than viewed from the 

 front. 



During a hunting day the fox is your enemy in 

 the same way as an opposing army is in warfare. 

 You want to view him without his seeing you, and 

 when you have viewed him to convey the informa- 

 tion to "the field officer of the day," i.e. the hunts- 

 man. A loud "view halloa" will often make a 

 fox return to sanctuary, like an ill-directed bom- 

 bardment will cause the enemy to retire to his 

 trenches. If the huntsman is in sight it is sufficient 

 to wave your hat in order to attract his attention. 

 At the beginning of the century noise was the 

 fashion, both in the hunting-field and on the field 

 of battle. Now the preliminary arrangements on 

 both fields are conducted in silence, or ought to 

 be. Many a fox will not take to the open owing 

 to the noisy chatter of people at covert-side, and it 

 is difficult for the sternest M.F.H. to restrain the 



