THE COUNTRY 9 



the cry of hounds unless they happen to be very 

 near you. Even on a still day sound is very 

 deceiving. All the hills throw back an echo, and 

 you can easily imagine hounds to be on the far 

 side of a dale, when in reality they are on your 

 own side, but under and beneath you. On one 

 occasion hounds were racing with a glorious cry, 

 apparently near the summit of a mountain which 

 separated us from the dale beyond. Every 

 moment we expected to see them appear over the 

 wall on the skyhne, whereas in reaHty they were 

 on the opposite side of the valley beyond, running 

 through the breast at a high altitude. 



Most of the fell country carries a good scent, 

 except sometimes in early autumn and spring, when 

 the sun dries up the dew quite early in the morning. 

 Directly the bracken is beaten down by snow 

 and rain, and the land holds moisture, hounds can 

 work out a drag, and hunt and run with the best. 



Although I have descanted upon the bad 

 weather in the fell country, it must not be thought 

 that the winter months are wholly given over to 

 mist, rain, frost and wind. No, there are days 

 when the sun shines brightly on a white world, 

 and the views from the tops are magnificent. The 

 snow is damp but not too deep, and hounds drive 

 along as if tied to their fox. The air is still and 

 clear, enabling one to hear the music at a great 

 distance, and, with good visibihty, hounds can 



