FOX HUNTING. ^ 



(being first plagued with dogs running hogs) we 

 found a fox near Col. Mason's plantation on 

 Little Hunting Creek, having followed on his 

 drag more than half a mile, and run him with 8 

 dogs (the other 4 getting, as was supposed, after 

 a second fox) close and well for an hour — when 

 the dogs came to a fault and to cold hunting 20 

 minutes after 12, when being joined by the miss- 

 ing dogs they put him up afresh and in about 50 

 minutes killed up in an open field of Col. 

 Mason's — every rider and every dog being 

 present at the death." 



It will be seen by this that even the great 

 Washington was content tO' follow a pack of 

 twelve hounds, and could get a good run and a 

 death out of them. 



Under date of October 27th, 1787, Wash- 

 ington's diary contains this entry: "Went to the 

 woods back of Muddy Hole with the hounds — 

 unkennelled 2 foxes and dragged others but 

 caught none — the dogs running wildly and being 

 under no command." 



And under date of November 29th, 1787, he 

 says: "In company with Col. Humphreys, Maj. 

 Washington and Mr. Lear, went a-hunting, found 

 a fox near the Pincushion — run him hard for near 

 3 quarters of an hour and then lost him." De- 

 cember 5th. 1787, he says they went out with the 



