98 FOX HUNTING. 



where the fox had left the rails. Old, experienced 

 hounds would have climbed the fences to get the 

 scent themselves,. as they learn to do. Many trials 

 and casts being thus made, the fox was run close 

 to the monument before he turned for a return 

 toward Castle Rock. Thus we followed him to 

 near nightfall, by which time he was well dragged 

 out, and so were the hounds, following close be- 

 hind, until crossing a corn field where men were 

 husking corn, who, not being lovers of the sport, 

 but objectors to hunting over their farm, they 

 stoned the hounds from the track, and we were 

 forced to call ofif; the cool head of Pratt Bishop 

 preventing a row with the uncivil buskers. Being 

 some eight miles from the kennel, it was no easy 

 task to get these young, tired hounds back home, 

 and some of the more worn out and foot-sore 

 ones had to be taken up in front of the saddles. 

 This is only one instance out of many of 

 similar work done in a hunt in those old hunting 

 days; but it rarely happened that so much was re- 

 quired. This, however, will show what encourage- 

 ment can be given by energetic hunters who 

 choose to make a study of the sport, and who arc 

 determined to pusli the fox to hole or death. 



