A Week with the Southdown, 243 



away. The scent being indifferent, the hounds were 

 unable to get on good terms with him, and he led 

 them a dance for two hours and forty minutes over a 

 very rough and heavy country, beating them at last. 

 The pace throughout was slow, but it was an excel- 

 lent hunting run, exhibiting the skill and perseverance 

 of the huntsman, and the steadiness of the hounds. 



On Thursday, the meet was at Abbot's Wood ; the 

 weather was stormy, and little good could be done 

 with the first fox, owing to the disturbed state of 

 the atmosphere. Better fortune attended the hunts- 

 man's endeavours Avhen a second fox was found, for 

 he went away at a rattling pace ; but, being unable 

 to outstrip his pursuers, he was compelled to succumb, 

 and was rolled over in the open by the eager 

 hounds, after an exciting race of one hoiu\ This 

 was an exceedingly severe day for both horses and 

 hounds, the ground being frightfully heavy, the 

 brooks assuming the proportions of rivers, and the 

 ditches swelling to the dignity of rippling rills ; 

 whilst the going across the plough was terrific, 

 necessitating those who wished to live throughout 

 the run to take their nags well by the head, and 

 even then it was no easy task to keep with hounds 

 during this severe day's work. 



On Friday the fixture was arranged for " the 

 Dyke," but in consequence of the wind, rain, and 

 fog, the hounds had to be trotted off from the high 

 ground, and were taken to New Timber Park Wood, 

 a sure place for a fox, one I have never known to 

 fail. With but little loss of time a view-halloo was 

 heard, and a fox went away, running a ring for an 

 hour, when he was run into and killed. 



