"HOUNDS, GENTLEMEN, PLEASE!" 13 



harriers and rode 18|- stone, Tom Scramble, the 

 pedestrian huntsman of the Slowfoot Hounds, and 

 Mr. Watchorn." 



Such critics are sometimes apt to accuse the 

 huntsman of bloodthirstiness, but huntsmen bring 

 their hounds out to hunt a fox, and not to play 

 with him ; if he lead the field over a good country, 

 so much the better for the field, but the hounds 

 come out to hunt him, and, if possible, to account 

 for him. 



One often hears by the covert-side, "Why doesn't 

 he put his hounds in there and drive him over 

 there ! " But all should know (it has been said and 

 written often enough) that, unless favoured by high 

 wind or some exceptional circumstance, you cannot 

 drive a fox over a desired line of country. A fox 

 leaves a covert, nine times out of ten, with a view 

 of going elsewhere to gain safety, and usually 

 chooses a sheltered route, avoiding, if possible, the 

 wild open country, where all his movements can be 

 viewed, and which the thrusters are longing to 

 cross. An able and very observant huntsman re- 

 marks that a fox is sometimes driven off his point, 

 out of his selected country, if he starts with a 

 strong breeze behind him on a really good scenting 

 day and with hounds away close to him. Then the 

 wind carries their fierce cry so strongly that they 

 may seem closer to him than they really are. He 

 dare not turn to make his point, for that, he knows, 

 would bring him " into the wind," giving his pursuers 

 even a greater advantage, and when a run starts in 

 this fashion it is generally " all U.P." with Reynard. 



