26 ON GOING TO COVERT: MERITS 



In Ireland, the Master of the Carlow Hounds, the 

 Master and one of the ex-Masters of the Kilkenny- 

 Hounds are among the pioneers of motoring in the 

 island. Earl Fitzwilliam (M.F.H. on both sides of the 

 Channel) is an ardent motorist. The Master of the 

 Wexford Hounds could hardly command the great 

 distances he has to travel without his motor ; and 

 Mr. Burke, of Tipperary, had for the last seasons of 

 his mastership taken to the motor-car, which he found 

 invaluable for distant meets. It may be safely asserted 

 that if there were any tangible objections to the 

 motor as a covert hack from a hunting point of view, 

 it would not be patronised by the sportsmen I have 

 mentioned. As to the harm done to hunting by the 

 motorists during the chase, it is not within my 

 province now to touch upon that subject ; but from 

 all accounts it is a matter that wants looking after, 

 in some parts of England at least. 



Having mentioned the hack and the motor as means 

 of locomotion to the covert-side, it only remains to 

 touch upon the trap, a generic name, it would appear, 

 for all descriptions of vehicles that carry passengers, 

 with the exception of omnibuses, mail coaches, and — 

 hearses. Being tolerably free from prejudice, I must 

 nevertheless pray to be delivered from driving to 

 covert on an outside Irish car ; and yet I know that 

 many such journeys are before me, so had better, 

 perhaps, change my prayer to one for fine weather 

 (and warm) on such occasion as I set forth upon a car. 

 On these vehicles I defy you to keep warm if it is cold, 

 to keep dry if it is wet ; you lose much of the pleasures 

 of the scenery by having to twist your head and body 



