48 BRITATs^NT AND THE CHASE. 



difficult to start from the furze ; and hares are also plentiful, 

 but, from the furze and thick hedges, are hard to get at. 

 In fact, a varied bag may be made, if not a heavy one, and 

 I much prefer variety to weight. Let us take a sample of 

 a day's sport. 



6tli November. — Set out in good order, my man carry- 

 ing my bag. The morning was hazy, but fresh, and pro- 

 mised a fine day. My two dogs, Belle and Ponto, had 

 not been out for three days, and jumped merrily about 

 me, showing plainly that the pleasures of the chase are not 

 for man only. We walked a mile, and then diverged to 

 beat a small valley edged with wood, which generally held 

 a cock. We reached the coppice, and " Hey in. Belle ! '* and 

 Belle went in, while the dog took the hedge and ditch, and 

 my man went to a point in front to mark. The bell on 

 the bitch's collar tinkled cheerfully for some time, but 

 suddenly ceased, and presently " puffle, puffle " announced 

 the flushing of a woodcock. I did not see it, but a shout 

 from my man showed that it was marked down. I went 

 on, and looking up, saw a cock dashing down right upon 

 me. I hate a coming on shot, but I managed to bring him 

 down. A little further a rustle in the hedge made me 

 turn round, and stealing through the underwood behind 

 me I saw puss creeping quietly away. I could not resist 

 the shot but believe she went off untouched, at least she lost 

 no time in growing scarce. The marked cock we could not 

 make out at all; probably he had risen again immediately as 

 they often do, and had wheeled round the wood and settled 

 down behind me. Some open country followed, in which 

 a covey rose wild and flew far ahead. ^' All right for the 



