212 FRANK FOKESTEr's FIELD SPORTS. 



the other requires only the patience of Job, added to enough 

 skill with the gun to knock over a great beast, as big as a Jack- 

 ass, and as timid as a Sheep, with a heavy charge of buck-shot. 



The former mode is practiced, almost exclusively in Penn- 

 sylvania, where the hunters are very apt to shoot hounds on 

 account of their disturbing the forests, and driving the Deer off 

 the ranges, as also in the southern tiers of counties in New- 

 York ; on Long Island, and to the eastward, as also with some 

 small variation of mode, in Hamilton county, and the northern 

 section of the State. 



On Long Island, especially, at Snedecor's and Carman's, 

 where excellent hotels are kept for the accommodation of city 

 sportsmen, it is usual to collect large parties, often numbering 

 twenty or thirty guns. All the Deer-paths and run-ways are 

 perfectly well known to the hunters and drivers, and the com- 

 parative excellence of them thoroughly ascertained. The stations 

 at these are, therefore, meted out by lot to the sportsmen, some 

 of whom have thus a fair chance of getting a shot in the course 

 of a whole day's weary watch to leeward of Deer-path, while 

 against others the odds are, perhaps, a hundred to one against 

 their so much as hearing the distant bay of a hound. 



Meantime the hounds are inicoupled, the drivers enter the 

 woods, and endeavor to force the quarry to the known jiasses, 

 at which the gallant cits, wait patiently, or impatiently, as it may 

 be, with little or no excitement ; beyond the knowledge, that 

 if they are detected indulging in a cigar, or in firing an unwise 

 shot at any passing small game, much more in being absent from 

 their stand when a Deer — if any — crosses it, or m ssing him if 

 present under arms, they will be fined a dozen of Champagne 

 at dinner, for the benefit of the company; whereas, if they suc- 

 ceed in killing Hart or Hind, they will be rewarded by the hide 

 and horns, and by the permission to buy the venison at auction 

 in the evening, if they bid more for it than their unsuccessful 

 neighbors. 



I was once present at one of these Epping hunts of America's 

 cockneys, and I most assuredly shall never be present at ano 



