DRAWING A COVERT. 383 



When hunting in England, a stranger will do well never to 

 speak to any member of the field, except when spoken to. 

 If he be well dressed, well mounted, and well behaved, the 

 natives will soon find out all about him ; and, if he be eligible, 

 according to their ideas, will receive him into their sporting 

 circle. 



In going from the meet to the covert at which the first draw 

 is to take place, and in riding from covert to covert, we 

 should take care not to press on hounds or horses. 



Fig. 238. Stone wall ; 4 ft. 6 in. high. 



Success in drawing a covert occupied by a good fox, greatly 

 depends on the field being prevented from thwarting the 

 labours of the huntsman and hounds. Hence, in all well 

 organised hunts, the Master selects, as far as practicable, a 

 position, generally to windward of the covert, for the field to 

 occupy, while the covert is being drawn, and the field is not 

 supposed to go away before the hounds. The huntsman's 

 duty is to attend to his pack, and he should never depart 

 without an unmistakable " Forrard away " blow of his horn, 



