io6 GUN, RIFLE, AND HOUND. 



beyond not uncommon in Meath and beyond that 

 again a large heap of fresh metal which projected 

 some way into a nasty greasy road. Fortunately, the 

 roan mare was Pembrokeshire born and bred, and 

 that sort always have a leg to spare, and very often 

 two. So with a kick back and an extra effort, ap- 

 parently in the air, we landed safely with a slither in 

 the road, I am afraid to say how many feet from the 

 top of the big bank. 



The week before I had seen the Kildares for the 

 first time, but the sport had been tame, and it was not 

 till a fortnight later that I saw a really good thing 

 with this pack. 



A bitter cold day saw us at Saggart Village, the 

 advertised meet. In those days, however, the Land 

 League was a power in the land, and a whisper passed 

 round that the hounds would not come there, but 

 might be heard of towards Johnstown Kennedy. 

 Thitherwards we trotted, only to meet a sight I have 

 never seen elsewhere a complete pack of foxhounds 

 all muzzled. Recent losses from poison had, however, 

 been serious. 



Turning into a chance field the muzzles were 

 removed and thrust into a sack, which was sent home 

 by a groom. Was it on this day that the covert was 

 surrounded by a yelling mob, in spite of which the 

 hounds got away with their fox, being pelted and 

 beaten with rails as they did so ? I forget ; but at 

 any rate it was in Kildare that December that I 

 witnessed that sight. This day the gorse, Coolmines 

 by name, held a fox, and the said " vulp " ran down 



