THE BILLESDON HUNT. 49 



there was a great abundance of hares, and I 

 must do the hounds the justice to say they 

 were uncommonly steady, though Goodall 

 informed me he had no opportunities of 

 taking them among riot. They soon found 

 a strong cub, and he was not long before 

 he left his quarters, taking a line over the 

 meadows, where Goodall met with the ac- 

 cident previously recorded ; soon after this 

 the hounds checked. They brought the line 

 well up to a strong fence, where no doubt the 

 fox, not being able to get through, turned 

 short on the right till he came to a weaker 

 place, when he adhered to his original 

 point. The hounds swung round to the 

 right, and down to a little osier bed ; but 

 Mr Tailby soon held them forward, and 

 cleverly got them on the line, when, after 

 running a ring, and being chased by a brutal 

 sheep-dog, he was killed. It was a nice 

 morning's work for hounds, and a most 

 enjoyable day, marred only by Goodall's 



