40 THE BADMINTON HUNT. 



significant of a huntsman's ambition that 

 the hounds should have the best of it. 



On William Long's resignation, the 

 Duke of Beaufort undertook to hunt his 

 hounds in person, and most admirably did 

 he perform. Thoroughly acquainted with 

 the country, and observant of every little 

 incident that happened, his Grace was 

 possessed of advantages which very few 

 could possibly attain. He had implicit 

 confidence in his hounds, want of which 

 saves the life of many a fox. I well re- 

 member one day when the hounds were 

 running a fox over a large ploughed field in 

 the wall country, a hare was viewed taking 

 precisely the same furrow that the fox had 

 done, till she came to the wall, which was a 

 high one, and she turned to the right under 

 it, — the hounds carrying the line beautifully 

 over it. His Grace mentioned the circum- 

 stance to me when it occurred, evidently 

 pleased with the steadiness of his pack. 



