so FACT AGAINST FICTION. 



and not relying on their huntsman, spoke to a hare 

 in a small spinney. StejAens cheered them, in the 

 the Ii02)c of a fox. The old homids went to ascertain 

 whether it was riot or not, and on finding it was 

 a hare, the master, huntsman, and whij)pers-in all 

 went into the cover to cut at and flog every hound 

 they could get near. To my great misery, I had 

 been foolish enough to be out to look at my loved 

 hounds ; and the consequence of the foolishly insane 

 conduct of their new masters was, that the hounds 

 came out of the cover to join me and sit by my 

 horse, while the insane men in pink were whipping 

 and battering, at last, at nothing ; so they then 

 struck at anything round about my horse. I need 

 not say that / nevei^ went out loith them again. 



If a huntsman begins to Jight with his hounds^ or 

 to let his whippers-in commence a conflict and essay 

 to rate in a rough and excited tone, to a certainty 

 the hounds will be uj) in resistance, and, in return, 

 disobey and fight with him. Some huntsmen can- 

 not pass covers tliat the hounds on some other day 

 had drawn, because the hounds will break away. I 

 never let a hound be struck for an attempt to break 

 away. In a gentle, ratlier contemptuous, soothing 

 voice, I told them to be quiet ; and this steadiness 



