BREEDING AND HUNTING OF FOXHOUNDS. 99 



direct for a very large field, in wliicli was a very 



large flock of sheep, Avliose position I had already 



observed. With a touch of my horn and a view, — 



for the hounds had not exactly found the fox, he 



]iad found himself, — the pack were at my heels in 



an instant, while I, starting from the spinney on a 



fast horse, was before them and between them and 



the fox, for I had resolved not to lose sight of that 



fox imtil I had seen him safely through the sheep^ 



and put my hounds upon his unf oiled line. 



As I expected, the moment the fox came into the 



field where the sheep were, the whole flock closed 



in upon his wake from every side of the field and 



followed him over the ground ; keeping however on 



the flank of the foolish flock, the fox never succeeded 



in getting out of my sight till he went through the 



hedge and shut out the sheep, and was going over 



ridge and furrow on the other side ; then with a 



swing I cast the hounds, who struck the line most 



joyously, and after a fine run, slow at first, the 



fox was theirs. 



Now, these two instances may be regarded as 



circiunstantially required ; had their huntsman, in 



the last instance, have sat still by the spinney and 



waited for the hounds to run the scent for one field 



h2 



