AND STIRLINGSHIRE HUNT 



" Drawn blank," — " No, surely not " — " It surely cannot be " — 

 "Just wait a bit" — "That corner there" — "Hold on, we'll 



quickly see," 

 Alas ! 'tis true, they're through it all, but not a fox is there, 

 But here and there a rabbit bolts, and now and then a hare. 

 " Hark back." So back we went the very way we came, — 

 A little disappointed, but for further sport quite game. 

 We drew a moss, — we drew a moor, — we drew a little wood, — 

 "We never found a fox at all, but always hoped we should. 

 And now, the sinking sun began to hint the day was past, 

 When, where we might have drawn at first, we went to draw at last. 

 The hounds are in, — and now — ah ! listen — hush — oh, hark — 

 They've found, by Jove ! — Whooi ! Listen lads, that's Ranter's 



opening bark. 

 They're on him, boys — keep quiet now, and let him get a start. 

 Whooi ! Tally Ho ! Whooi ! Gone away — that warms a fellow's 



heart. 



One galloped, all galloped o'er grass and o'er lea, 



No mortals were ever more happy than we. 



For o'er fence and through gap did we dash on our way, 



Each striving to be the first man of the day. 



The Annan is reached, and here the fox turns, 



The hounds aren't bothered — the scent really burns. 



" He's away to the right, towards the Lockerbie road," 



There's a big " post and rail," and a ditch pretty broad. 



The " first flight " are over, and so's Irving Bell, 



Who gallantly charged it and — gallantly fell ; 



But he rose and remounted, unhui't, as we found. 



In the meanwhile the hounds had run reynard to ground. 



No time did we lose, as we'd no time to spare, 



But back to the covert we rode then and there, 



A view screech was given — another was heard, — 



At a bank with a top-rail our horses we spurred, 



We jumped into covert, and thence through a gate, 



A hasty glance showed us we'd no time to wait, 



For the hounds streamed away through the wood o'er a 



lane 

 Whilst their music made all the woods echo again. 

 "He's headed" — "They've changed" — "Where is he?" 



— " Not there " — 

 The fact was apparent — we'd started a pair, 



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