76 



quickly cast them back, and they raced up the road to the 

 right, down over the Dargavel Burn, and across the boggy 

 hollow, where most of the " funkers" were left behind. The 

 line then lay up the hill, and leaving Muirtown to the left, 

 they raced away over the hill to the west side of Elphinstone, 

 which covert he disdained to enter, but going straight on, 

 they lost him at Lawfield Farm-house. Squires cast the 

 hounds on over the road towards the gorse, but could make 

 nothing of it. In coming back, the hounds feathered all 

 round the farm-house, as if the fox, who must have been dead 

 beat, had taken refuge there. A "buxom" lassie appearing 

 at the door, one well-known member of the Hunt asked her 

 if she had seen the " tod." She at once answered, " Would 

 ye like to ken?" and I have my suspicions that the said 

 bonnie lassie had taken compassion on poor foxy, when he 

 ran into the barn, and had locked the door! I have no doubt 

 she would let him out to fight his battles o'er again. Colonel 

 Buchanan, Mr. C. T. Couper, Mr. Wallace, and Squires, were 

 the only four that got away well and lived with them to the 

 finish. Mr, G. Dunlop, Tollcross, and Mr. James Couper, had 

 about the next best position; but great were the disciples of 

 "Macadam," taking a survey of the country about two miles 

 off the hounds. The distance from point to point would be, 

 without exaggeration, five miles, and quite straight, with only 

 one " flash;" the only regret being that a number of good men 

 and straight riders did not get away with them, and as the 

 pace was so terrific there, had no chance of catching them up. 



LANARKSHIRE AND RENFREWSHIRE FOX- 

 HOUNDS. 



"But can tlie eye pause on the pictured sheet ? 

 The Colonel's hounds — the strong, the staunch, the fleet — 

 Come trotting to the Meet, amidst the February haze, 

 And coats get reddening with light—' The Meet ' 

 At the bro-WTi covert side — the day of days 

 Rises and lives in all its Ufe before us. 

 And hope, with breath suspended, waits the chorus." 



