INTRODUCTION 5 



opportunity of turning at each fence ; whereas, 

 if the next one is not less than half a mile dis- 

 tant the fox, or hare, while it is still fresh will 

 probably run down the middle of each field ; 

 and as the hounds do not get checked by frequent 

 fences, or have to unravel any twistings of the 

 hunted animal, they are able to push along at 

 a more continuous rate, thereby keeping closer 

 to their prey, which consequently means a better 

 scent, and therefore more speed. 



Whyte-Melville never penned a truer sentence 

 than when he ^wote, '' It is pace that puts life 

 into the chase ! " Yet, essential as it is, there 

 must also be present obstacles of a sufficiently 

 formidable and varied character, to prevent the 

 run from degenerating into an otherwise some- 

 what tame proceeding. This makes the whole 

 difference between a gallop over the glorious 

 pastures of the Shires, of the Tynedale in the 

 North of England, or of the grand grazing- 

 grounds of Meath and Galway in Ireland, and 

 a fast run over the downs of the South of England 

 or other open fenceless country. That this is 

 generally recognised is shown by the prices 

 willingly given for famous horses by those to 

 whom money is no object, and who mean to be 

 carried safely at the tail of the pack no matter 

 how fast or far they run in the grass countries, 

 when compared with the modest sum that 

 should be sufficient to procure a perfect hunter 

 in the land of downs and huge woodlands ; many 

 provincial countries are chiefly remarkable for 

 the amount of ploughed fields that have to be 

 crossed in a day's hunting, the smallness of the 

 enclosures, and the steepness and roughness of 

 their hills and valleys. 



