84 NIMROD S HUNTING TOUR 



others. There is no enjoyment of hounds — the chief object being to 

 prevent being knocked on the head. One gentleman (Mr. Gifford) 

 had a narrow escape for his hfe in this short burst. His horse ran 

 under a tree with him, and hterally tore his coat off his back. 



December 2nd, met at Ramsbury, three miles from Hungerford. 

 The weather we had defies the pen. Having had a hard fall the day 

 before, I had taken some medicine, and could not stand it, so went 

 home ; but Mr. Ward was out in it all, and I should think he might 

 have watered his horse out of his boots when he got home. Had I 

 been the master of the hounds, they should not have hunted this 

 day, but waited for the next, which was a capital scenting day, and 

 afforded some good runs. Mr. Chute's hounds had a brilhant thing 

 that morning of fifty minutes, and killed. Mr. Ward's hounds 

 changed foxes three times, and consequently had no sport ; but it 

 was said to be a very severe day for hounds and horses, the country 

 being knee deep. 



December 4th, snow on the ground. A good fox and a good 

 scent : and had it not been for his being headed when crossing the 

 canal, we should have had a tickler. The hounds well deserved 

 their fox this day ; and he only lived by reaching the worst scenting 

 covert in the country, stained with another scent. 



Here then is a fortnight's hunting with, I was going to say, the 

 best pack of hounds in England. " How is all this to be accounted 

 for? " says one. My answer is, that it was the worst fortnight for 

 scent in the memory of the oldest sportsman present, and the Craven 

 country of all others requires a good one. It is a cold hollow 

 country, almost all ploughed, distressing to horses, and cheerless to 

 hounds. 



The Craven country, however, is not without its charms. It is 

 generally full of foxes ; and, to use the language of the huntsman, it 

 is one of the most " friendly countries " in England. I w^as certainly 

 surprised to see the fine fields of turnips ridden over and over again 

 as they were without one murmur being heard ; and as to wheat, 

 the farmers themselves lead the way. It is, moreover, said to be 

 the best six-o' clock-country of them all. Its extent is stated to be 

 about thirty miles by thirty ; if so, there is plenty of it. It is 

 bounded on one side by Mr. Chute, on one by Sir John Cope, on one 



