CHESHIRE 221 



more masterly way than the Cheshire did on the 28th of February ; 

 and what this mistake was I shall take leave to mention. There is 

 in this pack a bitch called Lightsome, who is at times a most 

 excellent bitch — doing, indeed, what many others cannot do — but 

 she will occasionally run hare, and this was the case on the day I 

 have been speaking of, when she evidently lost us our fox. She 

 was encouraged (not by Will Head) to hare for more than a mile, 

 and when the mistake was found, it was too late to rectify it. Now, 

 with submission I say it, this is the hound of all others I would 

 draft ; for being so good on some occasions makes her more 

 dangerous on others, and if not more harm than good arise from 

 her in the course of a season, she ensures one thing — discredit to the 

 performance of some particular days. 



I observed one thing extremely baffling to hounds when running 

 over this part of Cheshire ; and that was the number of hares (at 

 least one to an acre) which were continually getting up as we were 

 in chase. Exclusive of the vieiv, there is a strong scent from a hare 

 at this season of the year ; and, doubtless, they save many a fox's 

 life, and destroy many a fine run. As to riot in general, I considered 

 the Cheshire hounds about as free from it as the majority of packs 

 one hunts with. 



On the two first days I hunted with the Cheshire hounds, I held 

 the fences in perfect contempt. So far from seeing anything like " a 

 stopper," I met with nothing which a hunter could not have got 

 over upon three legs. On the third day, however, I altered my 

 opinion of them, and was convinced that it requires a hunter to 

 carry a man over Cheshire. In the covintry over which we ran our 

 third fox (and a very good country it was — chiefly grass, with large- 

 sized fields), I found some strong quick fences, with good wide 

 ditches ; but this is not all. In the greater part of Cheshire, the 

 fence is placed on a very narrow bank, or cop as it is termed, and 

 strengthened by a very deep ditch. This kind of fence not only requires 

 a horse to be quick and ready with his legs — as he must spring from 

 the cop when the ditch is from him — but it also requires a horseman 

 to get him over it with safety when he becomes a little distressed. 

 Temper also in the horse is almost indispensable here ; and I really 

 think it may be asserted, that, provided he have speed, a hunter that 



