164 THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 



ilor to all difficulties ; tliey do not dash and fling witli 

 the impetuosity evinced on breakiug covert ; but what 

 a head they carry — how they jjrc'ss / they are evidently 

 gaining rapidly on the sinking fox ; he has not improved 

 his advantage. He has been more than once viewed by 

 sportsmen during the run ; but one cheer, one half-sup- 

 pressed " Tally-ho ! forward, yonder he goes," has been 

 the only token of recognition. There has been no 

 attempt to cut him off, to lift the pack from scent to 

 view, nor to lessen the distance between them, or in 

 any way interfere with the sport. The huntsman will 

 take every fair advantage of his fox ; but his business is 

 not only to kill, but to hunt and kill him fairly. The 

 idea of killing anything /air/?/ or unfairly, may excite a 

 smile ; may be unintelligible to those who view what we 

 term sport, as only the variety of certain means to the same 

 end ; but there is as much difference, in this respect, 

 in hunting, as there is between the family shot of the 

 pot-hunter, into the brown of the covey, and the skilful 

 selection of the marksman in the objects of his unerring 

 aim. It may be a pretty boast to talk of having killed 

 ninety-nine out of a hundred foxes ; but the question 

 is, liovj they are killed — blood is essential to the courage 

 of the pack ; but the mischief done by unfair attempts 

 to attain it, far outweighs any benefit to be derived 

 from the acquisition. It is no very difficult matter to 

 ride down a half hunted fox, or even one that has never 

 been pressed, if a man set about it as earnestly as I 

 have seen some miscalled huntsmen. By the aid of a 



