An Interesting Controversy. 61 



have proved it. Some people hold exactly the 

 opposite view. 



I remember an article in the Sportsman 

 Magazine many years ago, vp-ritten by a Mr. 

 Beckford. I have kept it all these years, 

 cherishing for a long time the hope that I 

 might one day meet the writer and have the 

 pleasure of a few words with him, for I don't 

 think that he knew much about harriers. But 

 as I desire to be quite fair to the other side, I 

 will quote you what this gentleman said. In 

 his opinion — 



'< Harriers must be kept to their own game. 

 Hounds cannot be perfect unless used to one scent, and 

 one style of hunting. To run a fox with them teaches 

 them to skirt, and is of great disservice to them. The 

 high scent which a fox leaves, the straightness of his 

 courage, the straightness of his course, the eagerness of 

 his pursuit and the ' halloing ' that accompanies it, all 

 contribute to spoil harriers." 



Did ever man read such rot? I suppose 

 what some people require, and what they 

 would call "hare hunting/' is to keep her in 

 the same field as much as possible, and let her 

 run her own foil as many times as possible ; 



