108 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN 



by the whip, and merely crouched down on the spot without 

 yielding an inch. Though Duncan did not speak, I did, and 

 at once stopped this error ; I then rode up and softly encouraged 

 the hound, who joyously held on, and in a hundred yards farther 

 he was joined in his work by others, when holding the line to 

 the park pales, Duncan flung his tongue, and sprang over them, 

 backed by the rest; and they were at their fox again. How 

 beautiful it is to the observant mind of a sportsman to see 

 sagacious hounds that had gone with the eager pack some 

 distance over the line of scent, when they checked, canter back 

 to the very spot where they themselves of their own knowledge 

 knew that the scent served, and bring their brethren back and 

 set them right ! How often have I seen old Harrogate do this, 

 who was, I think, the most graceful hound, in his lashing style 

 of hunting, I ever saw ; but of that hound more anon. In the 

 spring, when we were drawing Yardley Chase, and often de- 

 pendent on a holloa for a good start with a fox, the bird- 

 keeping boys on the edge of the woods it being on one side 

 chiefly arable land used to annoy us much. Their cry very 

 often, in the wind, resembled a view at a fox : and when a noise 

 of this description was heard by the hounds, I have seen those 

 "dear companions of my leisure hours'" start from the thick 

 cover into the ride, and stand stock-still to listen, the head 

 inclining first to this side, then to that, as the noise was repeated. 

 On some occasions I could not decide whether the holloa pro- 

 ceeded from a bird-minder or a fox-hunter, and I left it all to 

 the hounds, and if they set zealously off to the extent of a couple 

 or so, I could safely cheer them all to the holloa. Again, it 

 was such a cheering sight to have a distant and decisive view 

 from one of those I had sent on ; and then to see the hounds 

 appear in different spots along the far vista of ride which they 

 got into, the better to race to the scene of their exertions, and 

 bundle along there is no better word for it ; every one of them 

 mute and racing, till they came to the expected incident of a 

 friend with his hat off, waving which way they were to take up 

 the scent. How they would sometimes fly that beautiful chase 



