116 REMINISCENCES OF A HUNTSMAN 



lost his fox." I replied, "I wish a similar chance may be 

 given me ! " 



In the passage of time, Moulsoe again came in for its turn ; 

 and as we went to the meet, we agreed that, as the fox had 

 been so near death, we should not find him there again. Taking 

 advantage of the wind, I put the hounds in; a tongue well 

 known to me spoke, another and another, and the hounds were 

 in full cry in the wood about the usual place. The scent was a 

 holding one, but nothing near brilliant ; and a few turns in the 

 cover having been taken, off went our old friend again, fence by 

 fence, field by field, as usual, and down to the river. This time 

 when he came to the Ouse, the waters being much out, he 

 turned to the left, and coasted the flood, till he came to a bank 

 and hedgerow of one of the immersed meadows, which ran out 

 for a considerable distance into the waters, high and dry. The 

 instant I saw the width of water, I doubted if the fox would 

 attempt it ; but the field, thinking of course the fox, as usual, 

 would keep his line (though, if he had, the hounds would never 

 have followed him), all galloped round to the bridges. The 

 hounds checked for a moment, and then hit the fox along the 

 top of the high bank before mentioned, pushing each other off 

 it and into the water, there not being room for more than one 

 or a couple of hounds a-breast. On they went, till they came 

 to the end of the fence, which was then mastered by the deeper 

 water and strong current, and I saw the fox rise before them, 

 and spring into the water. The hounds were at him, and seized 

 him in a moment ; and having worried him, in the scramble the 

 dead fox sank. On seeing this, I recalled the hounds ; and well 

 knowing that some of the men who hunted with me would try 

 to deny the death of the fox, I sent my second horseman to the 

 miller at Oakley Mill, to tell him to watch well his gates, 

 particularly when he raked them clear of the debris of the 

 flood ; for he, in all probability, would find a dead fox that I 

 that day had killed. The following morning being a hunting- 

 day, I was from home early ; and among the field, the question 

 was, " Why, Berkeley, why did you not come round with the 



