222 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



on down the road, and then left it and crossed 

 through the end of a wood. Then he went over 

 a field or two, and crossed another road and went 

 through the top end of one plantation and along- 

 side another and jumped a little fence, and then 

 my friend said '' Stand still or we shall head the 

 fox." It was about twenty minutes after I had 

 fallen in with him and as we stood for a minute 

 hounds came tumbling into the field. '' I 

 thought we should have beaten the fox" said he 

 as he straightway made his way to another point. 



I have had many Hunting Diaries through my 

 hands, but one of the best I ever read, full of 

 interesting remarks about men, horses and 

 hounds and their doings was written by a gentle- 

 man who rarely jumped a fence or missed a day's 

 hunting. 



There is one thing that must be carefully 

 and strongly impressed upon the man who is 

 beginning to hunt and that is that it is essential 

 for him to make his mind up as to which category 

 he intends to belong, those who ride to or those who 

 ride after hounds. If he does not he will have a 

 very unhappy time. I do not know a man 

 more deserving of sympathy than he who ' lets 

 I dare not wait upon I would,' even in a matter 

 of such comparative unimportance as following 

 hounds. It is a question which nerve, or perhaps 

 it would be more correct to say, nerve or strong 

 will, must decide — that whether a man will aspire 

 to the first flight or not. It would be incorrect 

 to say that it depends on nerve, for two good 



