164 ON HUNTING. 



straight running day must have a perfect hunter, in 

 first-rate condition, and he, in the strongest sense of the 

 term, " a horseman." But it wants the uncertainties 

 which give so great a charm to fox-hunting, where there 

 are any foxes. There is no find, and no finish ; and the 

 checks generally consist in whipping off" the too eager 

 hounds. As a compensation, when the deer does not 

 run cunning, or along roads, the pace is tremendous. 



The Surrey stag-hounds, in the season of 1857, had 

 some runs with the Ketton Hind equal in every respect 

 to the best fox-hunts on record ; for she repeatedly beat 

 them, was loose in the woods for days, was drawn for 

 like a wild deer, and then, with a burning scent, ran 

 clear away from the hounds, while the hounds ran away 

 from the horsemen. But, according to the usual order 

 of the day, the deer begins in a cart, and ends in a barn. 



But stag-hunting may be defended as the very best 

 mode of obtaining a constitutional giillop for those whose 

 time is too valuable to be expended in looking for a fox. 

 It is suited to punctual, commercial, military, or political 

 duties. You may read your letters, dictate replies, break- 

 fast deliberately, order your dinner, and invite a party to 

 discuss it, and set off to hunt with the Queen's, the 

 Baron's, or any other stag-hound pack within reach of 

 rail, almost certain of two hours' galloping, and a return 

 by the train you fixed in the morning. 



There are a few hints to which pupils in the art of 

 hunting may do well to attend. 



" Don't go into tlie field until you can sit a horse 

 over any reasonable fence. But practice at real fences, 

 for at the leaping-bar only the rudiments of fencing are 



