LETTER XV. 



Having now found our fox, and pointed out the proper 

 positions of huntsman and whipper-in, we will endeavour 

 to follow him over the open, and relate the difficulties 

 which often occur in a fox chase, and the best way to 

 meet them. 



As soon as his hounds break covert, it is the place of 



the huntsman to be with them. He should not be 



sparing of his horn upon leaving the covert, and this, 



with a loud cheer or two of " Forward, away !" will leave 



few, if any, stragglers behind. There is, however, a vast 



difference with huntsmen. To some, who are fond of 



and cheerful with their hounds, the pack will fly like 



lightning; with others, who have a dull, monotonous 



manner with them, the reverse will be the case. It has 



been said by Beckford, that when the scent is good, a 



huntsman cannot press on his hounds too much. This 



has struck me almost as an absurdity, for we all know 



that with a high scent you cannot press hounds at all. 



With heads up and sterns down, high-bred foxhounds 



will go as fast as their legs can carry them ; but if horses 



can press upon them, in such a case, they may go, as the 



Irishman said, faster than their legs can carry them : 



that is, they will go clean over the scent for half a mile, 



or so. When hounds run hard, as our term is, it is as 



