LETTER XIX. 207 



three hunts, the muster was a full one. Two or three 

 well-known masters of foxhounds honouring us with 

 their presence, our hounds were of course well looked 

 over and scrutinized by those supposed to be great 

 judges and connoisseurs in everything pertaining to the 

 noble science. The remarks made were conveyed to me 

 through a friend, who was anxious to hear the opinions 

 expressed by these great authorities, and kept company 

 with them for that purpose. One observed that they 

 were a monstrous fine pack of hounds to look at, but 

 that they could hardly get into the gorse, much less push 

 a fox out of it. Another, that they might do very well 

 in a heavy vale country, but were out of place on the 

 downs, as they could not have speed enough from their 

 size to catch a fox in the open. " Well, gentlemen," 

 said my friend, " I have an idea you will alter your 

 opinion very soon, when the squire gives the signal for 

 the performance to commence." 



At a wave of my hand every hound was in the gorse 

 in a minute, and it began to shake again. " By Jove," 

 exclaimed a Leicestershire squire, " how those big brutes 

 rattle the furze ! they would shake a tomtit out of it ; 

 but they can't go the pace, I think." In a few minutes 

 some sharp quick tongues were heard, and the hounds 

 jumping and dashing over the gorse with a brace of foxes 

 before them. My orders were to stop the hounds on 

 our side of the country should a fox break at that point, 

 and follow the fox on the other side towards my neigh- 

 bour's country, who was himself out. This was efficiently 

 done by Jim, and the hounds clapped on to the fox 

 which had gone away on the opposite side, both having 

 broken nearly at the same moment. Before, however, 



