282 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



of it. I went into the covert with the hounds, which 

 was my general practice, and began drawing. The wood 

 was quickly traversed, and every corner tried — one 

 tongue only was heard of a young hound, who was rather 

 a notorious offender, but not another hound would join 

 him. There was the fox — he was literally among the 

 pack, where I saw him myself — but hunt him they 

 would not ; the old hounds came away disgusted. The 

 fox remained for a short time longer, when he broke 

 across a canal, close to the wood, and being headed in 

 that direction, returned again to the covert, a corner of 

 which he threaded, and then broke over the open. The 

 screams and halloos then brought the hounds to the 

 spot, and some of the young ones went off with the 

 scent, but the old hounds would not even then own it — 

 they followed after, but they would not take part in the 

 business. What with the screaming and hallooing, the 

 young hounds went on, and it being a grass vale, soon 

 ran into the fox and killed him, but then they would not 

 eat him ; and one of the old hounds, to show his con- 

 tempt of the whole affair, turned up his leg against Jim, 

 as if to say, " Take that for your pains." 



I was obliged to make excuses about the fox being 

 mangy, and therefore the hounds did not like him. My 

 friend exchanged significant glances with me. We had 

 deceived the field, but we could not deceive the hounds. 

 But for the fact of the fox having washed himself twice 

 in the canal, I do not think even the young hounds, 

 notwithstanding the encouragement they received, would 

 have run this fox a hundred yards ; so little do gentle- 

 men who hunt to ride know of the real business going on 

 in the field. As long as hounds go the pace, they give 



