158 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



is also an undeniable fact that in fleeing from adver- 

 saries the creatures of the wild are only doing what 

 they have been obliged to do all their lives to escape 

 from their natural enemies in the woods, and that 

 chasing the fox is therefore the most natural method 

 of reducing his numbers (in some countries most neces- 

 sary). 



It is far and away less cruel than trapping, or than 

 any method of killing by shooting.* The death that 

 is dealt by a pack of hounds, although it may have 

 the disadvantage of being preceded by the emotion of 

 fear, is in the end so sudden as to be almost painless, 

 and is swift and sure, whereas when out shooting, 

 many little animals are wounded and crawl away to 

 die; nevertheless, granting all this, I personally dislike 

 seeing a fox broken, and I am sure that many good 

 hunting men and women, could they be brought to 

 confess it, would agree with me that they are glad, 

 when a fox has given them a good run, to see him go 

 to earth or elude the hounds. 



Whether or not the carted deer could be hunted in 

 this country is of course another matter. I believe 

 that it was once tried in Virginia but given up because 

 the animal ran so long and so far that he disappeared 

 altogether, truly rather a sporting proposition ! 



In any case it remains to me the most exhilarating 

 and the pleasantest of all forms of hunting, and is in 

 truth, "War without its guilt." 



* Hunting a "bagged fox" is rightly considered by most real sports- 

 men as not giving the fox a fair chance, and therefore being beyond 

 the pale of true sport. 



