SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 3G9 



hounds, screeching of huntsmen and whippers-in, or 

 cracking of whips, and made to leave his stronghold 

 one moment earlier than it pleases him to vacate it. 

 We have witnessed the nonchalance of these wily ani- 

 mals thousands of times, and even when pressed by 

 hounds^ their apparently thorough contempt for their 

 enemies. "Whilst fresh in physical power, as yet un- 

 tried and unabated, they seem regardless of the risk 

 they incur by running into the mouths of the hounds, 

 and more afraid of a pink jacket outside the wood 

 than forty spotted skins within it. Headed back 

 almost into their open jaws is an event of everyday 

 occurrence ; but it is not often they are tripped up 

 by such an audacious act. 



One of the most barefaced things we remember 

 was perpetrated by an old fox, who sat up on his 

 haunches in the very next field to a small covert, 

 whilst the hounds were running merrily upon his 

 scent and certainly not two hundred yards behind 

 his brush ; and there he sat for a second or two, as 

 if calculating the time when he should be obliged 

 to go faster. Nothing could exceed the indignation 

 of Charles, our first whip, on witnessing such an 

 insult to decency on the part of a fox. He hollaed 

 him, but trudge on he would not until it suited his 

 pleasure ; and when we reached the spot where sat 

 Charles screeching, he said, '^Well, sir, I hope we 

 shall take the shine out of that old devil, for, of all 

 the impudent brutes in fox-skin, I never seed his 

 equal,^^ telling us the occurrence. 



" We shan^t handle him to-day, then,^' was our 

 reply, '' for he seems to know we cannot do it/' 



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