MEMOIR OF THE KILKENNY HUNT. 33 



In Mr. Power's account of his sport, there are two 

 or three points to be noticed, and some conclusions to 

 be drawn from them. Firstly, that the packs taken 

 out were very large. Twenty-three and a-half couple 

 of hounds seems to be a very large pack for the 

 month of December. But, as Mr. Power was in the 

 habit of drawing large woodlands, he may have con- 

 sidered a strong pack indispensable. Secondly, that 

 horses seem to have been in less good condition than 

 those of the present day, a state of things which pro- 

 bably arose from the practice of letting them run at 

 grass all the summer. Thirdly, that well-bred hounds 

 could travel as fast as they do in these days with a 

 scent. Nine or ten miles in an hour and five minutes 

 could not be surpassed. But it must be borne in 

 mind that, as fences were fewer, hounds could keep 

 closer order and run harder in some parts of the 

 country than is now the case. Fourthly, that foxes 

 were remarkably stout and bold, and usually left 

 woodlands, from which it is often hard to get them 

 away now, and that, having gone, they generally 

 made some distant point. Fifthly, that drains were 

 very uncommon. When foxes were run to ground, 

 they found refuge almost invariably in earths or 

 rabbit-holes. ' In fact, the country was undrained, and 

 in its wet state usually carried a scent. Foxes \vere 

 therefore pressed at first, and forced to leave covert 

 soon when they went away for some distant earth. 

 Hounds appear, from the foregoing accounts, to have 

 got away on good terms with their foxes as a general 

 rule. 



