82 Hounds 



after Christmas which would run twenty miles. 

 The certificate goes to show not only that hounds 

 were possessed of great strength in those days, 

 but had evidently a good turn of speed, and that 

 both were greater than the corresponding quahties 

 in the horse. It runs: 



" We, the undermentioned, do declare that, on 

 a day appointed for the decision of a bet made by 

 Col. Thornton with Sir J. Ramsden and Sir H. 

 Featherstone, a fox broke off in view of the hound 

 and company, which fox was killed after a continued 

 burst (there not being one check), by the different 

 watches, for two hours and thirty-eight minutes; 

 and we, being the only gentlemen present, do believe 

 that the said fox ran at least twenty-eight miles. 

 Col. Thornton, being a party concerned, gave no 

 vote. There were only eight horsemen out of 

 seventy up. (Signed) Lascelles Lascelles, Henry 

 Kitchingman, Val Kitchingman, William Dawson, 

 Randolph Marriott." 



It must always be remembered, of course, that 

 whatever hounds be hunting they have much to 

 regulate their speed. Scent — that sporting mystery 

 of all mysteries — is the great regulator. But even 

 on a good scenting day, that is to say when con- 

 ditions are favourable not for scent, but hounds 

 procuring it, particles may not, and indeed probably 



