478 FOX-HOUND, FOREST, AND PRAIRIE. 



move. A small division was on the high ground above the 

 covert. These had to sweep to the left hand bridge, strike for 

 the line of chase from that starting-point, and take their 

 chance at the Yelvertoft Bottom as they met it here. It was 

 negotiable, at the pace and may possibly be so in cold blood 

 too. For there is virtue, I am told, in cold blood ; and better 

 valour in cool calculation than in hot impulse. But it isn't 

 given to the foxhunter of ordinary mould nor, truth to tell, 

 does he crave it. (Was it not rather mortifying, though, to 

 hit this wide nullah off at a spot where there was just room to 

 land on the further bank, but impetus failed to carry over, or 

 break through, the rails beyond ? High timber is not readily 

 to be jumped at a stand ; and the position forbade much choice 

 of action. How relief ever came to the predicament is some- 

 thing I have yet to learn.) 



The next fence had also a wide and woolly cavern in front ; 

 and the flyers rolled over it by twos and by threes. Up the 

 gentle slope towards Yelvertoft Village the leaders were 

 rapidly getting on term's with hounds the left van headed by 

 one, " in mien and garb a youthful chieftain ; " while to his 

 right, making strong play, was a proven warrior " yet a very 

 man, not cast in mould too fine for human love." * But the old 

 hogmaned charger had been enjoying nearly a moon of 

 honeyed idleness ; and round he came from sheer friskiness 

 to be cautioned with a double crack on his fat ribs that 

 sounded like a brace of pistol shot. A shepherd turned our 

 fox. (No shepherds, no grass countries. No grass countries, 

 the deluge, again, as soon as possible). So the gallop was 

 rather nipped in its bud to blossom again awhile in another 

 direction, which brought us back to the Yelvertoft Bottom 

 this time with an assisting or deceptive, hedge before it. Two 

 men got down ; two men just got over; while the public again 

 sought a bridge. Then we had several merry minutes by the 

 left of Yelvertoft Village, to ground not far from Crack's Hill 



* Our bridegroom of the year. 



