Fox-Hunting in California 73 



great abandon. I remember well a " fox hunt " on the 

 mesa in my early days in California. A fox having 

 been located in a little woodland on a wide mesa that 

 afforded a splendid running country, a hunt was organ- 

 ised and in due time the fox started. I was the Master 

 of Fox-Hounds that day, as well as the President of the 

 Club, and the hunt was looking to me to carry out the 

 plan of an old-fashioned Virginia fox hunt. The hounds 

 took the trail, and the fox responded. He dashed 

 across the mesa, stood a second surveying the land- 

 scape, then selecting the only tree in sight an oak he 

 ran for it, and the hunt and pack in full cry followed 

 for perhaps three hundred yards; then Reynard reached 

 the tree, gaily bounded into it, and was placidly sitting 

 out of the dogs' reach washing his face when the hunt 

 rounded up. It is best to draw a veil around so harrow- 

 ing a scene, but I believe I carried that fox home, brush 

 and all, under my arm. In the canons the fox is another 

 creature, or in park-like regions, as the splendid reach 

 at Santa Anita rancho, or Santiago or Monticeto caftons. 

 Here the hounds often have a long run and are often 

 baffled. 



The Santiago Hunt Club averages about fifteen foxes 

 a season, often taking them in September and October, 

 the driest time of the year. The dogs of this club are 

 doubtless the best foxhounds now in Southern Cali- 

 fornia. Mr. J. E. Pleasants, the Master of Hounds, and 

 Mr. C. E. Parker of Santa Ana have taken great interest 

 in perfecting Californian foxhounds from stock from the 



