42 NOW COMES THE TUG OF WAR. 



in a country you are acquainted with, and consequently 

 know the point a fox generally makes for from this 

 covert, place yourself so as not to prevent his break- 

 ing, but so as to command a view when he does break. 

 If you are in a strange country, cock up your nose, 

 like a deer when uncarted ; ascertain the way the 

 wind comes, and place yourself, as a sailor would say, 

 to leeward of the covert : for, unless a fox has some 

 favourite point to make and he will then often face 

 a hurricane you will generally find you have done 

 right. So soon as you see a couple or two of hounds 

 come out of covert in chase, if you have either viewed 

 the fox or heard a " view-halloo" in that direction, or 

 hear the " Hark-hollow" or " Hark-forward, hark ! " of 

 the huntsman, you may be sure they are right. Lose 

 not a moment : but get up to your hounds. If there 

 is any wind, and that a side one, sink it ; in other 

 words, keep your hounds to windward of you. By 

 this, if in a very enclosed country they should get out 

 of your sight, you will hear them and every halloo of 

 the huntsman : and more than this, the chances are 

 they will come down to you, instead of your having to 

 get to them. And now, supposing hounds to be well 

 settled to their fox, and you, from having attended 

 to your business at the covert side, have a good 

 place, remember every yard you lose your horse will 

 have to recover ; more horses are beat from being 

 obliged to catch hounds than from laying with them. 

 The moment you are over a fence into a field, cast an 

 eye to the one that is to take you out of it : if you 

 see a more practicable part than another, and that 

 not much out of your line, make for it ; make for it 

 at once, as no man who hesitates can ride well to 

 hounds. Keep fast hold of your horse by the head, 



