MODERN HARE-HUNTING 109 



the bank, slipped quietly into the stream, swam across, 

 and pursued her way. Where the stream runs swiftly, 

 she may be carried fifty or a hundred yards down, 

 and this ought to be borne in mind in picking up the 

 line on the farther bank. 



Sheep are among the most fruitful sources of checks 

 in hare-hunting, as in the pursuit of the fox. After 

 hounds have made their own cast, and have failed, 

 and the huntsman has taken them in hand without 

 success, the neighbouring hedges and other likely 

 places should be tried. Not impossibly the hare may 

 have squatted in the middle of the very field in 

 which the check occurred, confident in the knowledge 

 which she undoubtedly possesses, that the sheep stain 

 may finally baffle her pursuers. This field ought, 

 therefore, to be carefully searched, and if there are 

 any roots adjacent, these also should be thoroughly 

 tried. It is astonishing how closely a hare will squat, 

 especially if she has been hard run. Mr. Southerden, 

 late Master of the Hailsham Harriers, tells me of a 

 remarkable incident witnessed by him many years 

 ago with this Hunt. A hare that had been hard run 

 for some hours was lost, and, do what they could, 

 neither hounds. Master, nor field could account for 

 her. Close to the side of a road was a rough piece 

 of ploughed land, which was carefully but unsuccess- 

 fully drawn. Thereupon a short consultation was 

 held. While this was going on, a farmer suddenly 

 cried out that one of the hounds had its foot on the 

 hare. This was literally and actually the case. The 

 animal, startled by the cry raised, leaped from under 

 the noses of hounds and men and made off. She 

 was so tired, however, that she was run into in the 

 same field. The hound treading upon her was, 

 cu'-MDUsly enough, at least as frightened as the hare 



