RUNS WITH FOOT-HARRIERS 269 



rate. The day is clear and bright, with but Httle 

 wind ; just the fresh touch of a gentle south-easterl}'- 

 breeze moves over the wide levels. Quickly picking 

 up the line, hounds, running with immense dash and 

 fire and with a grand and most tuneful cry, scour 

 after the hare, which has set her face for the gentle 

 slopes of Wartling Hill and takes over a succession of 

 broad dykes that need a good deal of jumping. A 

 cart or two, laden with enthusiastic farmers and their 

 daughters, spin along the road on the left. Two others, 

 whose drivers have formed a different opinion of the 

 hare's line, turn right-handed and bear across the 

 marsh towards Sewers Bridge and Ninfield ; these 

 last are, as it turns out, in the right. 



After running a long mile or more towards Wartling, 

 the hare, headed unconsciously by a shepherd, suddenly 

 swings right-handed, and now hastens over that vast 

 sea of marsh pastures, which extend to Hooe and 

 Little Common. Those on foot, who do not care for 

 the labours and delights of running and jumping, now 

 betake themselves to the middle road — that towards 

 Ninfield — where they can see the chase for miles round 

 over the broad levels, here guiltless of tree, or hedge, 

 or any thing that may impede the vision. A little 

 band of ten or a dozen ardent pedestrians follow the 

 clamouring pack, and prepare for a long run and an 

 infinity of leaping. For half an hour or so it is a stern 

 and a hard chase, and the runners have much ado to 

 keep at all within hail of the pack. But relief comes 

 at length. Hounds check on the high bank of a small 

 marsh river — the Haven — where, before crossing, it 

 is clear that the hare has spent a minute or two in 

 running a puzzling foil, which, for a brief period, at all 

 events, shall perplex her pursuers and give her breathing 

 space and rather more law. Clever creature that she 



