210 HORSES AXD HOUNDS. 



At a wave of my hand every hound was in the gorse in a 

 minute, and it began to shake again. " By Jove," exclaimed a 

 Leicestershire squire, " how those big brutes rattle the furze ! 

 they would shake a tomtit out of it ; but they can't go the pace, 

 I think." In a few minutes some sharp quick tongues v/ere 

 heard, and the hounds jumping and dashing over the gorse with 

 a brace of foxes before them. ]\Iy orders were to stop the 

 hounds on one side of the country should a fox break at that 

 point, and follow the fox on the other side towards my neigh- 

 bour's country, who was himself out. This was efficiently done 

 by Jim, and the hounds clapped on to the fox which had gone 

 away on the opposite side, both having broken nearly at the 

 same moment. Before, however, the hounds could get together, 

 the start had been made by some furious riders, who went away 

 at once with the fox, the hounds having to thread their way 

 through the horses. The race then began in earnest, and I never 

 shall forget the scene as long as I live. About a hundred and 

 fifty horsemen were at once scattered over the downs, riding at 

 the top of their speed, in almost all directions ; some following 

 the hounds, but a greater number, not liking the undulating 

 nature of the ground, cutting corners, and hustling each other 

 by cross riding. 



The falls were terrific, even on this fine elastic turf. One 

 man I met who had such a stunning purl, that he was actually 

 riding back again, not knowing in what direction the hounds 

 were going. But I had no time to make farther observations, 

 being thoroughly occupied with my own horse, which I had 

 some trouble to steer over this deceitful ground. A youngster 

 on a thorough-bred passed me with a loose rein, and the spurs 

 digging into his horse's sides. " You will kill your horse at that 

 rate," I exclaimed ; " and it is of little use, for no fox can hold 

 this pace much longer." " I don't care," he said ; " but if I 

 can't be first I wont be last." " No fear of that, if you only look 

 behind you, and see what a cavalcade there is in the rear." At 

 that time there was one long extended line of horses, as far as 

 the eye could reach. The Leicestersliire squire, who was now 

 cutting corners, having deserted the hounds, rode with me some 

 part of the run. "Is this fast enough for you?" I inquired; 

 " you see these big lumbering brutes can run a little sometimes. 

 I thought you at least would keep them company." " I admit," 

 he replied, " that I never saw hounds go faster ; but, unluckily, 

 I am on my vcde horse." " Lay an emphasis on the e, and you 

 are right ; but how came you with a vale horse on the downs?" 



Keeping my eye forward on the hounds, for ride to them I 

 could not, I saw the leading couples turn the fox on the summit 



