222 HOESES AND HOUNDS. 



Many a time have I sallied forth into this war of elements, 

 when you would hardly turn a cat out of doors, to keep my 

 appointment, and upon many an occasion not half a dozen made 

 their appearance to greet us at the place of meeting. I went one 

 day to a fixture nearly twenty miles from the kennels in such 

 torrents of rain that we were drenched to the skin long before 

 our arrival at the covert side. One solitary individual was there 

 to meet us, who looked like a drowned rat. He was, of course, 

 a very zealous sportsman. " Rather a damp morning," he ob- 

 served, " and I anticipate a short gathering." " My opinion is," 

 I replied, " that I could water my horse out of my boots, and as 

 to the field, I think it is very probable that you will be its sole 

 representative, and not a bad one, upon tliis occasion." " Well," 

 he said, " what's to he donef "Wait a little longer, to see if a 

 third fool makes his appearance, as there is no chance of our 

 being wetter than we are at present." We therefore stuck up 

 under a hedge for another quarter of an hour, v,'hen no other 

 horseman joining, I said, " You are now the field, and as you 

 have had the boldness to turn out in such weather, your hardi- 

 hood shall be rewarded. I am ready to begin drawing, for 

 standing still wont suit me any longer." " I have been debating 

 the question," he replied, "and although I should like a 

 warming uncommonly just now, it is very selfish to disturb that 

 fine covert on such a day as this, merely to gratify my own 

 feelings, when there is no one else out to join in the sport. No, 

 that wont do, so the only alternative we have is to go home and 

 go to bed." Shaking hands we parted, he for a six mile gallop, I 

 for a weary ride through heavy roads and splashing lanes, of 

 twenty miles. 



The enjoyment of sport upon such occasions is almost out of 

 the question ; but I have known good runs, and even a good 

 scent, when the elements appeared combined to dispute it. 

 Upon one occasion, when taking my hounds into another country 

 for a fortnight's hunting, we had a capital run. It was a very 

 windy day, and we unfortunately had to draw a large covert, 

 which it was difficult to traverse on horseback. On finding our 

 fox, we kept as close to the hounds as the nature of the ground 

 would admit of, being both hilly and abounding in rocks as 

 well ; the hounds, however, at last slipped away down wind, and 

 we lost them entirely. Being ignorant of the country, I could 

 not tell the run of the foxes, and we could find no traces of the 

 hounds. We therefore separated in difi'erent directions. T got 

 upon their line and followed them for some miles, gaining intel- 

 ligence here and there of their route ; but at last I lost it alto- 

 gether, and could pick up no further information. It being 



