HORSES AND HOUNDS. 227 



places, wliere, if undisturbed by hounds, tliey may remain tlia 

 greater part of the hunting season, or until such time as their 

 career is cut short by some more ignoble fate ; so that in these 

 very bad and consequently condemned coverts often may be 

 found the foxes which would atford the much-lauded runs of 

 the season, if looked for in time. 



When our fixture was made in the season for any bad wood- 

 lands, many of our fast men declined to show upon such occa- 

 sions, and begged me to leave such odious places either for 

 cub-hunting or the end of the season. My reply always was, 

 " I shall take the rough and the smooth together, and for choice 

 I will back the big woods against the spinneys for a good hard- 

 running fox." By rattling them regularly, foxes would fly and 

 afford us good chases, and I think, taking the season together, 

 our longest and best runs were from large coverts. Our quick 

 things, which suited only our fast men, were, however, generally 

 from smaller places. So, to meet all parties as nearly as pos- 

 sible, lovers of riding, as Avell as lovers of hunting, I varied the 

 scene with woodlands and spinneys, and thus secured the good- 

 will of all, as all knew I catered for the general amusement. 



CHAPTER XXXV, 



Remarks on scent. 



There is nothing more uncertain than scent — even in the words 

 of the old song, "A southerly wind and a cloudy sky" do not 

 always prove, although they may proclaim it, to be a hunting 

 morning. Very much depends upon the state of the atmo- 

 sphere, and when it is a close, and, as our common term is, a 

 muggy dag, no matter what quarter the wind may be in, I 

 would almost answer for its proving a good scenting one. In 

 a misty rain, also, and often in thick fogs, scent will lie breast 

 high. Upon the going off of a frost, scent generally fails, but I 

 have seen hounds run hard when the sleet has been actually 

 freezing on our coats. In snow storms also, whilst the snow 

 is falling, the scent will often serve well, but with storms 

 hanging over our heads there is little. High winds are destruc- 

 tive of scent, generally, as gentle breezes are favourable to it ; 

 but on dumb days, when there has not been a leaf stirring, I 



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