HORSES AND HOUNDS. 241 



and good and sound rules laid down. Something more tlian 

 mere custom has been long required, for seldom does a season 

 pass without some little emeute among masters of hounds 

 touching claims to coverts, which, were a club once established, 

 might be referred to its decision, and thus all angry feelings be 

 allayed. 



The formation of such a club would be a new era in the 

 sporting world. There might also be a fund established for 

 deserving huntsmen, whippers-in, and feeders, when out of 

 place or in reduced circumstances. The sight of twenty couples 

 of the finest young fox-hounds in England would be worth 

 travelling a good many miles to witness, and would attract as 

 many visitors nearly as the Zoological Gardens. An admission 

 fee might be taken on one day, which would make up a fund 

 for the feeders. The dinner would render distant masters of 

 hounds better acquainted, and " amid the feast of reason and 

 the flow of soul," all would go merry as a marriage bell. Thu& 

 much at present on this subject, which I leave for the con- 

 sideration of masters of hounds. 



I will now change the venue to changing foxes, which is about 

 as unpleasant a contretemps as can occur to an ardent liuntsman 

 or an eager pack of hounds. You have been running your fox, 

 found late in the day, perhaps, for an hour with a holding 

 scent, when, on reaching Hazelwood, the scent becomes wonder- 

 fully imx)roved, and the hounds are in full cry, ringing merrily 

 round the covert. Now we shall liave him — how close they 

 stick to him — it v/ill soon be all up with ]\Ir. Eeynard. Such 

 thoughts as these pass quickly and excitingly through the 

 huntsman's head ; when, over the drive, instead of a beaten fox, 

 with his brush draggling on the ground, another light and airy 

 form bounds across at a spring, with all his blushing honours 

 thick upon him. Your heart sickens at the sight of this unex-* 

 pected vision, at least mine has often upon such an occasion. 

 It is a regular damper. For a second or two I have sat upon 

 my horse as if entranced. You see at once that your hunted 

 fox has gone on, and you are left the pleasant alternative of 

 perhaps fruitlessly attempting to recover a good fox, with a 

 worse scent than you had ten minutes ago, even supposing you 

 can stop the hounds — which is very doubtful — or the agreeable 

 prospect of being beaten by the gay gentleman who is now 

 dancing before your half-tired pack, and appears strong enough 

 to run till midnight. Perhaps, while you are deliberating how 

 to proceed, and racking your brains to little purpose, a view 

 halloo from the further end of the covert settles this knotty 

 point for you at once, and vou are obliged to follow your hounds 



