The North Herefordshire. 425 



dimensions, the whole surface of the country is more 

 or less draped with foliage. The bearing of this 

 upon foxhunting is that the range of sight is 

 consequently very limited; and a sinking fox is 

 never to be viewed till he is handled. And, what is 

 still more to the point, the small size of the enclosures 

 is all against hounds — as they are debarred from 

 flinging wide or carrying a steady head for any 

 distance, while their fox is constantly tempted to 

 dodge down the hedgerows and seldom even runs the 

 middle of the field. 



The' Iisdges are of thorn, hazel, and what-not — of 

 no great height, but ragged and thick. Sometimes 

 they are set on a low bank, but more often rest on a 

 level surface, with a ditch on one side, whose depth 

 may be probed, but is seldom apparent to the clearest 

 vision of horse or man, owing to the veil of grass and 

 **" rough stuff ^' that generally shrouds it. The fence 

 that most often impedes the way of the North Here- 

 fordshire sportsman is one that is most dangerous to 

 the daring ; but, while really safer to the timid man, 

 cannot but prove a trial to one who has in any way 

 lost his nerve. He who is rash will hold light such 

 an easy fence ; and may fall in his careless hurry. 

 He who fears a fall will give his horse plenty of time 

 to pick his way, but will find it impossible to forget 

 that this is the trap that caught him so often in hot 

 youth. It is not a country that I, for one, should 

 select for my declining years and nerve. Bach veiled 

 fence would then be as a jog to the memory of mishap, 

 and each blind ditch would seem a pitfall set to bring 

 one^s hunting career to a miserable close. To secure 



