348 The Hunting Countries of England. 



vale is a rare exception. So it becomes a rule that 

 tlie nearer the water a fox is found, the better the 

 chance of a gallop — and, while that gallop lasts, 

 nothing, even in the shires, can beat it for fun and 

 incident. The fences — big and close together — are 

 seldom strong enough to be forbidding. A fox with 

 a good point before him, and his movements well 

 hidden, is pretty sure to run straight ; and, though a 

 pack of hounds takes more time than a horse to 

 overcome a tangled fence, it is only a good horse- 

 man with a practised eye and ready judgment who 

 will pop in and out of these little enclosures as quickly 

 as the hounds he follows. Immediately round Berkeley 

 the meadows are particularly small, and jumping is 

 consequently almost incessant ; while the ditches — ■ 

 often very wide and deep — are blind and choked till 

 the season is well advanced. From Berkeley north- 

 ward, to Gloucester, Cheltenham, and Tewkesbury, is 

 quite a flying country ; and little but grass is to be 

 seen, till near Tewkesbury the vale opens wider, the 

 plough has been brought more into play, and the 

 enclosures are of greater size. Several brooks also 

 cross this part of the vale, which is held in high favour 

 by the little hunting world of Cheltenham, whence 

 the Berkeley field at all northern meets is chiefly 

 recruited. It is, indeed, at this extremit}^ of his 

 country that Lord Fitzhardinge has his largest fields. 

 Elsewhere they are of comfortably small proportions — 

 the lack of crowd giving men, and consequently 

 hounds, the best possible chance of getting quickly 

 ^md pleasantly over the closely fenced vale. For this 

 his lords]] ip and followers have to thank the shape and 



