112 The Hunting Countries of England. 



extant and permanent are comparatively rare ; being, 

 more often than not trodden down or ploughed to the 

 surrounding level. For when the first use of the 

 ditch, viz., of supplying material for the hedge bank, 

 has once been served, the two ulterior purposes for 

 which it might be employed — viz., draining the land 

 and herding bullocks — have no place. The ground is 

 too steep and too sound to require artificial drainage ; 

 and it is not a bullock country. So a horse that is 

 careful to pick up his feet — and if necessary his 

 shoulders — and that will take pains to discriminate 

 when the unexpected ditch comes before him, is 

 far better than a hunter too lavish of his jumping 

 powers. But he must be able to gallop, downhill, 

 uphill, or on the flat — and muscles and lungs must 

 be well-braced and strong to allow of his doing this 

 creditably through a long run. It is a capital country 

 for hounds ; for hounds on a scent can never be ridden 

 over, and nine times out of ten are doing their work 

 clear of the crowd — if a Monmouthshire field can ever 

 be termed a crowd. A good many people hunt ; for it 

 is a county in which sporting instincts are naturally 

 inherent to all bred on the soil. Shooting, fishing, 

 foxhunting and otter-hunting are brought prominently 

 in front of both county gentlemen and farmers from 

 earliest youth -, and are standing topics from which 

 they cannot altogether escape at dinner table or 

 market ordinary. To their credit be it said that they 

 yield themselves very ready victims to the charms of 

 such subjects — in converse as in daily life. It is a 

 saying in Monmouthshire that has passed into a proverb, 

 and^ — what is more — has been reduced to practice by 



