HUNTING THE FOX 75 



thick covert after the whipper-in has been posted 

 to view him away, it is legitimate, and perhaps 

 desirable, to blow a short blast to wake up the Fox 

 before Hounds are put in, and save him from being 

 chopped ; and, in drawing a woodland, the Hunts- 

 man can with advantage blow the same short 

 blast as a signal if he turns round to draw back, 

 whilst he should also cry " Yo Hote back, Yooi 

 over try back " two or three times. It is difficult 

 to describe notes on the horn in writing ; perhaps 

 it will be understood if the note in question is 

 described as being sober, consisting of two beats, 

 and containing no element of pulsation or excite- 

 ment ; these should be reserved until the Fox is 

 afoot. When the Fox is found in a small covert 

 the Huntsman had better be silent, his object being 

 to take no advantage of the Fox at this moment 

 and to let him get away. Sometimes the unlucky 

 chop is unavoidable, but if a Huntsman chops 

 more than, say, two or three Foxes in the season, 

 it is not too good a sign of chivalrous intentions. 

 But in a woodland where the Fox can take care of 

 himself, he can rattle his pack up to the leading 

 Hounds, if he is near them, by a view holloa or 

 two and a succession of short, sharp notes on the 

 horn, not more than seven or nine in number. 

 The same horn and holloa should be sounded when 

 the chase crosses a ride, or when he gets a view 

 in covert and wants his Hounds. A limited 



