HUNTING TOURS. 281 



of scent, which was wretched throughout, yet 

 affording an opportunity of admiring the 

 hunting powers of the pack. Conspicuous 

 on most occasions were Abelard and Andover, 

 and an incident occurred during this short 

 chase, beautifully exemplifying the worth of 

 hounds, that are not readily to be driven off 

 the line by over-anxious horsemen. Having 

 checked, the body of hounds hit the scent 

 through a hedge, but were able to carry it only 

 a very short distance, and being somewhat 

 pressed upon they swung round to the right, 

 parallel with the fence, by which time the 

 horsemen were all over the field. Two couples 

 of hounds, of which Andover was one, and 

 Abelard another, with unmistakable truth 

 stuck to the line of their fox, and worked it 

 over the middle of the field, through the 

 horses, affording one of the most interesting 

 displays of real hunting that it is possible to 

 conceive. A visit to Stanton Wood, afforded a 

 third fox, and although the scent, as the day 

 wore on, improved, it was anything but good. 

 Breaking at the upper end of the covert, he 

 pointed for Glooston Wood, but being headed 

 turned to the right, leaving the village on the 

 right, Stanton village on the left, to Church 



