THE CASHELMORE HOUNDS. 173 



be said to be boundless. To the north, then, It extends 

 beyond the line of the Bandon river, over the property 

 of Mr. Conner of Manch, and far to the north of that 

 and of Kinneigh (where stands one of those mys- 

 terious round towers of Ireland), and Castletown, and 

 embracing the Duke of Devonshire's extensive coverts 

 at the north side of the river, joins the Muskerry 

 country at Mount Pleasant. In breadth, from the sea 

 inland, it is about twenty miles ; and, in length, from 

 Ringfinnan to the West, any extent. 



The character of the country differs altogether. 

 The west is wild, rocky, mountainous, and swampy. 

 The east just the reverse : cultivated, smooth, nicely 

 enclosed, and with good pasture-land and fair fences. 

 The horse that could be ridden with safety over the 

 eastern district, if only a good jumper, would break its 

 own and its rider's necks in the western, if impetuous 

 or a hard puller. Better hunts, however, are had in 

 the western district. In the first place, if hounds get 

 settled to their fox, it is very difficult, indeed impos- 

 sible, for the best mounted man to override or inter- 

 fere with them ; and overriding hounds has scores of 

 times spoiled a good hunt. As Nimrod, in his publi- 

 cation, "The Horse and the Hound," truly says: 

 " One injudicious or hasty rider, by a single false 

 step, has frequently spoiled the most promising run." 

 In their western district the Cashelmore Hounds may 

 defy any rider to do that. Let them once get settled 

 to their fox on a fair scenting-day, and catch us who 

 can, may be their motto- 



The character of the foxes seems also to partake 

 of the wildness of the district. The western foxes 

 being given to run out straight and far, the eastern 



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