PYTCHLyS STORY 69 



and in countries where there are hounds become 

 an easy prey to them, and where there are no 

 hounds they are killed by the gamekeepers. 



The first pack of hounds by which I was hunted 

 belonged to INIr. Osbaldiston, and a most trimming 

 pack they were ; but luckily for me, when they 

 were going their best pace in pursuit of me, they 

 sometimes overran the scent, owing to their great 

 courage, which, in the breeding of them, seemed to 

 have been more attended to than the nose. They 

 sometimes ran away for a little while even from 

 all the fast riders. These, however, generally con- 

 trived to get up again to them, especially when 

 at a check ; but every moment's delay made more 

 clear to all the necessity of having best noses. 



It may appear strange that I should have escaped 

 from the different packs, since the Squire's ^ left, in 

 so fine a country as this to which I belong, especially 

 when such expense has been incurred to procure a 

 strong pack on purpose to destroy us ; but, luckily 

 for us, the hunters fell into the mistake of trying to 

 make what they called a flying pack, and to this 

 end getting rid of all those which they called slow 

 hounds, many of which were such as would not 



^ To Mr. Osbaldiston belonged, par excellence, the title of "the 

 Squire." — Ed. 



