HUNTSMAN 161 



is. It will also assist in moving a fox. By this 

 method he will have voice left to halloo and cheer 

 when they have found. This is only necessary in 

 bad scenting countries, but in a good one no fear 

 but all men have voice enough, and lucky indeed 

 are they who do not require it, for it is mere play 

 in comparison. Few men who hunt hounds in the 

 north, know what a bad scenting country is. Let 

 them ask Tom Sebright, one of the best, who now 

 hunts Lord FitzwiUiam's hounds ; as he once hunted 

 part of Hampshire, the Hambledon country, half 

 a season with Mr. Osbaldiston's hounds, he well 

 knows the difference it made both to himself and 

 his hounds, — so much so that no money would have 

 kept him there, even had the hounds remained ; for 

 what is called in these lower countries a fair holding: 

 scent, in the upper countries they would call insuffer- 

 able, and whip off and find a fresh fox. But if the 

 same scent was to be always given up in the other 

 cold-scenting country, they would not kill a fox in 

 a month, and hounds might also as well be given 

 up altogether. 



Huntsmen are apt to think that their hunted fox 

 must be more beaten than is the case, and often 

 hang about at a check, trying every hedgerow, and 

 expecting to see the hounds lay hold of him ; but 



M 



