202 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



not getting well away with him, and a hundred 

 accidental circumstances to bring them to a check, 

 without being overridden. The fox is headed by 

 an old woman, or even a child of four years old may 

 spoil a run ; a dog, pig, sheep, cattle, cross-roads, 

 false halloos, changing foxes — in short, no end to 

 chances. But when there is not a good scent, more 

 mischief is done by overrichng than by all the 

 other obstacles together ; and it is much to be 

 regretted that all men will not learn when hounds 

 throw up, that is, when they throw up their noses 

 at a check, which a man must either be bhnd not 

 to see, or is afraid some other man will ride by 

 liim. And there are men who will pass the first 

 man when he pulls up at a check, and they are 

 the men who do the mischief — on whom the hunts- 

 man or master of the hounds should keep an eye. 

 The first man forces on amongst the hounds at 

 a check, and drives them beyond it ; when up 

 come lots of horses, smoking like steam-engines, 

 on the very spot where the hounds first threw up, 

 and where the fox headed or turned short to the 

 right or left probably ; then, instead of appearing 

 to be aware that they have caused the check, hke 

 at the building of the tower of Babel, there begins 

 a confusion of tongues, instead of each being 



