212 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



actually struck the noble captain with a hedge- 

 stake. On which he, without loss of time, made 

 such use of his double thong, that the farmer ran 

 away, the captain riding after him till he came to 

 the gateway, under which there was a large di'ain, 

 and into the drain the farmer got ; on which the 

 captain jumped off, hallooed, " Whoop ! " and swore 

 he had run his fox to ground ; at the same time, 

 told some person to bring the hounds to worry his 

 fox. This so alarmed the man that he cried out 

 for mercy ; on which it was granted, and the 

 captain left him, with the promise that he would 

 behave better for the future. It happened, about 

 three years afterwards, that the writer was taking 

 his hounds across the ground belonging to this same 

 farmer, whom he met at a gate, and was told by 

 him that he should not ride that way across a field 

 of newly-planted beans, which were just come up. 

 This the ^\Titer saw, and told him that even had he 

 not been there to warn him, he certainly should 

 have taken the hounds, and the whole field of sports- 

 men round outside the field, although a considerable 

 distance out of their way (which most assuredly he 

 would have done at all events). Having convinced 

 the farmer of it, he was allowed to pass, and shortly 

 after all the others ; who, by a little management 



