276 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



ing, although there was only a possibiUty for a fox 

 to have drawn himself in, probably owing to their 

 hounds lying and scratching at the earth. But 

 thinking it possible the fox was not gone in, he 

 trotted off with the hounds to the farther end of 

 the small cover, when the hounds hit off the scent ; 

 and the fox having got a Uttle law, went down 

 wind nearly as straight as possible by the map 

 sixteen miles, when the hounds ran into him, just 

 after crossing a wide piece of water, which did the 

 business for him. So good a run was it, that one 

 or two of those who saw the finish will recollect 

 the following exclamation, when the fox was in 

 hand : " Now, I don't care if I never kill another 

 fox ! " — and yet this one would, it appeared, have 

 gone to ground in five minutes after being found, 

 if he could. The foregoing anecdote not only 

 proves that the best foxes do go to ground early, 

 but also that it is more than probable that many of 

 the best foxes generally lie under ground, when 

 there are large earths. The remedy for which will 

 be proposed hereafter (vide Earth -stopping). It 

 will probably be noticed that in the above run the 

 scent was good — which of course a fox must be 

 aware of, as he lives by hunting — and this was 

 probably the cause of his trying to go to ground. 



