llO NOTITIA VENATICA. 



o'ctting away close at liis brush, a tremendous burst over a severe coun- 

 try was the consequence ; pointing at first for Oakley Wood, and then 

 bending to the left, the direction taken was over part of the Chesterton 

 enclosures and Ilarbury Field. At this point a hare jumped up in view 

 of the whole^ack, who were at that time driving along with a breast- 

 high scent, and continued to run for at least half a mile in the exact di- 

 rection which had been taken by the fox. The anxiety and despair 

 depicted in their huntsman's face at this moment may be better imagined 

 than described ; the pace was so great that to get at them, or attempt 

 to stop them, Avould have been impossible. Turning to me, who hap- 

 pened to be at that moment in a pretty good place, he exclaimed, " By 

 G — , sir, they are running hare! And yet," said he, pausing for a few 

 moments, " they cannot be, for old Bashful* is leading." He was 

 rio-ht in his second supposition, for the hare finding himself distressed, 

 turned short across the field, and this gallant pack kept straight forward 

 upon the line of their io)9, without one single hound deigning to look for 

 one moment in which direction she had taken herself ofl: out of their 

 way. Forty-three minutes completed this excellent run uj) to Itching- 

 ton Heath, and in four more minutes the fate of the fox Avas sealed, and 

 his death proclaimed by a thrilling who-whoop. This incident, to the 

 common run of hard riders, might appear to be without interest, and 

 miworthy to be remarked ; but to me, to Avliom the behaviour of the 

 hounds, and the manner in which they ])erforni their work, are ever of 

 the first consideration in a day's sport, it was particularly striking. 



I once had a long conversation Avith Wm. Shaw, who Avas many years 

 huntsman to his Grace the Duke of Rutland, upon the system of entering 

 the puppies to hare in the spring, Avhen they first came up from their 

 quarters. He Avas a great advocate for this plan, and he told me he al- 

 Avays practised it, taking them out with two or three couple of old har- 

 riers, and declared that he Avas convinced that Avhen they Avere thus en- 

 tered they turned out invariably better hunters afterwards, and that they 

 Avere by no means more unsteady amongst hares than others Avhich had 

 not been entered in that manner. Nevertheless, Avith all his experience 

 in the matter, and eloquence into the bargain, he coidd not succeed in 

 making me a convert to his system, although 1 believe him to liave 

 been a most excellent judge of hunting, and a very first-rate performer 

 both in the field and in the kennel. Old Will Carter, many years 

 huntsman to Sir Mark Sykes,. Avas another of these hare-hunting fox- 

 hunters ; he Avas an " out-and-outer" in his Avay, and had a very good 

 ]»ack of hounds, as old sportsmen Avho have lived in Yorkshire, and who 

 liunted Avith him for years, have informed me ; but they Avere ahvays, 

 as I liave imdcrstood, fond of '' currant jelly" in wild Aveather. The 

 great Mr. Meynel Avas, I believe, the first avIio brought this system into 

 fashion, but, like a good many more of the absurdities of our forefathers, 

 it has noAV become exploded. 



* By the Duke of Beaufort' b Boxer, out of Virulent, who was by the I'ytchley 

 Ottoman, out of then- A^cngeance. This most excellent hound couUr run up to the 

 very head when in her tenth season. 



