FOX-HUNTING IN ENGLAND. 213 



it, nevertheless, and in its perfection too \ and 

 where it was wanting there was plenty of bone 

 to make up for it. 



At eleven the hounds were led out to the 

 cover, and the whole field followed slowly and 

 irregularly and at some distance. There were 

 about one hundred and fifty mounted for the 

 hunt. Perhaps one third of these wore scarlet 

 coats, white breeches, and top-boots ; another 

 third had black coats and some of them black 

 boots; and the remainder of the field was made 

 up of half a dozen ladies, a few stout old gen- 

 tlemen of seventy or so on stout old cobs of 

 discreet age, little boys on smart ponies, farmers 

 and tradesmen and their clerks mounted on what- 

 ever they could get, and men of every interme- 

 diate grade, and with all sorts of horses. A cer- 

 tain amount of riff-raff, not mounted at all, but 

 good on their pins and ready for a run, were 

 hanging about for a chance to pick up a whip 

 or a hat, or to catch a horse, or brush a muddy 

 coat, or turn an honest shilling in any way that 

 might offer in the chances of the day. Some 



