244 WHIP AND SPUE. 



hillock, and quite alone, stood the huntsman, dis- 

 mounted, holding the dead fox high in his left 

 hand, while with his long-leashed hunting-crop 

 he kept the hungry and howling pack at bay. 

 The master soon came up, as did about a dozen 

 others, including a bright little boy on a light 

 little pony. The fox's head (mask), tail (brush), 

 and feet (pads) were now cut off and distributed 

 as trophies under the master's direction. The 

 carcass was then thrown to the pack, that fought 

 and snarled over it until, in a twinkling, the last 

 morsel had disappeared. This was the "death," 

 — by no means the most engaging part of the 

 amusement. From the find to the killing was 

 only twenty-five minutes, into which had been 

 crowded more excitement and more physical 

 happiness than I had known for many a long 

 day. 



The second cover drawn was not far away. 

 With this fox we had two hours' work, mainly 

 through woods at a walk and with the hounds 

 frequently at fault, but with some good leaping. 

 Finally he was run to earth and abandoned. 



