BRITISH SPORT PAST AND PRESENT 



what eagerness they cross the plain ! — Galloper no longer keeps 

 his place, Brusher takes it. — See how he slings for the scent, 

 and how impetuously he runs ! how eagerly he took the lead, 

 and how he strives to keep it — yet Victor comes up apace. — 

 He reaches him ! — See what an excellent race it is between 

 them ! — It is doubtful which will reach the cover first. — How 

 equally they run ! — how eagerly they strain ! Now, Victor — 

 Victor ! — Ah ! Brusher, you are beaten ; Victor first tops the 

 hedge. — See there ! see how they all take it in their strokes ! 

 the hedge cracks with their weight, so many jump at once. 



' Now hastes the whipper-in to the other side of the cover ; 

 he is right unless he head the fox. 



' Listen ! the hounds have turned. They are now in two 

 parts : the fox has been headed back, and we have changed 

 at last. Now, my lad, mind the huntsman's halloo, and stop 

 to those hounds which he encourages. He is right ! — that, 

 doubtless, is the hunted fox. — Now they are off again. Ha ! 

 a check. — Now for a moment's patience ! — We press too close 

 upon the hounds ! — Huntsman, stand still ! as they want you 

 not. — How admirably they spread ! how wide they cast ! Is 

 there a single hound that does not try ? If there be, ne'er 

 shall he hunt again. There, Trueman is on the scent — ^he 

 feathers, yet still is doubtful — 'tis right ! How readily thpy 

 join him ! See those wide-casting hounds, how they fly forward 

 to recover the ground they have lost ! — Mind Lightning, how 

 she dashes ; and Mungo, how he works ! Old Frantic too, 

 now pushes forward ; she knows as well as we the fox is 

 sinking. 



' Huntsman ! at fault at last ? How far did you bring the 

 scent ? — Have the hounds made their own cast ? — Now make 

 yours. You see that sheep-dog has coursed the fox : — get 

 forward with your hounds, and make a wide cast. 



' Hark ! that halloo is indeed a lucky one. — If we can hold 

 him on, we may yet recover him ; for a fox so much distressed 

 must stop at last. We shall now see if they will hunt as well 

 as run ; for there is but little scent, and the impending cloud 



