HUNTING IN IRELAND. 179 



the packing of sandwich boxes, the filling of 

 flasks with whisky, or better, far better, with 

 strong cold tea ; the cheery drive to the meet, 

 the many happy faces assembled there, the 

 greetings amongst friends, the praisings of tlie 

 pack, the trot to the covert, the dashing of 

 the hounds into the gorse, tlie sweet music 

 which proclaims that Keynard is at home, the 

 joyous sound of the *^ Gone away ! " the hurry- 

 scurry to be first and foremost in their wake, 

 the anathemas hurled against those who are 

 over-riding them, the tumbling at the fences, 

 the picking up again, the drowning in the 

 rivers, the fishing out by the wreckers, the 

 maddening excitement of traversing an 

 intricate country, the wild desire to be in 

 at the death, the saving of our horses over 

 holding lands, the riding of them up to their 

 bridles where the going is good, the last 

 mighty effort, the final fence cleared, and the 

 •canter up to where the huntsman is holding 

 aloft the brush and mask, and the hounds are 

 breaking up their fox ! Who that has ever 

 experienced these joys will be hkely to forget 

 them, or will fail to promote, by every means 



12 * 



