202 SYSTEM OF KEXXEL AXD 



steep hill, we could witness his every movement, 

 being nearly beaten. He was labouring up the 

 hill-side, sometimes stopping entirely, to look down 

 upon his on-coming foes ; and we noticed that on 

 those spots where he stood still, the scent failed 

 more than on any other part of the ground. 

 Being nearly beaten ourselves, and obliged to dis- 

 mount and walk our horse up the bill, we were 

 unable to improve our position but by lifting the 

 hounds forward to a view, a piece of generalship 

 allowable when running into your neighbour's 

 country to catch your fox before he reaches the 

 earths there. Our impatience may be imagined 

 upon so tempting an occasion, of which we were 

 so anxious to take advantage ; but knowing the 

 point to which he was bending, we contented our- 

 selves witli watching his proceedings and husband- 

 ing our horse's strength for what \ve knew would 

 be the final struggle when once over the crest of 

 the bill. It happened as we expected. The fox 

 having got second wind, went off again at good 

 speed over the open down, and as his pace in- 



'1 ihe pace of the 



hounds. Thci 'thing before us for miles: 



not a fence nor even a ploughed field, and seeing 

 the point for which he was making, we took the 

 liberty of lifting our hounds with a short cheer or 

 two, of which, knowing the meaning, they caught 

 sight of their game, and never lost sight of him 

 again until they rolled him over on the plain. 

 There are occasions upon which huntsmen may 

 fairly take such liberties with a good pack of 



