HARES RUN BEST IN A FOG. 153 



wild, or very nimble, to escape them. I remem- 

 ber, in a furzy country, that my hounds chop- 

 ped three hares in one morning ; for it is the 

 nature of those animals either to leap up before 

 the hounds come near them, and steal away, as 

 it is called ; or else to lie close, till they put 

 their very noses upon them. Hedges, also, are 

 very dangerous : if the huntsman beats the 

 hedge himself, which is the visual practice, the 

 hounds are always upon the watch, and a hare 

 must have good luck to escape them all. The 

 best way to prevent it, is to have the hedge well 

 beaten at some distance before the hounds. 



Hares seldom run so well as when they do not 

 know where they are. They run well in a fog, 

 and generally take a good country. If they set 

 off down the wind, they seldom return ; you 

 then cannot push on your hounds too much. 

 When the game is sinking, you will perceive 

 your old hounds get forward ; they then will 

 run at head. 



'' Hapj)y the man who with unrivall'd speed 



Can pass his fellows, and with pleasure view 



The struggling pack ; how in the rapid course 



Alternate they preside, and jostling push 



To guide the dubious scent ; liow giddy youth 



Oft babbling errs, by wiser age reprov'd ; 



How, niggard of his strength, the wise old hound 



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