AND irAHE-IIUNTING. 277 



faster with an indifF<M'ent scent than any other 

 hf)un(l : * it is the business of a huntsman to 

 encourage this ; and here, most probably, the 

 hare-himter will fail. He has been used to 

 take his time; he has enjoyed a cold scent, 

 like a southern hound ; and has sat patiently 

 upon his horse to sec his ho mds hunt. It 

 is, to be sure, very pretty to sec ; and when 

 you consider that the hare is all the time, 

 perhaps, within a few yards of you, and may 

 leap up the next minute, you are perfectly 

 contented with what you are about : but it 

 is not so in fox-hunting. Every minute you 

 lose is precious, and increases your difficul- 

 ties ; and while you are standing still, the 

 fox is running miles. It is a satisfaction to 

 a hare-hunter to be told where his game was 

 seen, thougii a long while before; but it is 

 melancholy news to a fox-hunter, whose game 

 is not likely to stop. I believe I mentioned 

 to you, in- a former letter on hare-hunting, a 

 great fault which I had observed in some 

 harriers from being let too much alone, — that 

 of running back the heel. I have seen a 



• It is a quick method of huntiiiff tliat I mostly value in 

 any hound : such as are possessed of it are seldom long <;fl 

 the scent ■ it is the reverse of slackness. 



