224 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 



times is fatal to, sport in fox-hunting i for though I can- 

 not subscribe to the dodrine of my friend ****, " that a 

 " pack of fox-hounds would do better without a hunts- 

 " man than with one, and that, if left to themselves, 

 « they would never lose a fox ;" — yet, allowing them 

 their usual attendants, had he objected only to the sports- 

 men who follow them, I must have joined issue with him. 

 AVhoever has followed hounds, must have seen them fre- 

 quently hurried beyond the scent j and whoever is conver- 

 sant in hunting, cannot but know, that the steam of many 

 horses, carried by the wind, and mixed with a cold scent, is 

 prejudicial to it. 



It sometimes will happen, that a good horseman is not 

 so well in with hounds as an indifferent one; because he 

 seldom will condescend to get off his horse. 1 believe, that 

 the best way to follow hounds across a countr)^, is to keep 

 on the line of them, and to dismount at once, when you 

 come to a leap which you do not choose to take ; for in 

 looking about for easier places, much time is lost. In 

 following hounds, it n:ay be useful to you to know, that, 

 when in cover they run up the wind, you cannot in rea- 

 son be too far behind them, as long as you have a perfedt 



