12 THE BEST OF THE FUN 



popular occasion among the better men of the Ward. 

 They see in it a loose-ott" of DubHn effervescence that 

 militates against real sport and reasonable safety. But 

 that effervescence is by no means festive, even if it borders 

 on the fearful. A few over-fresh horses constitute its 

 chief symptoms and one of its chief dangers. For the 

 rest, the effervescence is tightly bottled till the signal shall 

 be given. Meantime the repression would seem to be 

 positively painful, and the effect solemnifying. In other 

 words there was no excitement apparent about this throw- 

 off of the Ward but the funk — I speak from my own point 

 of view and sensation, it is true, but I speak also as to 

 how it seemed with others. No ; by no means an Epping 

 Hunt was this, with its luncheon hampers, and its after- 

 scamper beneath the trees. A solid ride and many 

 dangers, known and unknown, were in front. The 

 crowd well realised the fact ; yet they had no means of 

 qualifying the dread prospect. Now can I understand 

 the sense of expediency that prompts more than one 

 jolly Master of English Staghounds that I could name 

 to combine his midday meal with a mild midday revel — 

 cram his field full of champagne, in fact, and send them 

 off with their hackles up. To continue the simile, these 

 looked "cold and rough in their coats" by the time they 

 had travelled some half-dozen miles of crowded lanes 

 from " Ward " to reach the place of turn-out, near the 

 hills of Kilbride. Along narrow lanes, with little or no 

 grass sidings to the road, they pressed in close company 

 — a strong sprinkling of kickers interspersed among the 

 cavalcade, and the rider of each kicker being, if expression 

 was any clue to his feelings, usually the aggrieved party, 

 whenever a thwack and disturbance was heard. They 

 could scarcely have all got there before hounds opened ; 

 for by some arrangement, doubtless unavoidable, the deer 

 had been uncarted close to the gate leading into the field, 

 and hounds threw their tongues the moment they were 

 out of the lane. Yes, here was the " arrangement " — a 

 muddy brook to start with, of no great width ; but, what- 

 ever may be the case in County Dublin, many horses in 

 County Northampton or County Leicester are foolish 



