FOX-HUNTING — THE FOX. 59 



Of the escape of foxes from hounds, the following occurrence, 

 which happened in 1793, in the neighbourhood of Imber, 

 Wilts, is perhaps as singular as the annals of hunting can 

 record. A fox, being hard run, took shelter under the covering 

 of a well, and, by the endeavours used to extricate him from 

 thence, was precipitated to the bottom, a depth of one hundred 

 feet ; the bucket was let down, he laid hold of it, and was 

 drawn up some way, when he again fell ; the bucket being let 

 down a second time, he secured his situation in it, and was 

 dra-svn up safe, after which he was turned off, and fairly beat 

 the hounds. Foxes will, no doubt, seek very extraordinary 

 places of refuge at times when pursued by hounds, one instance 

 of which occurred with the Hampshire hounds, in a run which 

 was thus described at the time by Nimrod : — 



" It was upwards of fourteen miles, in a straight direction, 

 and over so severe a country that there were several bad falls, 

 and it was for some time doubtful whether or not the coroner 

 would not have been in requisition. Mr. William Heysham 

 rode at a stile, which his horse refused. On turning him at it 

 again, he saw the cause of his refusal. Mr. Hugo Mildmay was 

 lying on the other side of it, covered with dirt, with his head 

 under his shoulder, apparently dead, and an hour expired before 

 animation was restored. The fox on that day was so pressed 

 that he ran into a dwelling-house, and secreted himself in the 

 pantry among the bacon. Foster said it was one of the severest 

 and most brilliant day's sport he had ever seen with hounds." 



.^sop, of Hants, thus describes the same run : — 



** The Pantry run took place January 11th, 1825. 



" They met at Beauworth, and, without hanging in covert, or 

 crossing the same field twice, the fox was killed at Town Hill, 

 three miles from Southampton." A picture of the fox on the 

 bacon-rack in the pantry was painted by Mr. Collyer, of 

 Chilland, and afterwards lithographed. Sawyer and Mr. 

 Scotland went first into the pantry, and, of others, those who 

 had the best of it were Mr. John Taylor on Sealing- Wax, Mr. 



