80 COVERT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



On the other hand, to the thorough sportsman the chase of the 

 fox has everything to commend it, for while there is a vigour and 

 a dash connected with it, which no other kind of hunting can 

 show in the same perfection, there is scope for the display of all 

 the tenderness of nose which a hound is capable of exhibiting, 

 and that judgment in noting and taking advantage of all cir- 

 cumstances which are likely to influence the run of his game, 

 which so strongly distinguishes the scientific huntsman from 

 the man who merely carries a horn. In fact, it is this combi- 

 nation of canine sagacity and human intellect which renders the 

 chase of the fox such a fascinating pursuit. He has sufficient 

 boldness to render a certain amount of dash and decision abso- 

 lutely necessary to cope with him ; for, as Sir Eichard Sutton 

 said, " A fox is a very quick animal, and if you do not make 

 haste after him at some part of the day, you will not catch him." 

 And at the same time he has sufficient cunning — though in this 

 respect he is, I believe, inferior to both stag and hare — to call 

 forth great powers of reflection on the part of the huntsman, 

 and close hunting on that of the hounds. In every respect fox- 

 hunting is essentially English, for in no part of the world can 

 anything like it be seen save on our own shores. It has a 

 rough and ready character about it which appeals strongly to 

 the nature of every Briton, but which finds small response in 

 those countries where sport, such as it is, is carried out with a 

 vast amount of pomp and ceremony. At the covert-side. Jack 

 is as good as his master, and the tenant farmer, if he has nerves 

 and horseflesh of the right sort, when hounds run, as great a 

 man as the lord of thousands of acres. Here no distinction is 

 known, save that of the best hand, eye, and seat, and no favour 

 shown to gentle or simple when hounds break covert. " Take 

 the lead, and keep it if you can," is the order of the day ; and, 

 for all that those in front care, a certain personage not named to 

 ears polite may take the hindmost, were he the greatest in the 

 land. With good men and true, the only consideration is to 

 allow hounds and huntsman plenty of room, so that sport shall 



