346 THE CREAM OF LEICESTERSHIRE. [Season 



you can get about the lanes at all, you may, after all, be neail)' 

 as well off as if hunting in some unridable parts of Devonshire 

 and Somerset at the best of times. There is just snow enough 

 everywhere in Leicestershire to protect hounds' feet, except 

 perhaps on the sharpest and roughest fallows, where the wind 

 may have laid the ground almost bare. Sir Bache Cunard has 

 been out ; and Goodall has kept the I'ytclile}' in exercise. 

 But with both packs there has been the complaint of entire 

 absence of scent. To add to this difficulty, a thick fog has 

 lirevailed on many days. I had the pleasure of assisting at 

 -f one attempt during the past week ; but, with foxes on foot two 

 or three times, only the single hound that first brushed Re}'- 

 nard from his kennel could proclaim the fact. Afterwards 

 onl}' waving sterns, and a helpless, excited flinging round the 

 place tlius indicated, in any way denoted that a fox had passed. 

 Scent on snow Avouhl seem (as far as a dozen opportunities 

 have given one the right to judge) to be as varying as in open 

 weather. At times hounds can really run with a head ; and 

 then, with the advantage of moving readily over the snow, 

 will generally kill tlieir fox. But with such a want of scent 

 as on the day I refer to, foxes readily creep away as soon as 

 found. Had hounds been able to run, the}' could only have 

 been followed by the ear, so dense was the mist — and would 

 likely enough have left you benighted in the fog. Hiding was — • 

 if not an impossibility — a matter of unpleasant practice. Your 

 horse was sure to find his level in the first grip or ditch, and 

 as surely deposited you exactly where the ground was barest 

 of snow. Tumbling on smooth ice is disagreeable enough ; 

 but to come with your ribs on the broken surfiice of a frozen 

 ride is still less fun. You may get a deal more amusement — 

 and keep yourself in condition much better — by running about 

 on foot. A pair of long coarse stockings over your boots and 

 legs will keep you dry and warm all day ; wbile the cold sharp 

 air will make j'ou feel young again, and the work sets muscles 

 in play that may have grown stifi:' with years of saddle or saun- 

 tering. But best of all — if your interest and symj)athy incline 



