RIDING OVER THE SHIRES 197 



the hounds whatever they are doing. In Leicester- 

 shire the fields are numerous, and it is worth while to 

 work your way quietly to the head of the line. In 

 the small coverts quick finds are the rule and out- 

 lying foxes not uncommon. When you arrive at 

 the covert, keep with the rest of the field where the 

 master places you. Do not wander vaguely about. 

 But there is no harm in being near the gate, or opposite 

 a practicable place in a fence, so that you can start 

 at once. 



When I first hunted in Leicestershire, a friend 

 said to me : " You cannot hope to be with hounds 

 in these countries till you know something of them. 

 You would be pounded or come to grief in these 

 fields. But if you will promise not to ride over me, 

 you may follow me till you can go alone." 



Accordingly, the first day I watched my friend 

 from a respectful distance, while Gillard and the 

 Belvoir hounds were drawing Melton Spinney. The 

 first notes of a halloa struck on my ear and in a moment 

 I saw my pilot race off at a pace that made it hard to 

 keep him in sight. " At this rate we shall not last 

 long," was my thought ; but I saw the reason of the 

 haste later on. Quick as my pilot had been, the 

 hounds were two fields away when we first saw them. 

 Then a turn in our favour enabled us to take a pull ; 

 a momentary hover — you could not call it a check — 

 gave another chance, while those behind must have 

 been unconscious that hounds had ever done any- 

 thing but hold right on. They must therefore have 

 been galloping their best all the time. 



Quickness in starting, which means to see what 

 ought to be done and to do it at once without hesi- 

 tating, since every moment the hounds are driving 

 farther and farther away, is one great means by 



