198 FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



which you will see the best of the sport in the Shires. 

 If hounds always raced on, very few people would 

 see much hunting, but the less prompt division have 

 still two points in their favour. One is the extra- 

 ordinary number of shepherd's dogs in the Shires, and 

 the other the fact that, if hounds do not change, 

 the fox, generally speaking, is sure to turn before 

 long. The ordinary Leicestershire fox does not know 

 very much country, and the instinct of the fox, indeed 

 I believe of all wild animals when they reach the 

 limits of their beat, is to work back to the original 

 starting place. When I hunted jackals in India, 

 I found that, like foxes, each jackal had his run and 

 that when he reached his limit he would invariably 

 turn back. This knowledge, when he grasped it, 

 gained the huntsman some undeserved praise for 

 successful casts. 



This brings me to the second point which I believe 

 to be of great importance in riding over Leicester- 

 shire so as to obtain the greatest enjoyment. We 

 ought always to know what hounds are doing. Every 

 one has heard the story of Lord Alvanley and his 

 alleged saying about what fun we might have if it 

 were not for " those d — d hounds," though I do not 

 believe so good a man over a country ever did say 

 anything so foolish. Somebody said it for him, or 

 it was fathered on him, as speeches wise and other- 

 wise are apt to be on acknowledged wits. So far as 

 my own observation goes, the best men in grass 

 countries watch hounds most attentively, know what 

 they are doing, and are very often able to form an 

 " intelligent anticipation " of what they are going 

 to do. Indeed the only thing that can keep men with 

 hounds after the first flush of youth is over is the love 

 of hounds and their work. This is to be found the 



