RIDING OVER THE SHIRES 213 



in a run over the grass. If the fox runs a ring — and 

 for many reasons this often occurs — then he must 

 at all events for some part of his course be running 

 up-wind, and hounds can travel fairly fast against 

 the wind unless the fox is a very long way in front 

 of them. 



Hitherto we have drawn our examples from those 

 who aimed at being with hounds, some of them along- 

 side, and others now and then in front of the pack. 

 There is perhaps, if anywhere, more excuse for riding 

 rather too near hounds in Leicestershire than else- 

 where. A very hard riding Pytchley man of past 

 days being once reproved for pressing on the pack, 

 replied that the crowd during Lord Chesterfield's 

 reign was such that the only place whence a view of 

 hounds could be had was at the very top of the hunt, 

 and that when a check came the following crowd 

 were apt to press him too close to them. But there 

 are many sportsmen who see a good deal and yet 

 seldom jump at all. Possibly these see more than 

 others who pick their places, for, as a Duke of Beau- 

 fort once remarked, the man who takes half measures 

 and does not jump everything he comes across, is 

 sure to be pounded and is always likely to be thrown 

 out, whereas the man who jumps not at all cannot by 

 any possibility be stopped. 



Two such men there were in the old times who 

 fairly represent those who follow hounds to-day in 

 an unambitious fashion, and yet managed to see 

 much of the fun. Both hunted in Warwickshire, and 

 as this country comes within the scope of this volume, 

 some account of their methods will not be out of 

 place. The first was Mr, Corbet, who belonged to 

 what we may call the galloping section of the skirters. 

 He did not mind how fast he went or over what sort 



