HUNTING DIRECTORY. 189 



Of Hounds running well up to their Vox. 



mounted, will not easily keep their proper places with 

 modern fox hoimds ; yet, by falling behind, they only 

 lose the delight of the chase, and cannot possibly do any 

 injury to the hunting of the hounds. However, it very 

 frequently happens, when a fox is viewed away, that 

 impetuous and thoughtless sportsmen are apt to ride 

 after him instead of following the hounds : nothing can 

 be more vexatious to a good sportsman than to see the 

 scent thus ridden over, the hounds prevented from 

 settling to it, and the run frequently spoiled. On bad 

 scenting days, fonvard sportsmen are a great plague to 

 the huntsman, and are highly detrimental to the sport 

 by riding too close upon and pressing the hounds. When 

 the scent is good, and the hounds have got fairly away, 

 there is little or nothing to fear from the sportsmen just 

 alluded to, as it is then seldom in their power to do any 

 serious mischief. 



If the scent is good, hounds cannot well be pressed on 

 too much ; but this is the huntsman's duty, and not the 

 business of the gentlemen who follow the hounds. If 

 hounds can run well up to their fox at the commence- 

 ment or in the early part of the chase, there is every 

 reason to anticipate a satisfactory conclusion ; but if the 

 fox is suffered to get far a-head, he will regulate his 

 pace, according to circumstances, and will most likely 

 beat the hounds. A fox should, if possible, be blown at 

 first, when his death is almost sure to follow. A fox, 

 no doubt, like the hounds, after some time, gets second 

 wind, when his pace becomes well regulated and steady ; 

 if, at this period, he be far before the hounds, the business 



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