74 OBSERVATIONS OX FOX-HUNTING 



but would on some occasions put his fancy into 

 practice, a farmer actually came out one day 

 with a horn, and began blowing when we found. 

 The manager was also a good deal annoyed by 

 a hound named " Thunder," a great favourite in 

 the hunt, before he had the management of the 

 hounds ; and to do him justice, he was a good 

 finder, steady from hare ; and when he threw 

 his tongue, (which he was very free with,) it was 

 so singular a one, the whole neighbourhood knew 

 it, — and he was a most determined skirter. Now, 

 in the country alluded to, there is a long suc- 

 cession of small coverts, and a fox generally 

 visited them. " Thunder " had a trick of going 

 alone from one covert to another down wind, 

 after the hounds found, and of throwing his 

 tongue either on the hunted fox or a fresh one ; 

 and at most of these little coverts there was a 

 skirting rider, who, the moment he heard " Thun- 

 der's " voice, began hallooing and cheering him ; 

 so that very often it was nothing but " hark 

 to Thunder " the whole day through. On one 

 of these occasions, the Master's patience M-as 

 quite exhausted, and the prospect of a good day's 

 sport totally lost. Returning home not very well 

 pleased, in conversation with the whipper-in, he 

 said : " What do you think of Thunder ? " " Why, 

 I think, Sir, we shall never kill a fox 'till he is 



