THE SNOW-WALKERS 



point and the wind favors, anon entirely lost in 

 the gully, then breaking out again much nearer, 

 and growing more and more pronounced as the dog 

 approaches, till, when he comes around the brow 

 of the mountain, directly above you, the barking 

 is loud and sharp. On he goes along the north- 

 ern spur, his voice rising and sinking as the wind 

 and the lay of the ground modify it, till lost to 

 hearing. 



The fox usually keeps half a mile ahead, regulat- 

 ing his speed by that of the hound, occasionally 

 pausing a moment to divert himself with a mouse, 

 or to contemplate the landscape, or to listen for his 

 pursuer. If the hound press him too closely, he 

 leads off from mountain to mountain, and so gen- 

 erally escapes the hunter ; but if the pursuit be 

 slow, he plays about some ridge or peak, and falls 

 a prey, though not an easy one, to the experienced 

 sportsman. 



A most spirited and exciting chase occurs when the 

 farm-dog gets close upon one in the open field, as 

 sometimes happens in the early morning. The fox 

 relies so confidently upon his superior speed, that I 

 imagine he half tempts the dog to the race. But if 

 the dog be a smart one, and their course lies down- 

 hill, over smooth ground, Reynard must put his 

 best foot forward, and then sometimes suffer the 

 ignominy of being run over by his pursuer, who, 

 however, is quite unable to pick him up, owing to 



