92 SPORTS AND ANECDOTES. 



covert, called the bog, which was as thick as any 

 covert well could be with rhododendrons and other 

 shrubs, and which was always reckoned a sure find. 

 It was thoroughly well drawn; but no, on the day 

 in question, he was not there : it was blank, or sup- 

 posed to be. The hounds were taken away to try 

 another covert. Before they had gone a quarter of 

 an hour some men who had been working near, 

 having armed themselves with two long poles, which 

 had been left standing against the side of an ice- 

 house covered with thatch and at which they had 

 been employed, began to poke them into the top of 

 an old bathing-house which stood against a wall close 

 to the sea-shore, and which was covered over with 

 ivy and very thick brambles. After a few pokes 

 into this almost impenetrable place, to their astonish- 

 ment out jumped two foxes. They, of course, went 

 through the form of yelling and making every kind 

 of unearthly noise, but to no purpose, as the hounds 

 had been gone out of hearing for some time. I did 

 not see the foxes jump out myself, but, whilst they 

 were drawing the covert, I did see the hounds within 

 five or six yards of where they must have been lying, 

 to say nothing of people talking all around them, 

 cracking of whips, and such proceedings. This will 



