FOX-HUNTING IN VIRGINIA. 545 



It was a tremendous burst, and briefly over, when Rey- 

 nard once more hid his brush in friendly cover, and swept 

 into an alcove behind a cliff in the bend of the creek. 

 Making a detour to the left, we encountered a stiff fence, 

 at the border of the ravine, too dangerous to attempt; so, 

 swinging some yards farther to the left, we struck into a 

 farm-road, and took the bars, the most considerable leap of 

 the hunt. 



Bounding toward the creek at once, we met the chase at 

 the head of the cliff; but there was no time for exchange of 

 words. Getting over an easy fence, each horseman in his 

 own way, we reentered the mill-dam fleld along the water's 

 edge, riding with the pack at the heels of the Fox — Vanity 

 nipping at his brush as he went over the fence, the others 

 strung out a little; Juno a few feet in his rear, and Drum- 

 mer running second. It was evident that this was the final 

 rush; and seeing my father settle himself in the saddle, and 

 turn the spur on Alice's flank, I rode for all I was worth 

 for my place at his side, and in an instant I was at his 

 stirrup. 



"Hark! " he cried, as Vanity seized Reynard full in the 

 back, and giving him a snatch, rolled over, and turned 

 him backward. In an instant, i)oor Reynard was seized by 

 Drummer, and in less than a twinkling of an eye, Juno 

 had hold. My father, Mr. Jenkins, William, and I were 

 in together at the death, and William, leaping from his 

 horse, seized the Fox, and cutting away the hounds with 

 his whip, held him up by the nape to the view of the 

 admiring company — the largest and finest specimen of a 

 Red Fox any of the party had ever seen. 



My father awarded the brush to William Jenkins, and 

 the great race was finished; every horseman and every 

 hound being well closed up at the death. Mr. Macamblin 

 said: 



"I am an old hunter. I have seen many hundreds of 

 runs, in Ireland, in England, and in America. I think we 

 have had to-day, in some respects, the grandest run I ever 

 saw. I shall never see such another, I am sure. I am a 



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