82 Memoir of Tom Smith. 



most was the stag, lying down also; but on 

 the approach of the man, he rose quickly, 

 and went off steadily. The question was, was 

 the stag tired ? Mr. Smith was able to reply 

 at once, ^'j^o; he had never gone at his 

 best pace, though the hounds did; he only 

 went sufficiently fast to distance them; and 

 such is the case with good old foxes." As a 

 proof of this, he related what he had witnessed 

 with one of the fleetest packs of fox-hounds, 

 being the one that Mr. Osbaldeston brought 

 with him to himt the Hambledon country. 

 They started an old fox within fifty yards of 

 them, near Hog's Lodge, and they raced him 

 on the open down for a mile and a half, keep- 

 ing him in sight, but neyer getting nearer; 

 nor did the fox mend his pace, which it was 

 afterwards evident enough he could have done, 

 had he thought it necessary. They ran on for 

 four or five miles more without one mementos 

 check, and then they came to anotlier open 

 down, reaching a mile or so. IS^ot one of the 



