27 



only aflforded an opportunity for displaying the amount of " head " 

 possessed by those who essayed to stick to the tail of the hounds. 



I may here remark that Waterford and Kilkenny are proverbial 

 for being scent-holding countries. In fact, I have heard men say, 

 who hunted with many packs, that the Curraghmore country carried 

 the best scent they ever experienced. 



It has been said that the cry of hounds is the criterion of their 

 pace, for as a rule they reduce their cry in accordance with the 

 pace they go, and some run actually mute \vhen going hard. Not 

 so the old Curraghmore. Many a time has it been my good luck to 

 «ee them for miles racing the line of their fox, but their warbling 

 music sounded and resounded in my ears, ay, when fields in their 

 rear, and often was it my only guide to follow when that paragon 

 pack had raced clean out of sight. A noisy hound was never kept, 

 nor was one which when hunting did not throw his tongue. 



They were also remarkable for their steadiness from riot. I have 

 seen hares cross the line of their fox, and, although within fifty 

 yards, not a hound would lift his head to them. It was the same in 

 the deer parks of Curraghmore and Faithlegg, venison never tempted 

 into riot those staunch and well-trained foxhounds. 



We had some beautiful gorse coverts, and as they had been planted for 

 generations, they had attained an appearance and grandeur absolutely 

 natural. Could anything in the shape of a fox-covert surpass rugged 

 •Carrigtruss or charming Knockbrack, situated as both are — for they 

 are there still— in the centre of a wild surrounding country ? The then 

 carefully tended gorse grew thick and close in parts, while ragged 

 and stunted patches here and there permitted flashing views of Belvoir 

 tan as hounds quickly passed the bare places to draw the thick. These 

 two coverts were my especial favourites, for I could see the hounds 

 ■work every bit of them, and the fox could always go away without 

 being headed. 



Ballydurn, Rathgormack, and Ballyneale were also lovely coverts, 

 but did not afford the same facilities for seeing hounds draw as did 

 •Carrigtruss and Knockbrack. 



In January, 1873, Duke got a very severe fall, which laid him up for 

 the remainder of the season. Lord Waterford then requisitioned old 

 Johnny Ryan, who had returned from America, to hunt temporarily 

 one pack, while he himself hunted the other. The work was too hard 

 for the old huntsman, and Duke, still suffering from the eftects of his 

 fall, was unable to resume the hunting in the following season. His 

 lordship, therefore, took both packs in hand, and hunted them 

 regularly four days a week all through the season 1874 75. 



During the season 1875-76 the huntsman worked the bitch pack on 

 Mondays and Thursdays, while the Master handled the dog pack on 

 Tuesdays and Fridays, p.nd this arrangement was continued through 

 the following season of 1876-77. 



Lord Waterford took up hunting both packs again in 1877-78, and 



