Hunting the Hare, 303 



and we hunt our liare slowly along, going in the 

 direction of Birchington, but doubling back she runs 

 again past Hale Farm, and is subsequently lost in one 

 of the large fallow fields near St. Nicholas. 



This was a merry little spin whilst it lasted, the 

 hounds running very fast, indeed, for a while, the 

 going over the light land being first rate ; and I think 

 a gallop at full speed over a country such as this — the 

 absence of fences notwithstanding — may be considered 

 a very satisfactory performance, the musical accom- 

 paniment of the pack adding greatly to the hilarity of 

 the proceeding. After relinquishing the pursuit of 

 our first hare, we were not long in finding another, for 

 in the middle of a large fallow field up jumps one 

 close to the hounds, who ran her in view at a rattling 

 pace, through the farm yard and thence in the direc- 

 tion of Birchington, where they come to a check at a 

 small spinney ; but a ploughman having viewed puss 

 sloping quietly away, the hounds are lifted to the 

 halloo, and being laid on her line, go away at a 

 clinking good pace, running up to the Canterbury and 

 Ramsgate Road, where they come to a check, and a 

 backward cast being made the hounds hunted slowly, 

 picking their way over the dry fallows, going in the 

 direction of Hale Farm again, and thence back to the 

 field where we found, and as nothing more could be 

 done, we left her to her fate. The hounds then moved 

 ofi" in the direction of St. Nicholas, and as hares are 

 evidently abundant, doubtless plenty more sport was 

 shown. 



Having seen two runs, and being satisfied with this 

 sample of the doings of the Thanet Harriers, I rode 

 leisurely back to Ramsgate, well pleased with the sport 



