RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



very rush of your gallop alongside them will 

 tempt high-mettled hounds into the indiscretion 

 of overrunning their scent. Whereas, if you 

 take a pull at your horse, and give them plenty 

 of room, they will swing to the line, and wheel 

 like a flock of pigeons on the wing. 



Always ride, then, to command hounds if you 

 can, but never be tempted, when in this proud 

 position, to press them, and to spoil your own 

 sport, with that of everyone else. 



If so fortunate as to view him, and near enough 

 to distinguish that it is the hunted fox, think 

 twice before you holloa. More time will be lost 

 than gained by getting their heads up, if the 

 hounds are still on the line, and even when at 

 fault, it is questionable whether they do not 

 derive less assistance than excitement from the 

 human voice. Much depends on circumstances, 

 much on the nature of the pack. I will not say 

 you are never to open your mouth, but I think 

 that if the inmates of our deaf and dumb asylums 

 kept hounds, these would show sport above the 

 average, and would seldom go home without 

 blood. Noise is by no means a necessary con- 

 comitant of the chase, and a hat held up, or a 

 quiet whisper to the huntsman, is of more help to 

 him than the loudest and clearest view-holloa 

 that ever wakened the dead " from the lungs of 

 John Peel in the morning." 



1 86 



