RIDING AT STAG-HOUNDS 



Rothschild, assisted by his brother Mr. Leopold, 

 the carted deer is hunted on the most favourable 

 terms, and a sportsman must indeed be prejudiced 

 who will not admit that ten-mile points over grass 

 with one of the handsomest packs of hounds in 

 the world, are most enjoyable ; the object of 

 chase, when the fun is over, returning to Mentmore, 

 like a orentleman, in his own carriage, notwith- 

 standing. 



Fred Cox is the picture of a huntsman. Mark 

 Howcott, his whip, fears nothing in the shape of 

 a fence, and will close with a wicked stag, in or 

 out of water, as readily as a policeman collars a 

 pickpocket ! The horses are superb, and so they 

 ought to be, for the fences that divide this grazing 

 district into fields of eighty and a hundred acres 

 grow to the most formidable size and strength. 

 Unless brilliantly mounted, neither masters nor 

 servants could hold the commanding position 

 through a run that they always seem to desire. 



In riding to these hounds, as to all others, it is 

 advisable to avoid the crowd. Many of the 

 hedgerows are double, with a ditch on each side, 

 and to wait for your turn amongst a hundred 

 horsemen, some too bold, some too cautious, 

 would entail such delay as must prove fatal with 

 a good scent. Happily, there are plenty of gates, 

 and a deer preferring timber to any other leap, 

 usually selects this convenient mode of transit. 



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