212 APPENDIX. 



a fox at Stewart's Hay, from whence he broke in gallant style for Mar- 

 tinshaw, Enderby, and Aylestone Gorse ; ultimately he came over the 

 South Fields, crossed the Dew Walk, and after a ruQ of three hours (the 

 last three miles without a check), took refuge under a shed in the wood- 

 yard of Mr. Harrison, in Leicester, with the hounds close at his brush. 

 Mr. Assheton Smith, as usual [sic], at the tail of hig hounds, suc- 

 ceeded, after much trouble, in dragging Reynard from his hiding- 

 place, and after pocketing his brush, gave him up to his pursuers. 

 Being the only red-coat present, he took charge of the pack, and as 

 ably headed them to kennel, as he had gallantly followed them during 

 the chase." 



No. VI. 



HOW TO GET A RELUCTANT FOX OUT OF COVERT. 



When Mr. Smith first hunted Southgrove {vide page 39), the foxes 

 were inclined to "hang in covert " all day long. The wood had previously 

 been part of the Craven country, and, being at a considerable distance 

 from the kennel there, was not regularly drawn ; consequently, the 

 foxes took to ''ringing " round, instead of going aiuay when pressed by 

 hounds. To obviate this, Mr. Smith took down thither forty couple 

 of hounds, and, shutting up half of them in a barn, he worked the 

 foxes for two or three hours with the first pack, then he let loose the 

 other twenty couple. A finer crash was never listened to ; but the 

 object was not obtained— no fox broke — and he returned home with- 

 out a brush. "I'll try another plan next week," said he to the 

 relater of this anecdote, "and see if I do not make them fiij or die." 

 Accordingly, on the next hunting-day, to his friend's surprise, he saw 

 a number of fires lighted, at intervals of about a hundred yards, all 

 through the principal rides. No sooner were the hounds thrown in 

 and Reynard a-foot, than ofi" two or three foxes went towards the 

 forest, no doubt ignorant of the cause qucB tantum accenderet ignem. 

 From that time foxes never hung much in that covert, which was the 

 very best in the hunt. On the next meeting of the Craven Hunt 

 (betwixt whom and the squire there was then a little jealousy, by the 

 way,) some one inquired, "Where is Mr, Ireson ?" (the steward of 

 Lord Ailesbury, to whom Southgrove belonged, a regular attendant 

 in the hunting-field, and a gallant horseman). " Why," replied a fine 

 old sportsman, the Rev. Fulwar Fowle, "do you not know that he is 

 gone to the Sun Fire OflBce to insure Southgrove?" 



