FOX-HUNTING IN VIRGINIA. 545 



It was a tremendous burst, and briefly over, when Rey- 

 nard once more hid his brush in friendly cover, and swept 

 into an alcove behind a cliff in the bend of the creek. 

 Making a detour to the left, we encountered a stiff fence, 

 at the border of the ravine, too dangerous to attempt; so, 

 swinging some yards farther to the left, we struck into a 

 farm-road, and took the bars, the most considerable leap of 

 the hunt. 



Bounding toward th» creek at once, we met the chase at 

 the head of the cliff; but there was no time for exchange of 

 words. Getting over an easy fence, each horseman in his 

 own way, we reentered the mill-dam field along the water' s 

 edge, riding with the pack at the heels of the Fox — Vanity 

 nipping at his brush as he went over the fence, the others 

 strung out a little; Juno a few feet in his rear, and Drum- 

 mer running second. It was evident that this was the final 

 rush; and seeing my father settle himself in the saddle, and 

 turn the spur on Alice's flank, I rode for all I was worth 

 for my place at his side, and in an instant I was at his 

 stirrup. 



"Hark! " he cried, as Yanity seized Reynard full in the 

 back, and giving him a snatch, rolled over, and turned 

 him backward. In an instant, poor Reynard was seized by 

 Drummer, and in. less than a twinkling of an eye, Juno 

 had hold. My father, Mr. Jenkins, William, and I were 

 in together at the death, and William, leaping from his 

 horse; seized the Fox, and cutting away the hounds with 

 his whip, held him up by the nape to the view of the 

 admiring company — the largest and finest specimen of a 

 Red Fox any of the party had ever seen. „ 



My father awarded the brush to William Jenkins, and 

 the great race was finished; every hqrseman and every 

 hound being well closed up at the death. Mr. Macamblin 

 said: 



"I am an old hunter. I have seen many hundreds of 

 runs, in Ireland, in England, and in America. I think we 

 have had to-day, in some respects, the grandest run I ever 

 saw. I shall never see such another, I am sure. I am a 



35 



