222 
Along the Potomac. 
Fox Hunting in the Old Days. 
In my previous article I made a digression from the 
line intended to follow for the purpose of vindicating 
or recalling from history a few facts in reference to the 
status of the Puritans, one of the two powerful classes 
of colonists who established the foundation upon which 
the superstructure of the unrivaled institutions of our 
country rests. 
I will now resume my purpose to describe from mem- 
ory some of the prominent characteristics appertaining 
to the mode of life of the planters along the Potomac. 
When the last echoes of the guns at Yorktown had 
ceased to reverberate, the cavaliers, whose plantations 
were on that river, returned to their homesteads to re- 
pair the damage of neglect and havoc of war. Yet the 
task of restoration was not as difficult as one would 
imagine, if we take in consideration the mild and genial 
climate, generous soil and advantageous surroundings. 
The soil had recovered a portion of its previously ex- 
tracted elements while in fallow, therefore quick to re- 
spond. And during the time between planting and 
harvest the immense forests and rivers contiguous 
afforded ample supplies of game and fish. Therefore 
they were in a short time living in ease, if not in luxury. 
As they increased in prosperity they supplied them- 
selves with all the facilities that wealth could com- 
mand, and conducted their establishments in the ba- 
ronial style. It is true they had not armed followers 
or men at arms, as they were called in the feudal 
age, but had numerous slaves or servants completely 
under their authority, with whom they cultivated their 
extensive plantations, some of which were equal in 
extent to a German principality. 
Although in theory they were somewhat similar in 
style of appearance to the barons of old, yet practically 
their customs were antagonistic. The old barons, with 
their men at arms, would sally out from their strong- 
holds and plunder all unsuspecting wayfarers who were 
so unfortunate as to approach. On the contrary, the 
cavalier barons would send out their retainers to invite 
wayfarers to enter their portals and participate in their 
hospitality. They were an educated, magnanimous 
class, fond of social intercourse, and also zealous in 
their love of field sports, not only the pleasure of riding 
to the music of the hounds, but. the social enjoyment 
of their agreeable and intellectual companions during 
the day previous to the hunt, and also the one subse- 
quent thereto. The conditions existing at that time 
prevented the consummation of a fox hunt in one day. 
Owing to the great extent of territory embraced in their 
plantations, the mansions were proportionately distant. 
Therefore those whom the proprietor wished to partici- 
pate would be invited a sufficient time in advance to 
meet at the appointed mansion on the specified da) r 
preceding the chase. When he had settled in his mind 
upon the date to hold a meet, he would send invitations 
to those he desired to participate in the sport and 
festivities. 
I will attempt to describe some of the details pre- 
liminary to a fox hunt, and also the movements in pur- 
suit of the quarry, which took place on the plantation 
of Col. Thornton, in Westmoreland county, when I 
was a boy. The first announcement of such an occur- 
ence is when the proprietor summons to his presence 
the overseer of the stables. That position is filled by 
one of the superannuated field hands, who has under 
him four or five boys from twelve to fifteen years of age, 
who perform the duties of feeding and attending to the 
horses, cattle, etc., under his supervision! The dignitary 
who occupied the position at this time was Abram 
Thornton. They frequently adopt their master's name 
when elevated to a position of authority, if it's only 
over two boys, and frequently become supercilious. 
When Abe received word to attend on his master, he 
went to his cabin and put on his dress hat and vest, the 
latter garment a fabric of coon skin; and he proceeded 
to the great house, where he found his master, who 
said: "Abe, mount two of your smartest boys and 
send them to me." Then Abe returned to the stable with 
the appearance and style of one deeply impressed with 
the responsibility of his mission. 
The boys at the stable were alert, watching through 
the cracks as he approached, and one of them remarked, 
"Sumpin' gwine to be done; Uncle Abe got his Sunday 
close on." As he walked up to the doorway, the boys 
scattered around, apparently very busy, but watching 
his movements. As he stepped within he said, "Whar 
is you all?" At that moment the hounds, confined in 
a kennel adjoining the driveway and separated by a slat 
partition, broke forth in a chorus of music such as only a 
pack of black and tans can render. Abe was surprised, 
but quickly recovered his equanimity and said, "Marcel- 
lus, y'u black sarpint, y'u nms' b'leeve I ain't got no eyes; 
didn't I see y'u poke a stick from dem cracks frusticat- 
in' dem houn's?" 
"'Deed T didn't, Uncle Abe:" 
The hounds continued in full cry. apparently o.n a 
hot trail, and Abe became furious, and said, "Dis worl' 
is comin' to an eend, w'en dese nigger brats tell me 
I can't see dem punchin' dem houn's." At this point 
Hannibal, another of Abe's boys (the race is partial 
to historical and ancient names), came to the rescue 
of his companion, and also gave Abe a plausible loop 
hole to escape from his dilemma. Hannibal said, 
"Uncle Abe, I 'spec' dem houn's didn't know you wkl 
dem Sunday close on." Abe accepted the explanation 
and said, "Dat was it, honies; I know dat mus' be it," 
though he suspicioned what the boys well knew it was — 
the vigorous odor from his coon skin vest. 
After the little unpleasantness had subsided, Abe 
called Hannibal and Ben, "I got 'ticular bis'ness for 
you," he said. "Put bridles on dem two young cre'tu-r's 
"you done broke last week, and go 'megitly to the great 
house." Ben ventured to ask what for. "You hab 
orders, dat's what fur." • 
After the couriers had been dispatched by the Colonel 
to convey the invitations, nothing unusual occurred until 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
the day appointed for the meet. In the early morning 
of that day the house servants and stable hands were 
busy preparing for the accommodation of the guests, 
their horses and hounds, for on such occasions each 
guest generally brought with him two or three choice 
hounds from his own kennels, to compete and compare 
their qualities with others in the hunt. Abe and his as- 
sistants had been extremely busy in preparing the stalls, 
feed and bedding to facilitate their work in anticipation 
of the arrival of the guests. About 10 o'clock'Abe called 
one of the boys: "Ephraim, go to your post. Some of 
dem gentlemen '11 be canterin' down de gran' avenue 
'fore you knows it." The post Abe alluded to was a 
large walnut tree, which had served as a gate post 
from time immemorial, and also as a lookout post, 
from the upper branches of which the entire length of 
the magnificent avenue leading from the public road to 
the mansion could be seen. 
Ephraim had been on his post but a short time when 
he announced to Abe two horsemen coming in, one of 
them Mr. Lewis. "How you know Mr. Lewis dat fur 
off?" 
"I knows him by his houn's." 
Abe immediately sent a boy to bring the horses and 
hounds to the stable. At brief intervals the guests 
came in, and in a few hours all had arrived, the horses 
and hounds, as well as themselves, and had been pro- 
vided for with that unaffected hospitality characteristic 
with those people at that time. The rest of the day 
and early part of the night they spent in social inter- 
course, discussing public questions relative to the policy 
of government and other public topics interesting to gen- 
tlemen of intellectual ability and education. It is need- 
less to say those assemblages were composed of such a 
class of gentlemen. (As an illustration of the present, I 
would say the San Domingo Ducking Club embraces 
its social features.) 
The following morning, according to arrangement. 
Abe, with his corps of assistants, had the horses and 
hounds ready for service in the avenue at the front of the 
mansion. 
This mansion was constructed of brick, and like maivy 
others erected in colonial days with the view of capacity 
rather than architectural beauty, was situated about 
looyds. from the Potomac, contiguous to the western 
side of a grove of oaks extending nearly to the river 
banks, which grove had been reserved as a screen or 
barrier to check the fierce and pitiless eastern storms 
which frequently swept over the broad expanse of the 
river at this point, gathering moisture and velocity to 
expand or display its fury upon any obstruction inter- 
vening in its career. 
That grove had served its purpose admirably for 
over 100 years, and the last time I was there (about 
twelve years ago) it was still shielding its charge, al- 
though many of its members had succumbed to the 
tooth of time. Since then the building has been de- 
stroyed by fire, except the massive walls, standing a 
silent reminder of happy days. In contrast with the 
lonesome and quiet appearance around this historical 
old mansion at my last visit, the scene presented in 
that beautiful avenue on a bright morning near the 
last of November. 1836. was intensely animating, and 
impressed a picture on my memory which time can- 
not efface — of the huntsmen ready for the chase — a living 
exhibition of some of the highest types of animated 
nature, which would fill the soul of an artist with 
rapture. A numerous pack of pure bred hounds, uni- 
form in color (black and tan), were yelling and strug- 
gling under the restraint of their couplings, held .by 
small negro boys, some of whom were scarcely able 
to control them in their eager efforts to begin what they 
evidently knew was expected of them. In addition to 
and mingling with the musical clamor of the hounds was 
the ringing neigh of the high-mettled steeds, pawing 
the ground in their impatience to enter upon the 
sport, apparently as pleasant to them as to their masters. 
Alas! that stock of horses is extinct, consumed by the 
relentless demands of war's devastation. 
No more this steed will hear the sounds 
Of huntsmen meeting for the chase: 
No more the music of the hounds 
Will urge him onward in the race. 
Since then 
Many times through showers of lead 
And sheets of flame they led the way ; 
And many a gallant charge they led 
Beneath a Southern hoy in gray. 
The clamor and excitement outside admonished the 
huntsmen and members of the family within that their 
* presence only was necessary to proceed in the pro- 
gramme of the hunt. They immediately passed out to 
the portico, which extended entirely across the front of 
the mansion, and was elevated 6ft. above the ground, 
affording a comprehensive view of all the movements 
of the occasion. In addition to the huntsmen, several 
lady guests, with Col. Thornton's family, occupied the 
portico and enjoyed the exciting scene. During the 
height of the excitement, when the hounds were strug- 
gling for release from the colored boys, 'an episode oc- 
curred characteristic of their race. One of the small- 
est of the boys was holding two powerful hounds with 
a short rope attached to their couplings, which he had 
fastened around his waist, to make sure of them; but 
they were too strong, and made sure of him. and com- 
pelled him to follow them, sometimes at a lively gait. 
Abe, the manager of the boys, discovered his predica- 
ment and went to his rescue, exclaiming, "Wat is you 
doin'?" 
"I's holdin' deze houn's." 
"Dem houn's is holdin' you. Wat's you' name?" 
"I's name Samson." 
"You tell you' mudder you ain't got no mo' use for 
dat name den a frog wants a tale." 
After glancing over the scene the huntsmen descended 
from the portico, and as each one advanced to the 
mounting block his horse was brought forward, and 
he vaulted to the saddle with an adroit and graceful 
movement, acquired only by continual practice from 
boyhood. 
Awaiting the Signal. 
The scene at this stage of the entertainment was one 
[Sept, 17, 1898. 
of unsurpassed sylvan beauty — a living picture sufficient 
to relax the rigid features of an anchorite, and constrain 
him to forget his austerity in expression of admiration. 
A group of accomplished horsemen, apparently as firmly 
seated as Centaur, and seemingly unconscious of the 
efforts of their steeds to dislodge them, in their im- 
patience of restraint. A large pack of hounds equally 
as eager and restless of control as their companions, the 
horses. Also a quota of colored boys, shouting with 
delight in their excitement. Such was the exhibition at 
the mansion end of the avenue. 
The avenue had been in colonial days a feature of 
great beauty, and still retained surviving indications 
of its palmy days. It was evidently in English style, 
about 100ft. in width, perfectly straight and planked on 
either side with Lombardy poplar and English linden 
trees alternately. Although the great majority of them 
had succumbed to age and the elements, yet there was 
still standing at irregular intervals an occasional linden 
or giant poplar, rearing its graceful spire-like peak 100ft. 
in the air, apparently defying the wintry blasts, and 
vividly reminding us of silent sentinels standing on 
a battlefield with their dead comrades lying around 
them. 
The morning was such as is frequently experienced 
in that section of country during the Indian summer, 
when the frost has invested field and forest in the robes 
of the rainbow. The trembling foliage on the lofty pin- 
nacles of the forest was just bathed in the golden 
beams of the rising sun, when the shrill notes of the 
horn announced the signal to release the hounds. 
Upon hearing the familiar signal they swept down the 
avenue as resistless as a tornado, and wild with de- 
light, perhaps with an innate knowledge to appreciate 
their abrupt change of condition; for previous to their 
release they had been under the control of the huntsmen; 
now the huntsmen were controlled entirely by their 
movements, and they seemed to scorn the idea of re- 
ceiving direction from them what course to follow, but 
swept onward, confident in the knowledge nature had 
given them, which is seldom erroneous. The horses, 
although under the guide and partial restraint of their 
masters, were equally as eager as the hounds, each 
exerting himself to gain the position as leader of the 
cavalcade down the avenue. Their ambition and stamina 
were such that it was difficult to pass the one which 
first succeeded in gaining that desirable position. 
All were dauntless, swift and true, 
As any steed which trod the earth; 
Their leader — all his comrades knew, 
They could not pass his saddle girth. 
The hounds, after leaving the avenue, wheeled sharply 
to the left (moving with the celerity of a regiment of 
zouaves swinging around a flank), entering an old 
wood road flanked on either side with a dense growth 
of sapling pines. They had passed about half-way 
through this thicket when old Music, the leader, came 
to a sudden stop. He had struck a warm trail crossing 
the road at right angles, which brought the entire pack 
to an abrupt halt. It was one of those occasions when 
hounds are required to develop their sagacity to un- 
ravel a mystery which baffles the skill of man, It was 
evidently a very fresh trail, as every hound when ap- 
proaching gave tongue in its piercing yelps, indi- 
cating certainty. Which direction did the game pur- 
sue? It is in solving this problem that they display their 
finest points of sagacity. It is true they are endowed 
with the faculty of scent, and can readily discriminate 
the different quadrupeds by the odor of each species. 
In this case (and I suppose all others similar) they 
spread along the trail, and walked eagerly, some in one 
direction, others opposite, each returning in its own 
tracks, carefully scenting the opposite sides of the grass 
and shrubbery along the trail. They appeared to ar- 
rive at an unanimous conclusion by a simultaneous 
tonguing and impetuous rush in one direction. The 
trail led obliquely through the pine thicket to an old 
sedge field abo\it a half-mile distant. The thicket was so 
dense the hounds made slow progress, which enabled 
reynard, being much smaller and no doubt familiar with 
the locality, to widen the breech between his pursuers 
and himself, thereby gaining time sufficient to accom- 
plish one of the numerous stratagems inherent in the 
race — to foil its relentless foes. 
The huntsmen, after listening to the hounds a few 
moments to ascertain the direction of the chase, and find- 
ing it impossible to get through the pine thicket, con- 
tinued to ride rapidly along the road, which terminated 
at the field mentioned, about 200yds. from the point 
where reynard entered it a few minutes after they ar- 
rived. As they were in a position to scan the entire 
field they remained quiet to observe developments. 
At the point where reynard left the thicket and enter- 
ed the field there was a footpath extending along the 
brow of the hill adjacent to and flanking Pope's Creek, 
which had been used by pedestrians from time im- 
memorial. Intercepting this path about half-way across 
the field, there was a deep gully or wash, resulting 
from frequent rains, cutting out a spring branch; it was 
about 20ft. in width and 15ft. in depth. To obviate the 
delay in walking around it, a large tree had been felled 
across the chasm, thereby bridging the pathway. The 
fox, when leaving his cover, failed to notice or discover 
the huntsmen, who had halted at the side of the field, 
and quietly observed all the movements he made. He 
hesitated a few moments, evidently listening for the 
hounds, to estimate their distance, then started at full 
speed along the old pathway. After crossing the chasm 
on the tree, he continued on about 150yds.. then re- 
turned direct in his tracks until reaching the tree, from 
which he leaped into the gully, in which a small stream 
trickled over its gravelly bed. Down this he pursued his 
way to the shore of the creek, which he followed dose 
along the edge of the water in the direction to return to 
his favorite stronghold, the pine thicket, which he suc- 
ceeded in reaching. By his stratagem of breaking his 
trail the pack was demoralized to such an extent that be- 
fore they recovered their equanimity by unraveling the 
mystery of the lost trail reynard had turned their flank 
and was cavorting through the labyrinths of his familiar 
sporting grounds — the pine thicket. 
When the hounds had succeeded in extricating them- 
selves from the many windings of that thicket, in which-- 
their crafty adversary had inveigled them, they were 
