AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
49 
FOX-HUNTING. 
BREAKING COVER. 
[ Vide Plate V. Vol. 2.] 
“ Soon as Aurora drives away the night, 
And edges eastern clouds with rosy light, 
The healthy huntsman, with the cheerful horn, 
Summons the dogs, and greets the dappled morn, 
The jocund thunder wakes th’ enlivened hounds, 
They rouse from sleep, and answer sounds for sounds. 
Wide through the furzy field their route they take — 
Their bleeding bosoms force the thorny brake — 
The flying game their smoking nostrils trace, 
No bounding hedge obstructs their eager pace ; 
The distant mountains echo from afar, 
And hanging woods resound the flying war — 
The tuneful noise, the sprightly courser hears, 
Paws the green turf and pricks his trembling ears, 
The slacken’d rein now gives him all his speed, 
Back flies the rapid ground beneath the steed ! 
Hills, dales, and forests, far behind remain, 
While the warm scent draws on the deep-mouthed train.” 
Among the variety of sports common to this country, 
none are so manly and invigorating as Fox-hunting. This 
sport, so replete with enjoyment, is however confined 
to but few districts in the United States, and these are 
chiefly in the Southern states. From Maryland, south, 
this has always been the favourite amusement of the 
sportsmen, by whom it is followed with a keenness and 
perseverance, which show at once its fascinating tendency. 
There are, however, Fox-hunters in almost every state; 
but their number is so small, and excursions comparatively 
so few, to those of the Southern states, that it may properly 
be called a Southern sport ; and it is a matter of surprise, 
that in the Northern states, (in most of which plenty of 
foxes may always be found,) so little attention is paid to a 
sport, with which none others can bear a comparison, 
whether it is for the rich variety it affords, the healthful 
exercise consequent to it, or the superior horsemanship 
required to follow it successfully. 
Of the enjoyments of the field, the Chase has always 
been superlatively regarded, not only from its all-absorb- 
ing interests, but for the benefits to the hunter and commu- 
nity at large. 
The beauties and merits of the Chase, consist of the soul- 
enlivening music of the hounds, the hilarity which always 
prevails in the company, the intrepidity of mind, and 
daring boldness, which fear no obstacles, and an acquire- 
ment of so good a knowledge of horsemanship, as to sur- 
mount great difficulties, without injury to the horse or 
rider. The benefits are, the necessity of early rising, — 
N 
the continual exercise of the body, while the mind is enli- 
vened by passing scenes, and an emulation to excel, when 
the prospect of victory is pressing the expectants in joyful 
anticipation to the desired goal. It is neither cruel to the 
horse, which derives as much pleasure nearly as his rider, 
nor does it pursue to death a useful or innocent animal, 
but a thief and a destroyer. 
To the fastidious mind, most field amusements are objec- 
tionable, in consequence (as it is said) of their tendency to cru- 
elty. In Fox-hunting, however, no such objection should 
present itself. Most enjoyments which this life affords, are 
allowable to a certain extent; every thing may be over- 
done; and that which at one time, by moderate use, is a 
source of delight, may, at another time, by dissipation, be 
an intolerable burden; but any enjoyment which, while it 
increases the happiness and welfare of an individual, is 
also of service to a community, becomes doubly imposing, 
and allowable. In this sense, then, should Fox-hunting 
be regarded; for in the first place it can only be properly 
done on horseback, which gives the rider a knowledge of 
the horse and horsemanship, and every man who is profi- 
cient in these things, is a useful member of society, either 
in agriculture or war; and again, the sportsman becomes 
healthful and endured to hardship, while the mind, hav- 
ing been enlivened and made buoyant by rural enjoyments, 
fits the possessor more properly to fulfil the moral and 
social duties of life. 
The interests of the Chase can only be properly appre- 
ciated by those who have mingled in its pleasures. No 
tongue nor pen can do justice to an interesting chase; 
although volumes in prose and poetry have been written 
by able hands and practical sportsmen, and whose descrip- 
tions have been admired by the world, but which fall far 
short of the reality of these soul-absorbing pleasures. 
As we shall in the progress of this work, have occasion 
to record some very celebrated Fox-hunts, it may suffice 
at present, to give a few rules on Fox-hunting, selected 
from very high authority, from which the sportsman may 
glean some useful hints: — 
This author remarks, that “ There are certain rules that 
ought to be observed by a huntsman: he should always 
listen to his hounds whilst they are running in cover; he 
should be particularly attentive to the head hounds, and he 
should be constantly on his guard against a skirter; for, if 
there are two scents, he must be wrong. Generally speak- 
ing, the best scent is least likely to be that of the hunted 
fox, and as a fox seldom suffers hounds to run up to him, 
as long as he is able to prevent it, so, nine times out of ten, 
when foxes are hallooed early in the day, they are all fresh 
foxes. The hounds most likely to be right are the hard- 
running, line-hunting hounds; or such as the huntsman 
