, and though there be a scramble for places when the
fox has broken, the whole thing is in so small a compass that there is
no difficulty in getting away with the hounds. In finding your right
place, and keeping it when it is found, you may have difficulty; but
in going away from a gorse the field will be open for you, and when
the hounds are well out and upon the scent, then remember your Latin;
Occupet extremum scabies.

But for one fox found in a gorse you will, in ordinary countries, see
five found in woods; and as to the place and conduct of a hunting man
while woods are being drawn, there is room for much doubt. I presume
that you intend to ride one horse throughout the day, and that you wish
to see all the hunting that may come in your way. This being so, it will
be your study to economize your animal's power, and to keep him fresh
for the run when it comes. You will hardly assist your object in this
respect by seeing the wood drawn, and galloping up and down the rides as
the fox crosses and recrosses from one side of it to another. Such rides
are deep with mud, and become deeper as the work goes on; and foxes
are very obstinate, running, if the covert be thick, often for an hour
together without an attempt at breaking, and being driven back when they
do attempt by the horsemen whom they see on all sides of them. It is
very possible to continue at this work, seeing the hounds hunt, with
your ears rather than your eyes, till your nag has nearly done his day's
work. He will still carry you perhaps throughout a good run, but he
will not do so with that elasticity which you will love; and then,
after that, the journey home is, it is occasionally something almost too
frightful to be contemplated. You can, therefore, if it so please you,
station yourself with other patient long-suffering, mindful men at some
corner, or at some central point amidst the rides, biding your time,
consoling yourself with cigars, and not swearing at the vile perfidious,
unfoxlike fox more frequently than you can help. For the fox on such
occasions will be abused with all the calumnious epithets which the
ingenuity of angry men can devise, because he is exercising that
ingenuity the possession of which on his part is the foundation of
fox-hunting. There you will remain, nursing your horse, listening to
chaff, and hoping. But even when the fox does go, your difficulties may
be but beginning.

It is possible he may have gone on your side of th