The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-02-15
From Arthur's Home Gazette,
A VIRGINIA FoX.HUNT.

BY 4. ROLAND.
just as the sun WIS setting one cold No
vcmber afternoon, drove up, during short
and pleasant solourn in the Old Dominion, 10
tbs house ofmy fox-huntng friend, Wilson,
Our preparations were speedily made, aud
we we're soon on our way 10 the place Of rem
devious, which we reached before any Of the
rest Of our company. 4 White frost coyorcd
the ground fences aud louse-lops, the strong
wind Of the previous evening had died away
aud il was perfectly calm. The air was sill
quite sharp, and the ground stitly frozen, but
there was every Indication Of slight thaw
when the sun rose. This state Of the wcath-
er seemed 10 be very satisfactory 10 my friend
who declared, from time 70 time, that such q
day for sport had never dawned, We did
wait long before we saw Mr. Craiupton, TO
whom my fltcni had alluded on the prrviUuv
evening accompanied five or six other
gentlemen, all well mounted, coming down
the road at brisk trot They had about 20
dogs with them, most Of which presented Nu
appearance about as promising a, those which
composed my friends pack a combined force
it struck me, sufficient especially in their
present halcstarycd condition, TO have eaten
up a score or two OF foxes, hide, hair, and all.
As soon as greetings wcro intcrrhangcd, VIC
set of for tile place where il was supposed we
should fnd the fox. This cover, as il was
called by my companions, was q plain, con
cred with thick growth of pines, some four
or five feet in height This, a few years be-
fare, had heen q corn field, but owing 70 a
bad system ofcutiyatlon, had lain waste I'LL
the latent germs of the pine, which iill every
inch of soil in this country had come into ac-
tivity and taken undisturbcd possession, Sew
eral horse paths intcrsccted the thickoLwhch
was otherwise almost inaccessible 10 any ami
NAL larger than dog.
Il was the duty OF two or Three Of our par
~ to urge the dogs into the cover, aud by a
variety of indescribablc shouts, haloos, aud
calculations, 10 excite them to some kind of
exGTrtou. fhu rrru,Gurtrr Of tfJv- -rorr,1r-'r,
mongst which was Mr. Wilson, near whom, as
] was novice in the sport, determined to
keep as closely as possible, took their stoud
in the road, on the side Of which, opposite "a
the cover, was a forest of pine trees growing
toerably close together, but with little under
growth. The dogs, in short time, pushed
on by their persevering drivers, had scatter
ed themselves about in the thickct,aud watch
cd the proceedings with much interest. The
whole Of our party remained silent and in
listening attitudes even the horses we rode,
as if they were aware Of what was going on,
stood motionlcss, From time to tue a saor;
careless bark, which seemed 10 excite bat lit
tic interest in my companions, would break
forth from some one Of the dogs, Suddenly
as one of these sounds reached us, in which
the rest seemed to distinguish some PECULIAR
ty not pcrcoptibe to myself a hurried whis
pering took place, and then all again became
silent y few minutes passed, when Cramp
ton cried out
"Thcro goes Music again, Wilson, and tina
dog never sings without some reason, tel
you. There listen he has struck colo
trail az sure as gun we'll hear from hin
again before long, or I'm much mistaken"
l thought, at that moment, / distinguished
a sound which might be imperi,Ddly dcscrtb
ed AZ between a half bark and anxious whine
differing from the short, careless bark of tn,
other dogs This was soon repeated NOR,
frequently, gradually growing moro distant
now, it noared again, aud suddenly changed
into fall, deep, continuous metallic baying
Hes up-there he goes y cried Wilson
listening with hreathless attention,
As he spoke, a dozen si4rilar sounds wcr,
added to that which we first heard, and tn,
rest ofthe pack appeared to be drawing nca
to one point; at which, in "A few minutes, tn,
whole number of dogs Joined ia fall chorus
Them for the first time, / heard the indescri
bable ery ef a pack Of hegeds- in fall chase
no-words can give any idea to the mind of
one who7has never experienced it, of the a!
most uncomfortable excitement IT produces
The noble animal was riding shared the in
fection which pervaded our whole company
and struggled iercely TO free herself frsm 10.
firm grasp.
There he is, boys " cried Wilson.
Turning toward the spot he Indicated
saw the fox issue from the cover, and pass a
.-r,,4 he rr,d Ifs sy7s not running hu