Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-12-25
FOX HUNTING IN THE
SOUTH.
Exciting Sport i'm North Car
Olina.--Racing Reynard
Through the Woods and
RnrS

1 sDs
From the Ne,c York Graphic.
| have just returned from pro-
longed hunting excursion in
to North Carolina. The party
from this city consisted of Mr.. Jas.
r. Young, Executive Clerk of the
United States Senate Messrs. Il.
p. Brooks, and p. A. Julien of the
National Republican" Mr.. d. S.
Kidder, of the Postoffice Depart
men., and your correspondent.
! We were met at Reidsville by
Thomas B. Keogh. Chairman of
the North Carolina Republican
I State central Committee, and Gen.
Stephen A Douglas, son of the late
Senator Douglas, by whom we
were conducted to the plantation
of Judge Settle, twho was Presi-
dent of the National Republican
Convention of 1872, which nomi-
mated Grant aud Wilson, in Rock
ingham county. At that place we
were all mounted upon good horses
and, accompanied by Judge Settle,
and his brother David, Major Leo
pard Anderson, of Stokes coun ty,
DR.. w. w. Withers, and other
well known gentlemen of the State
we engaged in a series of fox-hun-
ting, the equal of which in enjoy
ableness, excitement, and episodal
interest was probably never
known in this country. The meet
numbered twenty-one or more at
all times, and they were from for
| ty to sixty well trained hounds en-
gagged in each days hunt. The
: tart was made before daylight,
after su bstantias notwithstanding
good old apple brandy being car
ried in pocket TASKS to keep the
party sufficiently stimulated dur
ing the six or seven hours which
the jaun!s consumed. Upon re-
turning, about noon, dinner was
served and eagerly partaken of,and
thence forward until about 10 o.
clock at night the gentleman in
dulged in various pastimes, in
Guiding the innocent, interesting,
and somewhat exciting game of
bluff or draw-poker small
"linit").
Fox-hunting, as practiced in
North Carolina, and as witnessed
in this campaign" differs mater
tally from similar sports in the
sold country" We have no clear
ed fields, with fences of uniform
low size nor have we imported
foxes upon which to rely for chases.
We gallop over rude, rocky, un-
even hills and sides of mountains,
down into and across ravines
(seemingly impracticable to any
but excited mounted huntsmen),
and through clos and underground
of pine and low wood and boys
and quagmire cause but little fear
or hesitation to the rider, who goes
headlong into almost any sort of
place, so eager is he to keep near
the hounds as they go baying
through the country pursuing
fox trail. The foxes which inhabit
this section of country are not mean
prey--they possess, it is said, even
greater powers of endurance than
the foxes hunted in England, and
they had all the sly, cunning quail
titles claimed for those abroad.
Our hounds, too, compare favOra-
bly, with the best of English fox
hounds, many of the animals used
There being from stock imported
from England and trained toa
wonderful degree of perfection.
Fox-hunting in North Carolina is
no child's play nor simple amuse-
ment. The successful hunter is
good and generally a reckless RI
der, who does not confine himself
TO roads or paths, and wait for the
fox to run that way and come in
sight in the course of the chase.
He dashes into the woods, or
through thickets or ploughed
| fields, over fences, across creeks
and bitches and up and down hills
at headlong speed, keeping as
nearly up with the dogs as posi-
BILE, urging them to increase their
exertions, or barking struggling
dogs on to the fresher trial. Be-
sides this, there is a lively compe-
/ titicn among the hunters to "be In
at the death, "and to be first at the
place where the "catch" Is made,
| so as te get the "brush."
i A permanent club was formed,
entitled the Piedmont Fox-hunt-
; ing Club which is Differed by
capable and experienced men, the
purpose being to indulge in an
nual hunts, which will usually oc-
cur during the latter part Of No
vember and the early portion Of
December.