The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-04-21
FOX HUNTING IN MARYLAND
nor 7JfE EISTfRN SHORE MEN AND
MOMI.N EOLLOW TIE IIOLNDS.


TALDor CouNTy Md. April io.--As are
Jersey and the Jcrsrynen 10 tho New Yorker.
~ are the Eastern Shore and its natives to tho
BaltimorcHn. He never tircs Of cracking I'M
kind Jokes about the phenomenal size and
frrocty NJ the mosquitoes on tho other
sdn 81 Chesapeake BAY. tho violence Of the
chills and the consumption OF quininc. Mtcra
trir through several Of the counties / can posi-
lively state that tho Eastern Shore mosquitoes
are rather email than otherwise: the chills are
Invariably Ola the other sido OF tho creek
and the story that tie inhabitants always use
Quiulnc instead OF cream with their coffee is n
base fabrication.
moro delightful country have rarely seem
In Talbot county arc many line estates. and the
appearance Of the country. the manner Of liv-
inc. ana the hospitality Of the people remind
ono very strongly Of England. Indeed. English
names are every where met with. The counties
are Cecil. Kent Queen Anne. Talbot. Caroline.
Dorchester Soncrset and Worcester Cum
bridge IL tho county scat OF Dorchester. prin-
Goes Anne Of Somerset. and one OF the impor-
tant towns OF Talbot IS oxford. English GUS
toms prevail to this day in many pnrte 81 the
Shore. In more than ono 81 tho great houses Il
small African raps at each door in the early
morning, bearing on silver salver huge cup
oil nillk puncn or fragrant mint Julcp. from
which each one sips refreshing draught
nal heard vague Tnmors that the fox chase,
Calveris. and the Baltmorcs. had been handed
down from generation TO generation, and was
the Eastern Shore: and / was in consequences
prepared to throw my leg over saddle and gem
ty canter after abaSged' fox, as one does in
NewJerscy or on Staten Island. But on the Soc
ond evening OF my visit my eyes were opened.
Several ol the neighbors called in. arrange.
ments were made 'or meet the next day. and
IN the conversation about the open fireplace |
learned moro Of the noble and iexhilarating
pursuit OF Reynard than all my previous eNpe-
Renee or reading mad tluKlt rom WuNt
have seen SINCE that night / am convinced
thntthe genuine English fox hunt nourishcs IL
anywhere IN America. upon the Eastern Shore
OF Maryland.
Foxes are abundant in Talbot county. the rcd
ioN largely in the minority. In fact the grays
and the rods do not dwell together amcHbly in
the same section 81 country, An increase IN
the number OF red foxes If always followed by
u decrease IN the number o. gray foxes. The
gray is smaller weaker. and less swift, and de-
and lodges in the woodland whom pressed. but
u he succeeds IN getting well ahead of the
hounds he dashes across country and makes
lisa city Of refuge for fugitive foxes.
Two foxes II Talbot are well known to the
willy. and wiry dogs Of the red breed. Time
and again they have been started and run for
miles, but they always escape. Yellow Ned
or twenty miles q day, Just for the fun Of the
thing, apparently. One gentleman declares
that Black Joe often comes to his gate on a
moon-lt night and barks at him in dersion.
The negroes are inclined to look upon the two
terious disappearances
\ very curly breakfast was served, and by
daybreak we were in the saddle The meet had
ren arranged Tor point IN tn" road near
P,ece OF woods upon the land of Col. Edward
GyS, tae freTl rS 1 OF Tie Msryand sGnae
bred chestnut hunter Faust. q splendid animal
about Is hands high; Mrs Robert Hough her
handsome brown mare Roberta which measures
15a hands; Mrs. Kennedy owen was mounted
on q small anu very promising bay horse, re-
the work. and Miss sophie Tilghman was
seated upon u beautiful Arabian. nearly pure
the cross by the grandam having been with
- velvet in alternate stripes Of crimson and
black or blue and short and ciose-htlng riding
habits. Mr.. Owen Norris rod" a horse greatly
celebrated hereabouis Tor speed and endurance
about 10 hands high. and u handsome brown
the sport ~ any one in the field. listens for the
music OF the hounds, and follows their cry with
the greatest zest. Mr. Kennedy Owens's mount
was large thoroughbred Kentucky horse. 49,.
hands high. and Mr.; J9mes Grogan's bay
mare. Kate, one of the best jumpers in the
field. Mr.. Chas. Rothe neiEhborlnG farmer.
and man OF large experience with the dogs
had the horn In charge, and rode tough ana
Among others were Messrs. Chas Chance.
Floyd p61e and ills. and Jno. Bailey. tenant
Oily about fifteen dogs were in the field but
thess were selected with moro than usual care.
as about one-half Of them had been brought
down from the upper part OF the county 10 be
matched against the lower county dogs The
stock is good one; Years Of careful breeding
and intelligent selection have produced as fine
set of swift and enduring d"gs as ever ran a
fox in this country. Gnzele. joe, Clipper. jew
essi Nancy. Mohawk. Winder, Sport, Minerva.
and Leader are known for miles around.
The dogs were thrown off. and after securing
backward and forward for q very few minutes
one Of them whimpered. Then came tie clear
toned cry of the pack. and out Jumped "a bg rcd
fox The dogs were fresh and be- had no chance
northern part OF tho Neck twh.re on broad
peninsula are any number oi densl, the dogs IN
iull cry close after him. and the field following
in fine style. The road ran directly to the WE
river front, whore were the dcns. and As the
fox kept Il line about parallel with IL, there was
small opportunity for any leaus Of consoquon e.
The speed. though made py a hot FOX Is ire
dogs was intensely exciting. II was Il t"n-
milo dash for gentlemen and lady riders, enrh
one striving. not Tor silver cup or a purse, but
the brush or the ear OF toN Every now and
then we could see on our left. and little ahead
Of us. the pack burst out Of the woodland and
another bit Of woods. just as The sun rose VIZ
came up with them. Angry and discomfted
they We're yclping their disappointment. The
foN had been run TO- earth on the Wye river
front. and no one had earned n brush.
10 10 arg qn ~. fox i q mal'er reanirlpg not
percnce. A piece ol grape vine, ten or twelve
feet long is cut and thrust forward into the mouth
OF me den. pt Is then dug "a theEround "a tlie
point supposed To- he above the far end OF the
grape vine. the direction IN which it twists IN
dcating the dip and run OF the tunnel. When
the tunnel is dug down to it, the grape vine Is
thrust forward in the same way. ANA u second
pit Is sunk. Something's three or oven four ar,
necessary. but here the second pit was found tC
be- sufficient When the vine was pushed in the
third time Eeynnrd WIS found t0be lying in
side. about four feet from the. mouth. A i'm,
cocker-spaniel. belonging 10 Mr.. Norris. had
been brought along for the purpose Of sending
him into the den after tie fox; but it was foun,
at this point that he had disappeared. Tie
hounds excited 10y their lrultl'ss run. had he' !
securing backward and forward, and. it turur,
out, had made believe tho cOckcr was a fox. ruI
him down and killed him.
A twO-pronged stick was then cut, n piece %
stout twine fastened with a stick 10 II across tl'
prongs. and this WAS pushed INTO the den. TIN
toX. irrltated. snapped at the Wins aud got b.
between his teeth. BY turning the stick over
the Irvine was wound round INC muN.Io of th'
fox. and in this way he was carefully drawn out
Graspng him by the back fl the ue k and IT,
hind legs. Mr.. Rohe, superintendent 81 thrs
delicate operations. deity dropped linn tO
rather her, for II was vixen into n bgs ait
she was in good order for another run.
Mr.. Chance rode OF with the iu& ont 81 sigh
of the dogs and turned her out in field WITH
good start Before long the dogs found tn
trail and darti'd after her. Back she went 4
her old quarters, doubling and turning. but sh
was too closely pressed and WAS forced 10 fol
low the shore back again, pust her startln.
place and NJ 10 piece Of woodland, where
after nun a. fifteen miles. She gitye up tn
ghost, Mr. Kennedy Owen war first ia and re-