New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-07-09
THERURAL LIFE OF ENGLAND
BY CAPTAIN MAYNE REID.
HUNTING. WITH BARRIERS, BEAGLES,
OTTFRHOIJNDS AND GREYHOUNDS.

-Thonoh among English field sports hare hunting
holds inferior rank to either stag or fox hunting,
still it is in large practice; as may be inferred from
3be number of packs devoted to this speciality OF
chase. There are 1876 of regular barriers.
with 10 of beagles and -harrers; in all los,
or nearly as many the packs of foxhounds 10
such of THE TRIBUNE's readers as are unlearned IN
canine lore may observe that these different sorts
of hounds are only varieties of the same animal
produced by time. breeding and training; thelr
pouts of distinction being size and strength, COM
bined with powers of endurance, as also keenness
of scent and swftness of foot. Size, however, is
their chief distinctive characteristics and IN this
thew are almost regularly graduated, from the stall
wart staghound down to the diminutive beagle OF
ten inches IN height; some even less as 'he zap
dog beagles" of Queen Elizabeth that coulu ma
sleeping room inside mans glove! VI course none
snch are now employed in the hunting heid thougn
there are Sc veral packs IN which the standard OF
height are only ten inches with others-pure beages,
too-where il is nearer twenty. Nor is the stag
hound of the pack, that properly so Called ana now
nearly extinct. Instead, the animal USED IN tne
chase of the semi-domesticated deer may De re-
garded as only larger variety OF foxhounu; the
barrier a smaller one; and the beagle smallest OF
all The packs of barriers, however are frequently
composed in part of foxhounds. just as IN many
Aeaole hacks there is an admixture of barriers.
bora time conining my remarks to these last 1t
is To be said that pack OF barriers is also less III
Individual numbers than one OF foxhounds; twenty
complies being rather above the average OF 'hc
former and so not half as many as In the lat'er'
The cost of their establishment and maintenance Is
therefore correspondingy less and as harrlers are
rarely hunted more than two days IN tile week. ths
further reduces the expense by the fewer horses
REQUIRED to mount Master, lluntsman and Whip.
u
while in nearly half of them the Master is himself
Huntsman. by this doubling OF role saving an out
Law on the paid professional Three hundred pounds
nor annum will maintai a respectable hunt of
barriers thus economically managed though there
ars some conducted on a more expensive SCALE AS
IN the case of foxhounds nearly all are subscrlp-
fiop packsr the Masters undertaking to hunt them
Tor a fixed sum. guaranteed and made up by the
members of each particular hunt, with the AID OF
voluntary contributors. But, as with foxhounds
Also some packs are private property their owners
keeping them ND partly for the pleasure OF the sport
but also with an idea of grandeur and popularity.
The less expense attending pack oil harriers Is
one reason why there are so many of them for hare
hunting is not thought nearly so much of as fox
hunting. But there are districts without the
money strength to support hunt OF the latter
though able to afford enough for one of the former
Resides foxes NAV be few and far between, while
bares ore abundant everywhere so that in barrier
hnnt;no n . blankr day would be the rarest OF ex-
ceptIons
The follow ing of barrier pack is very different
from that seen after foxhounds, there being fewer
men on horseback, and these less showily attired
Some may be in hunt costume too but not the
sphinx as the orthodox color for barriers is green.
This in silk velvet or fine melton cloth. with gold
buttons, is becoming enough. though OF less brill
liant display than the scarlet of the foxhunter.
Moreover of late years uniform in hunting
is affected only by the few; field often showing
only the Master and Huntsman in uniform, all the
others wearing coats of the ordinary cut and color
Breeches however are indispensable, either buck
skin or cord, with top boots. or what answers
eoually MS well though not stylish, short leather
lepgings close fitting around ankle and calf. Many
who ride with barriers wear these last; economy
compelling; for even In England country OF low
priced apparel-a PAIR of top boots is somewhat
costly equipment. A paucity OF long-skirted riding
habits is also observable in a field OF barriers;
for although ladies hunt with these hounds too,
they are never in such Numbers as with foXhounds
Indeed neither are gentlemen, in the O." society"
sense: the greater number of those who practise
barrier hunting being men of the middle class,
with some belonging to still lower one.
, In most parts of the country farmers make up the
chief following of barriers, especially the younger
ones of sporting proclivitv. Though hares are
under the protection of the Game statutes, no game
license is required for hunting item with hounds,
and therefore expense ATTENDS IL save sdoScrip-
ton to the hunt fund and even this is more vol
nntary than compulsory. Besides, farmers are let
off easily IN consideration OF their favoring the
snort: which without their countenance would not
prosper. if possible to carry it on. For the wear
and tear of their horses, as already limited, they
generally look for recOupment by their sale to such
Young swells" of the gentry class as may be met
in the field wanting mount better than that they
are on So to the farmers hunting is often profit
as well as sport Despite these temptations how
over the majority take part in 1t, while many
20 dead against it. They have its per contrds to
consider in broken-dOwn fences and tramped
fields the latter often under crop. True, they can
recover for the actual damage done though not for
trespass the unwrittcn law of long custom debar-
ring them from that. And public opinion almost
equally binders their having recourse to the former
hunting is so popular with the masses. Some
farmers however, brave all this and stand NJ for
their rights at the risk, indeed the certainty OF
being called churlsh. Hence collisions now and
then occur between them and the hunters resulting
in lawsuits with claims for damages. Sometimes it
ia a case OF assault when a hot boodcd Nmrod has
his horse seized by the bride. and lays the lash OF
stock of his hunting-crop over the shoulders of
Hodge trying to detain him.
From all this it may be inferred that great efforts
are made TO conciate the farmer and get him to go
in for hunting. if not already addicted to it.
Whatever damage he may have sustained in spoiled
fences or the like is made good to him out of the
hunt fund. And should he have claim for poultry
carried of by the prowling fox 1t VIII he readily
conceded and literally adjusted in the same way.
Anything to keep him from complaining. Were it
not So Reynard would be often found in ditch by
the woodsi le stark and stif as he sometimes is
LIZ ...L.at n.,Hal I'LL