The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1888-09-05
FOX HUNTING In ENGLAND.
OUTDOOR SPORTS OF LoRDLY
SQUIREs AND NOBLE DANES.
Those Who Follow the Hounds Re
quire a Trusty Steed and a Good
Seat-Reynard's Cunning.

quire a Trusty Steed and a Good
seat-Reynard's Cunning.
Coursing with the greyhound and hunt
ing the hare with barriers is a kindred
en- joyment to fox hunting, but of more
selfish nature, as they lack-the first
named altogether presence of that
necessary and charming element, the
| ladies.
1t may not he out Of place, says W. Fen
wick in the Detroit Free Press, to give
some minor particulars in connection
with the sport in question, as conducted
in England, not generally known. To
begin then, the pedigree of each hound
it is exceedingly Improper to say dog
is kept as carefully as a race horse, and
although to an unpracticed eye all the
| pack looks as much alike as peas, yet
| the huntsman and "whips"--if not the
master--knows each by name and sight,
and could, perhaps, tel the pedigree of
| either without reference. While talking
once with huntsman in his house ad-
! joining the kennels, was surprised that
he could instantly detect a quarrelsome
member by hi growl, which would be
quickly silenced by naming and threaten.
| ing the offender Hounds after the hunt
! ing season are fed but once a day, when
I they have 'lively gorge" from troughs,
the only meat being boiled up with bis
cults, of which the meal largely con-
sists. They answer quickly to the call
of their names at feeding time by the
huntsman at the kennel door, and when
they appear, in his judgment, to have
had sufficient, they are named to retire
from the banquet, but often with let
me stay a-bit- longer look. The pack,
too, is exercised several times daily, and
is not dangerous to strangers in the open,
but should you appear in an enclosure
! the spotted beauties" Immediately give
tongue, whereupon a wise person would
make himself conspicuous by mis- absence.
A good hunter requires nerve, good
"seat" and trustv steed. If the APP
pointed meet is at the residence OF the
master or some other member of the
hunt, breakfast profuse with cham.
pagne only increases the feeling of eager
ness for the fray.
The busy haunts of man are left and
covers drawn till the welcome gone
away" succeeds the sure tongue Of
trusty hound and the sport begins in
earnest. l remember when boy watch
ing draw" frcm hill, when Reynard,
unobserved by anyone but my noble
self, broke cover and passed by me; not
realizing the importance of calling on
the pursuers, / stood there with all the
dignity of the boy on the burning deck,
with the proud satisfaction that sooner
or later the whole 'hunt" must pass in
review before me. This occurred few
minutes later when the huntsman, being
told in reply to an inquiry that | had
seen the fox pass, asked why had not
shouted. / was lucky to be out of range
of his whip. Imagine the chagrin that
must have filled the hearts OF the hunt
| ing fraternity of Ireland when they were
turned back by the ruthless tenants or
of daring rider listening to the music of
the pack as they pass his country domain,
and who,
Owing to his having had spill,
| Is obliged to be absent against his will.
have omitted to mention that the
early season is called cub hunting, when,
should a son of the master be making his
| debut he may have to suffer from the
huntsman the "indignity" of having the
gore of the first fox killed, smearcd over
his face, which limitation" is called
'blooding." OF course there IS no
ElOdSSl pCob VI lllS llOulbiJ lNiN NAS
| fox, and yet as an encouragement to
small farmers in some parts of England
not to destroy this noctural marauder,
their claims for lost poultry are paid
once a year and a willful destroyer of
these animals is looked upon by the hunt
with much contempt and his property
seldom, if ever, tried.
So many excellent stories of Reynard's
-. 1nI ha
thenticity of which do not doubt--thai
it would be superhuous to add to them
here but | may say that have known
instances OF a "long BRUSH after fox
which resulted in no "brush," the eau.
dal appendage having been omitted by
nature or more probably removed by
some hearthless opponent of the chase
into whose hands Reynard had some time
fallen-much to the disgust of the first
in at the death who would have to be
content with some other limb as a "tro-
ply" of the occasion.
The late Rev. Jack Russell, who bore
the soubriquet of "the hunting parson,"
was notorious in England for many years
for the profound interest he took in the
noble sport. He was often known to
ride to church in hunting costume,
change 1t in the vestry and perform q
marriage ceremony and then appear at
the covert side soon after. The Prince
of Wales took very friendly interest in
him. In conclusion, the topic has q
financial SAVIOR about it, as it is custom
ary to say the hound first finding the
quarry gave welcome note, and that
later on the pack received a check from
the fox, probably because they were
without a scent!