The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-06
THE HOUNDS MUSIC.
Mrs. Sherwood Describes the
Hunt in England.
THE DRESS FOR THE CHASE
Hunting Meal with Its Sumptuous Ac-
cessories - Shooting . Buck - the
Pheasant and Partridge Game.
lcorYRIaHT, 1891. BY N. z. W. SHERWOOD

lcorfkIGHTJ 1881, BY NJ y. W. SHERWOOD
Fashion is at her best when she makes
men and women love horses, dogs, boat
ing, swimming and all out-of-door games
when she breaches physical culture. 1t
is good thing to see man play lawn ten
mis- under hot sun for hours; you feel
that that man could storm battery.
Nothing is more encouraging to the
lover of all physical culture than the hunt
ing, shooting, boating and driving mania
in the United States
Hunting and shooting are sometimes
used as synonymous terms in America.
In England they mean quite different
things.
Hunting is ''riding to hounds" without
firearms, letting the dogs kill poor puss,
as the fox is called; while shooting is to
tramp over field, mountain and through
forest, gun in hand, to kill deer, grouse or
partridge, accompanied by dogs. The 18th
of August is the momentous day, the first
OF the grouse shooting. Every one who
can afford it, or who has friend who can
afford it. is off for the moors on the 18th
to fill his bag.
The lst of September (partridge) and the
LIST of October (pheasant shooting) are
gala days, and the man who cannot handle
a gun is little thought of. Even in Au-
gust inveterate fox hunters meet at
4 or 5 o'clock in the morning
for cub hunting, which amusement
is all over by IL or - AS the
winter comes on the real hunting begins,
and lasts until in March. In the midland
counties this is special feature. Melton,
i'll Leicestershire, is noted hunting rem
n 10 to1-
"boxes" there for the season, with large
stables, and beguile the evenings with
dinners, dancing and card parties. 1t Is a
sort of winter watering place without any
water, where the wine flows in streams
every night, and where the brandy flask is
filled every morning lin case of accid-
DENTS" while out with the hounds. An
enthusiast in riding can be in the saddle
ten or twelve hours out of every day, ex-
cept Sunday, which is dull day at Melton
All the houses with such neighbor-
hood are SUCCESSFULLY made the rendezvous,
or meet. of the hunt People come from
great distances, and send their horses by
the rail, others drive or ride in, and send
their hunters valuable horses these) by q
groom, who walks them the whole way.
The show of pink" is generally good.
Pink means the scarlet hunting coat, worn
by the gentlemen, the whippers-in, etc.,
and the weather fades these coats to pale
pink, very much esteemed by the older
men. They suggest the scars of veteran
warrior, hence the name. Some men hunt
in black coats, but always in top boots.
These boots are cardinal point in a
sportsman's dandyism.
Once or twice during the season hunt
ing breakfast is given in the house where
the meet takes place. This is a pretty
scene. All sorts of neat broughams, dog
carts and old family chariots bring the
ladies, who wear as much scarlet as good
taste will allow. Ladies with their chill
dren come to these breakfasts, which are
sumptuous affairs. Great rounds of cold
beef, game patties and salads are spread
out. All sorts of drinks, from beer to
champagne, and various ''cups" are Of
fered. One of the ladies of the house sits
at the head of the table, with large an
tique silver urn before her, and with tea
and coffee ready for those who wish these
beverages. Some girls come on horseback
and look very pretty in their habits. These
DIanas dismount and cut slices of beef,
and make impromptu sandwiches for their
friends outside, who have not dismounted
The daughters of the house stand on the
steps, while liveried servants hand around
cake and wine, and others carry foaming
tankards of ale and liberal slices of cheese
among the farmers and attendants of the
kennel. 1t is an indoor and an outdoor
feast. The hounds are gathered in a group,
the huntsman standing on the center
cracking whip, and calling each hound
by his name. Two or three masters of
neighboring packs are talking to the
master of the hounds. He is one of the
prominent gentlemen of the county who
holds fox-hunting as something sacred
and the killing of a fox otherwise than in
a legitimate manner as one of the seven
deadly sins.
Twelve O'Clock strikes, and everyone be-
gins to stir. Generally the hunt is off at
II, but in honor of this breakfast delay
has been allowed. The huntsman mounts
his horse and blows his horn; the hounds
gather around him, and the whole field
starts out. They are going to draw the
covers at some large plantation above the
park. The ''earths the fox
around, so that the fox once started has no
refuge to make for, and is compelled to
give the horses run. 1t is mean. cow
ardly sport, and no fair play about it,
But it is pretty sight. The hounds go
first, and their noses to the ground, search
Tor the scent. Inc hunters and whlpperS-
in, professional sportsmen, in scarlet coats
and velvet Jockey caps, ride Immediately
next TO them, followed by the field. In a
little while a confusion of rumors and
cries is heard in the wood, various calls
are blown on the horn, and the frequent
cracking of high whips, which sound IS
used TO keep the hounds in order, has all
the effect of a succession of pistol shots.
"Hark the fox has broken cover" and a
repeated cry of Tally Hon" bursts from
the wood. Away so the hounds, full
cry, and what sportsmen call 'their
music" something between a bay and
a yelp, is indeed pleasant sound, heard,
as ii always is, under circumstances calcu-
lated to give it a romantic character
Many ladies and small boys are amongst
the followers of the chase. AS soon as
a boy can sit on his pony he begins to fol-
low the hounds. A fox has no tail" and
no fleet" in hunting parlance, he has only
a brush" and pads. The person who
is I'm at the death" receives the brush"
and pads" The hunt is privileged
body in England, and can make gaps in
hedges and break down walls with i'm
punity. The farmer never complains if
his wheat and turnip fields are ruined by
the sport, nor does a lady complain If
her flower garden and ornamental arhor
be laid in ruins. The poor creature who
has made such desperate run for his life.
must be killed at any coast.
Shooting is, however, the favorite sport
of all Engiishmen. Both pheasants and
cartridges are first carefully reared, the
eggs generally purchased IN large quanti-
ties, Matched by hens, and the birds fed
L - al