The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-23
FOX HUNTING IN VIRGINIA
Planters Ride to the Hounds as The,
Colonial Ancestors Did.
From the New York Sim

From the New York Sun
up to the breaking out of tho ,;u,,
war, and, in fact. from the e,rI;o..
colonial days" said a reminiscent Vi.
ginian, amy farmer and planter in vi.
ginia would have thought that he vaero.
entitled to the respect of his neicbbor.
unless he kept his pack of fox hounds and
his stable Of fine bred hunters. Truo ~
the blood of his English ancestors bo ~ u
garded riding to the hounds as the ono
recreation to engage the time, excite fbo
blood and try the skill and courage of tbo
gentleman sportsman.
The same hearty spirit possesses pvor,
well-born native Virginian to-day bl{
the cruel arbitrament of war took avn,
the opportunities and removed the con-.
ditions that made his Indulgence of If a..
an independent citizen possible. Boforo
the war the Virginia gentleman lived y
LIE OF ease. He toiled not, neither did
he spin. His colony of slaves not o1iS
tollcd for him without money and with.
out price, but they represented a goodlv
share of his wealth. Slaves cared Tor bis
hunters and his hounds, and the expense
or trouble of their keeping was as moth.
ing. But the war left him minus bis
slaves, and with his plantation impovcr.
lShed, if not scene of complete ruin Flo
had to so to work. He no longer
had the means to keep up his nae,
or his stable, and with the war passed
away the glory of Virginia AS a
universal fox-hunting community. But
the grand sport is by no means dead in
the Old Dominion While none Of tbs
great antc-bellum packs of hounds are
kept by individual farmers. there are few
plantations that do not boast one or more
hounds Of the same famous strains that
made music among the hills in the slavery
days. Every farmer manages to keen al
least one good horse that is ever eager IN
bear him across country. So withina few
miles respectable pack of hounds NAV
be collected at the sound of the horn, and
a sufficient number of hunters to follow
them and waken memories Of the old fox.
hunting days. Then clubs have been
formed in various parts of the state.
whose kennels and stables are not sur.
passed anywhere. LynChburg, especially,
has a famous kennel club
UNLESS 1t is in North Carolina and.
perhaps, In one or two other counties in
Southern Pennsylvania, / know Of no
other part Of the union where fox hunt.
Jag is an hereditary sport, enjoyed in the
same spirit to-day as it was by those who
introduced it OH American soil two cen.
turtles ago. A Virginian would as soon
think Of shooting his hound as 10 send
him chasing after an anise-sesd bag. He
rides 10 hounds because the love OF it
came to him with his mothers milk and
not because it is a fad born of Anglo.
mania And, being genuine fox hunter,
he would scOrn a pack of hounds that
could not catch fox, and the man who
would shoot a fox he would consider only
fit to be hanged This irregular manner
of putting an end to a fox is in such in.
tense dislavOr among Nirginians, in fact,
that it is not even resorted to when sly
ReXnard lis discovered raiding a poultry
yard Or a sheepfold.
When the discovery is made that a fox
is benetiting himself at the expense of a
farmer word is sent to the neghboring
farmers, the hounds of the vicinity are
collected, and the first damp morning
huntsmen and dogs win be at the place
before daybraak to take the foXs trail.
Foxes run only at night, and seek their
cover by or O'Clock in the morning TO
lie low The hounds take the trail
eagerly, but it may lead them and the
hunters ten miles before the fox is started
from his lair. If it is a gray fox the chase
may not be a long one before the hounds
run him down, for the gray fox runs like
a hare, doubling on regular run ways that
circle round and bring him back to his
starting place. But if it is-a red fox that
is started away he goes in Decline up
hill and down dale, choosing the toughest
country, resOrting to all sorts OF
stratagems 10 throw the hounds off the
scent, and olren giving the hunters hard
ride of twenty-five miles or more before
they arc in ut the death.
"A favOrite trick of the red fox is TO
run as a fence, and as the old-fashiOned
rail worm fence is still in vogue in Nir-
Ii, 20 a.
Another clever dodge OF his is to run ID
among sheep in field This not only
loses the scent 10 the hounds, but the
sheep, startled by the appearance OF the
fox among them, run wildly about ana
distract the attention of the hounds from
the chase. The stanCheSt and best
trained of packs win be thrown out for
time by this ruse, aud before it finds the
scent again the willy fox mas succeeded IN
putting a good long distance between MN
and his pursuers. Sometimes, when the
fox is close pressed, he will run up lean
ing tree. That is sign that he has eX'
hausted all his skill as strategist and mas
given up all hope. He merely goes up the
tree because it will be Il reprieye Of a Few
minutes. His fate is sealed, and his
death is onlya question of routing him out
of the tree TO the jaws of the frantic
hounds beneath. Then, again, the fox as
a last resort runs to earth in some con
venient hole in the ground or Crevice in
rock and he has TO be dug out with PICKS
and shoYels, always obtainable at the
nearest farm house. Frequently the
hunters capture the fox alive and keep
him to turn loose another day for another
days gallOp across country. On chaseS OF
this kind the benefit of long start IS
given the fox before the hounds are let Oh
the trail, and it sometimes happens thaL
although this is d hot trail, as it IS calico
by the hunters, Reynard makes sucD
good use Of his opportunity that he lays
out an all days hard run for his pursuerS
"a genuine Virginia fox hunter never
tires. | have known hunt TO use up sew
aral successive days without starting uhe
fox, but every man or woman would starr
IN on the last day just as fresh and eager
rs they started on the first. | say every
man or woman, but, unfortunately tue
character of the country in Virginia Is
such that not many Of the fair sex have
the endurance to ride hunt out. 10 It
lllly and thicl1ly covered with forest aly
lnderGIowth, placing one incumbcreu y!
q riding habit as Il lady rider must De- III
q great disadvantage. But there are soIne
fair daughters of the Old Dominion VINO
IRE always ready TO brave the hardshlIs,
and even dangers, of the chase, ana WIZ
are frequently in at the death after fiuS
IF many miles over the toughest country
in the state"
Matter OF SCIENTIFIC lNTERhs!,
' lsltor (picking up the baby)--So In.s IL