many an anxious coursing-field. We cannot better conclude this skeleton horse and dog sketch than by quoting the beautiful language of his owner, which told how one night lately "the old horse burst his binding on the approach of death, and was found in the stall adjoining his own, with his head close to the greyhound, Greenwich Time, as if, like an expiring human being, he had still clung to Time while passing into eternity."

A FEW THOUGHTS ON "THE NOBLE SCIENCE.”

"Here's to fox-hunters and fox-hunting,

And may we never trace,

The man within the British shores

Who would put down the chase."

So sings Harry Hieover, and so say I, and the sentiment will find an echo in the breasts of thousands.

When the celebrated Stephenson brought his wonderful work to perfection, it seemed that the man had indeed arisen who was destined to "put down the chase;" and the sportsman sighed when he viewed on the map the contemplated lines of rail spreading cobweb-like over the face of the land. The railway fever, however, has now happily subsided-the pulse of the nation beats with a more healthy vibration; the fox-hunter breathes again, and finds that the power which he had regarded as an enemy is in many cases an ally, giving him advantages he did not before possess, and enabling him to transport himself and steed to distant meets with a facility he had not even dreamed of.

Where a good country is traversed by a railway, hunting bridges might be erected on those parts of the line where experience shows that foxes generally cross in making their point from one covert to another. It may happen that some of the cuttings are so formidable as to throw the field quite out of the run, or that the temper of the railway company with respect to trespassers be equally insurmountable; in which case the bridges occurring here and there would be found a great advantage. For the sake of economy they need only be broad enough for one horse, and should have spiked wickets, a key of which may be in possession of each member of the hunt, as well as of the occupiers of land on each side of the line, who for the sake of the convenience these bridges would afford them might be induced in many cases to subscribe to their erection. It is true they would make a formidable item in the hunt accounts of the year, but it would probably be but the first expense, at least as far as the present generation is concerned; and railway companies must approve of a plan which diminishes the chance of their line being trespassed upon.

This idea (which I am not aware has been acted upon) first occurred

to me some time ago, on hearing of an accident which befell a gallant officer of (I think) the Life Guards, while hunting with the Queen's hounds. He escaped with his life indeed, but with the loss of his horse, cut in two by the train, and was afterwards prosecuted for the trespass. Verily, the company were hard upon the unfortunate gentleman.

It is, however, chiefly in stag-hunting that the inconvenience is experienced, for it is observed that reynard is very shy of crossing the line, and is seldom induced to do so; which still further shows that this greatest of modern inventions is not so injurious to fox-hunting as it was at first supposed to be.

As a friend of the "noble science " I would gladly correct some of the most prominent errors of its professors. Not amongst the least of these is the wanton destruction of foxes by the digging and bolting system. I am aware that in many countries this is not practised, but it very much prevails in the provinces, and may be traced to vanity on the part of masters of hounds and their subordinates, who under the pretence of want of blood are thus enabled to boast of the number of foxes killed. To preserve foxes, and to destroy them when run beat to earth, appears to me a contradiction. Squire Tallyho, at the covert side, inveighs in the strongest terms against his neighbour, Squire Manton, and declares with an oath that a man who could shoot a fox would kill his own father, which sentiment is received with unbounded applause by the assembled field. Yet these very men will perhaps before night have dug or bolted one or more foxes, which had they been spared, might, with their progeny, have afforded many a good run and saved many a blank day. I admit that hounds may sometimes require blood, though not so often as is supposed, and there is a truth in the saying that if you would have foxes you must kill them; which, paradoxical as it may appear, means that farmers and keepers who hate this animal must be propitiated by sometimes seeing his head hanging from the saddle-bow. But surely you can conciliate these gentry, and sufficiently blood your hounds by fair means, and without sacrificing the gallant fellow, who after giving you a glorious burst has beat you fairly to earth, and will probably give you such another scurry if you will only leave him in peace in the sanctuary which he has so well earned.

It was, I think, the opinion of Nimrod, than whom no better authority exists, that hounds should run into their fox in hot blood and in the ardour of the chase; and if too long a time is allowed to elapse in digging, you might as well throw them a piece of beef. He might have added, you may as reasonably expect as a consequence that they pull down the next ox they come to.

Of the necessity of blood there has been some discussion, which I will not attempt to decide, merely repeating my own opinion that hounds sometimes require this stimulus, which they will no doubt have occasionally during the season, without the loss of time and sport by digging, which for me has about as much charm as shooting a hare on her form or a pheasant on a tree; and I trust that masters of hounds will learn to estimate their seasons more by the runs they have shown than by the noses which may adorn the kennel door.

As money is the sinews of war, so it is of hunting; when these are relaxed all will languish. The desire to hunt cheap is often another

great mistake of the followers of this noble sport. I know how to pity and to make allowance for the poor devil who can hardly muster his five pounds' subscription and make a decent appearance at the cover side. But I also know very many who are not thus situated, and who will still endeavour to hunt cheap. It is this false economy which causes a man to spend more money on a bone setter's bill than would have mounted him properly and safely. It is this economy which causes him to hazard life and limb in making his raw material into hunters himself, instead of employing a man who would probably do it much better, and whose profession it is to risk his neck. It is this attempt by members of subscription packs to hunt cheap which brings the horses and hounds into the field in a form totally unfit to cope with the condition of reynard. It is this which deprives masters of hounds of the means of propitiating keepers and farmers; and it is the want of funds which has caused so many countries to be abandoned, and others in which the decline is apparent, and the fall only delayed by some public-spirited individual who has liberally come to the rescue, but whose private means cannot long withstand the drain.

When a reform takes place, it is like an infusion of new blood into a worn out system. You can see it in the improved condition of the horses and hounds, in the cheerful and confident look of the master and huntsman, in the good humour of the farmer; and the gamekeeper looks you well and honestly in the face, instead of with the sullen downcast eyes which told of foxes trapped and shot. It is on this last mentioned individual that your sport more particularly depends, and who more than other has a claim to remuneration.

any

Taken as a whole, landed proprietors, including the keen game preservers, are supporters of fox-hunting, even when they do not themselves partake of the sport. It is a mistake, though a common one, to suppose the contrary: and their instructions to their keepers to respect the noble varmint is generally sincere. Unfortunately they tell them they must have pheasants also. Experience shows you can have both; but this is only effected by increased labour on the part of the keeper, who is compelled to use double vigilance to make up for bold reynard's depredations. "But foxes are contented with rabbits," we hear it said by persons who forget that these rabbits are the keeper's perquisites, and it will not improve his love for Master Charley to be told he is to go shares with him. It is plain, therefore, that justice and policy require that keepers should be handsomely rewarded.

The licence of language allowed or taken by masters of hounds is also very detrimental to the cause, and a source of much regret. It is true that the field must be kept in order; but to do this and preserve his popularity requires the greatest tact, judgment, and command of temper on the part of the master. He should be able to discriminate between the voluntary and involuntary offender; between the hardened spoiler of sport and he who is carried away by a moment's thoughtlessness, by the ardour of the chase, or the ardour of his horse, and to whom a quiet rebuke or private remonstrance would have the effect of preventing a recurrence of the offence. Such a man feels he has been treated harshly when he has been used as an example, and perhaps held up to ridicule. He is conscious that he has not deserved it; he has no idea of coming

out to be d-d; so he goes home in high dudgeon, withdraws his subscription, and what is worse, inoculates his friends and relations with his discontent, so that the hunt suffers from the indiscretion of the master. It is true there are occasions when the lash must be laid on, and severely too; but these are few and far between. I am sure there is hardly a master of hounds who at the end of a day or the close of a season would not wish his intemperate expressions withdrawn.

As a proof of the effect of tact and courtesy I can instance a rural country which I sometimes visit. This was formerly hunted by a gentleman, a thorough sportsman and splendid rider, but whose violent temper and expressions have given him an unenviable notoriety. His successor has now hunted the country for several seasons, and it would be difficult for any one to remember him out of humour. A perfect gentleman, and a perfect sportsman, of most courteous manners, he is enabled without difficulty to keep his field in order, and has shown better sport than ever was witnessed under his predecessor.

We frequently hear it said that no position that can be conceived tries the temper so much as that of master of hounds or huntsman, but it must remembered how often they try the patience of the field, as is shown by the frequent murmuring one hears-complaints not loud, perhaps, but deep. I will concede, however, that there is much in the office to test a man's philosophy.

It appears to me that the mischief-makers are commonly such as have not the sport at heart. A field may generally be divided into those who hunt to ride, and those who ride to hunt. For the former a stag or a drag would be sufficient. For them a steeple-chase or a lark across the country has as much charm as the noble fox-hunt. In the field we should never judge by appearances. Sporting breast-pins and sporting toggery do not make the sportsman. That quiet-looking man, who is trotting down the hedge-side, looking for a gap or weak place, may be a far better sportsman than he who, unexceptionable in steed and in attire, skims over like a swallow. Giles, the clod, who toils up the hill to get another view of the chase, or watches its progress from a neighbouring tree, may be a truer sportsman than many of the men in pink who pass him in their course.

It is this pink, by the way, which is a great attraction; banish it, and you would draft a third of every hunting-field, especially at some fashionable watering-places I could mention, where the great object seems to be, not to have a good day's sport, but to return in time to show the hunting costume on the evening promenade.

The country is now locked in the icy hand of winter, but I trust his grasp will soon be relaxed, and that the hunting season which began so auspiciously may as favourably go on to its close. Wishing my readers many happy returns of it,

I remain, their obedient servant,

MOWBRAY.

January 15th, 1850.

TALES OF THE ROAD.

BY FITZ.

No. II.

То

About a month after the events related in my last, I called one evening at "The Club," to learn what day Mick Lake would be on the road for Limerick. Several "knights of the whip" and "esquires of the horn" with whom I had travelled previously, were congregated around a blazing turf fire, and gave me a hearty welcome on my entrance. my enquiries after Lake, a loud burst of laughter was the response. "Would you believe it, Sir," said Tom King; "Lake never put a foot inside the door since the evening you were with us that he finished the story about the Captain and the Bagman."

"How is that, boys?" I enquired.

"No; and he swore he'd not, either, until he had his fair revenge. I never saw that man who was half as vexed as he was; but this I'll I wouldn't be the man that did it for a good round sum of money." "Did what?" said I; and ordering in a bunch of materials,* I begged of them to let me know what had happened.

say,

"D-1 a one of me, Master Fitz," said Dempsey; "but I'd be afeard to tell you; for if Mick heard I told you, he'd play Old Harry with me, Sir."

"Who's to tell him, man," urged I; "I promise I won't." "Honour bright, Sir," said Dempsey.

"All right," said I ;

so go ahead."

Well, you must know, Sir," continued Dempsey, "there's a gentleman--a Mr. Benny Lennox-that often travels on our line. He is a sweet play-boy, and one that has as many tricks in him as a pet colt. He's always up to some devilment or another. He and Mick are as like one another as your two eyes; but big a rogue as Mick is, the other, being an attorney, of course has the advantage. Well, Sir, as long as I remember, the two of them are playing off their games one again another; and sometimes, maybe, both again a coach full: but whatever way it was, there was sure to be fun. However, Sir, he and Mick weren't the best of friends latterly, as Mick walked into him' about two year ago, and he didn't care about travelling with Lake since. Any way, they met at Swinburne's, in Limerick, a few evenings after the day we went down, and they had a tumbler together and some oysters, till Mick ups and tells him about Simper and the Captain. Well, Sir, the minute he heard it, By this blessed brew, Lake,' says Lennox, taking up his tumbler, I forgive you all you ever did to me; and as I'm going to Dublin, if 'tis your turn to-morrow, I go with you.' So it was arranged that they were to go next day, and Benny gave Lake

* Another name for whiskey, sugar, and hot water.