Just as I was sitting down to dinner, received a note from Mr. S——r, offering kindly, that, if I felt so disposed, they would next morning take out the hounds, and see if a fox could not be found. I accepted the invitation with pleasure, and dined no worse with the prospect of a run in the distance.
To the theatre, and early to bed, after giving directions to be called at half-past five A.M., fox-hunting being an early business here; in fact, the moment the sun is fairly out, the moisture vanishes from the ground, and afterwards it becomes hard to find. Slept like a dormouse; dreamed of dogs, dykes, and red-foxes, until I was awakened by my horse backing at a Virginia rail-fence, and giving me a nearer prospect of his ears than was consistent with the true principles of equation—found Sam shaking me by the shoulder, with warning that it was time to rise.
29th.—Took a cup of coffee, and mounted the nag Mr. S——r had sent for my use, with a saddle ample enough for a camel, a double bridle, a martingale, and all kinds of traps equally perplexing. The martingale, judging from the pony's make and carriage, I at once took objections to; but the white-headed negro groom received my directions to take it off with such evident horror, saying with tears in his eyes, "Dat he not at all good, no how neber, widout da martin-gal," that out of courtesy I felt compelled to retain it for the present, but with the mental resolution to remove it when we got to cover.
I soon discovered that my pony at his ordinary gait was a "fiddler," besides exhibiting slight symptoms of musical talent; he was, however, cobby and well-built, showed much spirit, and had a good spice of breeding about him; presuming his pluck to be answerable, I did not despair of being somewhere.
In the suburbs we unkennelled the dogs: the pack consisted of twenty, all counted; ill-matched as to size and bone, but appearing healthy, clean, full of spirits, and in good working trim.
The huntsman, an old builder, of sporting character, turned out with his dogs, mounted on a powerful bay horse nearly thorough-bred, with capital pins, and real Irish quarters; as is the uniform custom here, I observed he rode with a martingale, having slips of leather on the reins to prevent the rings from drawing close to the cheek. How the devil are they to jump tired nags with these things! says I to myself; but we shall see!
Our huntsman, albeit his equipment would not have won him credit or recognition as "a sporting man" at a costermonger's skurry in Battersea-fields, had the quick eye, bright look, and keen expression of feature common to all knowing ones in the noble art of vénerie: he managed to make his dogs obedient, and kept them well together during a ride of some six or eight miles, although no two couple were at all matched in weight or power.
At length we cast off into as likely a looking cover as ever hound was put through, and in ten minutes after we received good information from a dependable quarter that Reynard was there or thereabouts; the scent was, judging by the tongue, not a very warm one, but our huntsman appeared confident that all was right.
In a few minutes the cry grew more cheery, the lively dogs more anxious; and whilst poking through the cover, I saw the fox, a grey one, stealing outward, and tally-ho'd him.
The dogs were wide abroad, but all busy as ants; the leaders confident, and showing no signs of being at fault; the old man declined to hark 'em-to, preferring that they should find their own way: this, after a good deal of doubling, they certainly did; an old hound hit the right scent, by inspiration as it were; and went away to it as straight as a rifle-ball, and almost as quick; taking out of this cover across a small meadow that divided it from another, into which the fox struck as quickly as possible.