A fox hunting narrative

[john b 38]

I've been trying to wade my way through a few literary classics lately and found this passage which I thought you might find interesting.

 

It's from The Eustace Diamonds by Anthony Trollope, first published in 1872. It deals with the character Lizzie Eustace who is taken fox hunting for the first time. Although the language is clearly different from today what struck me was the similarity of the hunting activity, especially the second section - even down to the man with the stick and the want of a terrier.

 

'The hounds haven't been put in yet. You see that wood there? I suppose they'll draw that.'

 

'What is drawing, Lord George? I want to know all about it, and I am so ignorant. Nobody else will tell me.' Then Lord George gave his lesson, and explained the theory and system of fox-hunting. 'We're to wait here, then, till the fox runs away? But it's ever so large, and if he runs away, and nobody sees him? I hope he will, because it will be nice to go on easily.'

 

'A great many people hope that, and a great many think it nice to go on easily. Only you must not confess to it.' Then he went on with his lecture, and explained the meaning of scent, was great on the difficulty of getting away, described the iniquity of heading the fox, spoke of up wind and down wind, got as far as the trouble of 'carrying', and told her that a good ear was everything in a big wood ..........

 

All the while seven men were at work with picks and shovels, and the master and four or five of the more ardent sportsmen were deeply engaged in what seemed to be a mining operation on a small scale. The huntsman stood over giving his orders. One enthusiastic man, who had been lying on his belly, grovelling in the mud for five minutes, with a long stick in his hand, was now applying the point of it scientifically to his nose. An ordinary observer with a magnifying glass might have seen a hair at the end of the stick. 'He's there,' said the enthusiastic man, covered with mud, after a long-drawn, eager sniff at the stick. The huntsman deigned to give one glance. 'That's rabbit,' said the huntsman. A conclave was immediately formed over the one visible hair that stuck to the stick, and three experienced farmers decided that it was rabbit. The muddy enthusiastic man, silenced but not convinced, retired from the crowd, leaving his stick behind him, and comforted himself with his brandy-flask.

'He's here, my lord,' said the huntsman to his noble master, 'only we ain't got nigh him yet.' He spoke almost in a whisper, so that the ignorant crowd should not hear the words of wisdom, which they wouldn't understand or perhaps believe. 'It's that full of rabbits that the holes is all hairs. They ain't got no terrier here, I suppose. They never has aught that is wanted in these parts. Work round to the right, there; — that's his line.' The men did work round to the right, and in something under an hour the fox was dragged out by his brush and hind legs, while the experienced whip who dragged him held the poor brute tight by the back of his neck. 'An old dog, my lord. There's such a many of 'em here, that they'll be a deal better for a little killing.' Then the hounds ate their third fox for that day.

[david2363 42]

I actually fell asleep half way through that...

[john b 38]

LOL - well just read the blue bit then

[Ricky-N.p.p 0]

crackin post john !

[david2363 42]

It's not the piece thats boring, its the bloody italics that make my eyes go funny.