hunting the grisly and other sketches-第21章

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present　fine　pack；　which　for　its　own　particular　work　on　its　own　ground
would　be　hard　to　beat。　The　country　ridden　over　is　well　wooded；　and
there　are　many　foxes。　The　abundance　of　cover；　however；　naturally
decreases　the　number　of　kills。　It　is　a　very　fertile　land；　and　there
are　few　farming　regions　more　beautiful；　for　it　is　prevented　from　being
too　tame　in　aspect　by　the　number　of　bold　hills　and　deep　ravines。　Most
of　the　fences　are　high　posts…and…rails　or　〃snake〃　fences；　although
there　is　an　occasional　stone　wall；　haha；　or　water…jump。　The　steepness
of　the　ravines　and　the　density　of　the　timber　make　it　necessary　for　a
horse　to　be　sure…footed　and　able　to　scramble　anywhere；　and　the　fences
are　so　high　that　none　but　very　good　jumpers　can　possibly　follow　the
pack。　Most　of　the　horses　used　are　bred　by　the　farmers　in　the
neighborhood；　or　are　from　Canada；　and　they　usually　have　thoroughbred
or　trotting…stock　blood　in　them。

One　of　the　pleasantest　days　I　ever　passed　in　the　saddle　was　after　Mr。
Wadsworth's　hounds。　I　was　staying　with　him　at　the　time；　in　company
with　my　friend　Senator　Cabot　Lodge；　of　Boston。　The　meet　was　about
twelve　miles　distant　from　the　house。　It　was　only　a　small　field　of　some
twenty…five　riders；　but　there　was　not　one　who　did　not　mean　going。　I
was　mounted　on　a　young　horse；　a　powerful；　big…boned　black；　a　great
jumper；　though　perhaps　a　trifle　hot…headed。　Lodge　was　on　a　fine　bay；
which　could　both　run　and　jump。　There　were　two　or　three　other　New
Yorkers　and　Bostonians　present；　several　men　who　had　come　up　from
Buffalo　for　the　run；　a　couple　of　retired　army　officers；　a　number　of
farmers　from　the　neighborhood；　and　finally　several　members　of　a　noted
local　family　of　hard　riders；　who　formed　a　class　by　themselves；　all
having　taken　naturally　to　every　variety　of　horsemanship　from　earliest
infancy。

It　was　a　thoroughly　democratic　assemblage；　every　one　was　there　for
sport；　and　nobody　cared　an　ounce　how　he　or　anybody　else　was　dressed。
Slouch　hats；　brown　coats；　corduroy　breeches；　and　leggings；　or　boots；
were　the　order　of　the　day。　We　cast　off　in　a　thick　wood。　The　dogs
struck　a　trail　almost　immediately　and　were　off　with　clamorous　yelping；
while　the　hunt　thundered　after　them　like　a　herd　of　buffaloes。　We　went
headlong　down　the　hill…side　into　and　across　a　brook。　Here　the　trail
led　straight　up　a　sheer　bank。　Most　of　the　riders　struck　off　to　the
left　for　an　easier　place；　which　was　unfortunate　for　them；　for　the
eight　of　us　who　went　straight　up　the　side　（one　man's　horse　falling
back　with　him）　were　the　only　ones　who　kept　on　terms　with　the　hounds。
Almost　as　soon　as　we　got　to　the　top　of　the　bank　we　came　out　of　the
woods　over　a　low　but　awkward　rail　fence；　where　one　of　our　number；　who
was　riding　a　very　excitable　sorrel　colt；　got　a　fall。　This　left　but
six；　including　the　whip。　There　were　two　or　three　large　fields　with　low
fences；　then　we　came　to　two　high；　stiff　doubles；　the　first　real
jumping　of　the　day；　the　fences　being　over　four　feet　six；　and　so　close
together　that　the　horses　barely　had　a　chance　to　gather　themselves。　We
got　over；　however；　crossed　two　or　three　stump…strewn　fields；　galloped
through　an　open　wood；　picked　our　way　across　a　marshy　spot；　jumped　a
small　brook　and　two　or　three　stiff　fences；　and　then　came　a　check。　Soon
the　hounds　recovered　the　line　and　swung　off　to　the　right；　back　across
four　or　five　fields；　so　as　to　enable　the　rest　of　the　hunt；　by　making
an　angle；　to　come　up。　Then　we　jumped　over　a　very　high　board　fence　into
the　main　road；　out　of　it　again；　and　on　over　ploughed　fields　and　grass
lands；　separated　by　stiff　snake　fences。　The　run　had　been　fast　and　the
horses　were　beginning　to　tail。　By　the　time　we　suddenly　rattled　down
into　a　deep　ravine　and　scrambled　up　the　other　side　through　thick
timber　there　were　but　four　of　us　left；　Lodge　and　myself　being　two　of
the　lucky　ones。　Beyond　this　ravine　we　came　to　one　of　the　worst　jumps
of　the　day；　a　fence　out　of　the　wood；　which　was　practicable　only　at　one
spot；　where　a　kind　of　cattle　trail　led　up　to　a　panel。　It　was　within　an
inch　or　two　of　five　feet　high。　However；　the　horses；　thoroughly　trained
to　timber　jumping　and　to　rough　and　hard　scrambling　in　awkward　places；
and　by　this　time　well　quieted；　took　the　bars　without　mistake；　each　one
in　turn　trotting　or　cantering　up　to　within　a　few　yards；　then　making　a
couple　of　springs　and　bucking　over　with　a　great　twist　of　the　powerful
haunches。　I　may　explain　that　there　was　not　a　horse　of　the　four　that
had　not　a　record　of　five　feet　six　inches　in　the　ring。　We　now　got　into
a　perfect　tangle　of　ravines；　and　the　fox　went　to　earth；　and　though　we
started　one　or　two　more　in　the　course　of　the　afternoon；　we　did　not　get
another　really　first…class　run。

At　Geneseo　the　conditions　for　the　enjoyment　of　this　sport　are
exceptionally　favorable。　In　the　Northeast　generally；　although　there
are　now　a　number　of　well…established　hunts；　at　least　nine　out　of　ten
runs　are　after　a　drag。　Most　of　the　hunts　are　in　the　neighborhood　of
great　cities；　and　are　mainly　kept　up　by　young　men　who　come　from　them。
A　few　of　these　are　men　of　leisure；　who　can　afford　to　devote　their
whole　time　to　pleasure；　but　much　the　larger　number　are　men　in
business；　who　work　hard　and　are　obliged　to　make　their　sports
accommodate　themselves　to　their　more　serious　occupations。　Once　or
twice　a　week　they　can　get　off　for　an　afternoon's　ride　across　country；
and　they　then　wish　to　be　absolutely　certain　of　having　their　run；　and
of　having　it　at　the　appointed　time；　and　the　only　way　to　insure　this　is
to　have　a　drag…hunt。　It　is　not　the　lack　of　foxes　that　has　made　the
sport　so　commonly　take　the　form　of　riding　to　drag…hounds；　but　rather
the　fact　that　the　majority　of　those　who　keep　it　up　are　hard…working
business　men　who　wish　to　make　the　most　out　of　every　moment　of　the
little　time　they　can　spare　from　their　regular　occupations。　A　single
ride　across　country；　or　an　afternoon　at　polo；　will　yield　more
exercise；　fun；　and　excitement　than　can　be　got　out　of　a　week's　decorous
and　dull　riding　in　the　park；　and　many　young　fellows　have　waked　up　to
this　fact。

At　one　time　I　did　a　good　deal　of　hunting　with　the　Meadowbrook　hounds；
in　the　northern　part　of　Long　Island。　There　were　plenty　of　foxes　around
us；　both　red　and　gray；　but　partly　for　the　reasons　given　above；　and
partly　because　the　covers　were　so　large　and　so　nearly　continuous；　they
were　not　often　hunted；　although　an　effort　was　always　made　to　have　one
run　every　week　or　so　after　a　wild　fox；　in　order　to　give　a　chance　for
the　hounds　to　be　properly　worked　and　to　prevent　the　runs　from　becoming
a　mere　succession　of　steeple…chases。　The　sport　was　mainly　drag…
hunting；　and　was　most　exciting；　as　the　fences　were　high　and　the　pace
fast。　The　Long　Island　country　needs　a　peculiar　style　of　horse；　the
first　requisite　being　that　he　shall　be　a　very　good　and　high　timber
jumper。　Quite　a　number　of　crack　English　and　Irish　hunters　have　at
different　times　been　imported；　and　some　of　them　have　turned　out　pretty
well；　but　when　they　first　come　over　they　are　utterly　unable　to　cross
our　country；　blundering　badly　at　the　high　timber。　Few　of　them　have
done　as　well　as　the　American　horses。　I　have　hunted　half　a　dozen　times
in　England；　with　Pytchely；　Essex；　and　North　Warwickshire；　and　it　seems
to　me　probable　that　English　thoroughbreds；　in　a　grass　country；　and
over　the　peculiar　kinds　of　obstacles　they　have　on　the　other　side　of
the　water；　would　gallop　away　from　a　field　of　our　Long　Island　horses；
for　they　have　speed　and　bottom；　and　are　great　weight　carriers。　But　on
our　own　ground；　where　the　cross…country　riding　is　more　like　leaping　a
succession　of　five　or　six…bar　gates　than　anything　else；　they　do　not　as
a　rule；　in　spite　of　the　enormous　prices　paid　for　them；　show　themselves
equal　to　the　native　stock。　The　highest　recorded　jump；　seven　feet　two
inches；　was　made　by　the　American　horse　Filemaker；　which　I　saw　ridden
in　the　very　front　by　Mr。　H。　L。　Herbert；　in　the　hunt　at　Sagamore　Hill；
about　to　be　described。

When　I　was　a　member　of　the　Meadowbrook　hunt；　most　of　the　meets　were
held　within　a　dozen　miles　or　so　of　the　kennels；　at　Farmingdale；
Woodbury；　Wheatly；　Locust　Valley；　Syosset；　or　near　any　one　of　twenty
other　queer；　quaint　old　Long　Island　hamlets。　They　were　almost　always
held　in　the　afternoon；　the　business　men　who　had　come　down　from　the
city　jogging　over　behind　the　hounds　to　the　appointed　place；　where　they
were　met　by　the　men　who　had　ridden　over　direct　from　their　country…
houses。　If　the　meet　was　an　important　one；　there　might　be　a　crowd　of
onlookers　in　every　kind　of　trap；　from　a　four…in…hand　drag　to　a　spider…
wheeled　buggy　drawn　by　a　pair　of　long…tailed　trotters；　the　money　value
of　which　many　times　surpassed　that　of　the　two　best　hunters　in　the
whole　field。　Now　and　then　a　breakfast　would　be　given　the　hunt　at　some
country…house；　when　the　whole　day　was　devoted　to　the　sport；　perhaps
after　wild　foxes　in　the　morning；　with　a　drag　in　the　afternoon。

After　one　meet；　at　Sagamore　Hill；　I　had　the　curiosity　to　go　on　foot
over　the　course　we　had　taken；　measuring　the　jumps；　for　it　is　very
difficult　to　form　a　good　estimate　of　a　fence's　height　when　in　the
field；　and　five　feet　of　timber　seems　a　much　easier　thing　to　take　when
sitting　around　the　fire　after　dinner　than　it　does　when　actually　faced
while　the　hounds　are　running。　On　the　particular　hunt　in　question　we
ran　about　ten　miles；　at　a　rattling　pace；　with　only　two　checks；
crossing　somewhat　more　than　sixty　fences；　most　of　them　post…and…rails；
stiff　as　steel；　the　others　being　of　the　kind　called　〃Virginia〃　or
snake；　and　not　more　than　ten　or　a　dozen　in　the　whole　lot　under　four
feet　in　height。　The　highest　measured　five　feet　and　half　an　inch；　two
others　were　four　feet　eleven；　and　nearly　a　third　of　the　number
averaged　about　four　and　a　half。　There　were　also　several　rather　awkward
doubles。　When　the　hounds　were　cast　off　some　forty　riders　were　present；
but　the　first　fence　was　a　savage　one；　and　stopped　all　who　did　not　mean
genuine　hard　going。　Twenty…six　horses　crossed　it；　one　of　them　ridden
by　a　lady。　A　mile　or　so　farther　on；　before　there　had　been　a　chance　for
much　tailing；　we　came　to　a　five…bar　gate；　out　of　a　roada　jump　of
just　four　feet　five　inches　from　the　take…off。　Up　to　this；　of　course；
we　went　one　at　a　time；　at　a　trot　or　hand…gallop；　and　twenty…five
horses　cleared　it　in　succession　without　a　single　refusal　and　with　but
one　mistake。　Owing　to　the　severity　of　the　pace；　combined　with　the
average　height　of　the　timber　（although　no　one　fence　was　of
phenomenally　noteworthy　proportions）；　a　good　many　falls　took　place；
resulting　in　an　unusually　large　percentage　of　accidents。　The　master
partly　dislocated　one　knee；　another　man　broke　two　ribs；　and　another
the　present　writerbroke　his　arm。　However；　almost　all　of　us　managed
to　struggle　through　to　the　end　in　time　to　see　the　death。

On　this　occasion　I　owed　my　broken　arm　to　the　fact　that　my　horse；　a
solemn　animal　originally　taken　out　of　a　buggy；　though　a　very　clever
fencer；　was　too　coarse　to　gallop　alongside　the　blooded　beasts　against
which　he　was　pitted。　But　he　was　so　easy　in　his　gaits；　and　so　quiet；
being　ridden　with　only　a　snaffle；　that　there　was　no　difficulty　in
following　to　the　end　of　the　run。　I　had　divers　adventures　on　this
horse。　Once　I　tried　a　pair　of　s