Sporting scenes and country characters . oid an attack of this nature,a dark lantern, with the shade turned, is sometimesused, vmtil he enters on the intricate paths of the earth-stopper must be possessed of nerve andfortitude. There is something extremely solemn inentering a large wood at the witching time of night,when churchyards yawn. The winds, whistling throughthe leafless branches, utter an awful dirge ; or breathe,through a mass of Scotch firs, a low, hollow, andsepulchral moan. As he proceeds, he hears now andthen a rustle among the underwood; but he is notstartled by the sou
Sporting scenes and country characters . oid an attack of this nature,a dark lantern, with the shade turned, is sometimesused, vmtil he enters on the intricate paths of the earth-stopper must be possessed of nerve andfortitude. There is something extremely solemn inentering a large wood at the witching time of night,when churchyards yawn. The winds, whistling throughthe leafless branches, utter an awful dirge ; or breathe,through a mass of Scotch firs, a low, hollow, andsepulchral moan. As he proceeds, he hears now andthen a rustle among the underwood; but he is notstartled by the sound, knowing that the noise is madeby hares and rabbits, alarmed at his approach ; and as,with the assistance of his light, he threads the intri-cacies of the dense mass, his ear is often assailed bymysterious noises, by the Ho-ho-hoo-o ! Ho-ho-hoo-o ! of the owls,—a sound not very musical at that time ofnight, and calculated to startle the unaccustomed ear; THE EAKTII-STOPPER. 73 and to cause, amid the thick darkness, an indescribable. thrill to run through the whole frame. On reaching theearths, he proceeds to work by the dim light of his 74 THE EARTH-STOPPEK. lantern. The holes are stopped with bundles of sticks,large stones, or old gate-posts, previously provided forthe purpose. Upon these he throws a considerablequantity of earth, so that the foxes on their returncannot effect an entrance. The earth-stopper then pro-ceeds to the earths situated in other directions, until thewhole are, in like manner, effectually stopped. He isfully acquainted with all parts of the woods; and, by theassistance of his lantern, he is enabled to return homeby the nearest route. Stopping, perhaps, for a momentto listen, he hears the foxes barking at each other, ata considerable distance, particularly during the month ofFebruary, and knows that they are shut out from theearths,—that there will be a gallant run the next day,—and that the whole field will be convinced that he hasdone his duty
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