[George Washington: Farmer by Paul Leland Haworth]@TWC D-Link bookGeorge Washington: Farmer CHAPTER XIV 19/29
On the first day they killed two deer, but on the second they killed nothing.
No doubt they had a hilarious time of it, dogs baying, horsemen dashing here and there shouting at the top of their voices, and with plenty of fat venison and other good cheer at the Hall that night. Washington's most remarkable hunting experience occurred on the twenty-third of January, 1770, when he records: "Went a hunting after breakfast & found a Fox at Muddy hole & killed her (it being a Bitch) after a chase of better than two hours & after treeing her twice the last of which times she fell dead out of the Tree after being therein sevl.
minutes apparently well." Lest he may be accused of nature faking, it should be explained that the tree was a leaning tree.
Occasionally the foxes also took refuge in hollow trees, up which they could climb. The day usually ended by all the hunters riding to Mount Vernon, Belvoir, Gunston Hall, or some other mansion for a bountiful dinner. Mighty then were the gastronomic feats performed, and over the Madeira the incidents of the day were discussed as Nimrods in all ages are wont to do. Being so much interested in fox hunting, our Farmer proceeded, with his usual painstaking care, to build up a pack of hounds.
The year 1768 was probably the period of his greatest interest in the subject and his diary is full of accounts of the animals.
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