SOME RECOLLECTIONS OF THE TWELFTH 153 



neither of these conditions apply, and where the entire 

 abandonment of the dog" is not necessary. 



Here, the wildest of grouse in August can be killed 

 over dogs, even though they may rise — not once or twice, 

 but half-a-dozen times — far beyond gunshot. This 

 involves real hunting. It involves also, I admit, very 

 hard work ; for the sportsman must follow up his game, 

 and find it, again and again, till he eventually "dominates " 

 and finally kills it — firstly, by virtue of, and in proportion 

 with, the "dominion" that is in him, and secondly, by his 

 control of sound and reliable dog-work. 



All this is quite out of touch with the modern ideal, 

 when men seek greater results with less labour. Many, 

 again, are incapacitated for success by their lack of 

 sympathy with clogs. But neither circumstance affects 

 the contention. 



If he found himself in a foreign country, say on African 

 veld, in Scandinavian or Canadian backwood, the man 

 who relied exclusively on brilliant marksmanship, might 

 be at a loss to provide his own supper. The other would 

 feed a camp. 



Be the change for better or for worse, modern innova- 

 tions cannot certainly be held to have augmented the 

 dignity or the status of moorland sport. Rather they 

 tend to reduce what was formerly a craft to the level of 

 a pastime — -hateful word ! A generation ago, years of 

 apprenticeship were served on the hills. That is now no 

 longer necessary, nor would the knowledge so acquired 

 be of any practical use. Unless changes intervene, the 

 evolved sportsman of another decade (or "Pompommer" 

 as I may differentiate the new type), will conceivably 

 be turned out, a finished article complete in every re- 

 quisite qualification, "within thirty minutes of Piccadilly 



