HUNTING THE FOX. 61 



done by laying two white sticks across in his way, which he will 

 imagine to be some trap kid for him; or they may be stopped up 

 with black thorns and earth mixed. The pack should consist of 

 twenty-five couple. The hounds should be at the cover at sun- 

 rising. The huntsman should then throw in his hounds as quietly 

 as he can, and let the two whippers-in keep wide of him on either 

 hand ; so that a single hound may not escape them ; let them be 

 attentive to this halloo, and let the sportsmen be ready to encourage 

 or rate as that directs. The fox ought on no account to be hallooed 

 too soon, as in that case he would most certainly turn back, and 

 spoil all the sport. 



Two things Mr. Beckford particularly recommends, viz., the 

 making all the hounds steady, and making them all draw. 

 fe Many huntsmen, (says he) are fond of having them at their 

 horse's heels ; but they never can get so well or soon together, as 

 when they spread the cover; besides, I have often known, when 

 there have only b<:en a few finders, that they have found their fox 

 gone down the wind, and been heard of no more that day. 

 Much depends upon the first finding of your fox ; for I look upou 

 a fox well found to be half killed. I think people are generally 

 in too great a hurry on this occasion. 



"There are but few instances where sportsmen are not too 

 noisy, and too fond of encouraging their hounds, which seldom do 

 their business so well as when little is said to them. The hurt.s- 

 man ought to begin with his foremost hounds, and keep as cl .-e 

 to them as he can. No hound can then slip down the wind and 

 get out of his hearing ; he will also see how far they carry the 

 scent, a necessary requisite ; for without it he can never make 

 cast with any certainty." 



You will find it not less necessary for your huntsman to be 

 active in pressing his hounds forward when the scent is good, than 

 to be prudent in not hurrying them beyond u when it is bad. It 

 is his business to be ready at all times, to lend them that assistance 

 which they so frequently need, and which, ,vhen they are first at 

 & fault is then most critical. A hound at that time will exert him- 

 self most ; he afterwards cools and becomes more indifferent about 



