102 REMINISCENCES OF 



would be off ' gadding o'er the plain '. I am sorry 

 to hold out no encouragement, but it is only an 

 opinion after all. Hounds are sagacious beyond 

 belief of many, and man must use his own intellect 

 and learning, too, to deceive them. Therefore you 

 must not try deception with them, but treat them 

 with the greatest confidence, and make them know 

 you are beholden to them, not vice versa. For in- 

 stance, yonder is a cluster of people ; they (the 

 hounds) know the deer is gone from that spot. You 

 must beg of them to go there quietly, not say you 

 shall do so. 



"If you saw me trot up to the spot I must assure 

 you it was an exception to my general way, for I 

 creep as quiet and slow as possible. Yesterday I 

 stood within five yards of where the deer left the 

 cart. I never heard of any pack doing this but this 

 one. Lord Derby's used to fly aivay in all direc- 

 tions ; the Royal Hounds in the old time did so too. 



" We did not take our deer last night till past four 

 o'clock — four hours' run, twenty miles from home. 



" I have a few pretty little hounds sent home 

 from walk that will not get to our size. They could 

 not, of course, hunt this season, but if you are anxious 

 to have them please let me know, or some other 

 gentleman may step in. 



" I shall at all times be pleased to give you any 

 information worth having on the ' Noble Science'. 

 " I am, Sir, 



" Your dutiful servant, 



" Charles Davis." 



