LETTER VI. 



AFTER the young hounds have been rounded 

 ii and are well reconciled to the kennel, know the 

 huntsman, and begin to know their names, they should 

 be put into couples, and walked out amongst sheep. 



If any be particularly snappish and troublesome, 

 you should leave the couples loose about their necks 

 in the kennel, till you find they are more reconciled to 

 them. If any be more stubborn than the rest, you 

 should couple them to old hounds rather than to 

 young ones ; and you should not couple two dogs 

 together, when you can avoid it. Young hounds are 

 awkward at first ; I should therefore advise you to 

 send out a few only at a time, with your people on 

 foot ; they will soon afterwards become handy enough 

 to follow a horse ; and care should be taken that the 

 couples be not too loose, lest they should slip their 

 necks out of the collar, and give trouble in catching 

 them again. 



When they have been walked often in this manner 

 amongst the sheep, you may then uncouple a few at a 

 time, and begin to chastise such as offer to run after 

 them ; but you will soon find that the cry of ware 

 sheep, will stop them sufficiently without the whip ; 

 and the less this is used the better. With proper care 

 and attention, you will soon make them ashamed of it; 



F 65 



