152 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



the fox, if you draw up the wind, does not hear you 

 coming ; and your hounds, by this means, are never 

 out of your hearing : besides, should he turn down 

 the wind, as most probably he will, it lets them 

 all in. Suppose yourself acting directly contrary 

 to this, and then see what is likely to be the 

 consequence. 



You think I am too severe on my brother-sports- 

 men : if more so than they deserve, I am sorry for it. 

 I know many gentlemen who are excellent sportsmen; 

 yet I am sorry to say, the greater number of those who 

 ride after hounds are not : and it is those only to whom 

 I allude. Few gentlemen will take any pains ; few of 

 them will stop a hound, though he should run riot 

 close beside them ; or will stand quiet a moment, 

 though it be to halloo a fox. It is true, they will not 

 fail to halloo if he should come in their way; and they 

 will do the same to as many foxes as they see. Some 

 will encourage hounds which they do not know : this 

 is a great fault. Were every gentleman who follows 

 hounds to fancy himself a huntsman, what noise, what 

 confusion, would ensue ! I consider many of them as 

 gentlemen riding out; and I am never so well pleased, 

 as when I see them ride home again. You may per- 

 haps have thought that I wished them all to be hunts- 

 men — most certainly not : but the more assistants a 

 huntsman has, the better, in all probability, his hounds 



to be chopped. If several coverts are near together, those down wind 

 should be drawn first unless they are a mile or two apart, when it is the 

 best plan to begin drawing those furthest from home and work towards 

 the kennels.] 



