LETTER XVI. 



I ENDED my last Letter, I think, in a violent 

 passion. The hounds, I believe, were at fault 

 also. I shall now continue the further explanation 

 of my thirteenth Letter from that time. 



The first moment that hounds are at fault, is a 

 critical one for the sport : people then should be very 

 attentive. Those who look forward, perhaps, may see 

 the fox ; or the running of sheep, or the pursuit of 

 crows, may give them some tidings of him. Those 

 who listen, may sometimes take a hint which way he 

 is gone, from the chattering of a magpie, or perhaps 

 be at a certainty from a distant halloo : nothing, that 

 can give any intelligence at such a time, is to be 

 neglected. Gentlemen are too apt to ride all together : 

 were they to spread more, they might sometimes be 

 of service, particularly those who, from a knowledge 

 of the sport, keep down the wind : it would then 

 be difficult for either hounds or fox to escape their 

 observation. 1 



You should, however, be cautious how you go to a 

 halloo. The halloo itself must, in a great measure, 

 direct you ; and though it afford no certain rule, yet 



1 Those sportsmen only who wish to be of service to the hounds, and 

 know how, should ride wide of them. 



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