210 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



cautions that I have given, unless your hounds require 

 them. 



Some art may be necessary, to make the most of 

 the country that you hunt. I would advise you not to 

 draw the covers near your house, while you can find 

 elsewhere : it will make them certain places to find 

 in when you go out late, or may otherwise be in want 

 of them : for the same reason, I would advise you not 

 to hunt those covers late in the season : they should 

 not be much disturbed after Christmas : foxes will then 

 resort to them ; will breed there ; and you can preserve 

 them with little trouble. This relates to the good 

 management of a pack of hounds, which is a business 

 distinct from hunting them. 1 



Though a huntsman ought to be as silent as possible 

 at going into a cover, 2 he cannot be too noisy at coming 

 out of it again ; and, if at any time he should turn back 

 suddenly, let him give as much notice of it as he can 

 to his hounds, or he will leave many behind him ; and, 

 should he turn down the wind, he may see no more of 

 them. 



I should be sorry that the silence of my huntsman 

 should proceed from either of the following causes : — 

 A huntsman that I once knew (who, by the bye, I 

 believe, is at this time a drummer in a marching 



1 Breeding, feeding, steadying, drafting, and placing, are the essential 

 parts of fox-hunting ; when these are properly attended to, the hounds 

 will require but little assistance from the huntsman, whose chief business 

 then will be to keep with them, say little, and do nothing. 



[ 2 In drawing large woodlands a huntsman should not be too sparing 

 of his voice, for unless the hounds can hear him every now and again 

 they will not spread wide enough, will be listening for him instead of 

 looking for a fox.] 



