172 ROYAL ROCK BEAGLE HUNT, 



" Make them of no more voice 

 Than dogs, that are as often beat for barking, 

 As therefore kept to do so." 



Coriolanus, act ii, scene 3. 



Hounds are sometimes noisy at night, when thej' are apt to be quarrel- 

 some and fight with each other. At many kennels the huntsman has a bell 

 connected with his bedroom, and has taught the hounds to expect a flogging 

 if they are not quiet when the bell rings. A story appeared in the papers 

 some years ago, giving a gruesome account of how a gentleman, resident 

 within a mile of a pack of foxhounds, was awakened one simimer night by the 

 howling of the hounds. It was a hot night and he became wide awake ; 

 presently he heard the huntsman's bell ring, when all became quiet for a little 

 space. Soon the howling broke out again with redoubled vigour, and was 

 continued in spite of the ringing of the bell. He then distinctly heard, borne 

 on the still night air, the huntsman's voice rating the hounds, and the 

 cracking of his whip ; this was succeeded by yells and an ominous sound of 

 worrying, when all became still once more. In tiie morning it was found that 

 the hounds had killed and eaten the huntsman, leaving hardly a trace of 

 him visible, and it was thought that he must have gone into the kennels in 

 his unfamiliar nightdress, and not being recognised, fell a prey to the ferocity 

 of the hounds. The huntsman of the Cheshire Beagles, a grim old sportsman, 

 was once overheard to reply to an old lady, who, hearing the hounds growling 

 and snarling in their van, said to him, " Surely they are fighting." Howarth's 

 laconic retort was, " Oh 1 it don't matter, they find their ov,-n clothes.'' 



Hounds, like other dogs, appear to dream in their sleep. Lucretius 



says : — 



And oft when sleep is soft, the dogs of chase 

 jMove their limbs suddenly, and send forth sounds. 

 And draw in inspirations from the air. 

 As if thev follow^ed still the tracks of trame. 



(Lord) " Huntsman, I charge thee, tender well my hounds ; 



Brach Merriman, the poor cur is emboss"d, 



And couple Clowder with the deep-mouthed brach. 



Saw'st thou not, bov, how Silver made it good 



At the hedge corner, in the coidest fault ? 



I would not lose the dog for twentv pound. 

 (Huntsman) Why, Beiman is as good as he, my lord ; 



He cried upon it at the merest loss. 



And twice to-day pick'd out the dullest scent. 



Trust me, I take him for the better dog. 

 (Lord) Thou art a fool ; if Echo were as fleet. 



I would esteem him worth a dozen such. 



But sup them well, and look unto them all ; 



To-morrow I intend to hunt again." 



Taiiiins of the Shrew, luducticn, scene i. 



A good pack of hounds is worth taking care of, at the expense of a great 

 deal of money, thought, time, and trouble. To keep them fit and well for 

 hunting, they have to be properly housed and fed. They have i^'fi diseases 

 that are not well known, and provided for by the experience of generations 

 of huntsmen and sportsmen. 



