20 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



also order it to be mixed up as thick as possible. When the feeder has 

 cleaned his kennel in the morning, and prepared his meat, it is usual for 

 him, on hunting days (in an establishment like yours), to exercise the horses 

 of the huntsman and whipper-in ; and, in many stables, it is also the feeder 

 who looks after the huntsman's horse, when he comes in from hunting ; 

 whilst the huntsman feeds the hounds. When the hounds are not out, 

 the huntsman and whipper-in, of course, will exercise their own horses ; 

 and, that day, the feeder has little else to mind but the cleaning of his 

 kennel. Every possible contrivance has been attended to in the plan that 

 I sent you, to make that part of his work easy ; all the courts, except the 

 grass-court, being bricked and sloped on purpose. There is also plenty 

 of water, without any trouble of fetching it ; and a thorough air through- 

 out the kennels, to assist in drying them again. Should you choose to 

 increase your number of servants in the stable, the business of the feeder 

 may be confined entirely to the kennel. There should be always two to 

 feed the hounds properly ; the feeder and the huntsman. 



Somerville strongly recommends cleanliness in the following lines : 



O'er all let cleanliness preside ; no scraps 



Bestrew the pavement, and no half-pick'd bones, 



To kindle fierce debate, or to disgust 



That nicer sense, on which the sportsman's hope, 



And all his future triumphs, must depend. 



Soon as the growling pack with eager joy 



Have lapp'd their smoking viands, morn or eve, 



From the full cistern lead the ductile streams, 



To wash thy court well pav'd ; nor spare thy pains, 



For much to health will cleanliness avail. 



Seek'st thou for hounds to climb the rocky steep, 



And brush th' entangled covert, whose nice scent 



O'er greasy fallows, and frequented roads, 



Can pick the dubious way ? banish far off 



Each noisome stench ; let no offensive smell 



Invade thy wide inclosure, but admit 



The nitrous air and purifying breeze. 



So perfectly right is the poet in this, that if you can make your kennel a 

 visit every day, your hounds will be the better for it. When I have been 

 long absent from mine, I have always perceived a difference in their looks. 

 I shall now take notice of that part of the management of hounds in the 

 kennel which concerns the huntsman, as well as the feeder. Your hunts- 

 man must always attend the feeding of the hounds, which should be drafted, 

 according to the condition they are in. In all packs, some hounds will feed 

 better than others : some there are that will do with less meat ; and it 

 requires a nice eye, and great attention, to keep them all in equal flesh : 

 it is what distinguishes a good kennel-huntsman, and has its merit. It is 

 seldom that huntsmen give this particular all the attention which it deserves : 

 they feed their hounds in too great a hurry ; and not often, I believe, take 



