38 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



entirely eaten up, and the hounds, having filled their bellies, were retired 

 to rest. 



Without doubt it is best, when you air your hounds, to take them 

 out separately ; the old ones one day, another day the young : J but as I 

 find your hounds are to have their whey at a distant dairy, on those days 

 both old and young may be taken out together, observing only to take 

 the young hounds in couples when the old ones are along with them. Young 

 hounds are always ready for any kind of mischief, and idleness might make 

 even old ones too apt to join them in it. Besides, should they break off 

 from the huntsman, the whipper-in is generally too ill-mounted at this 

 season of the year, easily to head and bring them back. Run no such 

 risk. My hounds were near being spoiled, by the mere accident of a horse's 

 falling : the whipper-in was thrown from his horse ; the horse ran away, 

 and the whole pack followed : a flock of sheep, which were at a little dis- 

 tance, took fright, began to run, and the hounds pursued them : the most 

 vicious set on the rest, and several sheep were soon pulled down and killed. 

 I mention this, to show you what caution is necessary while hounds are 

 idle ; for though the fall of the horse was not to be attributed to any fault 

 of the man, yet had the old hounds been taken out by themselves, or had 

 all the young ones been in couples, it is probable that so common an accident 

 would not have produced so extraordinary an effect. 



It is now time to stoop them to a scent. You had better enter them 

 at their own game : it will save you much trouble afterwards. Many 

 dogs, I believe, like that scent best which they were first blooded to ; but 

 be that as it may, it is certainly most reasonable to use them to that which 

 it is intended they should hunt. It may not be amiss, when they first 

 begin to hunt, to put light collars on them. Young hounds may easily 

 get out of their knowledge ; and shy ones, after they have been much 

 beaten, may not choose to return home : collars in that case may prevent 

 their being lost. 



You say, you should like to see your young hounds run a trail-scent. 

 I have no doubt that you would be glad to see them run over an open down, 

 where you could so easily observe their action and their speed. I cannot 

 think the doing of it once or twice could hurt your hounds ; and yet, as 

 a sportsman, I dare not recommend it to you. All that I shall say of it 

 is, that it would be less bad than entering them at hare. A cat is as good 

 a trail as any ; but on no account should any trail be used after your hounds 

 are stooped to a scent. 



I know an old sportsman who enters his young hounds first at a cat, 

 which he drags along the ground for a mile or two, at the end of which he 



1 It would be better still, to take out your hounds every day, the old and young separ- 

 ately, when it can be done without inconvenience ; when it cannot, a large grass-court will 

 partly answer the same purpose. 



