72 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



ing, as in life : and I can assure you, when I am in the field I never wish 

 to hear any other tongue than that of a hound. A neighbour of mine was 

 so truly a hare-hunter in this particular, that he would not suffer anybody 

 to speak a word when his hounds were at fault. A gentleman happening 

 to cough he rode up to him immediately, and said, ' / wish, Sir, with 

 all my heart, that your cough was better.'' 



In a good day, good hounds seldom give up the scent at head ; if 

 they do, there is generally an obvious reason for it : this observation a 

 huntsman should always make ; it will direct his cast. If he be a good one, 

 he will attend as he goes, not only to his hounds (nicely observing which 

 have the lead, and the degree of scent that they cany), but also to the 

 various circumstances that are continually happening from change of 

 weather and difference of ground : he will likewise be mindful of the dis- 

 tance which the hare keeps before the hounds, and of her former doubles : 

 he will also remark what point she makes to. All these observations will 

 be of use, if a long fault make his assistance necessary ; and, if the hare 

 should have headed back, he will carefully observe whether she met with 

 anything in her course to turn her, or turned of her own accord. When 

 he casts his hounds, let him begin by making a small circle : if that will 

 not do, then let him try a larger : he afterwards may be at liberty to per- 

 severe in any cast that he shall judge most likely. As a hare generally 

 re-visits her old haunts, and returns to the place where she was first found ; 

 if the scent be quite gone, and the hounds can no longer hunt that is as 

 likely a cast as any to recover her. Let him remember hi all his casts, 

 that the hounds are not to follow his horse's heels ; nor are they to carry 

 their heads high, and noses in the air. At these times they must try for 

 the scent, or they will never find it ; and he is either to make his cast quick 

 or slow, as he perceives his hounds try, and as the scent is either good or bad. 



Give particular directions to your huntsman to prevent his hounds, 

 as much as he can, from chopping hares. Huntsmen like to get blood at 

 any rate ; and, when hounds are used to it, it would surprise you to see 

 how attentive they are to find opportunities. A hare must be very wild, or 

 very nimble, to escape them. I remember, hi a furzy country, that my 

 hounds chopped three hares in one morning ; for it is the nature of those 

 animals, either to leap up before the hounds come near them, and steal 

 away, as it is called ; or else to lie close till they put their very noses upon 

 them. Hedges also are very dangerous : if the huntsman beat the hedge 

 himself, which is the usual practice, the hounds are always upon the watch ; 

 and a hare must have good luck to escape them all. The best way to 

 prevent it, is to have the hedge well beaten at some distance before the 

 hounds. 



Hares seldom run so well as when they do not know where they are. 

 They run well in a fog, and generally take a good country. If they set off 



