110 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



first, in what manner he should draw ; and, afterwards, how he should cast 

 his hounds. 



The fixing, a day or two beforehand, upon the cover in which you intend 

 to hunt, is a great hindrance to sport in fox-hunting. You, that have the 

 whole country to yourself, and can hunt on either side of your house, as you 

 please, should never (when you can help it) determine on your place of 

 hunting till you see what the weather is likely to be. 1 The most probable 

 means to have good chases, is to choose your country according to the wind. 



It will also require some consideration to place hounds to the greatest 

 advantage, where foxes either are in great plenty, or very scarce. 



Hounds that lie idle are always out of wind, and are easily fatigued. 

 The first day you go out after a long frost, you cannot expect much sport ; 

 take, therefore, considerably more than your usual number of hounds, and 

 throw them into the largest cover that you have : if any foxes be in the 

 country, it is there that you will find them. After once or twice going out 

 in this manner, you should reduce your number. 2 



Before a huntsman goes into the kennel to draft his hounds, let him 

 determine within himself the number of hounds that it will be right to take 

 out, as likewise the number of young hounds that he can venture in the 

 country where he is going to hunt. Different countries may require different 

 hounds : some may require more hounds than others. It is not an easy 

 matter to draft hounds properly ; nor can any expedition be made in it 

 without some method. 3 



I seldom suffer many unsteady hounds to be taken out together ; and 

 when I do, I take care that none shall go with them but such as they cannot 

 spoil. 



When the place and time of meeting are fixed, every huntsman ought 



1 When the scent lies bad, small covers, or those in which a fox cannot move unseen, 

 are most favourable to hounds. In such covers, good sportsmen will kill foxes in almost any 

 weather. 



2 During a frost, hounds may be exercised on downs, or the turnpike roads ; nor will it 

 do any material injury to their feet. Prevented from hunting, they should be fed spar- 

 ingly ; and such as can do without flesh, should have none given them : a course of vegetables, 

 sulphur, and thin meat, is the likeliest means to keep them healthy. 



3 No hound ought to be left at home, unless there be a reason for it ; it is therefore that 

 I say, great nicety is required to draft hounds properly. Many huntsmen, I believe, think it of 

 no great consequence which they take out, and which they leave, provided they have the 

 number requisite. A perfect knowledge in feeding and drafting hounds, are the two most 

 essential parts of f ox-hunting : good hounds will require but little assistance afterwards. By 

 feeding, I mean the bringing the hound into the field in his highest vigour ; by drafting, I 

 particularly mean the taking out no unsteady hound, nor any that are not likely to be of ser- 

 vice to the pack. When you intend to hunt two days following, it is then that the greatest 

 nicety will be requisite to make the most of a small pack. Placing hounds to the greatest 

 advantage, as mentioned page 105, may also be considered as a necessary part of fox-hunting. 



Hounds that are intended to hunt the next day, and are drafted off into the hunting- 

 kennel as soon as they are fed, should be let out again into the outer court in the evening : my 

 hounds have generally some thin meat given them at this time, while the feeder cleans out their 

 kennel (vide note, p. 22). I have already said, that cleanliness is not less essential than food. 



