148 PHEASANT SHOOTING, &C. 



spoil his sport, he should sprinkle it well with barley 

 and white pease, for which the pheasants would most 

 likely come back again in the evening, and he has 

 then only to begin beating with his back to the extreme 

 point of his liberty, and the birds, being cut off in 

 their retreat, will either fly to him, or lie very dose. 

 If the wind should blow strong from the preserves, 

 or if the foxhounds should happen to run through 

 them, he would then, by this means, be still more 

 sure of having retaliation on those who had been 

 taking pains to defeat him in the fair and lawful 

 amusement of sporting on his own ground. 



This plan, however, would be followed with little 

 success, if the person -adopting it should take out a 

 cry of noisy spaniels, or a set of wild pointers. He 

 should recollect, that, in order to intercept the birds, 

 he may be obliged to work down the wind, and it 

 therefore becomes necessary that he should have only 

 one steady old pointer, or setter, who will keep within 

 gunshot, and quarter his ground with cunning and 

 caution, so as to work round every stem of under- 

 wood, instead of hastily ranging forward ; and, above 

 all, be well broke, either to fall to the gun, or lie 

 down when he has brought a bird. 



There are very few old sportsmen but what are 

 aware that this is by far the most sure method of 

 killing pheasants, or any other game, where they are 

 tolerably plentiful, in covert ; and although to explore 

 and beat several hundred acres of coppice, it becomes 

 necessary to have a party with spaniels, yet, on such 



