INTRODUCTORY OBSERVATIONS. 25 



West, which, for the perfection of the first named sport, are the 

 grounds par excellence of the whole world — the decline of fal- 

 conry on the continent of Europe, and in England, heing caused 

 by the multiplicity of enclosures, which renders it impossible 

 to })ursue a chase, blindfold as it Avere, the eyes being fixed 

 constantly on the manoeuvres of the hawk to pounce, and of 

 the quarry to evade his stoop, in the mid-air. 



Again, Deer-coursing might be practised with undoubted suc- 

 cess on the prairies ; the best proof of which is in the fact, that 

 it has been tried by one gentleman at least, who has imported 

 the rough Scottish deer greyhound for the purpose, in the ex- 

 treme West ; and has been found by him to surpass all his ex- 

 pectations, both for the excitement of the chase and the great 

 sport attained. Deer, of the largest size and finest head, were 

 run into, after a pursuit of three miles or more, in view, and 

 pulled down single-handed — nay, even the enormous Elk was 

 brought to bay unerringly, by these staunch, fleet and noble 

 hounds. 



\Vith regard to these sports, however, I have said my say ; 

 and only expressing my wonder that they should not be adopted, 

 and my advice to all genuine Western sportsmen — I do not mean 

 game-butchers — to adopt them with all due speed — I pass on to 

 what more claims attention. 



Fishing is, perhaps, scarcely a field sport ; it is nevertheless 

 so decidedly a branch of sportsmanship — of course I mean fly- 

 fishing, or trolling with the live or dead minnow ; any other 

 mode I can regard only as I would knocking a hare on the head 

 in her form, or shooting a bevy of Quail running, or in a huddle 

 — that I may not leave it unnoticed, lest I should be supposed 

 to rob it and its votaries of the honor due to the gentle science. 



I know not, whether, before entering on my subject, I owe 

 any apology to my readers for that I, not native or to the manor 

 born, should aspire to treat of a subject so purely indigenous as 

 the field sports of America. Should it be deemed presumptuous 

 in me to attempt it, I must only point, as my excuse, to seven- 

 teen years of apprenticeship honestly devoted to acquiring the lit- 



