FOX-HUNTING. 753 



not to take the heel of the drag. When it so happens that 

 the fox gets so far a-head of the hounds that they are obliged 

 to follow him with a bad scent, it will be better to draw 

 them off, and seek for another, if they are plentiful in the 

 neighbourhood. However, this must not be too frequently 

 practised, as it is apt to render hounds indifferent when they 

 are upon a cold scent, and they should be encouraged to be-* 

 lieve that they are to kill that animal which they are first 

 led in pursuit of. 



When the pack approach a cover that is intended to be 

 drawn, and dash away towards it, the whippers-in often try 

 to stop them, which is not to be recommended, as it is time 

 enough to chastise hounds when they have found and pur- 

 sue improper game. When hounds are not under due sub- 

 jection, they frequently dash off from the huntsman on 

 nearing a cover, and then stop without entering it ; but 

 hounds under proper command, will not leave the heels of 

 the huntsman until they are encouraged to advance, after 

 which they are so confident of what is required of them, that 

 they proceed to range steadily until they find their game. 



Whilst hounds are in the act of drawing, the company 

 should disperse themselves, so that the fox cannot escape 

 unseen ; and gentlemen that are noticed together in pairs, 

 it is nearly certain that at least one of them is a novice in 

 fox-hunting. It too frequently happens, that of the many 

 followers in a chase, few of them are really sportsmen, and 

 consequently fail to give that proper assistance, which every 

 genuine lover of the sport considers himself bound to contri- 

 bute. The consequence is, that a Johnny raw will see a 

 hound run riot, without stopping him ; nor will they stand 

 quiet a few moments even for the purpose of hallooing 

 a fox, although attention to those simple points would have a 

 tendency to promote their own amusement. 



5 D 



