NIMROD'S NORTHERN TOUR. 397 



appeared as if his hounds liked it. In fact, I saw him bring them out 

 of one cover and throw them into another across a road by the mere act 

 of the whistle, assisted by a slight movement of his right hand. He is, 

 however, only the second huntsman I have ever met with who had 

 recourse to this simple expedient, and I think it rather belongs to the 

 cock-shooter than to the fox-hunter. 



Abercairney's hounds on the day I was out with them were quite steady 

 from riot ; not only from hares, but from roe, which T saw twice across their 

 line, in view, without the least notice being taken. Not a head, indeed, 

 was turned, even to look at them. I am now speaking of them in chase ; 

 but they were equally steady throughout a long blank draw, which I 

 thought would have ended in a blank day. I also observed them 

 hunting a very cold scent, in the meadows by the side of the Earn, too 

 cold to be persevered in, but they afterwards recovered their fox, and 

 ran him to ground, at the end of a long day, which I was not able to 

 see the finish of. 



I liked Arber less in his kennel than the field. I do not approve of 

 feeding hounds as he fed them — merely drawing out a few shy feeders 

 at first ; then drawing the remainder nearly as quickly as he could draw 

 them ; and, finally, throwing back the door and letting out five or six 

 couples, helter-skelter, at once. It is not a workman-Hke manner of 

 doing business, and does not convey an impression of the presence of the 

 faculty of nice discernment, or that high value set on condition of hounds, 

 which should be, and generally are, the distinguishing characteristics of a 

 good kennel huntsman. I observed also about him a little of that "heady 

 confidence," which Dr. Johnson speaks of, in some of his proceedings, 



