H\KKIK£S.] 



POR MOUNTAIN, FIELD, AND FAKiL 



[nAuuiEns. 



however, is not always the caao ; and a groat | course, nuicli of tlioso would depend on tho 

 disparity appears in tho dillerent sums ex- 

 pended by ditlerent individuals in tlio keeping 

 of thfir harriers or beagles. For example, wo 

 have heard of tiio owner of twelve couples of 

 good working harriers, keeping them at a com- 

 paratively inconsiderable outlay His plan was , 

 this :— lie laboured to encourage a hunting spi- 

 rit in his ueiglibourliood, and to get his hounds 

 kept at tho dillerent villages or farm-houses. 

 lie employed a good pedestrian huntsman at 2s. 

 a. dav, for two days in the week, to collect and 

 hunt ihe hounds, and divided the hares killed 

 between themselves and tlie different farmers 

 whose grounds he hunted over; and then, at 

 the close of the season, gave to themselves and 

 the watchers and gamekeepers a good jollifica- 

 tion, in the shape of a hunt-supper ; and, occa- 

 sionally, after a good run, quenched the thirst 

 of the parishioners by a gallon or two of ale. 

 This plan he found to cement their good feel- 

 ing towards the hunt, and to have a great ten- 

 deucv to preserve the hares, wliilst the hounds 

 were always kept strong in scent, wind, and 

 limb ; and, as he kept a horse and strong pony, 

 he made those useful, both for hunting, hack- 

 ing, and harness, and could, even then, pop in 

 an occasional day, by having an extra gallop 

 with an adjoining pack of fox-hounds ; and if 

 he found that he was putting too hard upon 

 horse-flesh, he could then spare them, and go 

 after his harriers an occasional day on foot. 

 If a man can do without the parade of hunts- 

 men, whips, and all the concomitant ei ceteras, 

 he would not only find it a very great saving 

 of expense, but add materially to his sport, 

 the annual expenditure of which would not 

 cost him more than £50. In carrying out 

 tliis plan of economy, hounds should not exceed 

 eighteen inches ; and they should be encou- 

 raged in a morning scent, and to do their own. 

 work without being interfered witli. By this 

 means hounds are encouraged to self-perseve- 

 rance, and to stick close to each other. A 

 small kennel, to rear puppies, should be got, 

 till they are fit to be billeted abroad ; and tliey 

 should be bred from faultless hounds, with 

 good-toned voices 



The econon^y of this mode of keeping a pack 

 of harriers is certainly very great, and, we 

 have no doubt, both much sport and much 

 eatisfaction could be derived from it; but, of 



3i 



stale of the purse, and tho pliysical constitutioa 

 and mental organism of liim wliu would follow 

 it. In Ireland, a [)ack of harriers may bo kept 

 at much less expense than in England, even 

 though there is in that country an additional 

 degree of parade exhibited in accompanying tho 

 pack. A gentleman sportsman, in replying to a 

 query on this subject, thus describes his modo 

 of maintaining his [)ack : — 



"Tiio query is, the probable expense of 

 keeping from twelve to fourteen couple of har- 

 riers, to hunt two or three days a week. 

 In endeavouring to answer this question, I 

 must assume that tiie querist is living in Ire- 

 land, as I know nothing of the prices of the 

 vai'ious necessaries in either England or Scot- 

 land. To come at facts, however, fourteen 

 couple of hunting-hounds will consume very 

 nearly half a ton of oatmeal in a month, which, 

 at the average of prices in this country (15*. 

 per cwt.), would amount to £90 per annum 

 for meal ; then comes carrion, from 2*. GJ. to 

 5s. a carcass, for a year's consumption, of 

 which it would be impossible for rae to state 

 any fixed sum, the supply being so precarious ; 

 but, for my own part, I always take as many 

 as I can get, feeling, as I do, how much it 

 lightens the meal bill, and adds to the con- 

 dition of the pack. Straw is the next item, 

 and from £10 to £15 might safely be put 

 down as not too much for this. Now for ser- 

 vants' wages. I pay my whipper 7*. a week, 

 with board, lodging, and clothes, for which 

 consideration he grooms one of his own horses 

 entirely, and keeps an eye to the other ; feeds 

 and exercises the hounds, and is responsible ia 

 the same way as a kennel huntsman for the 

 general management of the hounds: indoors, 

 under him, there is a boiler (as we call him), 

 at 5*. per week, who, as his name implies, 

 bolls the mess, cleans the kennel, &c., etc. ; he, 

 again, has the assistance of another boy every 

 morning, to wash out the kennels — which, if 

 well done, is rather a troublesome business. 

 I do not consider a kennel could be kept 

 decently with less help ; and, of course, if tho 

 proprietor does not act as huntsman himself, 

 he must expect his wages bill to be higher; 

 and I doubt not some English readers will 

 smile at what we consider very fair wages, and 

 lor which we get our work right well done. I 



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