LETTER III. 31 



These hounds would do anything for him : if he called 

 one by name he would bound to him with the greatest 

 alacrity, and try to jump on his shoulders, dancing round 

 and fawning upon him like a spaniel. He never had a 

 whip in his hand in the kennel, nor would he ever allow 

 a whipper-in to help draw hounds, as I have seen in 

 many kennels. He could separate the dogs and the 

 bitches, when all standing together, at a word, by order- 

 ing the dogs to one side and the bitches to the other side 

 of the yard. I have seen this attempted by other hunts- 

 men, but it was not done without trouble and the 

 assistance of the whipper-in. All that he did was by 

 kindness, good temper, and perseverance, and without 

 the whip. Some of your readers may say, "What is the 

 use of all this ? " You shall know. His hounds were re- 

 markable for good conduct and steadiness in the field, 

 and seldom missed their fox. They drew beautifully, 

 steadily, and quickly, were very handy when making 

 their cast, no whipper-in being required to turn them ; 

 one word from their huntsman and a waive of his hand 

 would bring them to any point he wished. To their 

 Master's cheer or "halloo" they would dash like wild 

 things, and when at the end of a long and hard run they 

 heard his cheering voice, with the well-known cry of 

 "Have at him again," every hound seemed renovated 

 with fresh vigour, their bristles would rise, and the fox's 

 fate was soon sealed. More than this, it is the duty, as 

 well as the interest of every man to treat all animals 

 under his care with kindness, and not to get out of 

 temper with them ; severity is seldom required. 



The distemper is generally preceded by a husky cough. 

 At this the first stage of the complaint, an emetic should 



