HUNT SERVANTS. 137 



of the thicket. Returning down wind he catches it again, and 

 after sniffing and poking about some little time will suddenly 

 throw his tongue loudly and dash into the break ; and out will 

 go the fox. I quote this that the aspiring huntsman may 

 understand the necessity of giving his hounds time when draw- 

 ing. I have several times in my life seen this occur just as I 

 have described it. 



In an open country to draw down wind means to get a bad 

 start with your fox, for even those that have never been hunted 

 will be very apt to move and be off, and one that knows what 

 hounds are is sure to take the hint very quickly. Should the 

 country be an inclosed one and the coverts large, the same rule 

 as to drawing up wind applies. Here the huntsman should be 

 very particular about regulating the pace of his horse by the 

 pace at which the hounds can travel whilst drawing for their 

 fox. Should the covert be hollow a good brisk trot is necessary, 

 but if it is a real fine thick covert the huntsman cannot go too 

 slowly. It is an advantage, and makes hounds draw better, if 

 some of them are ahead of the huntsman. I have often known 

 a huntsman put hounds in and trot away, speaking to them all 

 the time. After a bit, as the huntsman's voice gets fainter and 

 fainter the hounds stop, listen, and instead of going on drawing 

 come out into the ride and trot up it after the huntsman ; and 

 in this way often miss a fox. In a woodland a huntsman 

 should be rather noisy than quiet, make good use of his voice, 

 and occasionally blow a single note on his horn. It is a judi- 

 cious course, and makes hounds much livelier, if the huntsman 

 only uses a single note when no fox is on foot, but ' doubles 

 his horn ' when a fox is found ; the difference in the way 

 hounds move to it is extraordinary. The horn may be advan- 

 tageously used in case of hounds running riot (hunting a hare 

 or any wrong game), or taking the scent heelways of a fox. 

 A screech or, as perhaps it may be called, discord blown on 

 the horn will stop them more quickly than the cry of 'ware 

 heel ! ' The ear of a hound or dog is very sensitive, and he 

 dislikes the discord. The screech may also be used in covert 



