268 SPORTING SKETCHES. 



able to assist themselves. They should immediately be placed in 

 a warm stable or barn, and provided with plenty of clean oat- 

 straw and water ; an hour or two later, a good dinner of soup 

 and meat should be served ; "dessert" may be dispensed with.' 

 Next morning early they will be out as brisk as ever, ready for 

 their work ; for breakfast, porridge and milk should be given. 

 Some dogs refuse porridge, all not being of " Irish or Scotch 

 descent." In such cases, bread is a good substitute. When in 

 the woods, a light lunch, consisting of rice, bread or sago pud- 

 ding (without fruit), should be given. Meat should not be given 

 for breakfast or in the cover, as it spoils the scent. The whip 

 should be used as little as possible, and when necessary the pun- 

 ishment must be effective. 



Most sporting dogs are affectionate and tractable ; others, 

 again, excitable, self-willed, wild and stubborn, and nothing but 

 the whip will bring them into subjection. I once owned a dog 

 called " Snipe," given to me by an old sporting friend, with 

 whom I went shooting for over twenty-five years, who parted 

 with him owing to his being so wild and needing so much thrash- 

 ing ; he was a valuable dog, wonderful worker, keen nose, could 

 bring you on birds an acre distant, but enjoyed having all the 

 sport on his own account. To bring this fellow into subjection, 

 I had to resort to very severe measures. On entering the cover 

 in the morning, my first unpleasant duty was to remove my coat, 

 tie old " Snipe " to a tree with a dog-chain, take my whip (a most 

 severe one) and lick him so unmercifully that I felt grieved, but 

 I was bound to master or ''shoot" him. After repeating this 

 several times, he worked steadily and close, answered to the 

 whistle or the wave of the hand all day. Afterwards, I patted 

 and encouraged him, which should always be done. This turned 

 out the second-best dog of the many I ever hunted over. Pointers 

 are most tractable, intelligent and full of affection, and love their 

 work. I would not give a fig for a pointer (should he be ever so 

 hungry) which would partake of a hearty dinner when seeing his 

 master getting gun and traps ready for a start. Such a one was 

 my old " Carlo," the best dog I ever owned, worth his weight in 

 gold to the true sportsman. It was my habit in my younger days 

 to go shooting on Saturday afternoon. " Carlo " knew when that 

 day arrived as well as myself. Not to make this article too long, 

 I will give but one or two of the many rare and amusing inci- 

 dents during my experience of over fifty-five years. 



