64 THE HUNTING FIELD 



and smelling at him, as much as to sa}', " Pray, what business 

 have you here ? " How pleasant to stand calculating what 

 proportion of a mouthful a-piece one's carcase would make for 

 the company. A man who has whipped-in to harriers, labours 

 under much the same disadvantage that the man does who has 

 hunted them ; he is ignorant of the discipline indispensable for 

 foxhounds. Instead of giving a hound one of those hearty 

 good hidings and ratings that makes him tremble at his voice, 

 he is always flopping and skutching, sometimes hitting, some- 

 times missing, but never making an impression. A foxhound 

 requires a tremendous hiding. Let not the French historian, 

 or the Society for the Suppression of Cruelt\- to Animals, jump 

 at the assertion. It is mercy in the end, most likely sa\'ing the 

 animal from the halter. We have seen a sheep worrier so 

 licked, that he could hardly crawl out of his kennel, and instead 

 of attacking sheep again, he was afraid to look one in the face. 

 After one of these sound flagellations, a hound running riot will 

 stop as if shot, at the sound of the voice that accompanied the 

 administration of the medicine. Of course these hearty hidings 

 are only for flagrant faults — sheep-worrying, deer-hunting, 

 poultry-killing, obstinacy, and so on. All young hounds will 

 riot occasionally — a great thumping hare starting up under 

 their noses is enough to lead any one astray, and it is in the 

 checking and stopping that the discipline or nondiscipline of 

 an establishment is shown. Some fellows will set to, roaring 

 and riding, and cracking their whips, making confusion worse 

 confounded, while others just trot quietly on till they near the 

 delinquent, when dropping his name heartil\- into his ear, 

 followed by a crack of the whip, if the receipt of the halloo is 

 not acknowledged, they will check his unlicensed career, and 

 bring him skulking back to the pack. Some let them have 

 their riot out, especially when the old hounds are stead}-, and 

 then shame the young ones on their return. Beckford thought 

 it as well, provided thev did not get blood. 



