268 THE BOOK OF THE Doc,. 



old ones one day, another day the young but as I find your hounds are to have their whey 

 at a distant dairy, on those days both old and young may be taken out together, observing 

 only to take the young hounds in couples, when the old ones are along with them. Young 

 hounds are always ready for any kind of mischief, and idleness might make even old ones too 

 ready to join them in it. Besides, should they break off from the huntsman, the whipper-in is 

 generally too ill-mounted at this season of the year easily to head them, to bring them back. 

 Run no such risk. My hounds were near being spoiled by the mere accident of a horse's 

 falling. The whipper-in was thrown from his horse. The horse ran away, and the whole pack 

 followed him. A flock of sheep, which were at a little distance, took fright, began to run, and 

 the hounds pursued them. The most vicious set on the rest, and several sheep were soon 

 pulled down and killed. I mention this to show you what caution is necessary whilst the 

 hounds are idle ; for though the fall of the horse was not to be attributed to any fault of the 

 man, yet had the old hounds been taken out by themselves, or had all the young ones been in 

 couples, it is probable so common an accident would not have produced so extraordinary an 

 event. 



" It is now time to stoop them to a scent. You had better enter them at their own game 

 it will save you much trouble afterwards. Many dogs, I believe, like that scent best which 

 they were first blooded to ; but be that as it may, it is certainly most reasonable to use them 

 to that which it is intended they should hunt. It may not be amiss, when they first begin to 

 hunt, to put light collars on them. Young hounds may easily get out of their knowledge, 

 and shy ones, after they have been much beaten, may not choose to return home. Collars, in 

 that case, may prevent their being lost. 



" You say you should like to see your young hounds run a trail scent. I have no doubt 

 that you would be glad to see them run over an op.en down, where you could so easily observe 

 their action and their speed. I do not think the doing of it once or twice could hurt your 

 hounds, and yet, as a sportsman, I dare not recommend it to you. All that I shall say of it 

 is that it is less bad than entering them at a hare. A cat is as good a trail as any ; but on no 

 account should any trail be used after your hounds are stooped to a scent. 



" I know an old sportsman, a clergyman, who enters his young hounds first at a cat, which 

 he drags along the ground for a mile or two, at the end of which he turns out a badger, first 

 taking care to break his teeth. He takes out about two couple of old hounds along with the 

 young ones to hold them on. He never enters his young hounds but at vermin : for he says, 

 ' Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.' 



" Such young hounds as are most riotous at first, generally speaking, I think, are best in 

 the end. A gentleman in my neighbourhood was so thoroughly convinced of this, that he 

 complained bitterly of a young Pointer to the person who gave it him, because he had done 

 no mischief. However, meeting the same person 'some time after, he told him the dog he 

 believed would prove a good one at last. 'How so,' replied his friend, 'it was but the other 

 day that you said he was good for nothing.' 'True; but he has killed me nineteen turkeys 

 since that' 



" Hounds, at their first entering, cannot be encouraged too much. When they become 

 handy, love a scent, and begin to know what is right, it will be soon enough to chastise 

 them for doing wrong, in which case one severe beating will save a deal of trouble. You 

 should recommend to your whipper-in, when he flogs a hound, to make use of his voice 

 as well as his whip, and let him remember that the smack of a whip is often as much 

 use as the lash to one that has felt it. If any are very unsteady, it will not be amiss 



