34 2 THE BOOK OF THE Doc. 



with bloodhounds, or such houndes as will draw in the game, and let him sende them two up 

 the river, and two doune the river, the one couple of them on that one side, and the other on that 

 other side of the water. And so you shal be sure to finde if there be an otter in the quarter : 

 for an otter cannot long abide in the water, but muste come forth in the night to feede on 

 grasse and herbes by the water's side. If any of theyr houndes finde of an otter, let the 

 huntesman looke in the softe groundes and moyst places to see which way he bent the head, 

 up or doune the river. And if he finde not the otter quickly, he may then judge that he is 

 gone to couche somewhere further off from the water, for an otter will sometimes seeke his feede 

 a myle (or little lesse) from his couche and place of reste. Commonly he will rather go up 

 the river than doune, for goyng up the streame, the streame bringeth him sent of the fishes 

 that are above him ; and bearing his nose into the winde, he shall the sooner finde any faulte 

 that is above him. Also you should make an assembly for the otter as you do for the harte ; 

 and it is a note to be observed, that all such chaces as you draw after, before you finde 

 them, lodge them or herbor them, you shoulde make a solemne assembly to heare all reportes 

 before you undertake to hunte them, and then he which hath found of an otter, or so drawen 

 toward his couche that he can undertake to bryng you unto him, shall cause his houndes to 

 be uncoupled, a bowshotte or twyane before he come to the place where he thinketh that the 

 otter lieth. Because they may cast about a while untill they have cooled their bauling and 

 hainsicke toyes, whiche all houndes do lightly use at the first uncoupling. Then the varlets 

 of the kennell shall seeke by the riverside, and beate the bankes with their houndes untill 

 someone of them chaunce upon the otter. 



" Remember always to set out some upwards and some doune the streames, and every 

 man his otter-speare or forked staffe in his hande. And if they perceyve where the otter 

 cometh under water (as they may perceyve if they marke it well) then shall they watche to 

 see if they can get to stand before him at some place where he would vent, and stryke him 

 with theyr speare or staffe. And if they misse then shall they runne up or doune the streame 

 as they see the otter bende, until they may at last give him a blowe. For if the houndes be 

 good otter-houndes, and perfectly entered, they will come chaunting and trayling alongst by 

 the riverside, and will beate every tree roote, every holme, every osier-bedde, and tuft of 

 bullrushes ; yea, sometimes also they will take the ryver and beate it like a water-spaniell, so 

 that it shall not be possible for the otter to escape ; but that eyther the houndes shall light 

 upon him, or els some of the huntesmen shall strike him, and thus you may have excellent 

 sporte and pastime in hunting of the otter, if the houndes be good, and that the rivers be not 

 over great 



" Where the rivers be great, some use to have a lyne throwen overthwart the river, the 

 whiche two of the huntesmen shall holde by eche ende, one on the one side of the river, and 

 the other on that other. And let them holde the line so slacke that it may alwaycs be 

 underneath the water. And if the otter come diving under the water, he shall of necessitie 

 louche their line, and so they shall feele and know which way he is passed, the which shall 

 make him be taken the sooner. An otter's skinne is very good furre, and his grease will make 

 a medicine to make fishes turn up their bellies as if they were deade. A good otter-hound 

 may prove an excellent good buck-hound, if he be not old before he be entered." 



In modern days the pack of Otter-hounds hunted by Mr. J. C. Carrick of Carlisle is the 

 leading one in the kingdom, and annually provides excellent sport for the members of the 

 hunt. Mr. Carrick, who is a constant exhibitor at the principal shows, is in the habit of 



