CH. xiv.] YORKSHIRE GAMEKEEPER'S ADVICE. 235 



folks say a barren hen, if she folnd (find) a nest, 'ill brak all 

 t' eggs. A don't k?iow about that ; perhaps they brak 'em i' t' 

 fighting, but they be brukken sure enact So ye see, sir, 'spose we 

 have no budds here, then t' young 'uns, when t' auld 'uns fight 'em 

 in neighbours' covers, cooin in here to uz and folnd 'emselves quite 

 coomfortuble and bide. And b'sides they'll know-thSy-'ve-no-rlght 

 they'll know-they-'ve-nS-right themselves, and so they wunt fight 

 t' new comers. There be sum gentlemen as shuts doon one-third 

 of their estate every year, clean right away and then t' pheasants 

 and t' partridge coom in like-o-o-o. Quite many of them ; yes,. 

 they do like t' settlars in 'Merika, as a' do hear say." 



407. This homely reasoning of the honest Yorkshireman * pre- 

 vailed, and a good show of game the following season satisfactorily 

 established the soundness of his views. 



408. But we have been astray on the stubbles and in cover,, in- 

 stead of attending to our friend (394, 398) snipe-shooting in the 

 marshes, and determining (for our own satisfaction, if not for his) 

 whether the companionship of a good dog would not have greatly 

 added to his enjoyment. Doubtless it would ; for I appeal to you, 

 if you are a devotee to the double detonator, whether it be not a 

 magnificent thing to witness brilliant performance in fine dogs to 

 watch their prompt obedience their graceful action the expres- 

 sion of their intelligent countenances to hope at the first feathering 

 at a haunt to participate in the nervous start on a closer touch 

 to share in the exciting alternation of 'the cautious "road," and 

 the momentary stop to exult in the certainty of a sure find to 

 hesitate in the expectation of a sudden rise, and, finally, to triumph 

 in the fall of the noble old bird you have been steadily following 

 through all his wiles and stratagems ? If we have travelled over 

 the past pages together, I hope you will further agree with me in 

 thinking, that should you shoot over well-educated dogs of your 

 own making, instead of to dogs broken by others, your gratification 

 would be as greatly increased as would have been our Irish acquaint- 

 ance's, had he shot to really killing dogs, instead of possessing none 

 at all. I firmly believe that more than half the pleasure a sports- 

 man derives from shooting, consists in watching the hunting of well- 

 broken dogs, and that his gratification is nearly doubled if the dogs 

 are of his own training. It was this persuasion that, on our intro- 

 duction to each other (3), made me so strongly urge you to break 

 in your dogs yourself. 



409. I might urge you to do so from yet another motive. What 

 can you name besides glorious hunting that will keep you in strength 

 and prime condition so long as shooting ? Is not an autumnal ex- 

 cursion to the wild moors, or even homely stubbles, far more in- 

 vigorating than a saunter at the most salubrious watering-place ? 

 And would not continued, though it may be diminished, zest, for 

 the sport induce you to take air and exercise at a time of life 



* This note about rearing phea- printer has placed it in an Ap- 

 sants, &c., is so long that the pendix. See page 335. 



