288 TO RANGE WITHOUT GUN. [CH. xvi. 



TO HUNT REGULARLY FROM LEEWARD TO WINDWARD 

 WITHOUT THE GUN. 



522. In paragraph 201 I observed, that when you 

 are obliged, as occasionally must be the case, to enter 

 a field to windward with your pupil, you ought to go* 

 down to the leeward side of it, keeping him close to 

 your heels, before you commence to hunt. After 

 undeviatingly pursuing this plan for some time, you 

 can, before you come quite to the bottom of the field, 

 send him ahead (by the underhand bowler's swing of 

 the right hand, IV. of 141), and, when he has reached 

 the bottom, signal to him to hunt to the right (or left). 

 He will be so habituated to work under your eye (176) 

 that you will find it necessary to walk backwards (up 

 the middle of the field), while instructing him. As he 

 becomes, by degrees, confirmed in this lesson, you can 

 sooner and sooner send him ahead (from your heel), 

 but increase the distances very gradually, until at 

 length he will be so far perfected, that you may venture 

 to send him down wind to the extremity of the field 

 (before he commences beating), while you remain quietly 

 at the top awaiting his return, until he shall have hunted 

 the whole ground, as systematically and carefully as if 

 you had accompanied him from the bottom. By this 

 method you will teach him, on his gaining more ex- 

 perience, invariably to run to leeward, and hunt up to 

 windward (crossing and re-crossing the wind) whatever 

 part of a field you and he may enter. What a glorious 

 consummation ! and it can be attained, but only by 

 great patience and perseverance. The least reflection, 

 however, will show you that you should not attempt it 

 until the dog is perfected in his range. 



