THE OTTER AND HIS WAYS. 313 



the duty devolves stands, it may be, knee-deep in the stream ; 

 and there, keeping a steady and patient look-out, either heads 

 him back into the pool above, or with a rattling view-holloa 

 allows him to slip down into easier water, where the hounds 

 can work him with more advantage. 



But the sentinel must be an experienced man, not at one 

 moment watching the stream and the next looking up at the 

 hounds, or, however clear the water may be, the wild animal 



will glide by him like a ghost, and probably never be recovered 

 again. 



In drawing a river, hounds should never be allowed to stray 

 away from its banks ; riot is thus prevented, and they soon 

 learn the practice of clinging to the stream. Nor, when the 

 trail is hot, can a hound be too slow in searching for his game, 

 provided his slowness be not attributable to slackness or old 

 age. The best finder I ever saw was a stifled hound. 



Hounds, when an otter is found in a deep pool, are very 



