SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 269 



made use of a more shallow bath, the water only 

 reaching half-way up, and not covering the body ; 

 and when the dirt adhering to their bellies and 

 legs was thoroughly washed off, they were quickly 

 rubbed dry by two pairs of hands, each man having 

 a thick woollen cloth for that purpose, the hunts- 

 man standing by to see if there were any thorns or 

 wounds about their limbs and feet. The hounds 

 were then fed under cover, and not allowed to go 

 out into the yard, but immediately let into their 

 sleeping-room, with a profusion of clean dry wheat- 

 straw, in which they buried themselves, huddling all 

 together for greater warmth. It is a great advan- 

 tage when the lodging-room can be heated by hot 

 air from the boiling-house copper, since nothing 

 restores animals suffering from fatigue and cold like 

 a moderate degree of heat. 



The system of kennel is said to have originated 

 with Mr. Meynell, who, whether returning late 

 or early from the hunting-field, superintended the 

 feeding of his hounds before preparing to sit down 

 to his own dinner, and as according to the old 

 adage, " The master's eye maketh the horse fat," no 

 doubt the hounds benefited by his attention to their 

 proper feeding. It is too much the practice in our 

 time to entrust the entire management and care of 

 the kennel to the huntsman, and the stable to the 

 head groom. But however trustworthy and talented 

 such men may be, every master of foxhounds would 

 do well to imitate the praiseworthy example set 

 them by the " Father of the chase." Admitting 

 the perfect sufficiency of the two first officials, the 



