236 pu^^cTUAL attendance. 



I seldom suffer many unsteady hounds to be 

 taken out together ; and when I do, 1 take care 

 that none shall go with them but such as they 

 cannot spoil. 



When the place of meeting and time are 

 fixed, every huntsman ought to be as exact to 

 them as it is possible for him to be. On no 

 account is he to be before the time ; yet, on 

 some occasions, it might be better, perhaps, for 

 the diversion, were he permitted to be after 

 it.* The course your huntsman intends to take 

 in drawing ought also to be well understood be- 

 fore he leaves the kennel. 



good hounds will require but little assistance afterwards. 

 By feeding, I mean the bringing the hound into the field 

 in his highest vigour ; bj drafting^ I particularly mean the 

 taking out no unsteady hound, nor any that are not likely 

 to be of service to the pack. When you intend to hunt two 

 days following, it is then tl^at the greatest nicety will be 

 requisite to make the most of a small pack. Placing 

 hounds to the greatest advantage, as mentioned ])age 234 

 may also be considered as a necessary part of fox-hunting. 



Hounds that are intended to hunt the next day, and are 

 drafted oft" into the hunting-kennel as soon as they are fed, 

 should be let out again into the outer court in the evening : 

 my hounds have generally some thin meat given them at 

 this time, while the feeder cleans out their kennel. — ("Vide 

 note, page 45.) I have already said that cleanliness is not 

 less essential than food. 



* When there is a white frost, for instance, at the going 

 oft" of which the scent never lies. 



