244 



DRAWING A COVER. 



I have seen hounds so flashy, that they would 

 break away from the huntsman as soon as they 

 saw a cover ; and I have seen the same hounds 

 stop when they got to the cover side, and not 

 go into it. It is want of proper discipline which 

 occasions faults like these. Hounds that are 

 under such command as never to leave their 

 huntsman till he encourages them to do it, will 

 then be so confident that they will not return 

 to him again. 



Were fox-hounds to stop, like stop-hounds, 

 at the smack of a whip, they would not do their 

 business the worse for it, and it would give you 

 many advantages very essential to your sport : 

 such as, when they have to wait under a cover 

 side ; when they run riot ; when they change 

 scents ; when a single hound is on before; and 

 when a fox is headed back into a cover. Hounds 

 that are not under good command subject you 

 to many inconveniences ; and you may, at times, 

 be obliged to go out of your way, or be made 

 to draw a cover against your will. A famous 

 pack of hounds in my neighbourhood, I mean 



the late Lord C n's, had no fault but what 



had its rise from bad management ; nor is it 

 possible to do any thing with a pack of fox- 

 hounds, unless they are obedient. They should 



