280 KNOWLEDGE OF COUNTRY, 



use to a huntsman: it shows the real good- 

 ness and stoutness of his hounds. 



I am glad to hear that your huntsman knows 

 the country which he is to hunt : nothing in 

 fox-hunting is more essential than that ; and 

 it may make amends for many faults. Foxes 

 are not capricious; they know very well Avhat 

 they are about ; are quick, I believe, at de- 

 termining, and resolute in perseverance. They 

 generally have a point to go to ; and, though 

 lieaded and turned directly from it, seldom 

 fail to make it good at the last : this, there- 

 fore, is a great help to an observing huntsman. 



Suffer not your huntsman to encourage his 

 hounds too much on a bad scenting day ; par- 

 ticularly in covers, where there is much riot. 

 Hark, hark, hark! which injudicious huntsmen 

 are so fond of upon every occasion, must often 

 do mischief, and cannot do good : whilst hounds 

 are near together, they will get sooner to the 

 hound that challenges without tliat noise than 

 with it. If it be a right scent, they will be 

 ready enough to join ; and if it be a wrong 

 one, provided you let them alone, they will 

 soon leave it : injudicious encouragement, on 

 a bad day, might make them run something 

 or other, right or wrong. 



