150 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 



circle; if that will not do, then let him try S 

 larger; he afterwards may be at liberty to perfe- 

 vere in any caft he Ihall judge moft likely. x\s 

 a hare generally revilits her old haunts, and re- 

 turns to the place where fhe was firft found, if 

 the fcent be quite gone, and the hounds can no 

 longer hunt ; that is as likely a cafl as any to re- 

 cover her. Let him remember, in all his cafts, 

 that the hounds are not to follow his horfe's heels, 

 nor are they to carry their heads high, and nofes 

 in the air. At thefe times they muft try for the 

 fcent, or they will never find it; and he is either 

 to make his call: quick or flow, as he perceives 

 his hounds try, and as the fcent is either good or . 

 bad. 



Give particular direc^lions to your huntfman to 

 prevent his hounds, as much as he can, from 

 chopping hares. Huntfmen like to get blood at 

 any rate; and when hounds are ufed to it, it 

 would furprize you to fee how attentive they are 

 to find opportunities. A hare muft be very wild, 

 or very nimble, to efcape them. I remember, in 

 a furzy country, that my hounds chopped three 

 hares in one morning; for it is the nature of 

 thofe animals either to leap up before the hounds 

 come near them, and ^eal away, as it is called, 

 or elfe to lie clofe, till they put their very nofes 

 upon them. Hedges, alfo, are very dangerous ; 

 if the huntfman beat the hedge himfelf, which 



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