230 THOUGHTS UPOK HUNTING. 



in the country, it is there you will find them* 

 After once or twice going out in this manner, 

 you Ihould reduce your number.* 



Before a huntfman goes into the kennel to draft 

 his hounds, let him determine within himfelf the 

 number of hounds it will be right to take out ; as 

 likewife the number of young hounds that he can 

 T-enture in the country where he is going to hunt. 

 Different countries may require different hounds : 

 fome may require more hounds than others : it 

 is not an eafy matter to draft hounds properly ; 

 nor can any expedition be made in it, without 

 fome method.-f- 



Ifel- 



* During a frofl, hounds may be exercifed on downs, or the 

 turnpike roads ; nor will it do any matei-ial injury to their feet. 

 Prevented from hunting, they Ihould be fed fparingly ; and fuch 

 as can do v^ithout flefli, fhould have none given them. A 

 courfe of vegetables, fulphur, and thin meat is the likeliell means 

 to keep them healthy. 



f No hound ought to De left at home, unlefs there be a rea- 

 fon for it; it is therefore that I fay great nicety is required to 

 draft hounds poperly. Many huntfmen, I believe, think it of 

 no great confequence which they take out, and which they 

 leave, provided they have the number requifite. A perfeft 

 knowledge in feeding and drafting hounds, are the two moft ef- 

 fential parts of fox-hunting : good hounds will require but lit- 

 tle affiftance afterwards. By feedings I mean the bringing the 

 hound into the field, in his higheft vigour. By drafting, I par- 

 ticularly mean the taking out no unfleady hound, nor any that 



are 



