23S THOITGHTS UPON HUNTING. 



fliould always have an ear to a halloo. I once 

 faw an extraordinary inflance of the want of it 

 in my own huntlman, who was making fo much 

 noife with his hounds which were then at fault, 

 that a man hallooed a long while before he heard 

 him ; and when he did hear him, fo little did he 

 know whence the halloo came, that he rode two 

 miles the wrong way, and loft the fox. 



When hounds approach a cover which it i^ 

 intended they fhould draw, and dafh away to- 

 wards it, whippers-in ride after them to flop them. 

 It is too late, and they had better let them alone ; 

 it checks them in their drawing, and is of no kind 

 of uie ; it will be foon enough to begin to rate 

 when they have found, and hunt improper game : 

 when a huntfman has his hounds under good 

 command, and is attentive to them, they will not 

 break off till he choofe that they fhould. When he 

 goes by the fide of a cover which he does not in- 

 tend to draw, his ^^ hippers-in muft be in their 

 proper places ; for if he fhould ride up to a cover 

 with them unawcd, uncontrouled ; a coVer where 

 they have been ufed to find, they raufc be flack 

 indeed, if they do not dafh into it. It is for that 

 reafon better, not to come into a cover always the 

 fame way ; hounds, by not knowing what is go- 

 ing forward will be lefs likely to break off, and 

 will draw more quietly. I have feen hounds fo 

 fiafiiy, that they v/ould break away from the 



huntfman 



