tHOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. ^^ 



i BEGIN to hunt with my young hounds in August. The 

 employ ment of my huntsman the preceding months is 

 to keep his old hounds healthy and quiet, by giving them 

 proper exercise i and to get his young hounds forward*. 

 They are called over often in the kennel : it uses them 

 to their names, to the huntsman, and to the whipper-in. 

 They are Vv'aiked out often among sheep, hares, and deer : 

 it uses them to a rate. Sometimes he turns down a cat 

 before them, which they hunt up to, and kill ; and, when 

 the time of hunting approaches, he turns out badgers, or 

 young foxes, taking out some of the steadiest of his old 

 hounds to lead them on : this teaches them to hunt. He 

 draws small covers and furze brakes with them, to use 

 them to a halloo, and to teach them obedience. If they 

 find improper game, and hunt it, they are stopped and 

 brought back ; and as long as they will stop at a rate, 

 they are not chastised. Obedience is all that is required of 

 them, till they have been sufficiently taught the game that 



* Nothing will answer this purpose so well as taking them out offen. 

 Let your huntsman lounge about with them : nothing will make them so 

 handy. Let him get ofF his horse frequently, and encourage them to come 

 to him : nothing will familiarise them so much : — too great restraint will 

 oftentimes incline hounds to be riotous. 



