200 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 



track. It is easy, therefore, for the whipper-in to cut shorty 

 and catch the hounds a^ain j at least, it is so in the country 

 where 1 hunt. With a high scent, you cannot push on 

 hounds too much. Screams keep the fox forward, at the 

 same time that they keep the hounds together, or let in 

 the tail hounds* 5 they also enliven the sport, and, if dis- 

 creetly used, are always of service ; bat, in cover, they 

 should be given with the greatest caution. 



Most fox-hunters wish to see their ho^:nds run in a 



good stile. I confess I am myself one of those. 1 hate 



to see a string of them ; nor can I bear to see them creep 



where they can leap. It is the dash of the fox-hound 



which distinguishes him^ as truly as the motto of William 



of Wickham distinguishes us. A pack of harriers, if 



they have time, may kill a fox j but I defy them to kill 



-him in the stile in which a fox ought to be killed: they 



must hunt him down. If you intend to tire him out, you 



must exped to be tired also yourself. Inever wish a chase 



* Halloos seldom do any hurt, when you are running up the wind ; 

 for then, none but the tail hounds can hear you : when you are running 

 down the wind, you should halloo no more than may be necessary to 

 brine the tail hounds forward ; for a hound that knows his business sel- 

 dom wants encouragement when he is upon a scent. 



