200 THE FOX 



Foxhounds will stand a good deal of handling from 

 natives. One thing I think is necessary, and that 

 is that the Master should feed the hounds as often as 

 possible. 



In my own case I took the greatest trouble in 

 feeding my hounds, and kept a sharp eye on the 

 cleanliness of the kennel. For Indian work I like 

 small light hounds, as they do not knock themselves 

 to pieces on the hard ground. I always had a mixed 

 pack, but prefer dogs to bitches. Short packs are the 

 rule, on account of the cost of imported hounds, 

 and I never had more than twelve to fourteen couple 

 and often less. But I took great pains to make them 

 handy. Indian hounds always require to be hunted in 

 a sharp and decisive manner. We had, as a rule, but 

 a short time of a serving scent, and it is necessary 

 to press hounds in order to make the most of it. I 

 started with the idea of letting the hounds hunt, but 

 I found that it was necessary to take every ad- 

 vantage to secure a run, much less a kill, of so stout 

 and cunning an animal as the jackal. Two well- 

 trained terriers were most useful. In the thicker 

 coverts, and particularly in sugarcane, they could get 

 about in a way impossible to the heavier foxhounds, 

 and they kept at the jackal, yap-yapping at his heels 

 till, for the sake of peace, he was forced to go. 



