176 TRAVELLING HOUNDS IN A CARAVAN. 



hundreds of sportsmen to be contradicted. Any thing 

 which attracts the attention of hounds in chase, may 

 cause a check the most fatal, and I have more than 

 once seen my hounds, when running over the York- 

 shire Wolds, allured from their line by the cry of 

 wildgeese, which abound in thousands all over that 

 district which borders on the Humber. In the first 

 instance, the geese are attracted to the spot by the 

 cry of the hounds, and the hounds when checkings 

 hear a cry so nearly approaching their own sweet noise, 

 that they absolutely stare up in the air, and seem to 

 try to join these aerial choristers. In mentioning this 

 circumstance to Mr. Frank Watt, who hunted the 

 Wolds with his harriers for many seasons, he assured 

 me that he had repeatedly seen, and been highly 

 amused by a similar occurrence. 



If the distances are very long to cover, it is some- 

 times necessary for the hounds and horses to be taken 

 on over night; but to some gentlemen who may keep 

 what is termed a three day pack, this may be very 

 inconvenient ; as having only one body to draw from, 

 by sending them to lie out, many of the hounds will 

 very frequently not get even one clear day's rest 

 between the hunting days. This difficulty may be 

 remedied, by having them conveyed on the morning 

 of hunting, in a carriage built like a caravan, with a 

 large dickey in front, capable of containing three per- 

 sons abreast, with a small boot underneath to hold 

 caps, whips, great coats, or anything else which it 

 may be necessary to convey in it. I believe Lord 

 Southampton, when that nobleman hunted Leices- 

 tershire, was the first sportsman who introduced this 



