288 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



French Method of 



side. The first clay they are taken straight forward ; 

 and the man who is at their head frequently calls them 

 to him with lio, ho^ ho ! The second day the lesson is 

 varied, turning off sometimes to the right and to the left ; 

 still, however, using the same terms. The third day 

 they describe a semicircle, sometimes on one side, some- 

 times on the other, accompanying the above-mentioned 

 terms with the exclamations, ha au retoiir, ha au retour. 

 They are next made to describe a complete circle ; after 

 which, they are stopped now and then with the cry of 

 hack, and not suffered to proceed till they are called with 

 come along. 



When the dogs are perfect in these lessons, they are 

 made to turn about in this manner: — They are first 

 stopped ; on which, the man behind places himself before 

 him who is at the head : those at the two sides never 

 quit their places. The man at the head then walks 

 through the dogs, saying, ha au retour, and snapping 

 his fingers : the other strikes the ground with a switch 

 or whip, to prevent them from proceeding, and points to 

 the other man who calls them, at the same time saying, 

 ttirn about. By this method they are soon accustomed 

 to comprehend the term which is of such essential im- 

 portance in the chase. To these lessons the hounds are 

 confined till they are perfect masters of them, and per- 

 form them with facility and intelligence They are then 

 taught to practise the return to their place. For this 

 manoeuvre, the person at the head stops the hounds, 

 checking them with the term toide bellement, (softly) pro- 

 nounced in a milder tone than back, which being intended 

 to enforce speedy obedience, ought to be articulated 



