CUB-HUNTING. 195 



Master will follow the bent of his own iucliiiation. 

 Power has little to do with height, and a good 

 hound or a good horse may be of any . colour. 

 Black and white, with tanned muzzles, and 

 badger - pied, were my favourites ; but lighter- 

 coloured hounds look more brilliant in the field, 

 although I do not think they are so hardy in 

 their constitutions. 



It was my practice to commence cub -hunting 

 about the first week in August, at early dawn, 

 which enabled us to finish our morning's work by 

 eight or nine o'clock. Dressing by candle-light is 

 not an over-agreeable occupation ; yet, as hunts- 

 man to my own pack, I was perforce obliged to 

 take the rough and the smooth together. 



" Early to bed and early to rise. 

 Is the way to be healthy, wealthy, and wise." 



But getting up in the middle of the night was 

 not much to my taste, although, when the w^eather 

 is hot, it is a necessary duty in a huntsman at the 

 beginning of cub-hunting. After the first week, 

 however, there is no necessity for going out so very 

 early, although the scent lies better when the dew 

 is on the ground, and the hounds suffer less from 

 heat. 



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