ROOK-HAWKING 105 



by some deadly enemy. Of course rook - hawking may be 

 attempted on foot. But unless markers are posted skilfully at 

 the places where a hawk is likely to go out of sight, there is 

 great risk of losing her. Moreover, it is impossible to see much 

 of the best flights. A great deal of time will be wasted in 

 moving about between each flight ; and still more in shifting 

 the markers from place to place, as well as in finding the hawk 

 after a long flight which has ended in a kill. The rook-hawker 

 on foot comes back footsore, arid very weary. And he is lucky 

 if these are the only ills of which he has to complain. 



Rook-hawks which have been brought out to fly, but are 

 not for the time actually engaged, either because their turn has 

 not come, or because they have already flown and been fed up, 

 are either carried about by a cadger on the cadge, or made fast 

 to a field-block in a well-sheltered place, or consigned to 

 perches rigged up in the inside of a van, which can be drawn by 

 a cart-horse. The latter plan is adopted by the Old Hawking 

 Club, by which more hawks are usually taken out than could 

 be accommodated on one cadge. It has the great merit of 

 serving to protect the inmates from the bitterly cold winds 

 which often prevail in the rook-hawking season, and also from 

 the rain. Such a van should be well provided with springs. 

 Otherwise the jolting, while it passes over rough ground, as it 

 needs must, would do almost more mischief than the wind or 

 rain. In any case, whether you go singly with a single hawk 

 on your fist or with a whole cadge full or van full of hungry 

 peregrines, the hood will be worn. Nor will it be removed until 

 the moment arrives when the wearer is to be thrown off. But 

 when any hawk is being carried with a view to a flight the 

 swivel will be detached from the jesses and the latter held 

 tightly in the fingers of the left hand. Some falconers who use 

 ring swivels in the field, take them off directly the hawk is taken 

 on the fist for the purpose of being flown, and then slipping 

 the leash through one ring of the swivel and afterwards through 

 the loops in the two jesses, are ready to pull it out quickly 

 when there is a rook in sight and it becomes possible that they 

 may have to throw off at any moment. Some also, when a 

 flight is pretty sure to begin shortly, loosen the hood's braces 

 without taking it off, so that there may be no delay in 

 whipping it off at exactly the right moment. No one has ever 

 been able to explain how it is that peregrines can emerge 

 suddenly from utter darkness into the full glare of daylight, 

 with eyesight as good as ever, ready in the very first moment 

 to catch sight of a distant rook and to begin the chase. That 



