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Webster Famiiy Library of Veterinary Medicine

Cummings Sciiool of Veterinary f/iedicine at

Tutts University

200 VVestboro Road ^^

Morth Grafton. MA 01 535 ■■■^.

EXTRACTS

FROM THE

DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

i

Extracts

FROM THE

Diary of a Huntsman

BY

THOMAS SMITH

Late Master of the Craven Hounds, and of the
Pytchley, Northamptonshire

A NEW EDITION WITH COLOURED PLATES AFTER PICTURES BY
HERRING. ALKEN, WOLSTENHOLME AND POLLARD

AND AN introduction BY

LORD WILLOUGHBY DE BROKE

NEW YORK

LONGMANS, GREEN 6? CO.
LONDON: EDWARD ARNOLD & CO.

1921
[All rights reserved]

INTRODUCTION

BY

LORD WILLOUGHBY DE BROKE

This book was published in the second year of
the reign of Queen Victoria, and is the result of
the experiences of a Master of Foxhounds mainly
derived from hunting his own Hounds in the
Craven Country, probably as difficult a country
to kill a Fox in as any country in England. But
Mr. Smith so closely studied the Science and so
skilfully applied the Art of Foxhunting that he
contrived to bring a Fox to hand on most days
that he took his Hounds out. It would be inter-
esting to know how many huntsmen achieve this
feat to-day. If any of them fall short of it, they
cannot do better than read Mr. Smith's book,
and try to find out how he did it.

It is sometimes said that no one can learn much
about hunting a pack of Foxhounds by reading
a book ; that huntsmen " are born and not made " ;
that " an ounce of practice is worth a ton of

vi THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

theory " and so forth. These maxims and general-
izations, Uke many others, are only partly true.
Instinct can be aided by intellect in the pursuit
of the Fox as well as in any other pursuit ; and if
one were forced to select only one Text Book
to place in the hands of a young huntsman, no
mistake would be made in choosing Mr. Smith's
work. There are more actual stage directions in
it than in any other work of the kind. Beckford
no doubt holds the first place in virtue of a literary
charm which Mr. Smith modestly disclaims. After
enjoying the easy flow of Beckford's witty para-
graphs in Thoughts on Hunting you feel you have
been in the distinguished company of a gentleman,
a sportsman and a scholar who could set down
in graceful and cultivated prose his unrivalled
knowledge of Foxhunting. It is a joy to read him ;
but to some one who had never hunted a pack of
Foxhounds, and who was anxious to get some
understanding of how to do so by reading a book,
Mr. Smith would be even more useful than Beckford.
He has a nostrum for everything, from a cast in
the hunting-field down to an application for cuts
and overreaches, not forgetting minute instruc-
tions to stick the feather through the cork of the
bottle with the feathery end downwards so that
the good stuff might always be ready for use.
In short. The Diary of a Huntsman is a kind of

INTRODUCTION vii

Drill Book dealing with every phase and aspect
of the Chase.

His chief claim upon posterity is that he is
the only author who has reduced a cast to the
form of a diagram. This diagram is quite as
convincing, and a deal more simple than many
propositions of Euclid, and one almost wonders
why Mr. Smith did not write Q.E.D., or better
still Q.E.F., at the foot of his argument. Many
Foxes have been killed either by the deliberate
or accidental application of Mr. Smith's patent
cast, and many Foxes have been lost through
disregarding it. Every Huntsman should have
the idea of it in his mind. It is not recondite or
mysterious. Many people seem to think that
the successful hunting of wild animals partakes of
the supernatural, and that to recover the line of
a Fox after the Hounds have lost the scent is a
kind of sleight of hand. This is not so. The art
of Hunting the Fox is founded upon the successful
application of Commonsense. And in no docu-
ment upon Foxhunting does the application of
Commonsense appear more vividly than in Mr.
Smith's analysis of a cast. His thesis amounts to
nothing more than a recognition of simple fact.
When hounds have been running on fairly good
terms with their Fox and throw up their heads,
the Fox has either made a sharp turn and caused

viii THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

them to overrun the scent ; or he has run to
ground ; or perhaps he has gone straight ahead,
and the scent is interrupted by a flock of rooks
or starlings settUng on his Hne, or by his being
hunted by a cur-dog, or by some atmospheric
influence causing the scent to rise or to disappear
for a time. The idea underlying Mr. Smith's cast
is to mark the spot where the leading hounds
last owned to the scent, and to draw a complete
cordon round that spot. If this fails, a second
and a wider cordon should be drawn encircling the
first. When these two cordons have been com-
pleted with no response, human ingenuity is baffled
for the time being. This operation is geometrically
correct. But the distinguishing characteristic of
Mr. Smith's geometry is that the initial attempt
shall be made up wind. To do this only takes a
very short time owing to the favourable wind.
If it is a success, nothing but an open drain can save
the Fox. If it fails, hardly any time is lost. If,
on the contrary, the huntsman neglects it and the
Fox has turned up wind, the long down wind cast
can last for ever, and with all the horses behind
him, he may never get back up wind at all, except
on to ground that is foiled and at a time when
the Fox has got a start that can never be
overtaken.

Mr. Smith's Chapter on Foxhounds is quite

INTRODUCTION ix

admirable. Even Nimrod, with his usual conde-
scension, says that it is the best in the book.
The author points out that Mr. Meynell's hounds,
as painted by Sartorius, and others as painted
by Stubbs, did not look as if they could go the
pace, though in point of fact they did. In
the possession of the present Lord Barrymore
there is a painting by Sartorius of Mr. Barry's
Bluecap and Wanton beating Mr. Meynell's hounds
in the celebrated match over the Beacon Course
at Newmarket ; those riders and horses who saw
the finish are also included in the picture. Inter-
esting and even fascinating as the picture is, it is
not unkind to say that an anatomist could find
fault with Sartorius' drawing of men and horses
as well as with his drawing of the hounds. And
there is no doubt that the animal painters of to-day,
such as Miss Kemp-Welch, Mr. Munnings and Mr.
Lynwood Palmer, draw horses and hounds more
faithfully than did Sartorius and his contempo-
raries. But whatever the critics or the canvas
have to tell us, Mr. Smith himself puts the whole
of his valuable authority and experience on the
side of the Foxhound of the middle size, with no
lumber, and elegant neck and shoulders. He could
not only describe this type in words, but he could
also draw it in a way that is more convincing
to the modern breeder than that of the painters

X THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

of the eighteenth century. There is good reason
to think that Bluecap was not very far from
Mr. Smith's type, and that Sartorius' portrait of
this famous Foxhound was more picturesque than
correct.

The best part of a hundred years have gone by
since Mr. Smith handled his last Fox. We may
congratulate ourselves that he has told us in
writing how he did it, and as a Master of Fox-
hounds I should like to thank Mr. Arnold for
having republished these pages.

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

The writer, a master of fox-hounds for some years,
is aware that it will be easy to discover that these
observations were not designed to appear in the
world, written as they were for his own satis-
faction alone, until the repeated requests of many
induced him to offer them ; possibly owing to
the circumstances of having hunted his own
hounds with fair success, and the fact of having
killed ninety foxes in ninety-one days' hunting,
one season, in a bad scenting country. If they
should be read and chance to amuse, well and
good ; reputation by writing them was not the
object sought. They were put down just as they
came into his head, principally on his return in
the evening after hunting. Therefore he does
not affect so strict an observance of rules as one
who makes a profession of writing, and gains a
reputation by his pen, else they should have been

xii THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

arranged in a better method. Although acquired
by study, long thought, and strict observation,
if they have any value, it is their originality.
His hope is, by attempting to make them sharp,
short, and decisive, to induce men to read them ;
and if they should be the means of promoting
the taste for hunting — a sport to which this
country is indebted for the superiority of its
officers over most other nations, etc., as well as the
social feeling which it creates in the country
where hounds are kept — he will have gained his
point.

CONTENTS

Introduction. By Lord Willoughby de Broke v
Author's Preface

OHAPTEB

I. Huntsman

1

II.

Whipper-In

. 37

III.

Sportsman

. 46

IV.

Huntsman's Language Explained

. 77

V.

Hunting Terms

. 80

VI.

Fox-Hounds

. 90

VII.

The Fox

. 108

an.

Earth-Stopping

. 136

IX.

Keepers ....

. 145

X.

Stables and Kennel .

. 153

ILLUSTRATIONS

Full Cry. By J. F. Herring

Huntsman. By J. Shayer

The Death. By J. F. Herring .

Sketch of a Cast. By T. Smith

Going Out. By R. B. Davis

The Quorn Hunt. By H. Aiken

Breaking Out. By J. Pollard .

Hunting in Cover. By D.
Wolstenholme .

A Good Hound and a Faulty
One. By T, Smith .

Finish to a Good Run with the
Hambledon Hounds, 1828.
By T. Smith .

Frontisp:

iece

Facing

page

4

>>

>>

20

5>

j>

28

99

55

34

55
55

48
60

80

90

108

xvi THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

A Fresh Fox and a Beaten

Fox. By T. Sviith . . Facing page 109

The Death of the Fox. By

J. Pollard . . . „ „ 134

Note. — The Coloured Illustrations are from contemporary
prints and paintings by J. F. Herring, James Pollard, Henry
Alken and other well-known sporting artists, kindly lent by Mr.
Basil Dighton, of 3 Savile Row, London. The Black and White
Illustrations are facsimile reproductions from the originals by Tom
Smith in the old edition.

The Diary of a Huntsman

CHAPTER I

HUNTSMAN

. . by chase our forefathers eam'd their food.
Toil strung their nerves and purified their blood.

"smM

N early find is de-
sirable, and, as the
huntsman should
always be at the
head, it is right to
commence these ob-
servations with him ;
for on him not only
does the sport in
general depend, but
the cheer of a good
one when he first finds his fox, creates that inde-
scribable sensation which nothing else has ever
been known to do. Who can hear the cheer of
the huntsman, added to the cry of the hounds

2 1

2 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

and the blowing of the horn, without being
inspired ? Indeed it is quite a source of regret
whenever a clever huntsman has not naturally a
pleasant, melodious voice, instead of one probably
that may be compared to the grunting of a pig —
which has been the case before now. When this
is the case, he should try every method to improve
it. It should be recollected, that many men who
go out with hounds have no opportunity of enjoy-
ing the sport beyond the find, which is, with the
assistance of the voice, often one of the best parts
of the day's sport ; but to make it so vox et prceterea
nihil will not do, for unless he has a soul for sport,
even when most in earnest he cannot cause such
delightful sensations to thrill through you as
ought, and as always did, by the voice of such
a man as old Luke, huntsman to the late Duke of
Richmond, and Lord Egremont.

To be perfect, a huntsman should possess the
following qualifications : health, memory, decision,
temper, and patience, a good ear, voice, and sight,
courage and spirits, perseverance and activity ;
and with these he will soon make a bad pack a
good one : if quick, he will make a slow pack
quick ; if slow, he will make a quick pack slow.
But first, to become a good one, he must have a
fair chance, and should not be interfered with by
any one after he leaves the place of meeting ;

HUNTSMAN 3

previous to which, on all occasions, it would be best
if the master of the hounds was to arrange with
him which covers should be drawn first, etc. It
rarely happens that two men think exactly alike,
and unless he is capable of judging for himself
after the above arrangement (which had much
better be made overnight), the master is to blame
in keeping him ; but if he is capable, the master
is to blame for interfering; for, consequently,
the man will be ever thinking— what does master
think ? and will not gain that independence of
thought and action so necessary on most occasions
to be a match for a fox. For instance, at a
check there are many, apparently trifling ideas
and thoughts in a huntsman's head which he
cannot explain to his master, when asked why
he does this or that. Instead of answering, he
drops his bridle-hand and listens to his master,
although he has made observation of trifles, which
are often all he has for his guidance and frequently
are sufficient to recover his fox, though probably
no other person noticed them,— such as this :
the pack is running best pace ; he sees one hound
turn his head and fling to the right or left a pace
or two; shortly after there is a check (say 500
yards). When he has made the usual casts, he
recollects the hound turning his head, and then
goes back and finds that the fox has headed back

4 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

so far, and hits off the scent ; but he could or
would not tell any one why he was going back.
It is such like trifling observations that huntsmen
profit by, though unnoticed by others. It is true,
many men who keep hounds are good sportsmen ;
but then, unless the huntsman is a fool, he soon
finds it out, and gladly looks for a hint from his
master when at a loss ; in short, he must be allowed
and encouraged to have a good opinion of himself,
or he will not gain confidence ; and if he has not
that, he will not have the first and greatest quali-
fication, namely, decision. A want of this has
saved half the foxes now living in hunting countries.
It is not here meant, that for want of decision
huntsmen do nothing ; they go on, it is true, but
in their own minds have not decided on what sort
of cast to make, or what to be at ; therefore, the
huntsman should never be taken by surprise, but
be constantly on the lookout for mischief, he will
thus gain decision.

It is necessary for a huntsman to be thoroughly
acquainted with the nature of the animal he is
hunting, and also that he hunts with ; for he will
learn more from them than from the whole world
besides. From the fox he will learn cunning ;
and from an old hound, sagacity. In short, he
will do well when in chase to consider what he
would do was he himself the fox he is hunting ;

a

2:

CQ

D

HUNTSMAN 5

thereby he will always anticipate a check, and
cast his hounds the way he should have gone had
he been the fox, — which, it may generally be ob-
served, will be a line of country where he would
avoid being seen, unless there is some local cause
for it. By attending to this, he will be prepared
for a check in many instances a mile before he gets
to it, if he knows the country, and keeps his eyes
open ; he must, to do this, have only half an eye
for the pack, and the other eye and half beyond
it ; and he will also soon discover whether the
fox is one he has hunted before by the line he
takes, and other peculiarities, — even the ring he
takes in cover, the rack he uses in fences, — which
observations are of great assistance a second time,
but more particularly so later in the season, for a
whole litter of young foxes have been known to run
the same line of country.

Other observations in chase are worthy of
notice. He will find it no uncommon thing for
a fox in chase to pass over several earths which
are not stopped, and go on straight for several
miles beyond them ; but when he finds that he
cannot shake off the pack, and is a little distressed,
he will head back to the nearest earth he has
come over which was open, and go to ground,
unless the whipper-in is desired to clap back
quickly and get there first and stop it, or stand

6 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

on it, if, as in a neighbouring country, the laws
of fox-hunting do not allow a whipper-in to stop
it. But it is no uncommon thing when a fox
heads back in this way to an earth, if the
whipper-in gets there first, for the fox to be
killed immediately on the earth, so very nearly do
they calculate their remaining strength. This
knowledge and recollection of the fox having
passed over earths which are supposed to be
open, will be a guide for a huntsman to make a
cast, if beaten out of scent, by cold hunting back.
In the first place, it will be necessary to find
your fox, which you will best do by drawing up
wind, or he will find you, and be off, if a good
one, before you are aware of it ; and this, was
there no other, would be a sufficient reason.
Hounds naturally draw up wind to any scent or
drag of a fox, and early in the season it is of the
greatest consequence to young hounds, if, when
some are running riot, most likely down wind,
behind the huntsman, they can hear his voice,
and then a rate and a smack of the whip from
the whipper-in sends them on to him at once ;
but if the huntsman was down wind of iheniy
though they may stop at the rate, not hearing
him go at it again, they would probably be left
to run riot for the day. Even if the pack have
found and went away they would not hear it,

HUNTSMAN 7

being up wind ; but, if they were left down wind
and the pack were running, then the young
hounds must hear it, and would most probably
join the cry.

Different men have different ways of drawing
covers, but there can be no doubt that the best
way to make a pack draw well is, to go steadily
through covers with hounds, where it is possible ;
if not, then to take the best side-wind of it first.
When a cover is supposed to be drawn, a huntsman
will do well to notice whether he has got all his
hounds. If any old ones are left back, he may
depend on it there is some good cause — no doubt
a stroke of a fox or drag keeps them — and a little
patience, and even encouragement by name, may
be thought right, particularly if they happen to be
hounds that usually find, and in all packs there are
a few of that sort.

There is another method of drawing, which
cannot be thought a good one by sportsmen in
general, though it is not unusual. The huntsman
throws his hounds into a cover, through which he
cannot ride, and is obliged to keep outside. As
soon as the hounds are in, away he trots round
the outside, thinking that by getting to the oppo-
site side of the cover he will be able to draw
them through by his voice ; but the consequence
is that three parts of the pack, hearing him trot

8 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

away, turn their heads and follow outside, and are
apt to be on the watch for it ever afterwards.
Had he gone steadily on, though outside, they
would have drawn it properly. That hounds
should be apt to dread being left behind is not
much to be wondered at, considering the quickness
with which they get away after their fox.

When hounds are not in the habit of drawing
furze (in the upper countries called gorse or whins),
they will draw it best in the morning, when there
is a drag into it ; and by going round the cover
quietly they will feel it, and go well in. By going
on round it, the hounds will also find all the open
parts and more readily get in, than if the huntsman
rides up to one side only, and then tries to force
them to go in ; than which nothing has a more
disgusting effect.

In large covers it often happens that several
foxes are on foot at the same time, and there is
great difference of opinion whether, if your hoimds
are running a fox, or more than one, and another
is viewed away from the cover, you should get
your hounds off the fox they are running and take
the flyer ; or stick to the one they are running.
If sport is the object, decidedly the flyer is the
fox to give it. Another reason for adopting this
plan is that, after the season begins, the field
have a right to expect sport. But if it is necessary

HUNTSMAN 9

to rattle covers, and stay in them for the purpose
of making all the foxes fly, it should be done
before regular hunting begins, or have a by-day
for it now and then ; otherwise, a whole season
may pass without a run from this cover, for there
are foxes that never will break cover. Of course,
if no fox goes away, these must be killed if you
can. But such covers as these generally do hold
a stranger that has probably been hunted so much
in his native covers that he is on a quiet visit
only, and goes home at the first notice when he
hears the huntsman's voice. After the first of
February it should be a rule to get away with the
first fox, as you may otherwise get on a vixen ;
indeed most of the good runs are from large covers,
and generally with a dog fox.

The writer not long since met the pack belong-
ing to a noble Duke when they were drawing a
large cover. His Grace politely expressed his
regret that it was a bad cover to get away from
with hounds ; the reply was that generally the
best runs are from such covers, as the fox can get
away without being headed as they are in small
covers, when every tailor out wishes to get a
view of him. During this conversation a fox
broke away from the other side, and they got
well settled to him and after a good run killed,
which is not often the case when found in this

10 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

way ; for the fox has time to prepare himself,
and will hang about the cover until he is fit to
go, during which he is abused as a dunghill brute,
etc., but when he does go, catch him who can.
But the same fox which has beaten hounds into
fits almost, if he had been whipped up out of his
kennel in a bit of gorse, would not have stood a
burst of twenty minutes. A little observation in
the upper countries may prove the above, for if
a fox hangs about in a bit of gorse for half an
hour or so before he breaks, it takes a great deal
to kill him, though the pack were close at him
when he started. And there are foxes that can
beat any hounds, if they have time to prepare
themselves, and have a fair start.

In most covers there is a favourite quarter which
holds a fox, and the sooner that is drawn the
better ; for if it is a good scenting day and there
is a drag, the fox is aware of it, and will be off
the moment he hears the huntsman's voice ; there-
fore, as no man can tell till he has tried whether
it is a good scenting day or not, he should adopt
the safe plan and find him quickly if he can,
particularly if late in the year. A fox generally
lies where the rays of the sun can reach him during
the day, — in two-year-old coppice wood, etc. It
is worthy of notice that one cover will generally
hold a fox, when another adjoining it seldom or

HUNTSMAN 11

ever does. By the middle of the season a hunts-
man will, or ought to, know where to put his
hand on a fox (if there is one in the country), let
him be in what part he may, but to do this he
must be very observant on all occasions.

To have even spirits (not easily dejected) is also
a requisite for a huntsman, otherwise on bad
scenting seasons he will often go home without his
fox, and will be apt to feel disheartened, and that
he is never to kill another. But this will not do,
although his hounds after a continuation of it
will scarcely turn to a halloo, and it requires the
patience of Job to put up with what one hears
and sees ; for some men will say, it is all the
huntsman's fault that the hounds will not draw ;
some, it is the fault of the hounds ; others, that
they are too high fed ; others too low ; in short,
no end to complaints. But a change of scent does
come ; and the same hounds which would not
leave his horse's heels, no sooner get sight of the
cover they are to draw, than in they fly, and not
a hound is to be seen, find their fox, and turn
at a word across flints and fallows, and probably
kill every fox they find for weeks following. This
again requires evenness of spirits, else the delusive
conceit that he can kill any fox with half a scent,
will only be the cause of greater annoyance on
a return to bad scent. It is not meant that he

12 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

should feel indifferent whether he killed or not ;
for if he could go home, to bed, and to sleep,
without satisfying himself as to what became of
his fox, he would not do for some people.

It is no uncommon thing to hear men who have
nothing to do with the hounds say, " Well, never
mind ; we have had a good day's sport. He is a
good fox, and will show us another," etc. This is
all very well, but it will not do for a huntsman.
The better the run, the more anxious he will be
to kill, or run to ground ; for, without either, it
is not perfect, and may be compared to a fox
without a brush, — having the matchless beauties
combined, and yet not perfect ; for he should
always give an account of his fox if he can. And
if he wishes to have plenty, he must kill them ;
for, however strange it may appear, it is the only
way to ensure a stock in the country ; and at the
same time you secure the support and assistance
of the farmers, and those keepers who are not
maliciously disposed, when it is known that you
do kill all you can, and do not go home satisfied
by saying, '* Oh ! we have had a good run, and
he will show us another " ; then they will not kill
them. But how can it be supposed that any
farmer will like the thought of seeing the same
ground and fences ridden over constantly, owing
to one particular fox being too stout to be killed

HUNTSMAN 13

by hounds, or that there is no wish to kill him ?
or can it be the same pleasure to be always riding
the same line of country ? Therefore it is right to
kill when you can.

That a huntsman should be a bold rider is proved
by every check the hounds come to when he is
away ; for even when he is present, he will have
enough to do to prevent overriding. But, unless
he can ride at the head and see the very spot
on which they throw up, he will be puzzled to
know whom to apply to of those forward, and must
often use his own judgment ; in short, the greatest
use he can be of, when there is a good scent, is to
prevent men doing mischief. Therefore he must
have nerve to ride well up, and equal to any man
in the kingdom ; for, unless he can be forward
enough to look men in the face, and request them
to hold hard, he may ride behind and call after
them till he is hoarse, and they will not turn their
heads — probably believing that jealousy alone is
the cause, and they go the faster for it ; but if he
is in his place, none but a madman will do mischief
if requested to pull up ; even the hard riders
from the universities (that is, if they can stop
their horses) will do so. But if a huntsman feels
obliged to speak on these occasions, it should be
at them rather than to them ; thus — " Hold hard ;
pray, black horse, hold hard ! " Few men like

14 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

to be attacked by name, even when they have
done mischief, nor does a huntsman feel com-
fortable if he has been led to speak sharply in
the heat of the chase ; for, on second thoughts,
he will recollect that it was the ardour which he
most likes to see, that led them on.

It is not only right that a huntsman should
keep with his hounds in the open, but it is of the
greatest consequence for him to do so when his
hounds are running in cover ; particularly if the
fox has been hunted, and at all beaten. He must
not allow anything to make him lose the cry of
the pack, but keep within hearing at all hazards ;
for, although it sometimes appears that all is
going so well, that he may stand still and let them
come round, and that he will meet them. But
if he does this he will surely repent it, nine times
out of ten ; something is certain to happen, when
least expected ; the merest trifle may bring them
to a check, which he would have seen and got
over, had he been there ; therefore, never leave them.
If no other means, he should keep down wind
enough ; for if they divide when he does not hear
the leading hounds, he is just as likely to go away
with a fresh fox as not, and leave his beaten one
in the cover, which is the cause of so many foxes
escaping. But if he does stick to them, and never
lose the cry of the leading hound, even if only

HUNTSMAN 15

one, when they divide, he gets on with the right,
and, by cheering and the use of the horn, he may
keep to his right fox. Although the crash with
the other lot is much greater, this hound will not
leave the hunted one ; and if a whipper-in is active,
he will soon stop the others, even if there be
eighteen couple out of twenty running the fresh
fox. When an old fox has come some distance,
and is a little beaten, he turns so short in cover,
that, unless a huntsman is within hearing when
he does come up at a check, he is at a loss how
to act, and had better stand perfectly quiet, and let
the old hounds do it, or it is probable he will do
mischief by holding them either way ; besides, it
does hounds so much harm not letting them get
out of difficulties themselves — in cover particu-
larly. But had he been up at the check, or near
enough to have heard which way the leading
hound was bearing, he might have profited by
it, if they did not hit it off quickly. Here it is
where foxes beat hounds, principally owing to a
huntsman not exerting himself to the very utmost ;
but, fancying that the hounds will be sure to kill
him, they foolishly think it of no consequence,
and take it too quietly.

More foxes are lost when dead beaten than at
any other time ; and here show their superior
cunning, by the wonderful tricks they play the

16 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

hounds. For instance, when the pack is close at
him in cover, and he goes through the outside
fence of the cover only, instead of going into the
field, he drops down into the ditch, and every
hound goes over him. The pack then make a
swing outside, during which he crawls up the
bank back again into cover, and gets probably to
the other side before they cast back ; by which
time the scent, owing to the ground being stained,
gets bad, and he has probably time to get fresher,
and often steals away without being seen, as all
the men are close to the hounds, with the belief
that they will kill the next minute. But on these
occasions, if the huntsman is awake, he will always
order one of the whippers-in to remain at the
opposite side of the cover. Independent of its
being the best plan to kill a hunted fox, by sticking
to the pack and cheering them in cover, it is the
most likely means of making a fresh fox break
cover, without any wide hounds getting on him,
for it keeps the pack together, and makes any
other foxes fly. Indeed it sometimes happens
that the leading hounds kill their fox in cover,
though not often, and then join the body of the
pack, which are on a fresh one ; which, unless a
huntsman has kept his ear to, he is not aware of.
There is a wide difference of opinion, as to
whether a large pack or a small one is best in

HUNTSMAN 17

large covers, where the object is to get away
with one, or to make him fly or die. Although
foxes are apt to hang in these covers, it appears
easy to prove that the smallest pack — say seven-
teen couple — ^has the advantage in many ways ;
and is more likely to make a fox fly, or kill him,
than a pack of twenty-five or thirty couple. In
the first place, a large cover generally holds more
than one fox, often several ; therefore, as a small
pack is more likely to keep together when running
in cover than a large one, there is less chance of
changing, for it is impossible for a large pack
to keep together long, when the ground is stained.
The tail hounds have no scent to lead them on
to keep pace with the forward hounds, conse-
quently, when a little behind they cut across to
get to them when they turn, and, in doing this,
often cross the line of another fox ; when, owing
to there being so many hounds behind, they make
so great a cry, that if it happens the leading hounds
check at the time, it is ten to one but that they
join the tail hounds, which would not have been
the case if only one or two, or a few only, were
running the fresh fox, as there would not have been
such a crash. Consequently, when a fox is pressed
so much, he will often fly ; but had they once
changed, it would have been different, and he
would have stayed in cover probably ; besides

3

18 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

which, the ground is not so much stained, and
also, by sticking to one, others find it best to get
out of the way.

It often happens when a fox goes straight away
for several miles a pretty good pace, it is evident
from a sudden turn the hounds make that he is
afraid to go on, and begins to head back. If, on
occasions of this sort, he beats them out of scent
and all hunting is at an end, the best plan is to
finish with trotting back to the cover where he
was found ; most likely he will be got there, unless
you go back with the hounds too quickly, for a
fox often stops and listens when he finds he is
not pressed, and should he hear the huntsman, or
get wind of the pack on their way back, he will
bear off, or lie down, which is one reason why he
is not more easily beaten. If instead foxes were
to go on straight, best pace, they could not stand
it as they do, therefore it requires judgment in
not getting back to the cover too quickly. This
may be called, though unfairly so, lifting hounds ;
but it is not so, for it would not be done until
every other cast had been made. The question
therefore is this, if the hounds cannot hunt or
feel a scent, will you adopt this plan, or go home ?
Some may say, neither, but go and find a fresh
fox. By all means do this, if the pack have not
done much and another can be found quickly ;

HUNTSMAN 19

but in most countries it is easier said than done,
and when doubtful, it is better to give the hounds
this chance of recovering their first fox, or probably
you may draw blank till nearly dark, and when
you have found, all the men who were so very
urgent for you to give up your first and find a
fresh one, have left you to hunt alone, although
you did it to oblige them, as your hounds had
done a good day's work, instead of killing your
first by perseverance. Besides, the recovery of a
good fox in a brilliant run makes a good finish,
and is enjoyed much more by every one than
finding a second when horses are half tired. There
is little chance of doing much with an afternoon
fox, when the mettle is taken out of your pack
in the morning ; and a huntsman must take care
not to beat his pack too often, or a repetition will
make any pack slack.

When a huntsman is requested to draw for a
second fox late in the day, it would be a fair
question to put, *' Gentlemen, we have had hard
work lately, and have some distance home ; but if
I do find, will you promise not to leave me till it
is finished ? "

It is no uncommon thing to hear it said that
halloos do more harm than good. This in some
measure is quite true, and at times they are a great
nuisance ; but there are times when a man would

20 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

give half he is worth for one, and then, when it is
so valuable, few men have coolness enough to take
the best means of profiting by it, by riding with
his hounds up to the spot, and coolly, distinctly,
and most deliberately inquiring where the fox was
seen — the identical spot, if possible — which way
he was going, where he came from, and how long
since ? For obvious reasons, the person who halloos
is over-anxious to tell his tale, and if hurried will
point out so-and-so, scarcely knowing what he is
about. Besides this gives the hounds time to
get their wind, and put their noses down, instead
of flying beyond the scent, or taking the scent-
heel ; and if the time does not agree, which is
often the case, though the question is not even
asked, the huntsman can then leave it, and return ;
for by going off with the scent at once, he would
be getting on one, either fresher or staler than
that he was hunting. It must be a very young
hand who has not found out this, but old heads
forget it.

Also when a huntsman takes his hounds to a
halloo, where a fox has crossed a ride in cover,
he should, on ascertaining the spot, pull up ten
or twelve paces before he gets to it, the hounds
being at his horse's heels, and by turning his
horse's head out of the road the same way the
fox went, he will get them in on the side he wished ;

Q

w

HUNTSMAN 21

but had he ridden on quite to the spot, they were
just as Ukely to take it heel as not, and more so,
if the fox was going down wind. Simple as this
plan is, many runs have been lost by not adopting
it, for they may have taken the scent-heel through
the whole side of the cover.

Much cheering and hallooing to hounds by a
huntsman is generally disapproved of, but in large
woodlands it keeps hounds together ; sometimes
it makes your hunted fox fly, and also is the cause
of other foxes breaking another day, for they
recollect it, and having got well off before, try it
again. Few men have lungs to stand it, nor
would they do it from choice, but the fact that
hounds will come to a good shrill view-halloo
quicker than to any horn in the world is beyond
a doubt. Such is the effect of a real good cheer
on hounds, that they actually jump round, so
excited can they be made by it. Not so with a
horn ; it is true they will come to it, which is
enough. If it is used frequently, it is thought by
some to lose its effect on hounds. But in bad
scenting countries, when it is necessary to cheer
hounds a great deal to get them together, and to
make them draw or hunt, the more assistance a
man can get from his horn the better, for his voice
cannot last if his constitution does ; therefore
he had better even use his horn occasionally in

22 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

drawing to get hounds on, and to let them know
where he is. It will also assist in moving a fox.
By this method he will have voice left to halloo
and cheer when they have found. This is only
necessary in bad scenting countries, but in a good
one no fear but all men have voice enough, and
lucky indeed are they who do not require it, for
it is mere play in comparison. Few men who
hunt hounds in the north, know what a bad scent-
ing country is. Let them ask Tom Sebright, one
of the best, who now hunts Lord Fitzwilliam's
hounds ; as he once hunted part of Hampshire,
the Hambledon country, half a season with Mr.
Osbaldiston's hounds, he well knows the difference
it made both to himself and his hounds, — so much
so that no money would have kept him there,
even had the hounds remained ; for what is called
in these lower countries a fair holding scent, in
the upper countries they would call insufferable,
and whip off and find a fresh fox. But if the
same scent was to be always given up in the other
cold-scenting country, they would not kill a fox
in a month, and hounds might also as well be
given up altogether.

Huntsmen are apt to think that their hunted fox
must be more beaten than is the case, and often
hang about at a check, trying every hedgerow,
and expecting to see the hounds lay hold of him ;

HUNTSMAN 23

but it would be wiser, instead of dwelling so long,
if they first made all their forward casts com-
pletely, and then came back. It certainly is no
uncommon thing for a fox to lie down and be left
behind altogether ; and it has often happened that
he has been found lying in a ditch, or some odd
place, on the return of the hounds. But had he
gone on during the time they were ferreting out
all these places, it would probably be of little use
afterwards if the hounds did hit off the scent.

It is no uncommon thing for a good fox, on
his being first found, to go up wind for a mile
or two, and then head short down wind, and
never turn again. Probably instinct tells him
that hounds will go such a pace up wind, that
they will be a little blown, and that the change of
scent down wind creates a slight check, which
gives him the advantage.

Few things are so necessary for a huntsman to
acquire as a thorough knowledge of the country
he hunts. For to make a good cast when in
difficulties, he should have a map of the country
in his head. Unless he always knows the exact
situation of the covers near during the chase, he
cannot be prepared off-hand to make a proper
cast, so as to take the narrowest parts between
the covers ; indeed he should be able to point
with his hand direct to any cover named, let him

24 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

be where he will, even if in the middle of a wood.
It is truly remarkable how very few men appear
to have thought this necessary.

These observations relating to huntsmen will
nearly finish with one of the greatest consequence,
which, though often unattended to, should be
so most strictly, on the principle that whatever is
worth doing at all is worth doing well. There is
nothing more disheartening to a field of sportsmen,
than for a huntsman or master of hounds to trifle
with them— pretending to draw for a fox, when
it is evident that they do not intend to let the
hounds find one if they can help it — by taking
them through the parts of a cover quickly where
there is no lying, although there is plenty on the
other side, which they avoid, knowing it would
be a certain find if they would let the hounds
draw it ; or probably missing other sure places,
and drawing unlikely ones, until their time is spun
out that they may go home. This is an unpar-
donable trick. Why not at once say, We will go
home, gentlemen ? If this conduct proceeds from
slackness in a huntsman, it is high time he should
be drafted — his day is gone by. But, if there is
any reason for his not wishing to find again, let
him say so, and people will be satisfied, and
go home without being disgusted. This seldom
happens with men who hunt their own hounds,

HUNTSMAN 25

and it makes up for many deficiencies when men
know that if sport is to be got, he will try^ at all
events ; but every huntsman who has any head
knows pretty well by the middle of the season
where to put his hand on a fox (if there is one
in the country), unless by accident it has been
moved. If not, he is not half a huntsman.

Huntsmen, and men who keep hounds, are very
apt to express themselves warmly on discovering
that a fox has been injured, or if they think there
has been an attempt to poison one, owing to his
being mangy. But, if possible, they had better
not express their thoughts, unless they can prove
it and bring it home to the man, for nothing pro-
vokes a gentleman so much who does not hunt
as to have it even hinted that his servants destroy
foxes. It is a sort of reflection on a man's dignity
to suppose that his servants would commit an
act of this sort contrary to the master's wish. If
there are grounds for suspicion, they had better
not be stated openly, but represented by the
master of the hounds, or some intimate friend of
the gentleman, to whom every act of courtesy is
due. Depend upon it, it is a mistaken notion
that any man can be bullied into a thing of this
sort ; for although he may apparently give way
to the wishes of numbers, yet no man forgets that
he has been treated harshly.

26 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

Deer are often the cause of much trouble to a
huntsman with a pack of fox-hounds, and although
he may flatter himself that he has got the steadiest
pack possible, the most trifling accident may make
them otherwise. And young hounds cannot be
taken too often amongst deer during the summer
before they are entered, and they should not be
taken out to exercise with the old hounds till just
before cub-hunting, if they are at all before that
begins, by which time they ought to be tolerably
handy and thoroughly used to see riot. But the
following account of an accident with the writer's
pack will probably be sufficient to make others
more cautious. At the end of the summer in the
month of August, when the writer was from home,
his men, to save trouble, unknown to him took
out the young hounds with the old ones to exercise,
and were passing through a park full of deer,
where they had constantly been all the summer
without having shown the slightest sign of riot.
On going through some fern a young hare jumped
up, and some of the young hounds took after
her, directly into a herd of deer. The men foolishly
rode after them, rating them at the same time.
This set the deer running, and with them the
young hounds, and by hallooing to them some of
the two- and three-year hunters broke away. This
caused them to halloo more, so that at last the

HUNTSMAN 27

whole pack joined, but fortunately did not pull
one down before they were got away. The writer,
on hearing of it, came home, took them out cub-
hunting earlier than usual ; and on the first day,
having killed a brace of cubs after running six hours
incessantly, ventured to take them amongst the
deer. At first they were quiet, but at length a
young hound broke away, and shortly afterwards
two-thirds of the pack. They were with difficulty
stopped, then tied up to the park pales and flogged,
about fifty in a row, till all hands were tired. A
few days after all the most vicious were taken
there by themselves in couples, or rather three
together ; but this was of no use, they soon broke
away and were punished. This continued for six
weeks from daybreak till the afternoon, by which
time every hound was perfectly steady. Amongst
other plans, a deer was constantly put in the
kennel for several hours every day, and if a hound
looked at it, he was rated or punished. A few of
the very worst were drafted, but the pack was
never steadier than during the season after it ;
and although great part of the cub-hunting was
lost, they killed more foxes than any other season
that the writer kept hounds. This trouble was
bad enough, but it was still worse to be told on
all sides at the time that it would be impossible
ever to break them, or to hunt the forest or where

28 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

deer were again. By many this would have been
beUeved, but having fortunately heard it stated
by one of the best sportsmen some years before,
that he used to hunt with Mr. Land, who kept
hounds at Hambledon, and hunted the forest of
Brere just before it was enclosed, and whose hounds
used to hunt both deer and fox at different seasons
of the year — ^that is, the deer during the summer,
and fox during the winter — in the same forest ;
and the writer has since been credibly informed
from others in that country that, after a week
or fortnight hunting fox, they were as steady to
fox as if they had never hunted deer, which were
now constantly crossing them. But it is fair and
right to add, that in those days this gentleman did
not enter so many young hounds, and these were
not entered till the fox-hunting season began, and of
course, did not hunt deer till the following summer.
The following is a sketch of a general cast, made
by the writer for many years. Although the
principle of it, at starting, is startling, yet few
succeed better, namely, that of first holding the
hounds the way he does not think the fox is gone.
Thus, when at a check and the pack have made
their own swing, he then holds them round to
the right or left, whichever is most up wind,
consequently this side would have been the most
unlikely, for they probably would not have checked

T, Smith Escj., del.

^^^

^?^-^\^

SKETCH OF A CAST

JJi.^

HUNTSMAN 29

at first had it been right, owing to its being rather
up wind ; when, if it does happen to be right,
they hit it off directly, so that it takes scarcely a
minute to hold them round back, behind the spot
where they checked, about a hundred yards or so.
He then turns and takes a little wider circle back,
round in front all the way, to the left the same
distance, till he reaches or nearly so, the line he
came to behind the check at first. Now having
ascertained for certain that his fox is not gone
back, or short to the right or left, he can with
confidence begin a wider cast than he would have
ventured to make otherwise, owing to a fear that
the fox had headed back, or to the right or left.
The wide cast he commences on the left from
behind, progressing according to his judgment,
and selecting the best scenting-ground forward
beyond any fallow or bad scenting-ground. As he
now knows that the fox must be gone on, this
cast is continued all round in front, and to the
right, till he again reaches the line behind. He
then takes a wider cast either way, and is guided
by circumstances ; but nineteen times out of
twenty this last is not required, except the fo^
is headed some distance back, and the steam
stain of the horses prevents the hounds feeling
the scent, the quick first cast back. If there is
no wind to guide him, there may be a cover to

30 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

which the fox is gone, on the left ; but still he holds
them first the unlikely side.

Sheep are often great enemies to fox-hunting,
more particularly in the upper, or rather the grass
countries ; but if a huntsman keeps his eyes open,
this obstacle to sport can be much lessened. For
if a fox crosses a field in which sheep are, as they
are quick-sighted and timid, they invariably show
by the situation of some of them that they have
been frightened ; and some will be seen in a line
with their heads all the same way, or they will
form a line all across the field, with their heads
in an opposite direction to the part where the fox
passed, which part will be clear of sheep. But it
also sometimes happens that young sheep, after a
fox has gone by, follow his line to the spot where
he went through the fence. It should also be
borne in mind that a fox is not likely to be headed
by sheep, as he is in the constant habit of crossing
through sheep at night, which is proved by the
tracks in snow. Consequently, a huntsman will
do well, generally, to hold his hounds on beyond
the sheep as soon as they have made their own
swing ; nor deviate from this, even when there is
a good scent, for on these days the scent of the
sheep and cattle is equally stronger, — one cause for
the assertion that the scent in these countries is
overrated.

HUNTSMAN 81

In order to remove the obstruction (that of
sheep), in Leicestershire a plan has been proposed,
which, if adopted, may be of some avail — namely,
to raise a fund for the purpose of paying the
farmers who are willing to allow their shepherds
to pen their sheep in a corner, or part of a field,
instead of being spread all over it, from about
half-past eleven till three or four o'clock, for a
certain distance round the place of meeting. Few
remedies are without objections ; and to this there
may be some. In the first place, the shepherds
who are to do this will probably have dogs ; at
all events they will be about, where before they
were not, and will be looking out for the fox, etc.
Where shepherds have dogs it is found to be a
great nuisance ; so much so, that a celebrated
sportsman in the south has, it is said, adopted the
plan of paying the shepherds a certain sum every
day the hounds meet near, to keep their dogs
fastened up, — this being a very open country,
where dogs are of great use to the shepherds.

Blank days will seldom happen if a country is
hunted regularly and without partiality. It is
the too frequently hunting favourite covers, and
neglecting to hunt the outskirts, which is one
cause of blank days. The foxes go where they
are quietest ; and the consequence is they are
unfairly destroyed, on the plea that it is no use

32 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

to keep foxes if they are not hunted. And to
ensure sport, a man must be very judicious in
making his appointments, so as not to draw the
same cover too often, although pretty sure of
finding. And it is best not to name the fixtures
until the end of the week, for the week following,
as it is impossible to say which covers will not
be disturbed. And few, besides large-holding
covers, will bear drawing oftener than once in three
weeks, to be a tolerably sure find. And that
country, also, generally shows the best sport where
the outskirts are fairly hunted, equally with the
best parts of it, without regard to distance, because
the foxes go straighter, and vary the line of the
runs. The wildest and best will go where they
can be most quiet, which is generally in the most
distant covers, and, when found, go back into the
best country.

But there are stout foxes which will not leave
the covers they are used to, beyond a few days ;
and constantly run the same line when found.
Such require extraordinary methods to beat them ;
and the following account of a run may be a
useful hint.

An old fox had been found several times by
the pack belonging to the present writer, and as
invariably run a ring of about three miles, taking
a roimd of small covers ; by which he generally

HUNTSMAN 33

moved other foxes, and saved himself. AppHcation
was made late in the season to try one more day
for this fox, as he was suspected of doing mischief
amongst game. He was found, as usual, and run
the same ring twice. When running it the third
time, the hounds were stopped, and quietly walked
back, to the surprise of a large field of sportsmen ;
on reaching an open part, as was expected, the
hunted fox was seen coming the same line as
before, directly towards the hounds, which got a
view, and so astonished him, that he went straight
away, and was killed twelve miles (as the crow
flies) from where he was found.

When hounds have a long distance to cover,
beyond ten or twelve miles, it is advisable to send
them on overnight ; on which occasions, the next
day, they certainly show themselves to greater
advantage, as they are more light, lively, and
fitter to go, than when only a short time out of
the kennel, or when turned out of an omnibus.

It is a disadvantage to a pack not hunting four
days a week, because, when they hunt only three,
— ^there are many hounds which seldom hunt two
days together, — they do not get acquainted with
each other's tongues to have that confidence which
generally makes them fly together at once, but
will stop and listen to the stranger, till they hear
hounds they know to be true.

4

34 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

Cub-Hunting

It is a mistake to put off cub-hunting till late in
the autumn, when the intention of it is to reserve
the foxes till the season begins, particularly in
game countries. Some men are content to let a
whipper-in go round with the keeper to be shown
a litter of cubs, which being done, they have a
present made ; but it is a great chance if the cubs
are ever seen afterwards. The hounds had better
go once round to every doubtful litter, as early
as they possibly can for the corn, — and even
before it is cut, if a whipper-in by standing on
that side can keep them back out of the corn.
Few men are half sufficiently aware of the great
necessity of moving foxes that are known of, by
a day's cub-hunting. They are not easily found
by fox-takers afterwards, or by keepers, for they
beat out from home after they have travelled a
little in consequence of being disturbed, etc.

It is necessary in the hot weather in September
to go out cub-hunting as soon as it is light, and if
it can be over by eight or nine o'clock so much
the better. By way of change the writer has tried
it in the afternoon instead, leaving the kennel
probably at four o'clock, and commencing about
five or six in the evening, which makes it a more
agreeable job than getting up in the middle of

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HUNTSMAN 35

the night. The cubs are by that time moving,
and soon found ; and the longer you run the
cooler it is, instead of getting broiled with heat
at nine or ten in the morning. The result was,
the cubs took more time to kill than in the
morning ; probably owing to their being more fit
to run, being lighter. But the later it was, the
cooler it was also ; and, consequently, the hounds
were never so much distressed as in the heat of
the morning, which increased as the hounds got
tired. Yet however agreeable it may be, it is not
so much like business as in the morning ; the men
have a great deal to do afterwards, and it dis-
arranges the establishment. Still it is a more
gentlemanlike hour for a man who hunts his own
hounds ; and on a quiet evening nothing can
exceed the pleasurable feeling it creates. One of
the greatest objections to it is, that many men
are induced to ride out at that time with the
hounds, who would not early in the morning ;
and nothing is more annoying to a huntsman than
having strange horses in the rides when the young
hounds first enter, and the pack are running in
cover. It cuts them off and prevents their getting
about with the huntsman, and they get ridden
over, either owing to their own awkwardness or
that of the horse or rider. Therefore it is best
not to make known when they are going ; at all

36 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

events, unless those who do go out, go with the
understanding that they are not to expect sport,
or get in the way of the hounds. They will be apt
to urge a huntsman to have a gallop, which would
be as childish in him to do, as for them to ask
of him ; for probably if he did he would lose half
his young hounds, and all the benefit to them of
cub-hunting. Although the writer is not aware
that this plan has ever been adopted by any other
person, he is bold enough to assert that it is a good
one, and beyond all doubt most agreeable.

CHAPTER II

WHIPPER-IN

O be a whipper-in
requires both a good
eye and a good ear ;
but the greatest quah-
fication for one is that
he should be free from conceit, so that he
will consider it right to obey the huntsman most
implicitly, whether he thinks him right or wrong,
and not hesitate, but at once and instantly do
what is required ; then he does his duty, but not
till then. Even if he has reason to know that
what the huntsman is going to do is wrong, in
making a cast, etc., and that he could put him
right, he will gain his point sooner by more
quickly turning the hounds to him, with this sort
of feeling in his own mind, " Try your own way
as quickly as you can, and then try mine " ; for
what is the use of his thinking, when the hounds
are going with the huntsman ?

37

88 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

It is necessary that a whipper-in should be
naturally fond of the sport, so that his heart and
soul are in it. Even men who hunt with hounds,
if they are really fond of it, cannot help occa-
sionally showing a wish to assist and whip in.
And men who have hunted their own hounds
have often felt a wish to become whippers-in,
knowing, as they do, that it is possible for a good
whipper-in to do more towards the sport on most
days than the huntsman. The thing is, to find a
man who does not wish to save himself; and if
he is really fond of it, he never will. This point
found out, decides whether he keeps his place
or not ; for they are apt to take it too quietly,
forgetting that the first exertion may save
their lungs, their limbs, and body, during the
whole season afterwards. Indeed, some say that a
whipper-in is not worth keeping if, after a hound
has thrown his tongue twice in cover or riot, he
does not instantly get to him, through bushes or
what not, either on or off his horse, and correct
the hound on the spot — if possible get hold of
him by the tail, and lay the whip along his side,
rating him by name at the same time. He will
be so frightened as well as hurt, that he will not
readily forget it ; and the rest of the pack will
recollect it also, and know the rate, and that it
does not go for nothing, and fly at a word : thus —

WHIPPER-IN 39

" Ga-a-t away ! Des-pe-rate ! ga-a-t away, ga-a-t
away ! you-on, you-on ! cup, cup ! " But instead
of this, when the hounds are running riot, they
are often desperately exerting themselves by stand-
ing up in their stirrups and bawling, " War hare,
war hare ! get on there ! get away ! " which,
besides being of no use, the young hounds get so
used to hear it, that they take no notice of it ;
and at a distance, say the other side of the cover,
is mistaken by men and hounds, too, for a view-
halloo. Hounds are often seen listening to it,
and men even often call out, " Hark ! halloo ! "
And when these clever fellows fancy they know
the hounds that were guilty of riot, and see them
in the open probably half an hour afterwards,
they ride at them, intending to cut them in two
almost, when they either hit or ride over some
other hound ; and even when they hit the right,
the hound does not know what it was for. But
one often sees another foolish thing done. When
hounds are at a check or cold-hunting, a whipper-in
has not till then been able to get at a hound which
has been running riot, and takes the opportunity
to give him a cut ; the consequence is, that the
cry of this hound will instantly make the hunting
hounds throw up their heads toward it, and often
they do not get their noses down again in a hurry.
Indeed, some sly old hounds will drop their sterns.

40 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

give a sniff as much as to say, " Fool, hunt it
yourself ! "

It is a good plan when any particular hound or
hounds are fond of riot— such as deer or hare— on
approaching near the spot where either of these
are likely to jump up, for one of the whips to
get off his horse slyly, and walk by the side, then
when he sees the hound prick up his ears, or show
the least inclination to take notice of either riot,
to give him a proper good stroke with his whip,
or probably he may be off after the deer or hare,
and lead away the whole pack.

Nothing is more common, when a view-halloo
is heard, than to hear the whipper-in, when sitting
quietly on his horse, calling out, " Hark, halloo !
hark, halloo ! " instead of instantly getting to
the hounds, which are probably hanging on some
stale scent or up wind, and then rating sharply
with, " Hark, halloo ! get away ! get away ! "
with a smack of his whip ; and this is done in a
tenth part of the time — indeed much less generally ;
besides the service he has done this way. Had
he stopped away at a distance and hallooed, he
would have prevented the hounds hearing the
halloo, and would be doing actual mischief.

But a whipper-in has often opportunities of
assisting in getting hounds to a halloo when
getting to them, without rating, which would be

WHIPPER-IN 41

of no use. It is when a halloo is heard down
wind, and the hounds cannot hear it. If the
huntsman is not there, he had better cap them
on, till they are within hearing of the halloo, then
pull up, and let them pass with a " Hark, halloo ! "
But some men will ride back to the hounds, and,
forgetting that they cannot hear it, begin rating
and smacking their whips to no purpose ; except
that it makes it still more difficult for the hounds
to hear the halloo.

If a halloo is heard at a distance by the whipper-
in, and neither the huntsman nor hounds hear it,
when at a check, he had better get half-way
between the halloo and the hounds, and then
halloo himself, till the hounds or huntsman come ;
for if he went all the way to the halloo there
would be the same chance of his not being heard
also.

If a whipper-in views a fox, on the opposite side
of the cover to the huntsman or not, he should
most distinctly halloo — either " Tally-ho back," or
" Tally-ho away " — to let the huntsman and field
know which it is, instead of merely hallooing
" Tally-ho," which is often the case.

As soon as, or before, if possible, hounds are
thrown into a large cover, to draw it, one whipper-
in should clap on down wind as fast as he can, in
case a good fox steals away, as the first that goes

42 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

is generally the best. But if only one whip, this
one will be better employed the early part of the
season (till Christmas) in keeping near the hounds,
as the young ones will be apt to run riot, and until
this time two whips are better than one. But
if they have been active up to this time, one
whipper-in the remainder of the season is generally
all that is required. The surest way to get a run
before December is to take every method to get
away with the first fox that breaks cover. When
in the chase, and the hounds are going through
a large cover, if there are two whips out, the first
should not follow the huntsman if there is another
ride equally likely, or nearly so ; the other whip
should go the line the huntsman does, in case of
accidents.

A whipper-in should not ride as if he was riding
for amusement or credit, but should have his eye
to the hounds without distressing his horse, which
is a great recommendation to every master of
hounds. The greatest fools generally ride the
hardest ; the proof of their being so, is that they
forget they must go on till night, but men who
hunt with hounds only can go home when they
please. A proof of a clever whipper-in is, that
he is always up at a check, without ever being
seen in front except by accident, and no one else
there ; but it is his duty to hold in, and by that

WHIPPER-IN 43

means he has always something left in his horse
when others are beaten. There are whippers-in
now going who are never seen in a quick thing,
and yet are never missed, because they are always
up when wanted. Who looks for a whipper-in,
except then ? He does not hunt the fox. And
if he has a good eye and ear, with a knowledge
of the country, by keeping within sight, or hearing,
takes advantage of every turn of the hounds,
and saves much distance and severe ground. Nor
is it fair to abuse a whipper-in for not being with
hounds on all occasions, particularly when the
huntsman is very quick ; for there are some who
handle their hounds, and get about so quickly,
that if the whip had only to follow him without
looking after a hound, he would have enough to
do to keep with him. In short, with a quick
huntsman, if this allowance was not made, even
a real good whip would soon lose his character in
the opinion of many who do not understand it,
which makes it desirable to have a second whip
in countries where appearances are much con-
sidered ; though, as before stated, a second whip
is rarely wanted after Christmas, for when the
scent is so good as to run clean away from a good
whip, who has stopped, probably, merely to turn
a hound, he is not wanted until a check, and by
that time he is up.

44 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

The great use of two whips is when hounds
divide and one lot goes away, then the first should
stop back and bring on the other lot as soon as he
can, the nearest way. The second whip should go
on, and keep within sight of the huntsman, to be
at his command to turn the hounds to him, etc.

If hounds are running a fox through, or in a
small cover near a large one, the whip should clap
back between the two covers to prevent the fox
from going into the large one, and should stop
there till the hounds have gone on ; and, if it is
early in the season, what riot there is will be the
side next the large cover, and will probably cross
into it, and he will be there to stop a young
hound.

When a whipper-in is behind, bringing on hounds
in the chase, he should be careful not to halloo
them on when passing a cover, but get them on
quietly, by capping, if necessary, or he will move
a fresh fox. He will do well to stop and listen
occasionally, to ascertain which way the pack is
bearing ; and by noticing the hounds that are with
him, he will often discover it, although he himself
could not hear the cry, and by so doing he will
frequently save much distance and hard riding.

It is a good old fashion for a whipper-in to have
a stirrup leather buckled across his shoulder, in
case of accidents ; and always to have a pair of

WHIPPER-IN 45

couples to his saddle. Also, to carry a lancet, and
a bottle of sharp water, for cuts and overreaches,
to be applied as soon as seen, viz.,

Eight drops of oil of thyme.
Ten drops of oil of vitriol.
One ounce of spirits of wine.

It is a good plan to have a feather stuck into the
cork of the phial, with the light end of the feather
downwards ; it is then always ready to be used,
and there is not the chance of losing the contents
when using it. The writer has made use of this
receipt for many years with the greatest success,
in overreaches particularly, which (if it is applied
immediately, and three or four times a day) will
become dry, a crust will form over the injured
part, and it will not prevent the horse from working.
Every stable should have a bottle of it ready.

CHAPTER III

SPORTSMAN

"^ rA

Better to hunt the fields for health imbought,
Than fee the doctor for a nauseous draught

LL men who are fox-hunters are
not sportsmen ; and that
^■'%'^^W^^'^'l7^r\ ' some even wish not to be
thought so, the following anec-
dote may prove. In the year
182 — the writer was staying
at Melton during the season,
with only a short stud of hunters
and a hack of his own, besides
what he hired. As may be sup-
posed, he never thought of seeing a second run
with the hounds the same day. On one occasion,
having seen a good fox killed, he merely stopped
to see the second found, and then went home.
Some time during the afternoon he met two
men, well known in the hunt, who had gone the
second run, and inquired of them if they had

46

SPORTSMAN 47

killed their second fox ; but neither of them
knew, although they came home part of the way
with the hounds. This was mentioned to the
master of the pack next day, and the reply
was : " You may not be aware of it, but many
men here would consider it an insult to be sup-
posed to know anything about it. Had you
asked them who had gone best during the run,
you would have had a story as long as your
arm." He then told the fact, that the second
fox was killed.

Another circumstance, amongst many others,
occurred at the close of the season 183 — , con-
firming the assertion that the pleasure of many
men of the present day consists only in riding. A
party after dinner were discussing, not the merits
of one of the best runs of the season, but a point
now of greater consequence, the merits of the
horses, etc. The question was asked. Who had
the best of it ? Some man's name was given, and
also the name of the second best ; on which a
man, who had been attentively listening, and who
had been with the hounds on the day in question,
immediately exclaimed, " Then by G — d I'll sell
my horses, and give it up ; for I'll swear that I
had the best of it throughout that run ! " etc.
And he actually did send his twelve hunters to
Tattersall's shortly afterwards, and they were sold.

48 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

It is fair to add that this gentleman was oftener
first than any other man throughout the run
alluded to.

According to the above, enough has been said
to prove that many men do not care about hunt-
ing ; but the present rage for steeple-chases will
give those men an opportunity of distinguishing
themselves by desperate riding ; and when they
learn that they are outdone by horse-dealers,
grooms, etc., it is probable that they may think
more of the hunting part of the day's sport. These
hints are written with the hope that already some
young ones may be coming on to whom they may
be useful.

First, it is necessary to go to the place of meet-
ing ; and in doing this it is suggested that men
should avoid passing through a cover which is
likely to be drawn that day, for a good fox is
always awake, and on hearing horses near, will
often leave his kennel and steal away. The con-
sequence is that a good day's sport is converted
into a bad one ; for on drawing this cover, the
hounds get on the stale scent of this fox which
is gone, and hunt a walking pace for some time,
probably over a fine country, instead of going
away on good terms with him ; and they may
afterwards find a bad fox when they ought to be
going home.

2

<

" I

i-M ^

ISO

o

SPORTSMAN 49

On arriving at the place of meeting, men had
better say all they have to say to the master of the
hounds, or to the huntsman ; for if they attempt it
after they have thrown off, they may fancy they
have not been treated with common civility.
Nothing is more annoying than for either of these,
particularly the huntsman, to feel obliged to answer
questions of any sort after throwing off ; for
although he may appear not to have anything
on his mind, he either is, or ought to be, thinking
how to show a good day's sport. For instance, he
has just drawn a cover blank, and is waiting for a
hound or two left back, or some other cause, and
appears then to be at leisure to talk or answer
questions : not so, his mind is, or ought to be,
occupied in thinking which is the next cover likely,
which the best way to it, so as to get the wind,
and at the same time to enable him to get to the
best laying in it for his fox ; or he may be considering
how such or such a hound behaves, whether fond
of riot, or what not ; or waiting to give some order
to the whipper-in. No huntsman is free to think
of anything else ; and therefore, when any person
asks him a question, he must not be surprised
if he does not get a correct answer. Nothing is
more often done, or more unfair, than to ask him
where he is going to next after drawing one cover,
for many circumstances may occur to induce him

5

50 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

to change. After having told some person, for
instance, just as he arrives at the cover-side he
hears that some people are shooting, or have been
that day with all sorts of dogs, or he may draw
a hedgerow, or a small cover in his way, which
he did not think worth speaking of; and if the
person told has told others, and they have gone on,
and afterwards find that the hounds have slipped
away with their fox, they blame the huntsman.
Therefore men had better depend entirely on
themselves, and never lose sight of the hounds
either before they have found or afterwards, if
they can keep near enough, particularly in windy
weather ; for this is the only sure and safe plan.
Many men go great distances to cover, and, owing
to not attending to it, frequently lose the best of
the run at first, and have to distress their horses
beyond recovery in getting up to the hounds, and
cannot enjoy what little remains of the run, and
often are not lucky enough to get up at all. And
there are days, though unfortunately not frequent,
that as soon as hounds are thrown into cover
they find, and get together like magic, and away
without scarcely a hound throwing tongue ; when,
even if a man is present, it is ten to one (if the
cover is a large one) against his getting away
well with them, unless he adopts the plan of trying
never to lose sight of them. It is true the loss

SPORTSMAN 51

of a run of this sort ought to be a caution, for
it is owing to a burning scent that there is scarcely
any cry — it is the pace which stops the music.

If hounds are drawing a large cover, and cannot
be seen, never let them get out of hearing. To
prevent which, the only certain way is to keep
down wind, and the huntsman must be heard ;
this plan should be adopted, even if it is much
farther round. It is not here meant that a man
should gallop off all round a cover down wind,
but get on steadily opposite the hounds ; or by
getting too forward, he might head back a fox,
and thereby be the cause of a bad run instead
of a good one. Had the men stood still when
down wind, or out of sight, a good fox might have
gone away, and the first which breaks cover is
likely to be the best ; but he being headed, owing
to thoughtless riders, the hounds may change to
a bad one, and run the cover for hours until he is
killed. If these men only knew how much they
were abused for not attending to this, and would
recollect the difference of a good run and a bad
one, they would act differently.

If it happens that a man views a fox breaking
cover, he should not halloo until he is got away
some distance, nearly, or quite across, a good-sized
field ; for if he halloos too soon the fox will head
back into cover. The following plan will save

52 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

much trouble. If the fox is gone away, to halloo
" Tally-ho away ! " or, " Tally-ho, awawoy I " this
being more easy to halloo loudly. If the fox heads
back into cover, halloo " Tally-ho back ! " or
" boick ! " the halloo to be distinctly given, in
order that the huntsman and the men on the other
side of the cover should know whether the fox
is gone away or headed back. But if he only
halloos " Tally-ho ! " which is too commonly the
case, the huntsman and the rest of the field suppose
that he (the fox) is gone away, and gallop round
the cover, some one way and some another, to the
halloo. When they get there, they find the fox
is gone back ; the consequence of which is, not
only that they have ridden their horses for nothing,
but that, in coming round, they have probably
headed the fox again ; when had they stood still
on hearing that the halloo was back, the fox would
have gone away at some other point. Some foxes
that would fly at first get shy and frightened by
hallooing, and though stout and equal to any,
never leave the cover alive ; and if a gentleman
has headed him back, he has the blessing of the
whole field.

Or, if a man sees a fox cross a ride in cover,
if he halloos at all, which he ought to do if the
hounds are at check, it should be, " Tally-ho, yoi
over ! " which is sufficient to let the huntsman

SPORTSMAN 53

know that the fox has crossed the ride. And
when a man has viewed a fox and has given a
view-halloo, he had better remain perfectly quiet,
and not try to get another view elsewhere ; all
he gets for his pains is that he is accused of trying
to prevent a fox breaking cover ; and certain it
is, that though he may not try to do it, he by
this does all he can to prevent it, and gets blamed
accordingly for having probably spoiled a good
day's sport.

A man's love of hunting, independent of riding,
has been estimated, though unfairly, at times by
simply remarking his having no thong to his
whip. Although it may be unjust to say that
such men are not sportsmen, yet, as it happens
to every man some time during a season to see
a fox break cover and head back, while he is the
only person there or near at the time, if he should
not have a thong to his whip he has no means
of stopping the pack, which come out of cover,
and flash half, or probably all the way, across the
field, when, had he had a whip to smack, he could
have turned them back at once, and have pre-
vented the fox from gaining probably half an
hour's advantage, by slipping away on the other
side of the cover. When men see that their own
sport may be injured by this fashion, it does
appear most strange that it should have been

54 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

adopted, much more continued, unless it really is
to show their indifference to the sport ; bringing
with it, as it does, the chance of running over
many a hound which may happen to be in the
way of their horses ; and, after having ridden
over it, they will call out, " Ware horse ! " when,
in fact, it ought to have been, " Ware hound ! "
and the hound is ruined, because the gentleman
did not choose to ride with a hunting-whip.

It sometimes happens that a hound in the chase
crosses a horse in his gallop, or slips through a
fence, and under a horse when taking a jump,
and the hound is killed. This certainly may be
called an accident. The owner and huntsman, of
course, are much annoyed and irate at the moment ;
but they cannot blame a man for it as in the other
case, when a smack of a whip would have saved
it, but well knowing, as they must do, that it was
done in the ardour of the chase ; and many masters
would rather witness such accidents occasionally
than see men hunting without that ardent feeling
for sport. Deprive fox-hunting of that intoxicating
sensation, and it becomes wretchedly spiritless,
and men may as well hunt a tame rabbit round
a drawing-room, with the dread of being called to
order for fear of breaking the crockery. No !
Fox-hunting is no longer what it should be, when
men ride in dread of being overhauled or abused

SPORTSMAN 55

by a master or a huntsman, who cannot himself
ride at the head ; for when he is there (in his place)
and can look the men in the face, he is sure to be
obeyed at a word ; and it is difficult, or impossible,
to instil into men who do not understand hunting,
or scarcely even when hounds are at a check, the
exact distance they ought to keep from hounds.

It often happens that young men are observed
to take every opportunity of giving their horses a
gallop before the hounds have found their fox ;
and indeed it often happens that their horses are
more than half beaten before that time, although
others at the same time are perfectly fresh after
the hounds have been drawing several hours. Not
long since, a young man from one of the univer-
sities amused a party who overheard him asking
the whipper-in to follow him over a gate merely
for amusement, whilst the hounds were drawing
in a contrary direction ; but he had that pleasure
to himself. The hounds shortly afterwards found
and had a good run. This gentleman went well
for five or ten minutes, but was not seen or heard
of afterwards that day ; his horse was beaten
before the fox was found.

There is an old saying that, " It is a bad wind
that blows no good " ; and, however much it is
to be regretted that men do not enter into the
real sport of fox-hunting as formerly, there is this

56 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

advantage, that men are not constantly speaking
to hounds, or cheering them by name, — a thing
scarcely ever done in the present day, though it
is reported to have been a common occurrence in
the last century, — and the extraordinary quickness
with which hounds get together may be attributed
to this cause. It is not meant here that huntsmen
never wish to see gentlemen lend assistance, for
the huntsman to even the best appointed packs
are at times glad of any one who will turn a
hound, and by so doing get his warmest thanks ;
for it has probably been the means of finishing a
good run well, when even one minute lost would
have made all the difference in the scent. But
that assistance is out of the power of forward
riders who have no thong to their whip, and although
one smack of it would be invaluable, they cannot
make use of it.

It is not the intention of the writer to dwell
much on the subject of riding to hounds ; but the
rage for it has become so great, that many men
do not look before they leap, therefore the following
fact may be useful. About the year 1835, a gentle-
man was riding well with the Hambledon hounds
in Hampshire, and when they were going best
pace, he naturally put his horse at the lowest
place in the fence, and the next moment found
himself on his back, and his horse out of sight ;

SPORTSMAN 67

when, on rising from the ground, he was not a Httle
startled at seeing a well, or rather a draw-hole
the size of a well, into which his horse had gone
headlong, and was dashed to pieces ; as was the
case with the saddle. The fall was of considerable
depth ; it was a place from which chalk had been
excavated to manure the land. The writer once
hunted that country, and recollects three hounds
being lost for three days, and were found in a well
of this description ; but they were all got out
alive and saved. This, and the fact of his having
seen men when riding jealously go headlong into
a pond on the other side of the fence, and on one
occasion into a chalk-pit, he thinks may even
make a steeple-chaser look before he leaps ; for he
should recollect that no one has marked out his
line with hounds as in a steeple-chase.

One of the first things for a man to acquire in
riding to hounds is, an eye to hounds ; that is, in
chase always to keep his eye on the leading hound,
which he will easily distinguish from the pack by
observing that the moment the leading hound (or
hounds, but generally only one) catches the scent,
he drops his stern as straight as a tobacco-pipe,
and the stern of the other hound which had it the
moment before will rise. It often happens that
several get it when the scent is pretty good ; and
if so, it will be easier to see it. By observing

58 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

this, he turns his horse's head as he sees the
hounds turn, and gains a great advantage over
those men who only look at the body of the pack,
and who go beyond where it is necessary for their
horse to go. A man with a good eye to hounds
will beat others who have not, although much
better mounted than himself, and at times save
his horse much distance and deep ground.

If men would pay attention to the cry of hounds
when running in cover, instead of riding in to the
end of the ride, without listening, merely because
when they started the hounds were going in that
direction, they would often save their horses much
work ; for, on listening, they would find that the
hounds had turned in another direction. One fool,
it is said, makes many ; and it is no uncommon
thing to see one man start off, and a whole string
of horses follow without knowing why, and have
to return after going all through the wood. A
very little trouble and patience will teach any
man which way hounds are turning in cover ; and
he will find it a great saving and advantage to
his horse and himself too. It is true, that old
sportsmen beat men of the present day ; they were
properly entered to fox-hunting, and were taught
to depend on their own eyes and ears. For
instance, a fox after a run gets to a large cover,
where there is an earth stopped at the farther end,

SPORTSMAN 59

or the country is too open to make it probable
that the fox will face it, he (the old sportsman),
when he reaches the cover, quietly pulls up, and
keeps his ear to the hounds, going on steadily ;
by which his horse gets his wind, the fox does
head, finding the earth stopped, etc., and the
hounds bring him round back to the old sportsman.
But during this whole time the hard riders have
been going best pace much farther than the
hounds, which by this time have left the cover,
and returning the way they came with only the
old one with them ; and this because he was the
only man who kept his ear to them.

Nothing shows ignorance in the field so much as
not getting out of the way when the huntsman is
coming past with the hounds, particularly at a
check in a road. Men appear to forget that they
cannot hunt without the pack. If it is in a road
or in cover, it is most necessary, or the hounds
must break out of the road into the cover, and
possibly cross the line of another fox, and bring
back the rest of the pack, which the huntsman is
getting on.

Most men are aware that a skirting hound is
considered a great enemy to sport, but a decided
skirting rider does almost as much mischief. It is
true he may say he goes out to please himself,
and to ride as he likes best, but he must not forget

60 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

that he has no excuse for spoiHng the sport of
others, and, although he is not abused to his face,
he is behind his back. A story is told of a good
old sportsman who was often annoyed by some
men for not acting as he thought right in the field,
and the only method he had of correcting them
was by taking an opportunity, when the whipper-in
was also committing the same fault, of heartily
cursing him in their presence, finishing with " I
may d — ^n you ! "

Men who are not acquainted with the grass
countries, in particular where the fences consist of
live quicks and thorns, will do well to notice when
a hedge is cut which way it is laid down to the
top, and put his horse at it obliquely, with his
head from the root of the thorn, and the top of
the thorn being weak will give way to the horse's
legs ; but if he goes straight against it, he stands
a good chance of a fall, — and if he goes obliquely,
on the contrary plan, he reduces his fall to a
certainty should the horse not clear any strong
plasher which rises when the horse's knees are
under it, — but not so the other way.

Young sportsmen are apt to think it right to
be first if they can throughout a run ; but they
will do well to take it quietly at the beginning,
and by that means they may be first at the end
of the run, which otherwise they would never

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SPORTSMAN 61

have seen — particularly if it is a good one, and if
so, it will be a feather in his cap. A real good
run seldom occurs, and when it does, it is seldom
duly appreciated ; for to get one requires so many
circumstances combined — first, a good fox, then a
good find and a good scent, then a good country,
good luck, etc. The chances against it are innu-
merable— a bad scent, bad fox, bad find, not
getting well away with him, and a hundred
accidental circumstances to bring them to a check,
without being overridden. The fox is headed by
an old woman, or even a child of four years old
may spoil a run ; a dog, pig, sheep, cattle, cross-
roads, false halloos, changing foxes — in short, no
end to chances. But when there is not a good
scent, more mischief is done by overriding than
by all the other obstacles together ; and it is much
to be regretted that all men will not learn when
hounds throw up, that is, when they throw up
their noses at a check, which a man must either
be blind not to see, or is afraid some other man
will ride by him. And there are men who will
pass the first man when he pulls up at a check,
and they are the men who do the mischief — on
whom the huntsman or master of the hounds
should keep an eye. The first man forces on
amongst the hounds at a check, and drives them
beyond it ; when up come lots of horses, smoking

62 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

like steam-engines, on the very spot where the
hounds first threw up, and where the fox headed
or turned short to the right or left probably ;
then, instead of appearing to be aware that they
have caused the check, like at the building of
the tower of Babel, there begins a confusion of
tongues, instead of each being anxiously quiet,
with the hope of not attracting the hounds by a
word even, of so much consequence is it just then ;
forgetting that by prolonging the check — which
talking is likely to do — ^they throw away the advan-
tages they have gained by being in the first flight,
and give the rest of the field time to get up.

Those men get on best with hounds in a sharp
run who always follow them through covers, even
if there is no ride, if possible. Unless a man has
been used to a woodland country, and has allowed
his horse to have his head, and to pick his own
way through a new-cut wood, stubs, etc., he had
better keep the track ; but if a man has nerve
enough to allow his horse to have his nose down
to his knees, and never to guide him through
stubs, the horse will not lame himself. The fact
is, the horse will be looking at one stub, and the
man at another ; so that when the horse is guided
from where he was looking and intended to step,
it is an even chance but that he knocks his legs
to pieces.

SPORTSMAN 63

Some years since a master of hounds, who
hunted them himself, paid the writer a visit at the
end of the season, and brought four hunters. He
came determined to see everything that happened
during each day's sport, and followed the writer
everywhere through cover, etc., who soon observed
to him that he would knock his horse's legs to
pieces if he did not keep the road through a newly-
cut wood, because he did not allow his horse to
have his head, but was constantly pulling him one
way or the other, consequently the horse was
blundering against the stubs all the time. It is
needless to add the fact that, at the end of the
first week, not one horse of the four could go out
of the stable, owing to their legs being so bruised
and swollen, although others which went over the
same ground had legs as clean as a foal's.

A man who hunts with another man's hounds
should open his eyes and ears, but shut his mouth,
or he will be likely to have this question put to
him, if nothing worse, " Pray, sir, who made you
huntsman ? "

It may be useful for young sportsmen to know
that when a fox goes up wind at first, he will
often go a mile or two, and then head back down
wind ; therefore, if he is not first, his horse will
be the better for his not having pressed him ; and
if the fox keeps on up wind, he is not likely to be

64 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

thrown out, as he will be sure to hear them, and
be able to get to them afterwards.

Nothing is more common, though most absurd,
than for men who reside in a particular quarter
in a hunting country to confine themselves to the
meets of the hounds in that quarter, although
they meet often quite as near, or nearer, and in a
better country, probably the other side of some
road, which is this person's boundary. It is true
they know that country better ; but surely to
men who can ride, the wilder and stranger a
country is the more it is like fox-hunting. It is
the doubtful feeling when a fox is found, not
knowing where you will be the next ten minutes,
that makes fox-hunting so different from all other
sports. Men who really like sport had better go
ten miles to meet hounds in a good country, than
two in a bad one.

When men have favourite horses they do not
like to run any risk by sending them on over-
night from fifteen to twenty miles, but prefer
sending them on early in the morning; which is
certainly an odd way of showing their regard, for
on no occasion can it happen but that a good
inn is to be found near the place of meeting,
and surely there can be no hesitation whether to
choose a horse which has been travelling three or
four hours, or one fresh out of the stable, even if

SPORTSMAN 65

the groom did start very early in the morning, —
say four o'clock, — and in the hunting season there
is much doubt whether he would start so soon by
two hours probably, so that the horse has often
no time to get fresh. All that can be said is,
that this practice is penny wise and pound foolish.

So in respect to riding a hunter home, probably
twenty or twenty-five miles or more, after a hard
day's work with hounds. Let the day be ever so
severe, some men insist on it their horse will not
rest so well in any stable as his own, which is
against all reason. If there is good accommoda-
tion, he does an unwise thing who risks the chance
of taking his horse home in preference. The best
thing he can do, if the horse is distressed, is to
have about two or three quarts of blood taken
from him, see that he has some gruel and is properly
taken care of, then go home if necessary, and send
for him next day, or let the groom return by the
same conveyance.

A good substitute for oatmeal is wheat flour, a
pint or two of which, mixed with half a pail of
warm water, can be had for sixpence at any cottage ;
and it would be no bad plan always to give it to
your horse after a run, on his way home.

Many men breed their own horses, and ought
always to have the most perfect hunters, even
before the horses have ever seen a hound, or have

6

66 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

had a saddle on their backs, by adopting the
following plan. As soon as the colt is weaned,
when turned out, he has of course always a shed
or stable to lie in, where he is also fed. A few
yards in front of the door of the stable begin by
making a slight fence, about the height of the
colt's knees, which he will walk over to get to his
corn. When he is quite used to this, raise the
fence six inches, or more, sufficient to make him
rear up, and get his forelegs over, and he will
soon find it easier to jump over than draw over
his hind-legs. When he does this freely, raise it
still higher, till he is obliged to make a good standing
leap over it every time he goes into the shed to
be fed, etc. This last should be a single rail.
When he is perfect at this, which he will be in the
course of a month, then dig a ditch and throw
up a bank with the earth, instead of the rail, or
by the side of it, — which rail should be made
higher to prevent his preferring it to the ditch, —
and he will first walk into the ditch, then get his
forelegs on the bank, and the hinder-legs on the
other side of the ditch ; but, in the course of a day
or two, he will quietly jump on the bank. After
being perfect in this, have another ditch on the
other side of the bank, and he will jump on and
off in a few days as well as any hunter. The
writer has a thoroughbred colt at this time, only

SPORTSMAN 67

nine months old, which is as perfect at all sorts
of fences as the best hunter.

The writer hopes, in selecting these extracts
from a collection of his own practical observations,
not to be thought too severe on any description
of men who hunt with fox-hounds ; for it is fair
to suppose that those who have not resided in
the country cannot be so much aware at times of
the mischief they are doing in riding as those
who are constantly resident there, and who have
more opportunities of getting acquainted with the
state of crops, etc. If these men would only
consider this, they would not be surprised at seeing
a farmer extremely irate with them for riding on
a field of tares, for instance (which they had
mistaken for weeds), young seeds, — that is, clover,
etc., or turnips, — ^when there is a footpath within
two yards, and this merely for the sake of keeping
up a conversation by riding by the side of another
man, who is riding on a path or furrow under a
hedge, instead of behind him. Men being thus
unconscious that they are doing mischief, makes
it no matter of surprise that they flare up, or
are much provoked at the coarse or rough language
addressed to them by the owner of the land — a
circumstance often witnessed by the writer, who
has invariably proved the old proverb to be true,
that " A soft word turneth away wrath " ; and

68 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

indeed has gone so far, at times, by way of giving
a turn to the subject, as to beg those gentlemen
who were threatening to horsewhip the man for
his abuse, either to horsewhip him instead of the
farmer, or to be patient and hear what was to be
said. By this time both parties got cool, and he
then commenced by stating that it was entirely
through ignorance that they were doing mischief;
and had the farmer only spoken civilly, these
gentlemen would have instantly refrained from it,
as he wished ; at the same time adding, " Surely,
farmer, if you are a thoroughbred Englishman,
you cannot object to assist in giving these gentle-
men a little amusement, who have probably been
fighting the battles of your country for you ! "
And that he should recollect fox-hunting is not a
new jumped-up sport, like steeple-chasing, but the
old-established sport of the country, one cause
why English officers are superior to those of almost
every foreign country ; that it is fox-hunting
which makes them hardy, by taking them out in
all weathers, and instils into them a spirit of enter-
prise, even beyond what they themselves had any
conception of; and if the farmer is a true Briton
he would be sorry to see them second (if they
were military or naval men) ; if not officers, then,
by opposition, you do all you can to prevent
gentlemen from living in this country, and you

SPORTSMAN 69

would by so doing have all the large houses vacant ;
the consequence of which would be, you would
only get half-price for your poultry and eggs and
butter, independent of its keeping up the price of
hay and oats. For instance, by your selling a
load of hay to a gentleman for probably a greater
price than the postmasters would give you, this is
made a handle of at market ; thus, on an offer
being made, you say, " No, I won't sell for less
than such a man sold for " ; and so with the price
of oats (which every fox-hunter should purchase
of the farmers who live in the hunt, if they really
do wish well to sport. It gives them an interest
in the success of the pack, and they feel themselves
flattered by being noticed, to which they certainly
have a claim).

Any farmers hostile to fox-hunting should take
the trouble of considering the benefit a pack of
fox-hounds is to a country, and calculate the con-
sumption alone of corn and hay which is caused by
it. Supposing, for instance, two hundred horses,
—and in few countries, if any, less than that are
kept, including hacks and carriage-horses, which
otherwise would not be kept there, — they would
see that, on a fair calculation, the consumption
would be, for eight months only in the year, two
thousand four hundred quarters of oats, at two
bushels per horse per week ; and if each horse

70 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

have one hundredweight of hay per week for eight
months, two hundred horses would consume three
hundred and ninety tons of hay, etc.

It is indeed wonderful the effect of proper
civility ; but probably a greater proof cannot be
given than this account of the following circum-
stance— a fact which actually took place in a
country hunted by the writer. It happened, a
year or two before he hunted the country, that a
notorious character, celebrated by having ridden
down the Devil's Dyke at Brighton, when riding
across a field of wheat in a deep country, was
accosted by the owner of the land in very rough
terms. Owing to this gentleman's wearing a cap,
he was mistaken for one of the whippers-in, and
thus addressed : " You are a pretty sort of fellow
to ride across a man's wheat in this shameful way ;
when the hounds be running 'tis bad enough, but
to do it now is too bad ; and when all the gentle-
men be in the road, and you servants to behave
in this way, I'll soon make you be out on't " ;
and actually struck the noble captain with a
hedge-stake. On which he, without loss of time,
made such use of his double thong, that the farmer
ran away, the captain riding after him till he
came to the gateway, under which there was a
large drain, and into the drain the farmer got ;
on which the captain jumped off, hallooed,

SPORTSMAN 71

" Whoop ! " and swore he had run his fox to
ground ; at the same time, told some person to
bring the hounds to worry his fox. This so alarmed
the man that he cried out for mercy ; on which it
was granted, and the captain left him, with the
promise that he would behave better for the future.
It happened, about three years afterwards, that
the writer was taking his hounds across the ground
belonging to this same farmer, whom he met at a
gate, and was told by him that he should not
ride that way across a field of newly-planted beans,
which were just come up. This the writer saw,
and told him that even had he not been there to
warn him, he certainly should have taken the
hounds, and the whole field of sportsmen round
outside the field, although a considerable distance
out of their way (which most assuredly he would
have done at all events). Having convinced the
farmer of it, he was allowed to pass, and shortly
after all the others ; who, by a little management
by waiting, were drawn all round the field. A fox
was shortly found in the cover adjoining, and after
a good run was killed, when the whipper-in came
up and delivered the following message from the
farmer : " Sir, the farmer came up to me, just
before the hounds went away with the fox, and
said, ' Young man, give my respects to your
master, and say, that although I am no fox-hunter

72 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

— never was, nor never shall be — yet, after his
behaviour to me to-day, I hope he will come here
as often as he likes, and it shall not be my fault
if he don't always find a fox ; for I never was treated
so civilly before,' " etc. The event proved his
sincerity, for his cover was afterwards a sure
find ; and that very farmer oftener hallooed the
fox away than any other man, — another proof
that more flies are caught by sugar than by
vinegar.

It is the duty of every man who rides hunting
to take every opportunity of doing a service to
the cause when he has it in his power, and that
happens on many occasions which are frequently
overlooked. When accidents happen to men or
horses, or when a horse gets loose, men should not
be slow in repaying those who assist, who, however,
often get little more than a harsh word or two for
being slow. A sixpence or shilling often would
make the man a friend to fox-hunting, who other-
wise goes home disappointed. Sometimes a man
runs hard to open a gate, or to give some infor-
mation, etc., for which he gets nothing — scarcely
even thanks. The huntsman gets the information,
but he has not time to throw him a trifle ; and if
any other person does so, the man is thankful for
it, and thinks it quite correct to go to the public-
house and drink success to fox-hunting, most

SPORTSMAN 78

probably in the presence of some fox-taker, who
sHnks away. At all events, the more friends
foxes have the better ; and often a civil word will
gain one.

Many men who hunt are equally fond of
shooting, and have friends who preserve their
game, many of whom are not aware of the advan-
tage it is to them to have a pack of fox-hounds
in their covers — particularly early in the season —
in cub-hunting in September and October, when
they do an immense deal of good towards the
preservation of pheasants and hares. By working
the covers, they open the runs and tracks used by
pheasants so wide that a single snare or wire, or
even several, will not catch them ; but before the
tracks were open, every pheasant that came was
sure to be caught, and equally so with the hares.
The plan of catching pheasants with a single wire
has not been adopted by poachers until within the
last ten or twelve years, if so long ; but nothing is
so fatal, if set next to the oat-stubbles or fields
where they feed. The writer has had ten or twelve
hounds caught at a time by the foot, when cub-
hunting at four or five o'clock in the morning,
before the pheasants came out to feed ; and he has
taken several pheasants alive out of these wires,
and released them. And there is no plan that can
be adopted half so beneficial as to have a pack

74 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

of fox-hounds to open and widen the runs in and
about the covers. These wires are set as soon as
it is hght, and the pheasants shortly after are
caught in them. The whole affair is done in a
couple of hours ; and it is impossible for the keeper
to be everywhere during that time. Indeed,
poachers have often been heard to say that a pack
of fox-hounds is the greatest enemy they have.

Men who have keepers and who wish well to
fox-hunting, by ordering them to set their traps
for vermin in a particular way will catch all the
vermin, without touching a fox ; but the excuse is
that traps, which are baited with rabbits, etc., as
they say for small vermin, often catch foxes, —
indeed more foxes than anything else. Instead
therefore of baiting the trap in the usual way by
placing the bait on the ground under the trap
which is covered over, the proper plan, and most
successful for catching small vermin, is to set the
trap in a low place as before ; then fasten the bait
on a forked stick, about two feet long, and the
other end should be stuck in the ground, leaving
the bait on it about twelve inches high over the
trap, when every weasel or pole-cat, etc., will come
to it, and in reaching to get the bait, are certain
to be caught ; but if a fox comes he takes the
bait without stepping on the trap, as he winds the
trap and reaches over it.

SPORTSMAN 75

Though last, not least, one hint to the fair sex,
who are always ready to do a kind act to fox-
hunters when they have it in their power, and
many would give substantial proofs of it, if they
had opportunities like the following. It happened
in a country once hunted by the writer that a
respectable farmer's wife had lost a great number
of poultry, including some dozens of full-grown
turkeys. Not far distant lived a widow lady, who
heard of this loss as well as the cause of it, and, as
no one could think of offering to pay the damage
done to so respectable a person, a short time after
the loss this lady sent a hamper of wine. It is
quite unnecessary to say it, but it is a fact
that no cover in that country was ever drawn
without a fox, and that the lady's health was
drunk at every hunt dinner with double honoiu-s
afterwards, for it had been a standing toast
previously.

N.B. — A packet of tea or tobacco, would be
equally efficacious probably ; not to mention a keg
of brandy or hollands, which would come more
properly from gentlemen who are friends to the
noble sport, but have no other way of showing it.

Men who hunt are generally perfectly un-
acquainted with hunting terms, even the most
common, and it has often been an obstacle in
conversation when relating a day's sport ; for even

76 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

if a man has been told the meaning of any term,
unless he hunts often it is not likely that he will
remember it without having something to refer to,
to provide which has been the object sought in
compiling the following glossary.

CHAPTER IV

huntsman's language
explained

Mode of Pronunciation

iOVER hoick— On throw-
ing off; for Hark
into cover.
Eloo-in — Into cover.
Yoi-over — Over the fence into cover.
Edawick, Edawick, Edawick — To make hounds
draw when in cover, pronounced thus for
in-hoick, in-hoick, in-hoick.
Yoi wind him — Ditto.
Yoi rouse him, my boys—Ditto.
Hoick Rector — A cheer to Rector, or the name of
any hound which first challenged, for Hark to
Rector.
Have at him old fellow — Ditto.

77

78 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

Hoick together. Hoick — ^When several hounds are

heard, and are getting together.
Taa-leo — ^When a fox is viewed, for Tally-ho, as it

can be more easily hallooed, and much

louder.
Taa-leo awawoy — ^When a fox is seen to leave the

cover, for Tally-ho away.
Gone awawoy — When a fox is gone away.
Hooi — If a person has seen a fox go away, first

Taa-leo, then this halloo is used ; if hounds

are at a distance, it is understood that the fox

has been seen.
Elope, or Elope forward awawoy — When some

hounds are gone aAvay, to call the rest.
Yo hote, yo hote there — ^When hounds are at check

to make them hunt.
Forward, or Forrid-hoick — When some hounds have

hit off the scent.
Yogueote — ^When hounds have gone beyond the

scent, or when he wants them to come back

to him ; for " you go o'er it."
Yoi there, yo hote — When at check, and to make

them put their noses down.
Hoick halloo — When a halloo is heard.
Yonder he goes — When in view.
Eloo at him — ^When the hounds are near the

fox.
Eloo, eleew — When they are very close to him.

HUNTSMAN'S LANGUAGE EXPLAINED 79

Tally-ho hack — When the fox comes out, and heads

back again, in preference to Taa-leo, when used

quickly.
Eloo back — When hounds come out, to turn them

back, add also. Hark back, and a smack of the

whip.
Whoop — The death halloo.

CHAPTER V

HUNTING TERMS

WAY — When a fox has

left a cover and gone

M^ away, or the hounds

are gone away.

Back — When a fox heads back, Tally-ho back ; if

the hounds come out, the term is. Hark back.

Billet — The excrement of the fox, which is known

from all other by the fur of rabbits, which is

nearly always to be seen in it.

Burst — ^The first part of a run out of cover, if

quick, is called a sharp burst.
Burst Him — A term used when a fox is killed

owing to a sharp burst.
Burning Scent — When the hounds run almost

mute owing to the goodness of the scent.
Breast High — Also a burning scent, when hounds
do not stoop their heads, and go a racing pace.

o

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HUNTING TERMS 81

Capping — When a fox is killed, it is the custom in
some countries to cap for the huntsman ; some
man takes round a cap or glove, and men are
expected to drop a half-crown into it. It also
means, when a man takes off his hat or cap
and waves it to bring on the hounds.

Carries — The ground after a frost adheres to the
fox's feet ; then the ground carries.

Carry a good Head— When hounds run well
together owing to the scent being good, and
spreading so that it extends wide enough for
the whole pack to feel it ; but it most fre-
quently happens that the scent is good only
on the line for one hound to get it, so that
the rest not getting have nothing to lead them
on, and do not get to head so as to be all
abreast.

Challenge — When drawing for a fox, the first
hound which throws his tongue is a challenge.

Changed — When hounds have left their hunted
fox and changed to another.

Check — When hounds in chase stop for want of
scent, or have overrun it.

Chop a Fox — When a fox is killed as soon as
found he is said to be chopped.

Crash — When hounds are running in cover, and it
appears that every one is throwing his tongue,
it is called a good crash.

7

82 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

CuB~A young fox, till regular hunting begins in

November.
Cold-hunting — When hounds can scarcely feel a

scent, and pick it out with difficulty.
Cover— Any wood, furze, gorse, rushes, heath,

or sedge, which will hold a fox.
Going to Cover — Is going to the place of

meeting.
Currant Jelly — A term used when hounds are

running hare.
Cheering — When hounds are encouraged by a

halloo.
Down Wind— When hounds are running with the

wind behind them.
Drawing — When hounds are thrown into cover

to find a fox, they are drawing it.
Drag — The scent left by footsteps of the fox on

his way to his kennel that morning.
Drain — Underground, where foxes often run to.
Dwelling — When hounds do not get on to the

huntsman's halloo ; probably feeling a stale

scent sometimes, till moved by the whipper-
in ; also, a slow huntsman is apt to dwell.
Drafted — When hounds are put by, not to be

kept, they are drafted.
Earths are drawn — When a vixen fox has

drawn out fresh earth, it is a proof she intends

to lay up her cubs there.

HUNTING TERMS 83

Eye to Hounds— A person is said to have a good
eye to hounds, whose eye in the chase is
always fixed on the leading hound or hounds ;
by which he has a great advantage over others,
as he turns his horse's head immediately
whichever way the leading hound does, which
saves an angle.

Elope — A halloo, to get hounds away, and also
notice for men to come away.

Flighty — ^A hound which is not a steady hunter
is called flighty ; also when the scent changes
from good to bad repeatedly, it is called flighty.

Forward — A halloo imphes, to get on ; or that
the hounds are running ahead of you.

Feeling a Scent — A term used when any hound
smells the scent ; when bad, it is said they can
scarcely feel the scent.

Foil— When a fox runs the ground over which he
has been before, it is called running his foil,—
sometimes a reason for hounds not being able
to hunt it where they have been before.

Furze, or Gorse— -A good cover for a fox; in
some counties called gorse— in the north,
whins.

Full Cry — ^When the whole pack are running
hard and throwing their tongues.

Gone to Ground— When a fox has got into an
earth or drain.

84 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

Hark ! Halloo ! — When a person hears a halloo
at a distance, and the huntsman does not, he
should halloo, " Hark ! halloo ! " and point
with his whip if in sight of him.

Handles a Pack — A term used, speaking of a
huntsman who handles a pack well or ill.

At Head — Such hounds as are going first are at
head ; also such men as are first are at head.

Headed — When a fox is going away, but is
headed ; that is, turned back the way he
came.

Hold them on — For huntsmen to take the hounds
forward, and try for the scent.

Heel — The hounds are said to be running heel
when they get on the scent of the fox, and
run it back the way the fox came.

Hit — When hounds are at check, and recover the
scent it is hitting it off. Or, the first hound
that feels the scent is said to have made a
good hit.

Hold Hard — ^A huntsman's rate. Eager and
jealous riders when they will not pull up,
although pressing the hounds too closely —
generally for fear that another will pass them
—and so drive the hounds beyond the scent,
often ruin a day's sport. Men who will not
look at hounds may as well content them-
selves with riding steeple-chases.

HUNTING TERMS 85

Hooi — The view-halloo, if Tally-ho is not heard ; or
when hounds are at a check, and it is desirable
to get them on.

Holding Scent — When the scent is just good
enough for hounds to hunt a fox a fair pace,
but not enough to press him, though it ought
to kill him.

Kennel — Where a fox lies all day in cover, to
which he goes every morning before it is quite
daylight, and remains in it till dark.

Line Hunters are good hounds which will not
go a yard beyond the scent, and keep the
pack right — invaluable hounds ; by some called
plough-holders, because they hold the line.

Left-handed — Such hounds are called left-handed
which are not always right, but apt to be wide,
and fly without a scent. The sooner they are
drafted the better, although they frequently
have some excellent qualities.

Litter, a — Young foxes, or the cubs belonging to
one fox, are called a litter.

Lifting — ^\Vhen hounds are scarcely able to hunt
a scent across bad scenting-ground, the hunts-
man is induced to take them off it, and hold
them forward ; where he is sure to hit off
the scent — probably to a halloo. This is con-
demned by many good sportsmen, but by others
it is thought slow in a huntsman not to do it.

86 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

Lying — That part of a cover in which foxes are
generally found — probably coppice wood of
about two years' growth, or furze, etc.

Laid Up — When a vixen fox has had cubs, she is
said to have laid up.

Main Earths — Large earths on which foxes gener-
ally breed, being difficult to get out.

Metal — When hounds are very fresh, and fly for
a short distance on a wrong scent, or without
one, it is called " all metal."

Moving-Scent — When hounds get on a scent that
is fresher than a drag, it is called a moving-
scent ; that is, the scent of a fox which has
been disturbed by travelling.

Mobbing a Fox — Is when a fox is taken unfair
advantage of, surrounded, and killed, although
he had strength left to show sport if he had
been allowed to go away.

Mute— Hounds run mute when the scent is so
good that the pace they go prevents their
throwing tongue ; but if a hound always runs
mute, it is an unpardonable fault, even if in
every other respect he is the best hound in the
pack. The better he is, the more harm he does.

Noisy — "When a hound throws his tongue without
a scent, he should be drafted.

Open — When a hound throws his tongue he is said
to open on the scent.

HUNTING TERMS 87

Open Bitches — Bitches to breed from, which are

not spayed, are so called.
Open— Earths which are not stopped are said to

be open.
Owning a Scent — When hounds throw their

tongues on the scent.
Over It — When hounds have gone beyond the

scent in chase, it is said they are over it.
Pad— The foot of a fox.
Padding a Fox — Is finding the print of a fox's

foot.
Point to Point — The distance of a run on a map

by a straight line.
Rack — For a track through a fence. ^
Rabbit Earth, or Spout— 'V'NTiere a fox sometimes

gets into when pressed ; meant to imply that

it is not a regular fox-earth.
Riot — When hounds hunt anything besides fox ;

the rate is " Ware riot."
Skirter — A hound which is generally wide of the

pack. Also applied to men who are always

wide of the hounds.
Stroke of a Fox — Is when hounds are drawing.

It is evident from their manner that they feel

the scent of a fox, although they do not own it.
Sinking — A fox is said to be sinking when he is

nearly beaten.

^ The more usual term is " Meusc." — Ed.

88 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

Sinking the Wind— When men go down wind to
hear the cry, it is called sinking the wind of
the hounds.

Spayed — Bitch hounds which are not thought good
enough to breed from are spayed, probably
owing to their being lathy and thin ; if so,
it improves them.

Stained — When the ground has been passed over
by cattle, or previously by the hounds.

Stooping — When hounds will not hunt, it is said
they will not stoop to the scent ; that is, will
not put their noses to the ground.

Slack — When the scent is bad, hounds are apt to
be indifferent, and will scarcely try to hunt
their fox, and are said to be slack.

Streaming — ^Vhen hounds go over or across an
open country, like a flock of pigeons, it is called
streaming away.

Speaks — When a hound owns the scent, it is some-
times said such a hound speaks to it ; if
it is a safe hound it is enough to say he
" speaks."

Tight in his Tongue — ^When a hound seldom
throws his tongue, though not quite mute, it
is said he is tight in his tongue.

Tally-ho — ^The halloo when any one sees a fox,
and only then. If desirable to halloo it
loudly, it should be pronounced ta-a-le-o.

HUNTING TERMS 89

Throw-up — ^The exact spot where the hounds lost

the scent in chase is known by their throwing

up their heads ; and it is said they threw

up here.
Ticklish Scent — Is when the scent varies from

good to bad, and at times scarcely any in the

chase, although just before it was very good.
Tailing — When hounds in chase run in a line,

and not abreast, it is called tailing ; generally

owing to an indifferent scent.
Throw off — The cover into which hounds are

first thrown. It is said, they threw off in

that cover.
Weedy Hounds— Hounds which are weakly made,

and not fit to breed from.
Ware Riot — A rate for hounds, instead of Beware

riot. It is said, W^are, or Ware hare — or

other riot.
Whelps — Hound puppies, when very young.
Wind in their Teeth — When hounds are running

against the wind.
Yoi Over — When a fox has crossed a ride, it is

hallooed.

CHAPTER VI

FOX-HOUNDS

As well as shape, full well he knows.
To kill their fox, they must have nose.

the accompanying Plate,
Fig. 1 is intended to
represent a hound tol-
erably free from faults,
in order that it may
be compared with Fig.
2, which has most of
the faults for which
hounds are drafted, in
point of shape. Few men have opportunities to
compare the two in the kennel, and for them this
attempt is intended. It will readily be observed
that the head of No. 2 is too short and thick,
with a bald face, which is generally disliked as
much in hounds as in horses. The neck is too
short and throaty, the shoulders upright and

90

«Mfe ' 4i«al«

T.Smith Esq., dtl.

Fig. 2
A GOOD HOUND AND A FAULTY ONE

FOX-HOUNDS 91

loaded ; also a want of muscle in the arm and
forelegs, and the most common fault in the make
of hounds not being straight below the knee.
No. 2 is not only crooked there, but much too
long from the knee to the foot, which is also long
and flat, instead of being short and round like a
cat's foot. The same faults with the hinder-legs,
too great length from the foot to the hock, instead
of the length being from the hock upwards to the
hip — a great point in hounds and horses, and a
criterion of strength for speed : for instance, com-
pare it with a hare. No. 2 also shows weakness
in the hock itself, which is small instead of large,
and also a falling off in muscle in the haunches or
gaskins, which should be wide and full, like a hare
trussed for the spit ; the loins are also weak, and
would be called slack in the loins. It is also
flat-sided, not deep enough in the ribs, conse-
quently the frame is not large enough to give the
lungs free play, and it could not possibly be a good-
winded hound. But to judge of the frame of a
hound, its head should be between the person's
knees, in order that he may see the width of ribs
behind the shoulders, where most hounds fall off,
though this is not observed by the generality of
persons who look at hounds. It is also right to
stand at the side as well, to see if the legs are
straight and do not stand over at the knee, or

92 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

on the contrary ; but standing over at the knee is
often brought on by age and hard work, though
frequently hounds are born so. When so, it is
better not to keep them.

It is true that breeders of hounds of the present
day pride themselves on having bred some as near
perfection, in point of shape and make, as possible ;
but the question arises, when on this subject,
whether such hounds will be considered perfect
fifty years hence ? The writer is induced to doubt
this from the fact that the pictures of the best
hounds — such, for instance, as were painted by
the best artists of that day, Sartorius and Stubbs —
are drawn with crooked legs, flat-sided, and loose
in their loins, as unlike what is now thought
perfection as possible ; and it is fair to suppose
that they were then thought handsome. Yet these
hounds, which belonged to the celebrated Meynell
and others, did wonders. For instance, on a trial
of pace across the flat at Newmarket, they ran it
in as short a time as hounds of the present day
could do it, or even shorter ; and, however contrary
it is to the writer's principle as to the shape of
hounds, he is bound to say that some few hounds
are now bred too short, that is, too closely ribbed
up to go the tremendous pace which has become
the fashion in the grass countries ; for it will be
found, on close attention, that a lengthy hound

FOX-HOUNDS 98

has more freedom and goes with greater ease than
one that is ribbed up and shorter. The great point
therefore is to combine sufficient strength with
the length, or the day will be too long also, even
in the fast countries, and most assuredly so in all
others — thus leaving it in doubt what will be
thought perfection fifty years hence ! But as to
bad legs and feet, there can be no doubt that
they are nearly exterminated for ever ; and the
only surprise is, how such legs and feet ever got
into the hound at all, unless by crossing with
some other sort of dog to acquire nose or courage ;
for, on looking at nearly all wild animals, it will
be seen that their legs are straight and good.
For instance, who ever saw a crooked-legged fox ;
their legs are straight as arrows, which is the
case with most other wild animals, which never
mix.

In respect to the size of fox-hounds, there is
still a difference of opinion, though not so great
as was the case a few years since ; it being now
generally considered that hounds can be too
large, particularly in hilly and flinty countries. A
dog of twenty-four inches is about the height
to be preferred ; but, notwithstanding this general
opinion, the sporting world are much indebted to
those gentlemen who still keep hounds of the
largest size, or in the course of a few years the

94 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

breed would probably dwindle below the mark,
that is, if no very large hounds existed to breed
from, as in all other tame animals ; and however
prejudiced persons may be against large hounds,
or however indifferent they may be about appear-
ances in general, still they must all agree in opinion,
that a pack of fox-hounds should look like a pack
of fox-hounds. It may be said with truth that
a pack of dwarf fox-hounds, not larger than
harriers, will kill as many foxes as a full-sized
pack, if equal attention has been paid to the blood ;
but, in the present age and rage for riding, half
of these small hounds would be ridden over in
countries where the banks are high and ditches
wide, for they cannot take them in their spring,
and often fall backwards, and keep pulling each
other backwards, causing much delay, and re-
quiring more patience than men have, consequently
they would be ridden over. Neither can small
hounds go through deep wet land so well as a
large, fair-sized hound ; particularly where the
water stands, as it does, in the winter, in the New
Forest and other parts, which would reach up to
the bodies of small hounds, and they would be
swimming great part of the time.

The object of all masters and breeders of hounds
is to acquire power, combined with other good
qualities ; but it is to be regretted that there is

FOX-HOUNDS 95

not more attention paid as to breeding for nose
and stoutness, from which all would derive the
benefit, except the wily animal. Even in the
upper countries it would be more satisfactory if
they oftener killed their fox, as our forest friend
truly says —

But no, with him it's all the pace ;
Then hounds will look him in the face,
And seem to say, My noble master,
You cannot have us go much faster ;
For we, on flying so full intent,
A mile behind have left the scent.

S. N.

This rage for pace and shape in some measure
accounts for the great deficiency of nose, in com-
parison with what it was formerly. It is true that
hounds may be, and are nearer perfection, in point
of beauty. A throaty hound, for instance, is rarely
seen in a pack, although very common some years
back, when men thought more of hunting than of
riding ; but by getting rid of the throat the nose
had gone with it, for a throaty hound has in-
variably a good nose ; and that hounds were so
until the end of the last century nearly all sporting
pictures of hounds will prove. It happened, some
years since, a gentleman purchased an old-estab-
lished pack of hounds and wrote to request the
writer to go and look at them before he sent away

96 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

those he intended to draft. After seeing those
which were to be sent away, and inquiring why
they were fixed on, he was told because they were
so throaty. The reply was, " As you are going
to hunt a strange country, if you wish to show
sport, and kill your foxes, keep those hounds, for,
depend upon it, they were originally kept for their
blood, not for their beauty." These hounds were
kept, and during the next season the gentleman
wrote to say that he had great sport, but that
if he had parted with those throaty hounds, he
should not have killed one fox in ten that he had
done, for they were the only hounds that could
hunt a cold scent. Of course the plan is to breed
for both beauty and goodness ; and it is much
to be regretted that a cross so seldom nicks, as
one could wish, without faults of generations back
coming out, one side or the other— probably not
half a dozen times in a man's lifetime — owing to
the age of the hound being past before it can be
well known enough to repeat it ; for even if it nicks
the first time, the produce will be three years
old before they can be depended on ; even if they
then show their qualities, the sire must be five or
six years old, as he must have been most likely
three when the bitch was put to him, as no man
likes to breed from an untried dog in general,
particularly with a valuable bitch. In addition to

FOX-HOUNDS 97

this difficulty of repeating the cross when it nicks,
it is ten to one but that some accident happens
to either one or the other ; no sort of difficulties
should prevent the repetition whilst it is possible,
— that is, if the dog and bitch are in any part of
the kingdom.

If a man is determined in breeding to attend to
nose and stoutness, he will be sure to succeed in
getting a good pack, and one which will go faster,
take the season through, than those men who bred
for beauty and pace ; and he need not fear of also
getting a pack clever in shape too.

The writer has made many experiments in the
breeding of fox-hounds ; and, in consequence of the
circumstance that most clever men who have
distinguished themselves have been the offspring
of clever mothers, the following plan was tried,
more than once, in order to discover whether
young hounds inherit most good qualities from
the dog or from the bitch. Having selected a bitch
of three seasons, which had never distinguished
herself, either as good in drawing, in the chase, or
in cold-hunting, although having no decided fault
as to slackness, and put this bitch to some dog
which was considered to have most of the good
qualities required in a fox-hound, the produce
inherited only some of them.

He also tried the experiment the other way,

8

98 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

selecting a dog hound of three or four seasons,
which had not shown himself a good drawer, good
in the chase, or a good cold-hunter. This dog was
put to an extraordinary good bitch, which had most
of the qualities required ; and the produce was in
every instance superior. It is fair to add, that the
last-mentioned bitches were from the best blood,
which will generally prove to be the case, if they
are remarkable, although probably a generation or
two back.

It is a remarkable fact in breeding, and worthy
of notice, that if a young hound has any peculiarity
which the sire had, such as standing in a particular
way in the kennel, or in following closely the
huntsman's horse, or any other trick of the sire,
he will also generally inherit with it all his good
qualities, and may be bred from without fear the
first year ; and if this (which is the only way of
finding out a cross which nicks early) is a lucky
one, it w^ill be known soon enough to be repeated
several times. But it must not be till after the
produce with that bitch has been tried ; consequently
two years after it will be known, and the same
bitch can be put to him again, but not till then.

The writer was once asked the following question
in the company of four masters of hounds. We
four agree in thinking that bitches are quicker in
cover than dogs ; what say you ? Yes ; not because

FOX-HOUNDS 99

they are bitches, but because they are smaller,
and can go with greater ease after a fox in thick
cover, brambles, furze, etc., than dogs ; but find
dogs the same size as the bitches, and hunt them
together, and they will be as often first as the
bitches ; and much oftener right, not being naturally
so flighty. It might have been added, that to
have hounds perfect for work in every sort of
country, the dogs should look like bitches, and the
bitches should look like dogs.

It may appear paradoxical, but it is nevertheless
true, that the proof of a hound's goodness is, that
he is never remarkable during a run ; and there
are many good sportsmen who would prefer a
hound of this nature than one which is oftener
seen at head than any of the rest. Of course a
hound that is not remarkable is never last, or where
he should not be, but holds the line, and is what
is called by some a good line-hunter, which is the
criterion of all goodness ; that is, if he hunts and
drives a scent, too, without dwelling on it.

It is observable that large young hounds are
not so much disposed for riot as small ones, when
they are entered ; and one reason is that they
cannot follow it where a small one can, which is
frequently proved by a brother and sister. And
when large dogs hounds do not work a fox in thick
brambles like the bitches, it is that the bitches

100 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

stick to their fox and can follow him without
difficulty, when a large dog hound passes the small
run or track where the fox went under brambles
or bushes, and goes round, which the fox soon
finds out and does not leave it so soon as when
the bitches press him closely by their following
him, for they can

Every inch his footsteps trace.

It admits of a doubt, whether hunting dogs and
bitches separately is an advantage, or whether
anything is gained by it, except appearance, as it
makes the packs more even. It is true that the
bitches are quicker as a pack than dogs, but they
do not always show the most sport, or kill the
most foxes. They are apt to be flighty, and unless
very strong, with four- and five-year hunters,
they will not kill anything like so many as the
dogs, and in a woodland country it is decidedly
objectionable. They are not so free with their
tongues, and often slip away without any one
knowing it ; on this account alone it is desirable
to have some dog hounds, which will also assist
in holding the line for them. And if a complaint
is made that the dog hounds have not quite dash
enough, let a few flying bitches go with the dogs,
and it will improve both packs.

The plan of spaying young bitches which are

FOX-HOUNDS 101

light and weedy, answers beyond the behef of
those who have not tried it ; so much so, that
although when spayed they were too light to
breed from, in the course of a year or two they
furnish so much as to make it often a cause of
regret that they cannot be bred from ; but it ought
not to cause regret, as there is little doubt that
the improvement is owing to the operation. It is
well known that it also improves the nose, and they
often become the best cold-hunters in the pack,
although very different before, and far better
than the sisters which were not spayed ; besides
which, they hunt generally several years longer
than open bitches. It is no uncommon thing to
see a spayed bitch leading the pack after hunting
seven or eight seasons. The cheapest pack of fox-
hounds to keep is a pack of spayed bitches ; they
do more work with less food than any others, and
always look in good condition ; but unluckily this
cannot be adopted generally, on account of futurity.
One great objection to bitches hunting alone is
that there is not so much music ; and it will be
noticed that if a few dog hounds hunt with a pack
of bitches, even they will not throw their tongues
so freely after a short time : evil communications,
they say, corrupt good manners ; unless it is thought
that the bitches do not give them so much time
to talk about it. This may be the case, but unless

102 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

they can say they have killed their fox when they
go home, they had better have had a little more
chat together.

There is a prejudice against cutting dog hounds
which are slight and weedy, but it improves their
appearance as much as it does the bitches ; and it
also improves their nose, and their power for work,
and in every other respect, as in the other case.
It is a good plan if a dog hound is quarrelsome
in the kennel, if it is not desirable to preserve
the sort, — ^which should be well considered first,
or the improvement in the hound afterwards may
be the cause for constant regret. But there are
always stallion hounds to be found equally good.

There are certain faults which should never be
overlooked, let the hound be ever so good in
every other way. A mute hound is unpardonable ;
if he should be in every other respect perfect, so
much the greater reason for drafting him. He
finds your fox in cover, and goes on with him ; the
rest of the pack get together on this line, presently
come to a check, then get away and another
check. You see a man at work, and ask, " Have
you seen a fox ? " " No ; but I seed a whitish
hound go along as fast as he could go just now."
This is our mute friend who goes away without
saying a word ; the consequence is that his having
passed along the line of scent, although the leading

FOX-HOUNDS 103

hounds can hunt it, and do a certain distance, yet
at times they find the hound's scent as well, and
do not much like it. Eventually, nine times
out of ten, it brings them to a check every five
hundred yards ; and, if it is a bad scent, much
oftener. As an old sportsman in the New Forest
once said to the writer, who had remarked to
him on a hound having been first all day : " I'll
tell you how it is ; d — n him, he runs mute."
You set two men to run up a hill, one of them
to halloo all the way up and the other to run
mute, and you will find that the man who ran
mute will get to the top before the other gets half
way. Indeed, when hounds go the best pace, they
must go mute ; and the few that do throw their
tongues are those whimpering behind, because
they cannot get up.

Another fault is skirting. This is also often a
source of regret, for many capital hounds become
skirters, and it is often a proof of their having
greater sagacity than the rest. How very fre-
quently do you see the skirting hound make the
most beautiful casts and surprising hits of his own
accord. But one skirt er makes many, both of
hounds and men ; and creates the greatest con-
fusion should he get on another fox, etc. In
short, there is no end to the mischief he creates.
You see him slipping down a ride to cross the line

104 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

of the fox, before the pack, and bring them to a
check ; or crossing the line of another fox, etc.

Notwithstanding this, a pack of skirters would
be as likely to kill their fox the first year, if not
more so, than any other ; and it may be often
remarked that a new pack kill more foxes the first
year than any other year afterwards, — which pack
consist principally of draft hounds ; consequently,
many are skirters, probably half the pack ; but as
they are strangers to the country, they do not
skirt so much, but hold together better ; and
always being at work as they are (in their own
way), against so many heads a fox has not much
chance. The success may also be in some measure
partly attributed to a new pack not entering
many young hounds the first year.

Hounds that dwell too much on the scent, or
that throw their tongues when behind the pack in
chase, should also be drafted.

Bitches are generally more unsteady than dogs ;
but if either are not broken from it the first year,
they seldom become perfectly steady afterwards.

The sooner bitches are put to dogs after the
first of January the better, as few packs are strong
enough to spare many bitches early in the season ;
and when they do, they generally feel the differ-
ence, that is, if the bitches are worth breeding
from ; therefore it is much better to have a greater

FOX-HOUNDS 105

number of bitches than usual, than to weaken
the pack by taking out the brood bitches, as no
doubt the earher the whelps come the better.
The bitches had better not hunt for a week after
taking the dog, nor be hunted longer than a month
after that time, making five weeks after. The
most favourite blood should be sent to the best
walks, butchers, etc., as, according to an old
saying, " All beauty goes in at the mouth."

As before stated, the two great points to attend
to in breeding are stoutness and nose ; therefore it
is best only to breed those that are stout as wire
and that never get slack, and those which can
hunt a cold scent. The two qualities often go
together ; for it is the stoutness which makes a
hound willing to try to hunt and make use of his
nose, which a slack hound would not try to do.
But much of this depends on the huntsman.
If he is persevering, his pack will soon become
hunters ; but they must be horn with good noses,
and none ought to be allowed to be bred from
which have not.

Every huntsman, at times, must feel disposed
to say that he will not breed from any hound that
will not always draw well ; and, doubtless, he
would adopt a most sensible plan, for almost all
hounds that draw well are stout, and have good
noses to feel a drag, as they must do in drawing ;

106 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

and if some hounds draw well in the afternoon
(when the great part of the pack are slack and will
not draw), it is because they are stout.

The sagacity of old fox-hounds is far beyond
that known of most animals, and in nothing
greater probably than in their finding their way
home great distances. The writer was once left
upwards of forty miles from his kennel, after an
extraordinary run, which was described by Nimrod
some years back, and two hounds were missing
which were seen to go off with another scent at
the end of the run, when a fresh fox crossed them.
Nothing was heard of them for three days ; but on
the fourth they both found their way to the kennel,
not looking the worse for their travels. Had they
followed the track of the hounds that night, or
even next morning, it would not have been extra-
ordinary, of course.

The following is another proof of sagacity.
Not long since the writer went to see a celebrated
pack throw off, he being mounted on a hack.
When they were running hard, and going across
the open — having left a large cover behind them —
at the edge of which he pulled up, on seeing them
at a check more than a quarter of a mile off, when
they came to a road. Just at this time the
whipper-in rode up to him and asked where they
were. On their being pointed out to him, it was

FOX-HOUNDS 107

suggested by the writer that he had better wait
a few minutes and see what was to happen, as the
huntsman was properly making his cast forward,
after the pack had been held on by the side of the
road for some distance, and no touch of a scent.
At this time a couple and a half of old hounds
were seen cantering back, lashing their sterns on
the very line they had gone forward, and were
coming straight to the cover, occasionally turning
round to listen if the pack was running. When
at length they got nearly to where the whipper-in
and writer were, that is, close to the large wood,
he was in the act of smacking his whip and rating
them on, when the writer requested him to be quiet
and see the result, which was that, as soon as they
got back to the cover-side, they hit off the scent,
the fox having come back the line he went. On
which the whip held up his cap, gave a view-
halloo, and brought the pack back ; after which
the fox made the same point over a fine country
and was killed. But the cause of the fox heading
back was a waggon and horses, which the writer
could see up the road, but which the huntsman
was not aware of; and it must have been exactly
opposite the spot where the fox would otherwise
have crossed the road, at the time he got there,
and headed back.

^x i)

CHAPTER VII

THE FOX

the pen.

T is scarcely possible to
describe, either with the
pencil or the pen, the
beauty and powers of
this extraordinary ani-
mal ; it has often been
tried on canvas with as
little success as with
If an artist was desired to paint the
most perfect animal in the shape of a quadruped,
it would be not a fox, but the fox, for they are
all so nearly alike in point of symmetry ; and, on
examination, it will be found that no animal has
so much muscle in proportion to its size, and the
bone, hke that of a thorough-bred horse, is like
ivory : in point of strength of loins, nothing can
exceed it. It is only necessary to notice the width
of frame behind the shoulders, which gives so
much space for the lungs, and which accounts for

108

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r. Smith Esq., del.

Finish to a Good Run with the Hambledon Hounds, 182S

-»,^,if^^^^.^^~'''^-i

A FRESH FOX

ilt:**

T. Sntilh Esq.,(it:I.

A BEATEN FOX

THE FOX 109

the extraordinary wind it has often shown itself to
possess, to the no small surprise and disappoint-
ment of both hounds and men ; for there are foxes
which, if they have time to prepare themselves
for work, will defy any pack to kill, even with a
good scent, and they will have enough to do even
with a burning scent, without having the usual
accidents of checks, etc., in a run. These are
seasoned foxes which one meets with now and
then — for a very good reason, that they are always
awake ; and either steal away, or leave hounds too
far behind to allow of a familiar acquaintance.

The illustration represents the finish of a good
run with the writer's hounds in the Hambledon
country, 1828. The fox ran into a chalk-pit
with the hounds close at him, and a hound was
seen by the writer and many others hanging to
the fox by his brush for several minutes, till the
fox was exhausted and fell amongst the hounds
below.

The fox is the most deceiving animal as to
powers. Many huntsmen have gone out deter-
mined, if there is a good scent, to kill their fox
in a short time, with the same feeling that many
went out to the Carlos ^ in Spain, but have
found out that he takes more killing than they
bargained for, being a much stouter fellow than
^ Charley, a slang term for a fox ; origin, Charles Fox.

110 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

was expected, and the only chance was a sharp
brush at first.

The two sketches of a fox are intended to repre-
sent one that is quite fresh, and one that is rather
beaten. Few men have opportunities to observe
the difference, and consequently mistake a fresh
fox for a hunted one, and often declare most
positively that the fox they have seen is the hunted
one ; and the huntsman is induced to go away with
him, but finds, to his regret, that it is a fresh one,
when all the horses are dead beaten, as well as the
fox which is left behind. If this hint should be
the means of making men more cautious how
they give so decided an opinion, it will be a point
gained. It is worthy of notice, when a fox is
beaten he goes very high, with his back up, etc.

It may be that some of these observations on
this animal are not generally known, but they
have been ascertained by experience to be correct.
In the first place, that a fox breeds but one litter
of cubs in a year, and that all the vixens in the
country lay up their young about the same time,
that is, within six weeks, or thereabouts, making
the 25th of March about the middle of the breeding
season. Old men and sportsmen who have paid
the greatest attention to the habits of the fox
appear to agree on that point. One solitary
instance has come to the knowledge of the writer

THE FOX 111

during his life which has been much devoted to
these subjects generally, and that was most remark-
able. It was related to him by the Hon. William
Gage, who actually saw a litter of young foxes,
about one month old, in the month of February
1832, in one of his covers in Hampshire. For-
tunately for the pleasure of fox-hunting, this is
a solitary exception, but of which there can be
no doubt, as they were brought in by the keeper,
and were often seen afterwards. It is no less
certain, that it is an almost unheard-of circum-
stance for a fox to breed earlier than about the
general time mentioned above ; otherwise instances
must have occurred to disprove this assertion.
The cubs would be discovered in some way, either
by accident or when digging out a fox ; or keepers
and earth-stoppers would see that the earths were
used by cubs. Nothing of the sort ever occurs
until the beginning of the month of March, when
the earths are drawn by the vixens ; and about
the end of the month and in April, cubs are fre-
quently found above ground in the New Forest.
Several instances have occurred when the vixen
fox has been seen to steal away from a furze cover,
carrying a cub in her mouth, when she has heard
the hounds drawing ; and nothing is more common
than for a vixen to remove her cubs, when they
have been disturbed, or the place visited by any

112 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

one. They have been known to carry away a
whole Utter two or three miles in one night, when
the cubs were about ten days old, about which
age they begin to see.

The food of foxes, as is well known, varies in
different countries, except in rabbits, which they
always will get if they can, as they prefer them to
any other description of food ; and the proof of it
is that a bet of a hundred to one can be had
that every billet of a fox has rabbits' fur in it.
That they do prefer rabbits is easily proved to be
the case, by confining in some place a fox, and
with him a rabbit and every other sort of food,
live or dead, that can be thought of, and he will
take the rabbit first to a certainty. This is not
a great reason, but the great reason why keepers
dislike foxes ; for every fox destroys rabbits in
one year sufficient to have supplied the keeper with
gin ; consequently, when he sees a fox, he loses
his spirits as well as his temper. The fox finds the
rabbits in the stops when very young, and when
they are not to be had he lives upon the old ones,
both of which are often the keeper's perquisites.
This is so well known, that many gentlemen who
wish well to hunting will not allow their keepers
to sell the rabbits. In the New Forest and else-
where foxes live principally on beetles, the wings
of which are seen in their billets ; if near the sea

THE FOX 113

they live a great deal on fish which they find on
the shore. It is not here pretended to assert that
foxes will never do any mischief, but that, just
as when once a dog takes to killing sheep, he
continues to do so ; so with a fox, if one learns to
take poultry he continues to do so till taken him-
self. But there are hundreds of old foxes which
never tasted a fowl ; nor do they commit a twentieth
part of the mischief to game that is sometimes
talked of by keepers, who tell their masters that
it is no use to preserve pheasants whilst there are
foxes. Surely some signs would be left in covers,
if foxes did destroy so many pheasants, — they
would not eat up feathers and all ; and the writer
can, with a safe conscience, declare that he never
saw three places where a pheasant had been
destroyed by a fox during the whole time he hunted
hounds, although constantly looking whenever he
went in covers abounding with pheasants and foxes
at the same time.

The following is a system which has been known
to be adopted by keepers who are determined
enemies to foxes, and who wish their masters to
believe, not only that they are very attentive to
their duty, but that foxes do much more harm
than they really do, as they say (it being the
time they have cubs). The keeper adopts this
plan : he shoots a hen pheasant, and having cut

114 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

it into several pieces he lays the feathers, which
are bloody, about the cover, probably in twenty
different places. Shortly afterwards he begs his
master to go and see the damage the fox has done,
and takes him round to all the places where the
feathers, etc., are, and persuades his master that
there has been a hen pheasant killed at each place.
This trick is played at other seasons as well ; by
which means, having apparently shown such a
convincing proof, he often gains permission to
kill the fox, — " Only in a quiet way, you know,
sir ! "

There are other charges against foxes which
they do not deserve. One is that of taking away
lambs from a sheepfold. The writer does not
mean to say that such a thing has never happened,
— ^though it has never been proved to him, — but
the following did happen. A respectable farmer,
who used to hunt regularly with his hounds (and
who will probably see this), told him that he was
sorry to say there was a rogue that had taken
away a lamb several nights following, and begged
that the hounds might draw the hedgerows about,
and find this villainous fox. A few days after-
wards he came and urged it more, saying that
other lambs had been taken. As it was an unlikely
country to find, a by-day was fixed on. Every
hedge and hedgerow at all likely was drawn without

THE FOX 115

the slightest appearance of a fox having been
there. The hounds were then trotted off to the
next wood, about a mile, shortly found, and after
a good run killed their fox. The brush was given
to the farmer, who went home well satisfied that
this was the right fox, and told his shepherd of it,
who was equally pleased. A few days afterwards
the farmer came again, and said, that having lost
some more lambs since the hounds were there,
his shepherd, unknown to him, had set a trap for
the fox, and in it next morning was found, not
a fox, but his master's favourite pointer, which
he at once destroyed, and never lost another lamb.
The likely part of a cover to find a fox in is
where it is low enough to admit the rays of the
sun to reach him in his kennel during some part
of the day if possible, to which he returns as soon
as daylight appears, and is seldom seen after dusk
in the morning, unless he is disturbed or in quest
of a vixen in the month of February ; but cubs are
apt to move in the daytime when they are nearly
half-grown, until they have been hunted or
frightened. Foxes, in some countries where there
are forests with old trees, or pollards covered
with ivy, are often known to be foiuid lying in
them, having made their kennel a considerable
height from the ground, in proof of which the
following fact happened to the writer, when he

116 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

had just killed a fox, although after a good run,
in Savernake Forest. The keeper came up and said,
" Sir, here is another ready for you up in an oak-
tree ! " The novelty of the thing induced him
against his better judgment to see the result of
turning him off his roost. The hounds were taken
aside some distance, and a man climbed up the
tree ; but the fox, which could be seen, did not
move till the man shook the ivy on which he lay,
when off he jumped, and had not the under
branches saved him he must have been killed.
As it was, he rebounded on reaching the ground,
three feet at least, and away he went, none the
worse for his flight. The hounds were shortly
lain on, and went straight to some immense woods ;
and the day finished with running three or four
foxes at dark. In Sherwood Forest, Nottingham-
shire, and in other forests, foxes often lie in hollow
trees, and very frequently run into them and save
themselves when hunted ; but sometimes are bolted
by terriers, which has been made a subject for
pictures in those countries.

When a litter of cubs is known of, the sooner
they are moved the better ; if in an earth, apply a
match of brimstone, made thus — melt the brim-
stone over a fire, then spread on a sheet of brown
paper ; cut it in strips, an inch or two wide, then
split the end of a stick about eighteen inches long,

THE FOX 117

put in one of the strips, and stick the other end
into the ground and set fire to it ; or smear the
side of the hole with gas-tar — much the shortest
way — and the old one will take the cubs away
where they probably may not be found again.
This should be done when cubs are very young,
or fox-takers will have them if they are old enough
to take care of themselves, or even to eat. They
have dogs which can go into the main earths, and
are taught to bring the cubs out alive in their
mouths ; therefore when they are moved these
fox-takers will not readily find them, and must
be seen if they are looking about for them ; and
at this time of the year it is well worth while
to employ some persons to look out for these
customers.

Cubs which are bought and turned out seldom
come to anything, although they are as fine-looking
foxes as wild ones, unless they are allowed to
remain where they are put down till late in the
season, at all events till after Christmas, by which
time they have learnt to find their own food, and
have probably been moved by shooters, dogs, etc.,
and have learnt their way about from cover to
cover. But if a litter of cubs has been put down
in a wood and regularly fed, although they are all
fine foxes, and hunted so early as September, in
October or November they may be found once ;

118 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

but they will be frightened away from the ground
they know and from their food to a strange
country, where they will be in a starving state,
which will oblige them to visit dangerous places,
sheepfolds, etc., and they will nearly all, most
probably, be killed by shepherds' dogs or others ;
not one may ever find its way back. This is a
caution well worthy of attention by those who
happen to have foxes brought them which were
bred in their own country ; but it is strange that
any one will buy his neighbour's foxes, for how
would any man like to hear of a neighbour buying
his pheasants' eggs ? for on both sport equally
depends.

The difference in the sagacity of young foxes
bred up in the above manner, and those bred up
naturally by the vixen, at the same age, is almost
beyond belief, owing, of course, to their education
by the old vixen. One proof amongst many
known the writer gives. After killing a cub with
his hounds, another ran into a rabbit hole ; the
whipper-in got hold of the brush, and in pulling
the cub out, he pulled off half the brush. The
hounds were gone home, but he brought home this
cub, about eight miles from the cover ; and in the
same evening it was marked and turned out close
by the kennel. Nothing more was thought about
it till near Christmas, when the same wood was

THE FOX 119

drawn where this fox was bred and dug out. He
was again found, and after a good run was killed ;
and he was known by his short brush, and the
mark. This young fox, in the month of October,
had found his way back to this cover, having had
to cross two wide rivers, and travel eight miles.

Therefore, when young foxes are brought, it is
by far the best plan, if possible, to find out exactly
where they came from ; to do which, the whipper-
in should go back with the man who brought them,
on the pretence of wishing to see if there are any
more, or some other reason, and ascertain exactly
where they were taken from ; then, unknown to
the man, go if possible the same night at dark
and put the cubs down again in some place, with
a little food, where they cannot get away of them-
selves ; and although they may have been taken
some days, the vixen will be sure to be looking for
them, and will find them out, and take care of
them ; which, by going very early next morning,
he will find is the case, and ten to one but they
are safe. The only use of cubs which are turned
down is to blood the yoimg hounds, and save
thereby the necessity of killing your native cubs.

Foreign foxes, it is said, will not show such sport
as the foxes of the country ; this may, or may
not be, for the fact of having had an extraordinary
run with a decided French fox induces the writer

120 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

to have a better opinion of them. This was a two
years old fox which, through not having been
moved the first year he was turned down, survived,
and was as stout as any Enghsh fox. But it is
all waste, both of money and trouble, unless they
are left quiet for some time, as stated above, till
they get seasoned. That such was the case with
this Frenchman, the following account will prove.
He was found by the writer in the outskirts of his
country, and ran directly straight away through
the adjoining hunt, and was killed twelve miles
from where he was found. It was remarked that
the hair on the brush was longer and lighter
coloured than usual, and the fur on the skin was
finer and softer ; a member of the hunt in which
it was killed took up the fox, before he was given
to the hounds, and exclaimed at once, " D — d
odd ! " and it was ascertained by a mark to be one
of a lot from France the year before.

It is probable that some may think it injudicious
to make known that such things are ever imported
into this country, but these persons should also
bear in mind that it may have quite a contrary
effect, for when men who are hostile to fox-
hunting think that they can destroy the means
of sport, they ought to know that any man who
likes to be at the expense of it, can import a
thousand foxes in a month.

THE FOX 121

The writer takes the opportunity of declaiming
against turning down foxes, having been fortunate
in hunting a country so well stocked as not to
require it ; but if it were necessary to resort to
any method, he would most assuredly adopt the
following, which is the only good and sure plan
of getting foxes in parts of a country where there
are no holding covers, and in which part of the
country it may be desirable to some residents, all
of whom, if they have any land, have it in their
power, at a trifling expense, to get native foxes ;
and the greater the distance from large covers,
the better will be the runs, if these foxes get to
them. It often happens that a vixen fox, with
or without cubs, is dug out, and brought to the
master of the hounds, probably by accident, or
from a part of the country which is seldom or
never hunted. When this is the case, the plan is
to make a false earth, — a drain about three feet
deep or more, where necessary, about twelve
inches wide ; to be firmly covered over with thick
boards, or rough timber ; then cover it with earth,
well rammed down ; the drain to be about ten
yards long, at the end a space about three feet
square. Then get a light, but strong chain, and
a strong collar, and chain up the vixen ; the end
of the chain to be fastened about six feet within
the hole, so that when the fox goes in to the end,

122 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

she draws into the drain all the chain. The cubs
to be put in with her. They will remain with
the vixen until they have found their way about
the country ; and by Christmas they will have
found out the nearest covers, and will soon after
take to them. But the vixen is to be still kept
chained up as long as she lives, and she will breed
a litter of cubs every year, for the dog foxes will
be sure to find her out. The situation most
desirable would be near a pond or stream of water,
when it would not be necessary for any person
to carry a supply of water, and it should be in
some open place, within sight of a cottage where
the person who takes care of her lives. A butcher
should be engaged to supply some sheep's paunches,
or offal of some sort, twice a week ; this, and the
remains of poultry, etc., from the great houses
near, will be food for her. The advantages of this
plan over that of turning down and feeding cubs
without a vixen, is that, when these cubs are
found or frightened after they take to the woods,
they will come straight to the vixen where they
were bred, and be safe until they are old enough to
show sport, when the earth could be stopped by
an iron grating the day the hounds were expected.
Not so with those turned down and fed by hand,
if they are hunted before Christmas, or before
they have learnt the country and how to find

THE FOX 123

their own food. On being driven away from
what has been their home, they know not where
they are, or their way back, and are seldom heard
of or seen again ; at least such is known to be the
case with those that have been marked.

It may possibly be suggested that it would be
easy for some person to come in the night and
take away this vixen fox. This is a mistake, for
she would draw into the earth the whole chain,
six feet within the opening of the drain or earth,
when any person approached her ; and it would
be necessary for them to dig her out, which would
be no easy task. But it should be recollected that
a fox in this state is not a wild animal, and a
person would be just as liable to be prosecuted for
stealing it, as he would be for breaking open a
stable and stealing a horse ; or how does it happen
that tame foxes which are chained up in yards,
etc., are never stolen in preference to a dog ? One
is a sure sale, the other not.

One of the great objections against turning down
foxes is that they are generally infected with
mange, most particularly those purchased of regular
fox-sellers, or, more properly, of those receivers of
stolen goods, for such they are. This, when easily
and satisfactorily explained, will probably be the
means of deterring some masters of hounds from
encouraging so nefarious, unhandsome, and dis-

124 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

honourable a practice, that is, supposing these
foxes were bred in any hunting country ; for the
consequence of it is that the mangy young foxes,
in the course of a short time, find out all the
fox-earths near, and instinctively make use of
them, thereby infecting them with mange, so that
every native which enters these earths for some
time afterwards, catches the disease. The reason
why foxes, purchased as above described, become
thus mangy is, that this atrocious trade is gener-
ally kept by men who reside in London, and they
have not a room sufficiently large to keep them
clean ; and when once that one room has been
infected, it is scarcely possible to cleanse it. There
is another cause to which the introduction of
mangy foxes into the country may be attributed,
that is, owing to a fox having by some means
taken poisoned food, but not sufficient to destroy
him. This is well known to have that effect on all
animals, and in none more than a fox and a rat,
both of which in the course of time recover their
health ; but it is at least two years before they
recover their coats or fur. That they do recover
is certain, although it has not been discovered
what its instinct has applied as a cure ; but to
something there is little doubt, as we may judge
by the canine race, for unless a dog which is
affected by mange is not properly attended to, he

THE FOX 125

will scratch himself to death, or become unfit to
live, if fastened up and not at liberty to use his
own remedy. The proof that foxes do recover
their health and strength after losing all their hair
or fur, is the fact of their showing extraordinary
sport with hounds ; indeed some of the best runs
on record are with mangy foxes. One of the best
the writer ever had with his own hounds was from
a patch of gorse on Ilsley Downs. The fox went
away almost in sight of the hounds, and continued
in sight of the men for several miles over the
downs, a racing pace, and was killed after forty
minutes almost without a check, when it was
found he had scarcely a hair on his body, and
not one on his brush, or rather what should have
been his brush. This run will not be forgotten by
many Oxonians. The writer had seen during the
run that the fox was mangy, and when in a wood,
and getting near a large breeding earth, he rode
wide of the hounds, and got on the earth just in
time to prevent the fox going in, and in conse-
quence she was killed within fifty yards of it ; and,
although it was a vixen, it was not a source of
regret, though so late in the season that the earths
were opened. It would have been no mercy to
have saved her, for if she had lived to breed a
litter of cubs, every one of them would have been
affected with the mange, and they would have

126 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

infected others. To have mangy foxes in a country
must be considered a great nuisance, and one way
of reducing the chances of getting them is by
destroying the earths, or, at all events, stopping
them up during the hunting season, according to
the plan hereafter described {vide Earth-stopping).

The usual or rather the greatest age of foxes in
general does not appear to be very well known.
But that they live to the age of ten or twelve years
the writer has proved, by having hunted and killed
a fox with a short brush, which was called the
stump-tailed fox, and had been known and hunted
eight or nine years before he went into the country,
and which when killed had scarcely a tooth left,
indeed nothing but the stumps.

Foxes are thought to run stoutest about the
middle of the winter, — from the beginning of
December to the end of January. And from the
circumstance that the fur of all animals is most
valuable in the midst of winter, it is fair to suppose
that they are stronger and in better condition at
that time, consequently more fit for work. But
after that time, in the month of February, the dog
foxes are much easier killed than in any other
month, owing to their travels at night after the
vixens, which travels continue till the month of
March, when it is still no uncommon thing to find
two or three dog foxes in the same wood ; but

THE FOX 127

though such is the case with dog foxes, the vixens
often run very stoutly in February. Owing to the
above circumstance there is greater difficulty in
finding foxes during that month than any other,
as they congregate in the neighbourhood of some
vixen, near where a litter of foxes is usually bred ;
and, consequently, that is the only part Hkely to
be a tolerably sure find at this particular time
of the year.

It has been asserted in a sporting pubhcation,
not long since, as well as on other occasions, that
if a fox when he is moved by hounds is not pressed
in the chase, he will only keep a certain distance
before the pack. According to that idea, it matters
not what pace the hounds go; as the fox stops
when hounds come to a check. But this assertion
is not borne out by the facts, at all events only
occasionally, where a fox has been often disturbed
by the hare-hounds, or other dogs ; on which
occasions he will not go straight away, or keep on.
But that good wild foxes do not dwell in the way
asserted above, innumerable proofs can be given of
the following description. On one occasion a fox
was found by the hounds belonging to the writer
in an outside cover which adjoined an open country
for ten or twelve miles, and after a ring or two was
killed in about an hour. A gentleman who came
late to cover, met a fox two miles off, going straight

128 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

across the open above described, of which he spoke ;
and, consequently, it was decided that the hounds
should meet there, in three weeks' time, with the
hope of finding this gallant fellow. The hounds
met and drew the same cover for him, and very-
soon two foxes were on foot. After running hard
in cover for half an hour, the whipper-in, who
was placed where he could see if any fox took
that open country, rode up and said he was gone
away. The hounds were with difficulty stopped
from the fox, which remained in cover, and clapped
on the flyer — but with a coldish scent, owing to
the start he got ; notwithstanding which, they went
straight as possible across the open for nearly
twelve miles, quite out of sight of any cover, or
scarcely a fence to hide a fox, and then came to a
fatal check, owing to a flock of sheep having gone
along a road just before the hounds, etc. When
they were turned towards home, a shepherd came
up and said he saw the sa ne fox that day three
weeks come over the open downs — exactly the same
line the hounds came that day, and about the
same hour ; and no doubt this was the same fox
which was seen that day, which is sufficient to
prove that good foxes at all events do go on,
whether hounds are after them or not. And
probably this may do away the wonder and
surprise that some men express, namely, how

THE FOX 129

strange it is that foxes can beat hounds which
are kept in such high condition, and in such con-
stant wind ; for there is Uttle doubt but that most
good foxes in a country which is hunted regularly,
move whenever they hear a pack of hounds in
chase run through or near the cover in which they
lie, and go straight away in another direction. As
such is known to be the case now and then, of
course it oftener happens when it is not known ;
for nothing is more common than for a master of
hounds, or a man who hunts, to be told by some
person the next day, that he met or saw a fox
several miles off, going like a hunted one in an
opposite direction to where the hounds had run
about the same time the day before. But much
of this depends on the sort of covers in a country ;
for a fox will lie much longer and quieter in a
furze or gorse cover than in any other, for more
reasons than one that the writer can give. It is
pretty sure that a hunted fox will not pass through
it, although he often does through other sorts of
covers, which do not impede him ; consequently, a
fox lying in a wood and hearing hounds running
through it, or near it, will be off : therefore they
have more exercise than many are aware of.
Independent of this, foxes get regularly every
night sufficient to keep them in wind ; and some
even in better than hounds, which are old foxes

10

130 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

that have been hunted, and are too cunning to
over-fill themselves with food, although it does
sometimes happen, probably by picking up a
wounded bird, or something just before they go to
their kennel for the day. But these are accidental
circumstances ; and when in such a state, foxes are
shortly killed, although the day before it would
have taken the same pack four hours to kill, even
if they did at all, and with a good scent ; for, as
before asserted, there are foxes which, when fit to
go, can beat any hounds ; and that these foxes
are not known, is to be accounted for by their
stealing away, and hounds not being on terms do
not know much about them as to their stoutness.
Many foxes are also often abused, and pro-
nounced great brutes, etc., and that the sooner
they are killed the better, in order that they may
go and find a good one, merely because the fox
hangs in cover, and runs rings in it for half an
hour or more. This is no proof of his being a
bad one, but often the reverse ; for by this time
the ground gets stained where the hounds have
been over it once or twice, and the pack do not
continue to press him as at first, and he gets time
to lighten himself; and then, being fit to go, he
takes the open country and rarely is beaten, but
has given those gentlemen's horses sufficient work
for the next week, who abused him in the morning.

THE FOX 131

Neither is it a proof of a fox being a bad one, his
going to ground shortly after being found. It is
the greatest proof of his sagacity, especially on a
good scenting day. This is acquired by age and
experience, which the following account with the
writer's hounds may prove. The meeting was near
a fashionable town, and it being the day after a
gay fancy ball in that part, a large field were
present, when to the delight of all a fox was found,
which, after a ring or two in the adjoining covers
with a capital scent, went to a by-earth, to the
great annoyance of every one, more particularly
of the writer ; and no small share of rating got
the earth-stopper, who declared that he had put
to, that is, merely thrust some sticks into it, which
was not a regular earth. The hounds laid at it,
and were baying, although there was only a possi-
bility for a fox to have drawn himself in, probably
owing to their hounds lying and scratching at the
earth. But thinking it possible the fox was not
gone in, he trotted off with the hounds to the
farther end of the small cover, when the hounds
hit off the scent ; and the fox having got a little
law, went down wind nearly as straight as possible
by the map sixteen miles, when the hounds ran
into him, just after crossing a wide piece of water,
which did the business for him. So good a run
was it, that one or two of those who saw the finish

132 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

will recollect the following exclamation, when the
fox was in hand : " Now, I don't care if I never
kill another fox ! " — and yet this one would, it
appeared, have gone to ground in five minutes
after being found, if he could. The foregoing
anecdote not only proves that the best foxes do
go to ground early, but also that it is more than
probable that many of the best foxes generally lie
under ground, when there are large earths. The
remedy for which will be proposed hereafter (vide
Earth-stopping). It will probably be noticed that
in the above run the scent was good — ^which of
course a fox must be aware of, as he lives by
hunting — and this was probably the cause of his
trying to go to ground. There is little doubt that
on many days when hounds cannot find, and on
which days the scent has been proved to be capital,
foxes are under ground ; they are not afraid to
stay above ground in bad scenting weather, but
take care to be out of the way in good. And on
those days, if a pack of hounds come suddenly
upon him — ^that is, to draw the cover where he is
lying, before he has an opportunity to steal off —
it will often be observed that he will lie till they
almost tread on him, if late in the day and no
drag ; which is one proof that the scent does not
come from the body or breath of the animal, but
from the touch. And by his lying quiet in his

THE FOX 133

kennel, the scent does not exude from under him,
that is, from the ground he lies upon, until he
moves away, according to the old song —

And Saucebox roars out in his kennel.

But the most convincing and satisfactory proof,
that the scent does come from the touch of the
animal is that, when the ground carries after a
frost, there is even a burning scent on turf and
sound hard ground, until the hounds get on a
fallow or ploughed ground, when they will feel the
scent for a few paces only, and it will entirely go
until they are held across the ploughed field ; and
when they are again on turf or sound ground, or
going through the fence, they will hit off the scent
immediately, as the foot is clean and touches the
ground ; which is accounted for by the foxes' feet
gathering earth as soon as they tread on the
ploughed ground, which on being pressed adheres
to the bottom of the feet (which is called carry-
ing) ; consequently, prevents the feet from touching
the ground ; until this, which forms a clog and is
sticking to the feet, is worn off by a few steps
on the sound ground, after leaving the ploughed
land.

Another proof that the scent by which the fox
is hunted by hounds does not come from the body,

134 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

but from the touch, is that when hounds are
running across an open country, downs, and such
Hke, in very windy weather, it cannot be supposed
even that the scent can remain stationary, but that
it would be scattered by the wind ; and that it
arises from the touch, that is, the pad of the fox
touching the ground. A person, to be more
thoroughly convinced of this, has only to take
hold of a fox's pad, or any other part when fresh
killed, and the scent will be retained for many
hours.

It is thought by some that the reason why
foxes are not oftener killed late in the day, after
a hard and long run when it is nearly dark, that
it is owing to their strength recovering as their
natural time for exercise comes on ; but the more
probable cause for hounds not killing their fox
oftener than they do at this time is that, as night
comes on in the winter, the wind gets much colder,
and the damp air, or rather the dew (which falls
and does not rise, as some suppose, on any flat
surface — for instance, the top of a gate will be
covered with water by the dew, when the under-
side is perfectly dry), depresses the scent, and
prevents its expansion ; consequently it becomes
more difficult for hounds to feel it sufficiently to
press a fox so much as they had done previously,
although so much closer to him. And unless they

C/0

^ «■

< £

to

CQ

X

THE FOX 135

do press him, it is almost impossible to say how
much beaten he is ; for it has happened often to
the writer, who probably has enjoyed more of this
midnight sort of scenery than most men, that
when he has been determined to kill a fox, which
from his running short and amongst the hounds
in cover for a long time, it appeared that he was
so beaten, that they would kill in a few minutes,
the fox has, after dark, broke away, and taken
an open country, when it has been necessary to
stop the hounds, as it was impossible to see a
fence. It should also be recollected that when
hounds have run a fox till dark, they are not so
fresh as in the morning, therefore the difference
of the scent tells doubly on them ; but if scent
does return after a hard run, it is wonderful to
see what courage and stoutness is left in a pack
which appeared beaten. And it is one of the most
rare events in hunting to see a whole pack quite
beaten, although to casual observers they may
appear so ; but it happens occasionally, when they
have this appearance after a very hard run and a
long check, and have given it up, that the hunted
fox has been moved, and it is then seen that those
same hounds will run clean away from those very
men who were probably remarking that the hounds
were dead-beaten.

CHAPTER VIII

EARTH-STOPPING

S. HOSE countries which
abound with fox-earths
are very liable to have
blank days, according
to the usual method
of management ; for
where there are earths,
foxes at times will be
in them when they are
wanted elsewhere, even when the earth-stoppers
do their duty. But the first question to put
is, whether it is likely that a man can be
depended on to get up long before daylight
in the coldest and most dreary part of winter
to stop a cold earth, and leave the warmer
clay by his side ? It is all very well for men
to say. Yes ! and that they know they do
their duty properly, for they have sent down to
ascertain it. Ascertain what ? that the earths

136

EARTH-STOPPING 137

were stopped before it was light. What matters
that ? How long before light does a fox go to
ground at this time, when it is not light much
before eight o'clock, this being three hours later
than at other parts of the season, and they are
consequently more often stopped after the fox has
gone in than before ; — and a very little ingenuity
will extort this fact from an earth-stopper, that he
has often found his stopping removed by a fox
scratching out when he has gone to take it out
himself next morning, which accounts for many
blank days. This having been the writer's decided
opinion from observation, ever since he has been
a fox-hunter (and few men began more early in
life), that immediately on his undertaking the
management of a pack of fox-hounds, he com-
menced the following plan, to which he attributes
the fact of his not having had more, upon an
average, than three blank days in any four years
that he kept hounds, although in the same
countries from ten to twenty had been encountered
previously in one year.

His plan was, in the beginning of October the
head whipper-in went round to every earth-stopper,
taking with him each day some matches, prepared
as described on page 116. Or gas-tar may be
rubbed against the sides of the earth within.
Three days after this has been done, the same

138 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

whipper-in should go round to every earth-stopper
again, and see that he stops up every earth in
the following manner : first, make a fagot of sticks
the size • of each hole, which should be thrust
in, then drive a stake through it ; after which,
with a spade cover the whole over with earth.
It may not be necessary to state it, but the reason
why this last operation is not done at first is that,
in consequence of the fox-earth being smoked by
brimstone, a fox may, if in, not come out the first
night ; but by waiting three days he will by that
time find his way out, and, consequently, the earth
may be stopped without fear of stopping him in.
After this is done, the earth-stoppers are to under-
stand that the earths are to be kept stopped
during the whole winter, until they have orders
to open them in the spring for the vixens to lay
up their cubs in — ^to be opened the last week in
February. But if at any time previously in the
season a fox goes to ground, half a crown will be
deducted for every time any hole is found open, —
which will be a sure remedy against going to
ground. The earth-stoppers' pay will, of course,
be under this new regulation reduced according to
their deserts ; but they will be as well satisfied as
before, because they will have a regular salary,
and very little to do for it, instead of being
expected to be out all weathers when ordered,

EARTH-STOPPING 139

according to the old plan. The pay of an earth-
stopper, notwithstanding this arrangement, can, at
the master's option, be increased if he produces a
litter of cubs in the woods which he looks over ;
and if he has a sovereign for every earth he has
to stop and open in this way he will be satisfied.
Some have two or three earths or more ; but it
must be left to the judgment of the master of the
hounds. In the two countries hunted by the
writer, the men were all satisfied although they
did not get so much money ; which was paid to
them at an annual dinner in the centre of the
country — generally fixing on some old earth-stopper
to supply it, who keeps a public-house — at the rate
of two shillings for dinner, and one shilling for
drinking, each man.

The advantages gained by this plan are so
numerous, that it has always appeared most strange
that it has not been known to have ever been
adopted by any other master of hounds. But it
only requires to be made known, to become
generally adopted ; and as good sport was the
great object of the writer in first doing it, he will
have no difficulty in proving that it is a certain
way to get better runs, because they are straighter,
as the foxes do not run the rings they used to
do — in trying every earth in the country where
they are found — as they have already discovered

140 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

that they are all blocked up, and therefore often
go straight away. But, according to the old plan
of merely stopping the earths in a certain quarter
of the country the day it is hunted, when a straight,
good run does happen, and the hounds deserve their
fox, he goes to ground beyond the distance stopped
for the day ; although probably, had he not been
able to get into the earth, he would have con-
siderably increased the day's sport by going on
some miles and being killed, which certainly is
required to make a good run perfect — and all go
home satisfied. In the next place, it is the best
preventive against blank days ; for, as before
stated, many foxes nearly always lie underground,
in bad weather particularly. Nothing is more
common than when a fox is dug out to find a
brace, or even more ; and if these are found in
earths so weak as to be broken up, how very much
more likely is it that there are foxes in the main
earths ? Which accounts for every cover in a part
of a country being drawn blank a few days only
after snow, during which foxes were padded about
in all directions, and no doubt were in the earths
at the time the country was drawn blank.

The disadvantages of having earths are so much
greater than the advantages, that if every earth in
the country was done away with it would be a
benefit to fox-hunting, even as respects the breed-

EARTH-STOPPING 141

ing of foxes, for the vixens would breed above
ground in furze, or would find drains, which no
one knows of, etc. But every fox-earth in the
country is known to all poachers and fox-takers
and keepers ; consequently, every litter of foxes
bred in them is known, and unless it is possible to
have a constant watch over them, they may be
taken in half an hour by various methods, none
more fatal than terriers, which are taught to bring
the cubs out alive in their mouths, or by digging
pits at the mouth of the earth into which the cubs
drop when they attempt to come out, which they
will do shortly after they can see, in consequence
of hunger, if the old vixen is kept away, who,
poor thing ! is watching close by, but dares not
come to them, as one of these atrocious ruffians of
fox-takers is near, ready to take the cubs when
they fall into the pit. Added to which, the vixen
often falls a victim to the keeper's gun at these
main earths, for many have been known to place
themselves on a tree over the earth, or near it,
and so shoot the old vixen at the mouth of the
earth ; indeed, more keepers than one have been
actually caught watching in a tree, with their gun,
for that purpose.

But all this is avoided if the cubs are bred above
ground, as no man then knows where they are, till
probably he has found them out by accident ; and

142 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

few men of this sort can prowl about in covers to
find them without being seen. And if it does
happen that they find them, probably they may be
too young to take ; and when they go again, in-
tending to take them, the old vixen will have
saved them the trouble, for if once a person visits
cubs which are bred above ground, the vixen
never fails to remove them. Also, when it is not
known where they are, the old one has a better
chance of escaping the traps, etc., which are so
often found set. On one occasion the writer found
no less than eight iron traps at one earth where a
fox had gone in.

Independent of the above advantages of having
no earths, or of having them stopped in this way
for the season, there is not the same chance of
having mangy foxes, for one mangy fox may infect
half the earths in a country.

Another advantage of this plan is, that when
the earths are opened at the end of February,
although stopped till then, the vixen foxes will
soon find out that they are open, — indeed they
have been known to inhabit an earth which has
been stopped within a week after it was opened,
although it had been stopped the whole winter
before ; but the dog foxes not having the same
motive for seeking the earths, do not find it out
so soon, and consequently do not go to ground so

EARTH-STOPPING 143

readily as a vixen. Therefore if at this time, in
March, there are earths open, it will probably be
a dog fox which the hounds are running ; and one
of the greatest advantages of having earths at all,
if not the only one, is that it enables hounds to
hunt later in the season, as the vixens will generally
go to ground. But this does not make up for the
disadvantages ; and it would be much better to
lose a few days' hunting.

Having adopted this plan with the greatest
success and satisfaction to all parties, although the
intelligence at first to some gentlemen, when it
was proposed by the writer, created much alarm,
on his hunting a new country, with the dread that
it would be the means of driving all the foxes
out of the country, etc., which the fact of not
having a single blank day for a year or two erased
from their minds, it was no trifling addition to
this satisfaction, and to the proof that earths
are not absolutely necessary to have foxes in a
country, for the writer lately to have had the
opportunity of ascertaining that there are no
earths in the whole Bedfordshire country, and
yet foxes in abundance. It is very true, our
forefathers did not stop the earths in this way ;
but in former times foxes were not bought and
sold as they are now.

The only persons who really lose by this, are

144 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

the old earth-stoppers ; and they lose three things
— first, their consequence by it in some measure ;
next, a few half-crowns for stopping ; and thirdly,
they lose a great deal of unpleasant work, such as
getting up in the middle of the night, and going
out in the dark, in all weathers ; independent of
which, they lose a great deal of abuse for not
having done their duty.

CHAPTER IX

KEEPERS

Where there is a will there is a way.

jHE sketch on p. 146 is
intended to represent
a stoat being caught
in a trap, baited in
such a way that a fox
could take the bait
without being caught
by the leg, as ninety-
nine out of a hundred
destroyed are caught — ^that is, when these traps
are covered over, and the bait is on the ground
under the trap. Independently of this plan pre-
serving the fox, it is the most successful plan for
all other vermin ; and if all friends to fox-hunting
were to insist on its being adopted, there would
not be many blank days.

11

145

146

THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

There is an old saying, " Give a dog a bad name
and hang him," which maxim is too often applied
to gamekeepers ; for there are some who are really
friends to fox-hunting, and who have more pride in
showing foxes with their pheasants, that is, in the
same covers, than any others can have in showing
pheasants without them. Innumerable instances
can be proved that foxes and pheasants can be

had in abundance in the same covers, particularly
where there are rabbits. The writer has seen five
foxes cross a ride in a cover, and nearly as many
hundred pheasants. Indeed, let any person go to
Savernake Wood, belonging to the Marquis of
Ailesbury,^ or to Ashdown Park, which swarms

^ This magnificent
4,000 acres.— Ed.

demesne extends to upwards of

KEEPERS 14T

with pheasants, belonging to Lord Craven, and see
these covers drawn by a pack of fox-hounds, and
he will be convinced of the above assertion, for in
the several years they were hunted by the writer
they were never drawn blank ; and it may be
depended on, that the great objection which
keepers have to foxes is that they destroy so great
a number of rabbits, which are the keepers' per-
quisites, and consequently they are disposed to
destroy foxes. It is a difficult thing to know how
to act with them, but it is much the wisest plan to
treat them civilly, even if they are doubtful, until
proofs can be brought against them, that they do
destroy foxes against their master's will ; for there
are many keepers, most highly respectable men,
who have a right to expect to be treated civilly
and respectfully. And indeed, under any circum-
stance, it is the height of folly to abuse them
openly, as is too often done ; it only exasperates,
for they are generally men not easily frightened,
at least if they are good for anything. The thing
is, to prove that they do destroy first, and then
go to work in every way, by applying to every
friend and connection of the master's, and have it
represented properly ; when, if he, and even the lady
of the manor, are inveterate against fox-hunting,
she will, if it is properly represented, see how
much more desirable it is to have all the mansions

148 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

and residences in the country inhabited by famihes
of a sociable disposition, in preference to their
being vacant, which would be the case if there
were no fox-hounds to induce men to reside in the
country ; and that those gentlemen who do pre-
serve game monopolise so great a portion of the
land, that only a few can enjoy shooting, but
hundreds can enjoy hunting, whose whole sport
and inducement to reside in the country is anni-
hilated by this person's keeper killing foxes. In-
deed, if there are ladies who do not approve of
fox-hunting, the wTiter only requests that they
will compare the private amusements of some
men who do not hunt with those who do ; for
men must have some amusement, and it will be
found, that the balance preponderates in favour of
the fox-hunter; for instance, the following sketch.
Shortly after breakfast, say nine o'clock, he leaves
home, probably with this last request from his wife,
" Do not forget to ask those several families to
dine with us such a day " ; which would not have
been thought of, but owing to this chance of
meeting them in the field, where he sees nearly
all the best society in the neighbourhood, and
returns after having had a good day's sport and
plenty of exercise, — if through wind and storms,
he enjoys his home so much the more. Dinner
arrives, everything is capital, he is in the highest

KEEPERS 149

spirits, and he is happy with his wife and family.
This is not always the case with some only who
do not hunt. It is true they are also away all day,
and return to dinner, but looking pale and wretched,
having no appetite, and find fault with everything
at table, — probably not forgetting the table they
have been at during their absence. In short,
men must be employed ; and if they have no
amusement in the country, it is natural to sup-
pose that they will congregate, as abroad, in the
metropolis, or a large town.

Although the scent was good, the writer thinks
it right to whip off, for he has just discovered that
many may suppose he had changed his fox, but he
was only a little wide ; and, as skirting is not
approved of, he returns to the subject of the
keeper, by relating a fact which will prove how
very difficult it is to believe some of them. A
gentleman who kept a pack of fox-hounds in the
west of England (with whom the writer was on a
visit just before the following circumstance had
occurred, and afterwards) was desirous of pre-
serving both game and foxes, as he always had
done, and had just engaged a new keeper, who
came from a suspicious quarter, and was therefore
strictly ordered not to destroy a fox. As he kept
a pack of fox-hounds, his orders were that the
foxes should be more thought of than the pheasants ;

150 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

and the man promised most faithfully to obey this
order, and take good care of the foxes — ^which he
did, as the sequel will show. In a cover adjoining
a park, two litters of foxes were bred up ; and,
during the autumn, the earths were occasionally
visited by the master, with whom on one occasion
was the writer. It was late in the autumn, and
on a day after a wet night, when it was expected
that the cubs would be padded near the earth,
but nothing of the sort was perceptible. This
created suspicion that all was not right, and the
head-keeper was questioned closely. He said they
were moved to another earth, and sure enough
they were. The under-keeper was now made
acquainted with this suspicion, and was instructed,
unknown to the head-keeper, to search about the
cover near where the cubs were bred. He did so,
and found two places where the earth was fresh,
and had evidently been lately moved. On turning
it up, he found two beautiful healthy cubs buried,
each with a leg broken, having been caught in a
trap, which he at night put into a sack and brought
to the gentleman, to whom he related where he
had found them, etc. The head-keeper was sent
for that night, and when he came into the room —
called the justice-room, this gentleman being a
magistrate — he commenced by expressing his sus-
picion that some unfair play had been going on

KEEPERS 151

with the foxes in the cover before described. The
reply was, " That if there had been foul play, it
was unknown to him ; for he would not allow
such a shameful thing on any account, and that
he had taken every care possible of them." The
gentleman then said, " I do not believe you ; for
I am sure you must have destroyed them." His
reply was, " What ! me, sir ! I'll take my oath
I have not killed them." — " Do you mean that ? "
said the gentleman. " Yes ! " said the man.
" Then take the book," holding out the usual
Bible for that purpose to try him. He took the
book in his hand, when the gentleman said, " Hold
hard ! my friend " ; and rang the bell, when in
walked the footman with the two young foxes, as
before arranged. On seeing which, after a little
confusion, and being asked whether he had ever
seen them before, he said, " Well, then, I did do
it, and I could not help it ; for it would be unnatural
in me not to kill what I was brought up to do."
A severe reprimand and dismissal was, of course,
the immediate result.

That a keeper should venture to kill a fox is
bad enough, certainly ; but that any other persons
should think fit to do so is scarcely credible, when
they know the loss it would be to the country if
fox-hunting was destroyed. The writer was once
with a very good man, and true fox-hunter, who

152 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

addressed a respectable-looking man who was giving
orders to some working-men on the road, in the
following words : " Well, master, I am very glad
to see you alive, which I did not expect after what
I heard." — " Bless you, sir, I am very well ; what
could you have heard else ? " — " Why, I heard
that your son had shot a fox ; and any man who
would shoot a fox would shoot his own father ! "
In justice to this gentleman, it is fair to add, that
a more liberal or kinder-hearted man does not live,
notwithstanding this speech.

It is often dangerous to leave a fox which is run
to ground, without making some arrangement so
that no tricks are played ; and the best plan is to
give some man half a crown who lives near, and
can be depended on, or whatever may be thought
necessary, to go at night after dark to the earth,
and find out whether any traps are set at the
mouth of the earth. The writer has on more
occasions than one had several traps brought to
him, by the person employed to go there, which
were found set at night, by keepers too who pro-
fessed to be friendly. It is a good plan, if you run
to ground and do not intend to dig, to move
off with the hounds before any person on foot
knows it.

Having finished this long chase with running to
ground, the writer cries, — Whoop !

CHAPTER X

STABLES AND KENNEL

IHE following is a

description of the

ground-plan of the

new stables and

kennel for the

^ Quorndon hounds, now building

^^°^"~ at Billesdon, Leicestershire, by

Lord Suffield, according to the suggestion of the

writer, whose intention was to combine comfort

and convenience with economy : —

The Stable

contains standing for

41 horses.

24 stalls, 6 feet 2 inches by 18 feet deep, 12 feet

high.
13 boxes, 9 feet by 14 feet and 4 feet behind, 12

feet high.

153

154 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

4 stalls for hacks, and coach-house, 9 feet by 14

feet and 4 feet behind, 12 feet high.
Saddle-room 16 feet by 18 feet (the fire heats the

water in the cleaning-room).
Cleaning-room, 10 feet by 18 feet.
Forge, 10 feet by 18 feet.
Granary, 18 feet by 18 feet.
Store for hay, 18 feet by 18 feet.
Store for straw, 18 feet by 18 feet.
Also a covered ride 7 feet wide, inside the quad-
rangle ; and in the centre a pit for manure
and drains.
Over the entrance is one bedroom for men ; a
clock and weather-cock above, etc.
Remarks. — ^The mangers in the stalls are in two
parts ; one half for corn, the other for hay.
Although the front of both is even, the part for
corn does not go back to the wall, by about 8 inches,
only 12 inches wide, and is 11 inches deep ; but the
part for hay does go back to the wall, and is 18
inches wide, and 18 deep ; at the bottom of which
is a narrow grating, to let through the seeds and
dust. In private stables it is best to have a drawer
below to catch the seeds, which would be valuable
for pastures, instead of filhng gardens with grass,
etc., when carried there with the manure. The
saving of hay is the greatest advantage of this
plan, as a horse does not pull it down or tread on

STABLES AND KENNEL 155

it as in all other racks, after which he never eats
it ; and the hay saved in one year will repay the
expense of altering them to this plan. It is a
more natural position for the horse, besides the
prevention of hay and dust falling on his head
and mane, etc.

The width of the stables is 18 feet, of which the
boxes take about 14 feet, to allow a passage ; but
the entrance to each is made to open in the centre,
so as to go back to the wall, to throw the whole
18 feet into the box, when desirable if a horse is
lame or sick, or when thrown out of condition after
the hunting season.

The covered ride is 7 feet wide ; sufficient for
two horses to be exercised under in wet or frosty
weather.

The Kennel

No. 1. Young hounds' lodging-room, 16 feet by
20 feet ; paved court, 18 feet by 20 feet ;
also a door opening into an enclosed grass -
yard.

2. Hunting pack lodging-room, 16 feet by 20 feet ;

paved court, 18 feet by 26 feet.

3. Principal lodging-room, 16 feet by 20 feet ;

paved court, 30 feet by 34 feet.

4. Principal lodging-room, 16 feet by 20 feet ;

paved court, 30 feet by 34 feet.

156 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

5. Covered-court before feeding, 14 feet by 20 feet ;

at one end a cistern, to supply the kennel
with water ; at the other end a stair to the
feeder's sleeping-room above.

6. Feeding-room 16 feet by 19 feet.

7. Straw-court after feeding, 22 feet by 24 feet.

8. Hospital for sick hounds, to be near so as to

be fed often ; three lodging-rooms, two, 6 feet
by 6 feet, the other 12 feet by 12 feet, and
court, 20 feet by 12 feet.

9. Boihng-house, 15 feet by 20 feet.

10. Cooler, 3 feet wide.

11. Coals, 6 feet by 10 feet.

12. Store-room for meal, 15 feet by 27 feet.

13. Straw-house, 15 feet by 21 feet.

14. Bitch-house, 6 by 15 ; court 9 feet by 15 feet.
Remarks. — All the doors, except those on the

outside of the kennel, are in two parts, which open
separately, which gives the opportunity of first
looking at the hounds, and of seeing that no hound
is injured on the feet by the door when opened
against it. And the feeder can see better which
hounds require to be fed first, on opening the top
door.

The granary for oatmeal is placed for conveni-
ence, and to be dry, being at the back of the
chimney to the boiling-house.

The straw-court, after feeding, is so placed, in

STABLES AND KENNEL 157

order that the feeder may turn out every hound
separately, if desirable, until the whole have been
fed (this door should be in two, to enable him to
look them over, and see if any want to be fed
again), where they remain till he has time to walk
them into the adjoining field. This is a most
desirable acquisition to every kennel, as it keeps
the field cleaner ; and the droppings from the
hounds make the straw valuable to farmers, which
is taken from the lodging-rooms, and is otherwise
useless. It is these considerations which make a
farmer think it worth his while to supply straw
for the manure.

It is also desirable that the hospital for sick
hounds should be near the feeding-room, or they
are not attended to as they ought, but are kept
out of sight. Here the man has only to open the
top part of the door and look in, and if a hound is
in want, he has him in at once. This lodging-
room is divided into three parts in case of any
doubtful hound, which by putting aside, may
prevent madness to the whole pack if attended to.

The door out of the young hounds' kennel into
the grass -yard is intended to be open all day long,
as it is most desirable that they should have room
to exercise themselves when first brought home
from their walks, before they are under command,
which, by constantly taking them to be fed, they

158 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN

will soon come to. The time they are brought
home is generally during the season when the men
have not time to take them out, even if under
command, which makes it so necessary for them
to have an enclosed grass-plot to run over ; and
often prevents distemper going through the whole
lot, as is often the case when they are confined
close together.

There are pipes to convey water to every kennel,
with a tap in each.

As before stated, economy in building these
kennels and stables has been attended to, which
the fact of the expense being less than half of a
previous plan, designed by a first-rate architect,
will prove ; but it is fair to add that the first would
have been a splendid building.

These kennels and stables are building at the
expense of Lord Suffield, who is doing the thing
on a liberal scale.

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