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78. PX)X HUNTING. The Science of Foxhunting and Management of
the Kennel (Horlock), 1868 <* Hunting Tours (Tongue), 1864 ♦
The Out-Of-Door Life of the Rev. John Russell, a Memoir (Anon.),
1883. Together, 3 vols. i2mo. London, 1864-83

First editions of the first two works listed.

TUFTS UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

3 9090 014 536 730

VVebster Fnm;!v librarv' of Veterinary Medicine
Cummings ' inary Medicine at

2'ju 'vVc;siboro ;-<C3(i
North Grarton. MA 01536

l^l .

THE

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING

MANAGEMENT OF THE KENNEL

BY SCRUTATOE,

AUTHOR OF

■'horses and hounds," "recollections of a foxhunter,'
"the master of the hounds," etc. etc.

■ Talk of horses and hounds, and system of kennel :
Give me Leicestershire nags, and the blood of old Mejmell,

Old Song.

LONDON:

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS,

THE BROADWAY, LUDGATE.

NEW YORK, 416, BROOME STREET.

1868.

LONDON :

PRIKTED BY WOODFALL AND KINDEK,

MILBORD LANE, STRAND, W.G.

TO

HIS GEACE THE DUKE OF EUTLAND,

My Lord Duke,

Highly complimented as I feel by your Grace's
kind condescension in accepting the dedication of this unpre-
tending little work, many misgivings arise in my mind
that it may prove undeserving that patronage so graciously
accorded. I have not the vanity to tliink that any ob-
servations of mine, although resulting from long and
hardly- earned experience, can impart any new light to such
scientific Foxhunters as yourself. Your Grace's position,
as Master of one of the oldest packs of Foxhounds in the
world, would suJB&ce to make you equally, if not better,
acquainted with all those details relative to Foxhunting
and the management of hounds upon which I have descanted
in the following pages. Throughout these will appear many
remarks upon the occupants of the Belvoir kennels, which
were never penned in anticipation of their appearing in a
separate volume, or presuming upon the honour of your
Grace's patronage. On this point I trust to be acquitted
of undue preference for that pack of Foxhounds, of which
I have often before had occasion to make mention in the
most laudatory terms.

With every sentiment of respect,

I have the honour to remain,

My Lord Duke,

Your most obliged and obedient Servant

K. W. HORLOCK.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

PAGE

The Arcana of breeding Foxhounds — Quality to be regarded
before quantity — Sires and dams of approved characters —
Breeding judiciously rersus breeding extensively — Jasper a
case in point : — " Quo semel est imbuta recens " — The
author of "The Noble Science" and the Quagga — Mulish
facts are stubborn facts — Symmetrical proportions — Heads
before tails — John Ward's opinion on large "knowledge-
boxes " — The late Squire of Tedworth and Soloman —
Shoulders and hind-quarters — Field and kennel himtsman —
" Nemo est ex omni parte beatus " • | • • • • 1

CHAPTER II.

Huntsman and Whipper-in — General want of harmony between
them as to the occult science — He comes too near who comes

to be denied — Old S and his successor in office — The

test of sound discretion in breeding foxhounds — An instance
of its failure in a large hunting establishment — John Ward's
deliberation — Early whelps the strongest and straightest —
Difficulty of selecting the best— Dark colours preferable to
light 8

CHAPTER III.

Certain proportions necessary in brood -bitches — Large litters
objectionable — How to obviate this excess — Treatment of
lady foxhounds — Air and exercise — Lodgings at night —
Paddock and boxes for whelps — Cutaneous eruptions —
Remedies — Foster-mothers . . . . . . \i

via CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IV.

PAGE

Operations to be performed on foxhound whelps — Long and short
sterns — Vixen foxes and their cubs — A wily mamma — Play-
ing a game of hide-and-seek with conies — How to destroy
worms and parasites in puppies — Healing ointment for
burns and scalds — Blistering after firing cruel and unneces-
sary— Hothouse plants and forced meat . . . .21

CHAPTER V.

Unnecessary cruelty to animals condemned— Necessity of brand-
ing foxhound whelps — Homeward bound — Anecdote of a
lady foxhound — Marvellous instinct — The Three Magpies on
Hounslow Heath — Agreeable incidental adventures — Travel-
ling in bygone days — The extra spur to footboys — Advantages
of giving names to puppies before sent to their walks . .29

CHAPTER VI.

Prizes for raising foxhounds — Good feeding and careful treatment
requisite for development of form — The master's eye makes
the hound fat — Objections to distant walks — The mal-
practices of puppy dogs — Home education not suitable —
Return to kennel — First draft — Number put forward — A
day on the flags — Choice of entry — Room for improvement
— The gentler sex take the lead — Pytchley run of '(56, and
the Waterloo hero — Long days and long runs of " auld lang
syne " — A late draw — The white horse in a dark night —
Sensational visit to an old lady's domicile — A long ride home 36

CHAPTER VII.

Treatment of young hounds when brought home to kennel —
Going out in couples — Jerusalem ponies to be especially
avoided — Cur dogs — Cure for exuberant spirits — Deer parks
and hare warrens — Distemper princlpiis obsta — Following
the plough — Diet — Extraordinary case of distemper —
Remedies and prescriptions 46

CHAPTER VIII.

Rounding the entry — Reasons for so doing — Quickest mode of
performing it — Varieties of foxhounds and crosses — Stud-
books of kennels — Oldest establishments — The chase of wolf,
boar, and stag in ancient times — Dogs used for this purpose
— Their size and strength — Depredations of wolves in the
reign of Athelstan — Bloodhound cross in North Warwick-
shire kennels — Our own experiment in this cross — Black-
and-tan pack in the west of Ireland . . . . .55

CONTENTS. IX

CHAPTER IX.

PAGE

Training for cub-hunting — The unde derivatur oi hound language
— Its use and abuse— Cheerfulness and good humour in man
productive of cheerful obedience in animals — Whey an
excellent alterative — Our old kennel huntsman — Bondsman
in disgrace — Whips not to be used in kennel — Visit of a
Dutchman — His dread of foxhounds — A young lady's new-
waltzing partner — Her parting kiss — The late J. Starkey, of
SpyePark 64

CHAPTER X.

More remarks on training — Gradual increase of pace — Swimming
through streams — No necessity for periodical dressings —
Beckford's opinion at variance with our own— Clean wheat
straw indispensable as litter — Vegetables during summer —
Alteratives — Old oatmeal the staple food — Mode of prepara-
tion— Objections to barley — Iron boilers, not copper — Time
for boiling — Grood man-cook — French cuisine — " De gustibus
non est disputandum " — A has greaves . . . .74

CHAPTER XI.

Cub-hunting, the rehearsal of foxhunting — Teaching the young
ideas how to hunt — Tutors and governess for the entry —
Division of the pack — Early dawn most favourable for scent
— A single hound a match for a fox — Rambler showing the
white feather, and sent rambling — Cub-hunting in the even-
ing— Objections to it — Giving views — Blooding the entry —
111 effects of lifting young hounds — More haste, less speed —
The meaning of the horn — Babbling and skirting . . 83

CHAPTER XII.

The twofold use of cub-hunting — Barring out young foxes —
Shyness of fox family — Main earths — Untenable objections
to them — Poachers, and their modus operandi — Former
value of foxes — "Light come, light go " — Fence months to
other game, no defence to foxes — The May fox and July cub —
Early cub-hunting recommended — Difference between grass
and arable countries — Hardness of ground injurious to
hounds' feet — Easy places and short work — Early impres-
sions most lasting — When to let well alone — Marking to
ground — Scene at a coalpit . . . . . .92

CHAPTER XIII.

Master's presence necessary to judge of entry — Duties devolving
on masters — Some excuses for neglecting them — First-class
huntsmen — Duke of Beaufoi-t's letter to Will Long — Goosey

X CONTENTS.

PAGE

and Will Goodall — Tom Sebright and others — Anecdote of
Tommy Moore, the Poet — Tribute of respect to Charles
Treadwell — Wanton shedding of fox-blood — Accidents may
happen — Weeding litters — Bloodthirsty preservers — Count-
ing noses — "I never counts 'em whilst they suck" — The
fashion in foxhunting . . . . . . .102

CHAPTER XIV.

Visits and visitations to cubs — Pet places — Idleness the parent of
vice even in foxes— To be kept moving — Small and large
coverts — Mr. Ward and the Craven country — Southgrove the
elysium of foxes — Friendly societies — A novel plan for
breaking them up — Faggots vice foxhounds — Always at home
— Woodland foxes . . . . . . . .112

CHAPTER XV.

Faults in foxhounds — Hard work and no play makes Jack a dull
boy — Trial of speed in the open — Hasty drafting censured —
Beckford's anecdote — Packing together — The cry of hounds
— Happy medium — Touch and go — Noisy at fences — Will
Goodall's opinion of large hounds— The late Assheton Smith
and Freeman — The music of the pack — Gervase Markham
thereon . . . . . . . . . . 117

CHAPTER XVI.

Fashion of the day not in favour of music — Pace only thought of
— Distinction between a mute and light tongue — Peculiar
instinct in drawing — Deputy — The late Mr. Codrington on
gorse coverts — Opening on the drag — Too much bow-wowing
reprehensible — How to convert harriers into foxhounds — A
veritable fact — Treeing a martin — A narrow escape — The run
home— Qualities in foxhounds — Cardinal points — Long and
hard days occasionally of service . . . . .126

CHAPTER XVII.

Sites of kennels — New building preferable to old — Ancient
mansions — The Belvoir kennels the model for all others —
Ground and aspect — Too small dimensions bad economy —
The Author's ideas on the subject — Drainage — Hot air —
Walls and palings — Seclusion — Supply of water — Tanks
Hobson's choice — Other observations on the kennel — Warm
lodging as necessary as good feeding — Wholesome meat
indispensable to health . 135

CONTENTS. XI

CHAPTER XYIII.

PAGE

Enjoyable duties of huntsmen — Intellect and physical abilities
requisite— First-rate horsemen— Heavy versus light weights
— Power in the saddle — Honesty and sobriety — Grood temper
—The whip too much used — Feeding time — Things hastily
done, badly done — Even condition of the pack proof of good
kennel management — Dainty feeders — System of the Author H4

CHAPTER XIX.

Meal and meat — General practice of feeding opposed to the
Author's — Cravings of hunger — Long abstinence injurious —
Huntsmen in the field — Fine voice of secondary importance
— More reliance on hounds' noses than huntsman's head —
Knowledge of country — Line of foxes — Enterprising genius
— Lifting hounds — Self-possession and decision — An eye to
business — Beckford's opinion of huntsman and first whipper-
in — Qualifications of the latter — Opportunities of assisting
huntsman — Gone away ! 151

CHAPTER XX.

Second whipper-in — Natural talents for his profession — Place of
second whip — His disposition — Implicit obedience to supe-
riors— Master reflected in man — The Baronet and Parvenu — •
Old law of honour— Ink vice blood — Huntsmen in commu-
nion with gentlemen — Order of march to covert side and
back — Huddling hounds together — Discipline too strict fails
in its object — The late Squire of Ted worth and his pack —
The attache of the huntsman — Seeing not always believing —
Drawing over foxes — Pugilist Jack and the last hound —
Dismounted duties 160

CHAPTER XXI.

Second horseman — Few good riders to hounds — The first start —
Difi"erent modes of crossing country — Genuine sportsmen —
Seats in the saddle — Good riders and hard riders — The worst
kind of fall — Anecdote of Jack Stevens — Riding down hill —
Truth of the old triplet — How to take fences — " Experto
crede" — Irish hunters — Jack and his Kilkenny friend —
Going at water — The late Lord Kintore — Untrodden ground
the safest — The horse and his rider — Must part company
sometimes 170

XU CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXII.

PAGE

Old hunters and younfl; riders — Vacating the pigskin sometimes a
voluntary act — With stirrups or without them — Riding for
sale — The mount by a friend the reverse of friendly — Rule
as to kickers in the field — Buck-jumpers — Two strings to
your bow — Snaffle bridle — Martingales — Breastplate — Unne-
cessary gear — Spurs — Their use and abuse — The Author's
objection to them— Hunting costume — Jack -boots — The old
top — The cap and hat — Colour of coat — The spare shoe —
Eau de vie — Old Meynell's cordial — Contents of waistcoat -
pocket 180

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Kennel Register — Genealogical book of reference — Breeding
from too near relationship — High courage in foxhounds in-
dispensable— Blood always tells — Interchange of civilities
between masters — Mutual confidence — Exchange of stud-
hounds — Belvoir, Badminton, Brocklesby, and Milton packs
— Bramham Moor and Badsworth — Earl of Wemyss and
Duke of Buccleuch — The new Master of the Quorn — Hunts-
man's Diary — Earth-stoppers — List of hounds — Efficiency
before numbers — Our first essay in the field — Numerical
strength a deception . . . . . . .189

CHAPTER XXIV.

Uncertainty of scent — Atmospherical changes — The Coplow run
— Much dust — Foxes in a quiescent state— Drawing up wind
— Making out the day — Let well alone — Etiquette between
masters of foxhounds — "Noli me tangere" — Catch him if

you can ......

CHAPTER XXV.

197

Men, horses, and hounds adapted to country — The shires and the
provinces — Dick Woodcraft and the Quorn — Comes to grief
with Ploughman — His soliloquy — The first check — Hark !
halloa ! — Up and down wind — Dick Woodcraft assists in
recovering the line — Things improve — Fire and water — Tom
Clearwell hors de combat — Woodcraft takes the horn —
Astonishes the field — Finish to the run of the season — The
mystery solved 206

CHAPTER XXVI.

DiflFerent standards of foxhounds— The Craven and H. H. packs
— The late Sir John Cope and his rattlers — Bramshill and
the old oak chest — The multum in parvo — Hounds changing
countries — Mr. Osbaldiston and Sebright in Hants — The

CONTENTS. XIU

PAGE

two celebrated squires and their exploits — ''Mors omnia
vincit" 218

CHAPTER XXVII.

Earth - stoppers and keepers — Barring out for the season — A
failure — The earth -stopper and his pony of olden time —
Gamekeepers — Their perquisites and tricks — Game pre-
servers and foxes — Turning down cubs — Previous treatment
— Mange in foxes — Main earths in sandy soils — Viper buried
for ten days — Badgers and their habits .... 225

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Stub-bred foxes the stoutest runners — Any port in a storm —

Terriers — Our old sort — Pilgrim — Bagmen . . . 235

CHAPTER XXIX.

Forming a pack of foxhounds— Entered and unentered drafts —
Dog shows — Foxhunters' Club — Weak understandings —
Saffron — The tape — Length of body or limb — Stud-hounds
— A leaf from the genealogical tree ..... 240

CHAPTER XXX.

Expenses of foxhunting establishments — Large and small packs
— Scratch lot of harriers kept cost free — Farming and fox-
hunting— Touring with an agriculturist — A dip in blue
water— Master growing his stud as well as his com — Gen-
tlemen huntsmen ........ 248

CHAPTER XXXI.

Subdivision of overgrown countries conducive to sport — Leaden -
hall foxes — Rights of country — " Mos pro lege " — Foxhunt-
ing the fashion — The king of sportsmen — The late Sir
"Wheeler Cuffe and clipping — Neutral coverts . . . 257

CHAPTER XXXII.

Turkish baths — Warm baths for hounds — More bad than good
results from their use — System of kennel — Originated with
"The Father of the Chase" — The master's eye — The late
Lord Ducie and Bondsman ...... 265

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Hydrophobia — Length of time the virus lies dormant in the sys-
tem— Our feeder ........ 274

xiv CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

PAGE

Yarious prescriptions for the cure of hydrophobia — Oliver Gold-
smith's opinion — Dogs having fits and distemper often con-
demned as mad — Our terrier on the moor . . . . 282

CHAPTER XXXV.

The science of foxhunting opposed to harehunting — Chase of the
wild stag — Exmoor Forest — Famous runs — Major Byng
Hall's work 291

CHAPTER XXXVI.

Something more about staghunting and deer — Scientific huntsmen

to foxhounds — An example in Will Headman . . . 299

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Will Headman handling his hounds— Jem the first whip — A wily

trickster outwitted — " Finis coronat opus" . . . 309

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

The New Year's gift of '61 — *' Keep moving," the cry of the day
— Galloping down a fox not foxhunting — Spirit of hounds —
Variety of foxes — Will Headman has a difiicult game to
play 319

CHAPTER XXXIX.

Hunting run — A pulling horse — The bit of luck — Jem to the fore
— Exchange no robbery — A new way of stopping earths —
Fast and furious — Pounding in a ditch — Slow and sure — Jem
has it all to himself ........ 329

CHAPTER XL.

Riding a willing horse to death — General bad treatment of the
equine race — Meeting of the four winds — George Tracy gets
a quid pro quo — Will Headman on turf — Jem and his
thoroughbred — The old squire, John Staveley — Scurry from a
gorse-brake over the open downs 342

CHAPTER XLI.

The four-mile race — Danger of crossing old trackways — George
Tracy disabled— A lucky fall — The pace that kills— Ups and
downs — The Squire's joy on seeing his hounds beat the field —
Who-hoop ! 351

CONTENTS. XV

CHAPTER XLII.

PAGE

Scurry the second — A clip into the vale — Harmony of huntsman
and first whip — Jem and his master — Over the hills and far
away — Dropping sterns and dropping astern — Blood and con-
dition will tell — " Up the hill, spare me " — Trying it on foot
— Jem beats his master at pedestrianism — Short, sharp, and
decisive 358

CHAPTER XLIII.

" Sub Jove frigido " — The foxhunter's season — When a fox is not
a fox — Distingnishing characteristics of well-bred foxhounds
— ]\Iaking the best of a bad scent — Will Headman's descent
into lower regions — Hazel Grove — Forcing a fox — ^A cool cal-
culator nearly outwitted — The afternoon fox — Barren downs
and luxuriant pastures . . , . . , .366

CHAPTER XLIV.

A cold bath — Beaten horses and a beaten fox — Will Headman
tastes something stronger than pea soup — Jem and the miller
— Two ways of letting off steam — Our huntsman's ideas about
scent — The Queen's Head — Staveley and the old waiter —
Lame hounds — The jog home. ...... 375

CHAPTER XLY.

Foxhunting fixtures — Various motives for meeting hounds —
Change of line in drawing coverts — Good foxes on the look-
out for squalls — Witches and wizards — The poultry fancier —
Scarcity of good bipeds as well as quadi-uj^eds — Counting
noses — Keeping your appointments— Hunting a cure for atra
cura — Advertising fixtures now imperative — Ludicrous scene
in the field — An explosion — The flight of Anak . . , 386

CHAPTER XLVI.

Winter rural sports — Foxhunting and pheasant shooting — The
battue — Commander-in-chief — Non-interference — Expe-
rienced sportsmen of service sometimes — General conduc
of the field — -Rivalry in horsemanship — Hunting to ride —
Spoiling sport — Heads and tails up . . , , . 394

CHAPTER XLVII.

A clear stage — Clearing a pack and five-barred gate— Pressing
hounds — Thoroughbred hunters no novelty — Short and bang
tails — Ladies in the hunting-field ..... 403

xvi CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XLVIIL

PAGE

The Author's visit to a game preserver with a friend — Hospitable
reception — Mr. Fortescue's advocacy of " The Noble Science"
in a social point of view — Hunting wild animals natural to
man — The time of year when foxes may purloin pheasants,
which, even then, have a peculiar protection — Rabbits their
favourite game ........ 409

CHAPTER XLIX.

The wiliness and caution of foxes — Easily scared from poultry
and pheasant pens — Ill-founded charges against rooks —
Gamekeepers and poachers — Travelling in the last century —
Old fox and dairymaid — Innocency of cubs — Feathered game
on the wing, before they have left home — The gamekeeper's
scapegoat ......... 417

CHAPTER L.

Testimonials to huntsmen — The old capping custom — Beckford's
anecdote — Hard and irregular life of these officials — Four
days per week more agreeable than six — May foxes and July
cubs — Pensions — Huntsmen to old established and subscrip-
tion packs 427

CHAPTER LI.
The Last of his Entry 434

SYSTEM OF KENNEL

AND

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING,

CHAPTER I.

SIRES AND DAMS.

The Arcana of breeding Foxhounds — Quality to be regarded before
quantity — Sires and Dams of approved chai'acters — Breeding
judiciously versus breeding extensively — Jasper a case in point :
— " Quo semel est imbuta recens " — The author of " The Noble
Science " and the Quagga — Mulish facts are stubborn facts —
Symmetrical proportions — Heads before tails— John Ward's
opinion on large " knowledge -boxes " — The late Squire of Ted-
worth and Soloman — Shoulders and hind-quarters — Field and
kennel huntsman — "Nemo est ex omni parte beatus."

One of the most difficult tasks devolving on hunts-
men to foxhounds, consists in the proper selection
of Sires and Dams, for the purpose of maintaining
the pack in its integrity and efficiency. In very
large kennels, a corresponding number of whelps
are annually produced, and to ensure a good-look-
ing entry, many bitches are used as mothers before
their characters have become thoroughly developed
in the field. This is, to say the least of it, a very
bap-hazard mode of proceeding, yet is such a prac-
tice too prevalent where draft-hounds are cou-

B

2 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

sidered the perquisites of the huntsman. There
is another very obvious inducement, besides tlie
gratification of exhibiting a very handsome entry.
Those who breed on a very extensive scale, even
with the drawback of distemper, may feel tolerably
secure of being able to put forward a large and
clever lot of young hounds, from which a second
draft has to be made later in the summer, when the
time of danger ffom distemper has passed ; and
yet, with all this outward and visible show, are
there not some — many, perchance — chosen fathers
for their outward good looks more than for their
parents' good works? Whatever huntsmen and
masters of foxhounds may argue to the contrary^
we know quite well, that a very handsome young
foxhound will not be put aside for the short-
comings of his sire or dam. The excuse is — " Give
him a trial, he comes of a good sort, and ought
to keep his place ; " to be more explicit, we will
give a case in point exeinpU gratia, dozens of
which have fallen under our own observation.

Jasper, a young dog of prepossessing appear-
ance, enters well, goes through his first season
brilliantly, and up to Christmas of the second
season performs his part to admiration. A frost
sets in, the bitch-house is soon filled, and Jasper is
introduced to the seraglio, taking it for granted
that he will hold on as he commenced. With
change of weather, and after a fortnight's frost, a
change has taken place in Jasper's conduct, who
begins to cut corners, right to cry, and flashing
over the line in highly condemnatory style. The

SCIENCE OF rOXHUNTlNG. 8

mischief is done — Jasper has stamped his image
upon three litters of whelps. Six couples are put
out to walk, and two return to the kennel so exceed-
ingly handsome, that the master cannot consent
to part with them. Their dams are excellent,
steady line hunters, without much dash or flash.
Why should not their progeny follow in their foot-
steps ? Yes, this is the question which no master
of foxhounds can answer : why the bad propensi-
ties of the father should generally prevail over the
good ones of the mother. Yet so it is.

Mr. Delme Radcliffe, in his "Noble Science,"
relates a similar fact which came under his own
notice, where a mare, having been first put to a
quagga or zebra, produced several foals afterwards
by different horses, all of which w^ere more or less
affected by the stripes of the quagga. He adds,
" There was no fancied peculiarity, no indistinct
semblance of action or manner, but ocular demon-
stration of certain plain and indelible signs of
stripes peculiar to one animal, affording incontesti-
ble evidence of his blood.'' The "going back,'' as
old huntsmen tell you, in colour, disposition, and
appearance, is of continued occurrence, making the
greatest caution necessary to wdiat sires the most
promising young brood-bitches are at first put,
since every succeeding litter may be injuriously
affected by want of judgment in this one instance.

We have never considered it safe to breed from
any hound, male or female, until they had passed
through three seasons, by which time any evil
propensities will most probably have shown them-

B 2

4 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

selves ; and with regard to sires, it is far better to
put one of four or five years' experience to younger
bitches, than to use those of the same age. There
are faults in form also, as well as in faculties : we
rarely see an animal of faultless proportions. It
has been generally held amongst agriculturists, that
cattle, sheep, and pigs should be short on their legs
and light in bone ; but we remember hearing Mr.
Northeast, a celebrated breeder of Southdown sheep,
and steward of the late Assheton Smith, express
a contrary opinion. We were looking over the
entry at Tedworth during the master's absence, and
I pointed out a young hound of lengthy frame,
standing very low.

" Yes, sir, that j^oung hound is very clever, and
what breeders of foxhounds so much admire —
very near the ground ; but we breeders of sheep
like them rather hio^h on the leoj."

" Why ? " we asked.

"For two reasons," was his reply, — "first, be-
cause they stand well up in the penning when at
the fair ; and secondly, because they come cleaner
into the fold at night. After walking over greasy
fallows, short-legged animals would have the dirt
sticking to their bellies in wet weather, and be
useless as a working flock.''

We were satisfied with this observation, which
has held a place in our memory ever since, con-
firming us in the opinion that horses and hounds
may be bred also too low on the leg.

Upon the essential points in the framework of a
foxhound, which, combined or properly connected,

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 5

form what we call symmetry, experienced masters
and huntsmen are very generally agreed ; but on
other and less important points there exists a
diversity of opinion, even amongst the learned in
such matters. One admires the greyhound fore-
hand with

*' Head like a snake,
Neck like a drake,
Cbest like a bream,
Back like a beam."

Others, like Gallio, care for none of these things,,
preferring heads rather square than long or thin ;
— about necks, indifferent, provided they ai"e not
too short and thick, preferring wide ribs to deep
chests, and arched loins to flat ones. If a hound
has plenty of brains, it matters little as to the shape
of the skull in which they are contained ; and if his
neck is not too short to prevent his nose touching
the ground, it is long enough to answer the purpose
for which it was given him, and we incline to the
opinion that the coarser-necked ones are generally
found to be the better hunters.

A stranger, when for the first time meeting the
late John Ward's foxhounds, was making comments
— not very complimentary — in his hearing on their
large heads, when the jocose master, turning round,
said, " Your observations, sir, are very true ; our
hounds possess rather large knowledge-boxes, but
there is this advantage connected with them : their
heads are so heavy, that when once their noses
reach the ground, they manifest great reluctance in
raisin f? them ao-ain/''

6 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

His friends were not slow in comprehending the
sarcasm intended by this rejoinder, for Mr. Ward's
pack had a wide-spread reputation for excellent
noses ; and we remember a large square-headed
hound named Soloman, presented by him to Assheton
Smith, when first commencing the formation of his
country in Wiltshire, without whose assistance he
himself told me he could not liave killed a fox.
For choice, we would select a square head in pre-
ference to an oblong one, because we have, through
an extensive experience, seen the greatest amount
of sagacity in the canine species exhibited by such
knowledge-boxes. Then as to shoulders, doctors
differ, some preferring the hare and others the
horse-shaped. A large-shouldered horse has never
met with our approbation — we don't mean a heavy
shoulder, for we think the power of the horse, the
hound, and the hare all lie heJiind the shoulder —
the advancing power before, the propelling power
behind, in back, loins, and hind-quarters ; and as
facts prove more than flmcies, we mention an
example in a hunter ridden by us for many
years.

This horse had a small low shoulder, thin ewe
neck, very crooked fore-legs, turning out his toes
like a dancing-master, so much so, that we were
obliged to ride him in laced boots ; but behind the
saddle lay all his strength ; large ribs, immense
loins, and very muscular hind-quarters, with straight
hocks — in fact, he seemed to go entirely upon this
part of his body, his fore-quarters acting merely in
a pioneering capacity. For ten years we rode him

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 7

successively, as well as successfully. Few horses
could beat him in speed — none in fencing ; and
although standing only fifteen hands and an inch
high, he could top anything we sent him at, and
we were not particular in those days whether we
rode at a five-barred gate, six-foot wall, or a double
ox-fence. At the age of fifteen he was dismissed
the stables, from an incurable propensity to crib-
biting, and turned out for the remainder of his days
in pastures green during summer, and a snug farm-
yard, with sheds, in winter, without a speck or
blemish — not even a windgall upon one of his legs.
Admitting the great attraction of a neat head, well
set on a beautifully curved neck, with fine shoulders
and straight fore-legs, nevertheless, judicious breeders
of foxhounds are not so much taken with outward
appearances as to neglect other more important
qualifications. Stoutness and a good nose are with
them the first considerations, with frame exhibiting
more power than beauty of outlines.

SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER II.

Huntsman and Whipper-in — General want of harmony between them
as to the occult science — He comes too near who comes to be

denied — Old S and his successor in office — The test of

sound discretion in breeding foxhounds — An instance of its
failure in a lai-ge hunting establishment — John Ward's delibera-
tion— Early whelps the strongest and straightest — Difficulty of
selecting the best — Dark colours preferable to light.

It does not follow as a matter of course that the
most talented field huntsman is equally clever as
a breeder — the reverse, we might say, is generally
the case. Immense numbers of young hounds are
annually produced, yet quantity does not compen-
sate for loss of quality. Every huntsman, when
first installed in ofiice, has this onus jprohandi
thrown upon his shoulders, and how is he to meet
it ? As whipper-in, his knowledge of breeding, how-
ever, must be very limited, since huntsmen, from
jealousy, rarely admit their probable successors
into their confidence ; and in large establishments
whippers-in are almost excluded from the kennel,
the feeder acting as assistant to the huntsman in
all these matters. The register of marriages and
births has been hitherto to the whipper-in a sealed
book. He has seen by the published list how
each entry is bred, and knows the characters and
dispositions of those parents which have fallen

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 9

under bis own observation ; but of old pedigrees
and performances he knows nothing ; or why
Chorister has been mated with Dorcas — in his
opinion, perhaps, a very poor cross.

We were conversing not very long since with
the first whipper-in to one of the oldest packs of
foxhounds in England, and in allusion to his
huntsman — a man of the highest celebrity as a
breeder, then far advanced in years — we expressed
our anticipations of his becoming a brilliant star
also, under such superior tuition.

" As to field business, sir," he replied, " I have
had a capital master, but as to breeding and kennel

management, Mr. S is very chary of giving

me the least information — to speak plainly, he is
very jealous of me as likely to succeed him/'

This whipper-in is now huntsman, and we have
had no opportunity, since his promotion, of judging
personally whether his talents have been equal to
the responsibilities in this new situation. That
very clever whippers-in do not invariably turn out
clever huntsmen, is a truism needing no repetition.
As to breeding foxhounds which shall stand the
trial of three or four seasons, that is, as we have
before stated, a very difficult matter ; and we have
known many of the very cleverest huntsmen,
gentlemen, as well as professional men of world-
wide reputation in the field, who have signally
failed in the stud. Some of these have bred
extensively — too much so — sending out from fifty
to eighty couples of whelps annually, and putting
forward about twenty couples for the next season's

10 syste:m of kennel and

entry. Yet the fallacy of their judgment is shown
by their own kennel-hst. We have one of these
now before us, containing over seventy couples of
hounds altogether, including the year's entry. Now
we shall see, by looking to the head of the list, how
this yearly supply of forty young hounds or more
stands.

At seven years old, there are only five hounds
remaining in the kennel. At six, nine. At G.Ye,
twelve only. That is, out of a hundred and twenty
hounds entered during the three years, twenty-six
only are deemed worthy, at the end of that time,
to hold their places in the pack. What lias become
of the other ninety-four ? Gone to France or
India, or, peradventure, swelling the ranks of minor
establishments, which cannot breed their own
hounds. Again, how many out of this large body
have been considered sufficiently meritorious to be
used as sires ? Six individuals only, and to our
certain knowledge three of these were the sons of
"very handsome, though very faulty, fathers. There
is the mischief — hence the falling ofi" in the four or
five-year-old hounds. The master could not resist
the temptation to breed from a very clever-looking
one, although fully cognizant of his foibles. He
was proud of parading a smart handsome entry on
the flags, and paid the smart accordingly, by wit-
nessing the gradual thinning of their ranks, at the
end of each campaign.

In analyzing the contents of many large ken-
nels, a considerable amount of heterogenous in-
gredients will too often be found, which make a

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 11

good show when paraded at the place of meeting,
but help only to swell the chorus or fill the pack.
How very few really good stanch hounds can be
selected out of any pack. "We know, by dearly-
bought experience, what a lot of rubbish is con-
tained even in unentered drafts from kennels of
long-established reputation ! The strength and
efficiency of the pack depends upon the number of
three, four, and five-year-old hounds you can bring
into the field — these being the working bees of the
hive — the others, in comparison, mere drones — and
a good number of these veterans prove incontestibly
the judgment of the breeder. We consider a fox-
hound of five years to be just in the zenith of his
power, and if of a stout, hard, running sort, will
hold his own for two or three seasons more. We
have possessed hounds in their eighth season,
running at the head of the pack, and have still a
terrier living who has passed his seventeenth birth-
day, and, until within a few months, retaining all
his faculties of nose.

The renowned John Ward was, of all his
contempory masters, the most successful breeder of
foxhounds, and although hunting four days a week
latterly, in a country infamous for laming hounds,
his entry did not exceed ten or twelve couples, the
majority of which generally went right. He would
de iberate sometimes for a week what sire ought
to%e put to a certain dam, and the result of his
caution rarely showed an error in judgment. Early
whelps are always the strongest and straightest
on their legs, as a general rule, being like oysters,

12 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

good only if produced whilst there is an R in the
month. Early spring weather exercises a very
beneficial influence over all animals — beasts as well
as birds — their frames being invigorated by the
cold ; and we are told that Swedish peasants dip
their chickens in cold water as soon as they have
escaped from the egg-shell, which unceremonious
process they aver renders them impregnable to the
attacks of roup and other diseases common to
poultry kind. Upon one point we are satisfied by
long experience, that foxhound whelps born in
February and March are decidedly superior in
constitution, frame, stoutness, and straightness of
limb, to those making their advent into this wicked
world at a later period, and consequently better
able to contend with the distemper. So thoroughly
convinced were we upon this point, that unless
whelps could be produced from the most favourite
dam before the middle of April, we preferred
passing her over until the next season, to breeding
a litter out of season.

As to the selection of whelps, some of which
must be destroyed unless there is a foster-mother
ready to take them, there exists a diversity of
opinion among.st professionals — some contending
that the lightest will prove the best ; others that
the mother ought to be left to make her own
selection ; others deciding (as a toss up) by heads
and tails ; others again by colour. It has been said
that " a good horse cannot be a bad colour/' but
there are, in our opinion, horses of some colours
which never can be good, i. e., not so good as those

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 13

of stronger colours. Why, we don't know, but
we have often remarked that hght chestnut horses
are generally of a wishy-vjashy constitution, with
fretful and nasty tempers, and impatient of delays,
as well as hard days. Dark colours have ever
claimed our preference in foxhounds, as also in
horses. Black and tan, or black and white, with
dark muzzles — dark badger or hare-pied. Of the
lemon hue, like the chestnut, we entertain a doubt-
ful opinion ; and white entire we don't admire.

14 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER III.

WHELPS, ETC.

Certain proportions necessary in brood-bitches — Large litters objection-
able— How to obviate this excess — Treatment of lady foxhounds
— Air and exercise — Lodgings at night — Paddock and boxes for
whelps — Cutaneous eruptions — Remedies — Foster-mothers.

As to the selection of whelps, where all are, as far
as human ken can go, of equal pretensions, unless
influenced by colours, you must, if you can, keep
those likely to prove the best ; and your thoughts
will bear a very near resemblance to our own when
putting a puppy away, which probably might have
proved better than any one of the litter we had
chosen. This is a very trying occasion, and none
but very anxious masters or huntsmen experience
the doubtful feelings and extreme reluctance with
which they are obliged sometimes to consign half
a litter of well-bred foxhounds to the water-butt
or fish-pond. We have invariably, when the op-
portunity occurred, used younger mothers as
wet-nurses to the progeny of a favourite dam,
although thereby losing the services of the former
for the best part of the season. Terriers, spaniels,
and other females of the canine species, may
rear a couple of whelps indifferently, but for fox-

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 15

hounds there is nothiog equal to a foxhound foster-
mother.

Objections have been raised to sires of five and
six years old, on the ground that their progeny will
prove less robust than those of younger years.
Experience does not lead us to such a conclusion,
as we have seen the strongest litters from rather
old hounds, when mated with young mothers.
The reverse of this rule will not hold good ; the
offspring of old dams may be very clever, but they
will be small, the generative power in the mothers
having been reduced. There are many, however,
though, good as gold, which never can be of any
real benefit to the kennel as mothers, and it is time
thrown away if they are selected for this purpose.
There must be an existence of certain expansive
proportions in the mother to ensure a healthy,
lengthy, robust progeny. Tall stilty mothers, with-
out length of body, will produce puppies of like
form, no matter to what sire they are sent. .The
number of whelps may be, as we before hinted,
regulated by certain precautions, and where we
find large litters prevalent in any kennel, we
know the breeder, master, or huntsman to be
deficient in this part of the business. The largest
litter we remember consisted of seventeen, when
we first commenced our career of M. F. H., with
the assistance of an experienced kennel huntsman,
who had been for many years under one of the
cleverest breeders of his time. Yet this man,
when thrown upon his own resources, made such
sad mistakes in this matter, causing by his

IG SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

ignorance or want of due attention, sometimes
half a dozen of our best brood-bitches to go
"without whelps, and others to be half killed by
over-production, that we never trusted him again
after the second season of his probation. A litter,
to be good and strong, ought not to exceed seven
or eight ; and four or five are sufficient for the
mother to rear.

As to size and height, whelps generally follow
their parents, unless forced by high feeding to
greater growth, or made diminutive from want of
sufficient nutrition. Air, exercise, and judicious
feeding upon food as much as possible devoid of
heating properties, are indispensable to the dams
in a state of gestation. When half their time is
expired, they should be let run at large during the
day, with a smaller kennel to themselves at night,
until within a few days of their confinement. A
paddock ought then to be ready for their reception,
about an acre in extent, enclosed on all sides, and
large oblong wooden boxes placed tlierein, in
shape like the usual dog-houses, resting upon low
wooden or iron wheels, with one side to open
with hinges, which can be let down to clean the
box thoroughly out, and a hanging door in the
front, dependent upon a pivot above, through
which, by a slight push, the bitch may obtain
egress or ingress to her whelps — the use of this
movable door being to exclude rain, sleet, and
snow in bad weather. In large kennels, a regular
shed is provided for them and their whelps, which,
to those who can afford to make it, is far pre-

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING^ 17

ferable ; but for subscription masters — too often
birds of passage from one country to another — the
boxes are cheapest in the end, being easily removed
to any desirable spot, and transferable by waggon
and railway from one locality to another ; and for
greater lightness, the roof may be a mere frame,
covered with felt or oil-cloth. In place of such
boxes — which are rather expensive articles — two
thatched hurdles, joined together at the top, with
boards underneath, will answer the purpose ; and a
good bedding of clean dry straw when the whelps
are a few days old. At the time of parturi-
tion, the bedding must be rather scanty, lest the
whelps, when so very young and helpless, should
be buried under it and overlaid by their mother.

We plead no excuse for entering into these
minutiae, apparently so trifling, since from neglect
of such precautions, we have too often seen dire-
ful results follow. In large establishments, fox-
hound bitches have generally — save where the
huntsman has very long ears and a shallow
knowledge-box — the privilege of breathing the
fresh air of heaven, and plenty of walking exercise
to boot. There are men who, with all these
advantages, will still coop them up in the kennel,
until mother and offspring die together from utter
neglect; but there are minor establishments, con-
ducted by subscription, where, from local situation
and want of range, the master is so hampered and
circumvented, that he cannot breed his own entry
— he has no scope for doing so, not owning, per-
haps, an acre of land in the county. How can he

c

18 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

expect farmers, or even cottagers, will put up with
the raking and scouring of their fields and pre-
mises? and loth to say, a foxhound mother with
a litter a month old is somewhat shark-like as to
voracity, not being very particular whether she
snaps up a young lamb out of the farmer's fold, or
steals a leg of mutton from the shop of the village
butcher. But then you must remember such
depredations are not committed for the gratifica-
tion of their own appetites, but from the natural
instinct to supply the wants of their progeny, when
requiring stronger aliment than their mother can
aflford. From improper food, or injudicious treat-
ment, the mother's milk often loses its nutritive
qualities, and the juices of her body, if corrupt,
are imparted to her whelps. For a month previous
to her confinement, she should be fed sparingly
on flesh, and a small quantity of well -boiled man-
gel-wurzel or cabbage, mixed with the oatmeal
pudding. In using the former vegetable, great
caution is at first necessary, in consequence of its
laxative properties ; but when accustomed to it, I
have never found it disagree v/ith hounds. If,
from too long confinement in kennel, or want of
air and exercise, those in whelp show symptoms of
heat of body, by eruptions breaking out on the
skin, they ought to be dressed with a little sulphur
and rape-oil, mixed as thick as cream, ten days at
least before whelping, and a teaspoonful of sulphur
and cream of tartar given to them twice a week.
In cutaneous diseases, we have found the following
recipe very efiicacious : —

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. J 9

Sulphur 1 oz. ; lime 2 ozs. ; water 1 J pint.
Boil for an hour, till reduced to a pint ; pour off
clear. To be applied with a sponge twice a
day.

"When the skin is very irritable, we have used also
glycerine, which has a very soothing effect. Both
these applications, after being rubbed in by hand
for two days following, require washing off the
third day with warm water and soft soap, and the
skin of the hound well dried with a clean cloth.
As a general dressing for the pack, these remedies
are too expensive, but in individual cases, and
particularly for those in whelp, they are both safe
and efficacious. Mercurial compounds never ought
to be employed as a dressing at any time, except
only in very obstinate red mange.

To ensure healthy whelps, the mothers must, of
course, be in a healthy state, and upon that depends,
more than many are apt to imagine, the well-being
of the offspring. Scurfy, pot-bellied puppies afford
unmistakable evidence of great neglect in this
respect. When anxious to preserve the whole
litter of a favourite dam, and you have a foster-
mother ready to receive some of them, the precau-
tion should be taken of gently rubbing the puppies
taken away from the former with those of the latter,
holding one in each hand face to face, and stomach
to stomach, by which process the smell of the one
will be imparted to the other. Young mothers are
generally captious and snappish, and it is better to
lure them from their box or den whilst this ex-
change is being made ; the feeder should hold and

c 2

20 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

caress them the while, with their faces turned from
the huntsman. We have read of the fury of the
bear when robbed of her cubs, but the fury of a
foxhound mother is not to be despised under such
circumstances, however quiet and obedient in the
kennel at other times ; and if she discovers the fraud
imposed upon her, the strange whelp will be sacri-
ficed. A slight dose of Epsom salts, or a tablespoon-
ful of castor-oil, should be given after delivery ; and
she should be fed upon thin oatmeal porridge, mixed
with milk, if procurable, or sheep's-head broth
in place of boiled horse-flesh, for the first three or
four days. In many large foxhunting establish-
ments, new milk is allowed for the use of the
puppies in the spring of the year, as soon as they
are able to lap, and, when stronger, mixed with
oatmeal. Whey is a most excellent thing, twice a
week for the mother when suckling, and acts most
beneficially upon the whelps also.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 21

CHAPTER lY.

Operations to be performed on foxhound whelps — Long and short
sterns — Vixen foxes and their cubs — A wily mamma — Playing
a game of hide-and-seek with conies — How to destroy worms and
parasites in puppies — Healing ointment for burns and scalds —
Blistering after firing cruel and unnecessary — Hothouse plants
and forced meat.

The first operation to be performed on foxhound
puppies is the severance of the dew-claws by a
sharp pair of scissors, for the healing of which the
mother's tongue will suffice to make a perfect cure.
An inch of the4ail is also generally cut off when
the whelps are three or four days old ; but both
operations should not be performed at the same
time. It was an old custom, and a very silly one
in our opinion, to twist the end of the puppy's tail
round between your thumb and forefinger, the nail
of the former being pressed so sharply as to sever
the joint, and then to draw out the sinews or liga-
ments attached to it, and by so doing it was sup-
posed the loins of the whelp would be strengthened.
Why or wherefore, requires something more than
mere assertion. Some men fancy long sterns —
others short ones. The objection to the first is,

22 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

that "where woodlands abound, the tips of their
sterns or tails are whipped quite bare of hair
by covert work, and present not only an unseemly
but mangy appearance : hence the desirability of
shortening sail or tail. We do not apprehend that
the strength of any animal, save the kangaroo, lies
in its tail ; and Americans do say that this part of
kangaroo meat is far superior to rump steaks or ox-
tail soup. Never having partaken of this delicacy,
we are not in a position to contravene such an
opinion. Lambs'-tail pie is not bad to those who
like such things, and puppies' tails are considered
great delicacies by aristocratic Chinamen. As
lambs' tails, however, are not cut off solely on
account of their supplying savoury meat to epicu-
rean palates, but for a widely different purpose, — to
prevent their being draggled through dirty fallows,
and thereby raising a hotbed for maggot flies to de-
posit their ova, — so we consider very long sterns
to foxhounds objectionable.

As soon as the whelps begin to feed themselves,
the mother should be shut up for an hour or two
after she is fed, or by a natural instinct she will
cast up her food to her whelps. All young animals,
as well as birds, require frequent feeding — a little
at a time and often — three times at least during
the day, — morning, mid- day, and evening. Some
whelps are more greedy than others, but none
should be allowed to feed to distension. Gorging
them with a quantity of food is productive of much
mischief. In their natural state, animals and birds
are generally free from those diseases which are

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 23

induced from their departure, in a domesticated
state, from the laws of nature. We do not hear
that the cubs of lions and tigers, bears, wolves and
foxes, are subject to those most prevalent maladies
amongst the canine species — mange and distemper
— simply because their supply of food, although
very limited, is of the most nutritious quality.
Our acquaintance with the habits of tigers and
lions in their natural state is very much on a par
with the numerous companies springing up every
day — limited ; but we know something of the fox
and dog kind.

In a state of nature, wild dogs, as well as
wild foxes, subsist on animal food entirely, which
requires a considerable time for digestion ; and the
quantity at any time obtained rarely exceeds their
requirements. What is a rabbit or leveret divided
amongst five or six hungry cubs, which have not
tasted food since the previous night? as the dog-
fox and vixen seldom seek their prey during the
day, and their cubs do not venture forth from the
bowels of the earth until long after the last glim-
mering light of the sun has subsided into the far
west. When the buzzing sound of the cockchafer
or black-beetle proclaims the advent of night, then,
and not till then, do the young foxes quit their
dens to catch these fleeting objects, as they fall
against the trees or bushes by which they are sur-
rounded, whilst their mammas and papas are out on
more substantial foraging. But then rabbits and
hares are not always so easily brought to hand or
mouth — requiring, like some young ladies, a deal

24! SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

of coquetting before they are handled. We have
watched night by night, and year by year, for
many years, the habits and practices of foxes and
their cubs, and we have been much amused by the
apparent nonchalmice of an old vixen when passing
through a rabbit warren, as if she did not entertain
the most remote idea of doing violence to their
feelings. The old rabbits stamped upon the ground,
as a warning signal to the juveniles, which, seeming
to understand the meaning of the notice, sat erect
upon their hind-legs, watching the approach of the
enemy. The old vixen, knowing the hopelessness
of the pursuit under such circumstances, with bur-
rows close at hand into which the whole colony of
conies might disappear in a moment, strolled leisurely
through the host, without even a bow or nod of her
head, until she saw a couple of silly young rabbits,
which had gone rather too far from home, scam-
pering away into a thorn-bush for protection. " I
have them/' muttered the old crafty one, and rush-
ing down directly to the bush with a short bark,
the rabbits were so frightened at the onslaught that
they fled from their shelter out on the opposite side,
still farther from their burrows, and Mrs. Charley
Fox snapp'ed one up in a trice, giving him a pinch
in the ribs with her incisors, which left him helpless
on the ground ; in a second she dashed round the
bush again and tripped up the heels of the other
delinquent, ere he had gone half way up the hill
towards his burrow. We shall perhaps have an
opportunity at a future time to write somewhat
more about foxes and their habits, but now we

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 25

will return from this digression to the subject more
immediately under our consideration.

In an artificial state, where the supply of food
is regular at certain intervals, it is obvious that
there being no craving from absolute hunger, the
quantity should be moderate. And there is another
consideration which huntsmen lose sight of — how
will whelps fare when sent out to their walks in
the country at farm-houses ? Take their chance
of getting; what the calves leave at the bottom of
the pail, or share the meal of whey with the pigs
in the yard. Whelps, when young, are very sub-
ject to worms, which may be removed at this early
period by a dessertspoonful of linseed oil, given
fasting for two mornings following, an hour at least
before they are fed ; and if this does not expel
them, a very small quantity of turpentine may be
added. Kape-oil, thickened with yellow sulphur,
will also suffice to destroy the little white lice by
which puppies are worried when a month or six
weeks old. Unless properly treated as to diet and
clean bedding, which requires changing every third
day, eruptions will soon appear on the skin — to
remove which alteratives must be used. For the
first, a teaspoonful of sulphur and cream of tartar,
in equal quantities, given alternate evenings for a
week, will prove sufficient, and a light dressing of
rape oil and sulphur, as above mentioned.

When two months old, whelps may be sent out
to those quarters where they are sure to be taken
good account of; but, as a general rule, perhaps it
is safer to keep them another month in the paddock,

26 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

by which time they will be stronger to meet the
rough usage too often awaiting them. Previously,
however, to their leaving the kennel, another opera-
tion must be undergone — not less painful because
necessary in all large foxhunting establishments —
branding one side with the initial letter of the
master. To avoid causing more sufifering to the
whelp than absolutely unavoidable, we give the
modus oioerandi adopted by ourselves : — Lay the
whelp on his left side, one man holding his head
and fore-legs, another the hind ones. Cut off suffi-
cient hair on the round ribs with a sharp pair of
scissors, having first placed the brand in the mouth
of the boiler's grate ; and when sufficiently heated
to mark the skin, apply it quickly for a second with
the right hand, having some fresh lard in the left
to put on the scar as soon as the iron is removed.
A more healing ointment, and better for blisters,
burns, or scalds, is made as follows : —

Precipitated chalk 1 oz. ; lard 4 oz. ; melt the
lard and stir in the chalk.

I have known some ignorant huntsmen — ignorant
we mean of the result to be produced by this brand-
ing— apply the iron red-hot, by which not only is
so much additional punishment inflicted on the
unfortunate whelp, but the desired object is frus-
trated by extensive excoriation obliterating the
outline of the mark, from excessive suppuration,
just as we see the legs of a horse mutilated by
a stupid farrier. There is another punishment
added to this generally by country practitioners —
a blister being directly applied to the smarting

' SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 27

sores, for the purpose, as they gravely assert, of
drawing out the heat ; and yet there are hun-
dreds— we may say thousands — of well-educated
owners of horses who tamely submit to the
opinions of these people, Avithout consulting their
own common sense as to the cruelty and thorough
absurdity of such a barbarous practice. It makes
our blood boil to see the most useful of all our
domestic animals left to the tender mercies of these
professors of the veterinary science in this enlight-
ened age, by which term we suppose is meant, that
people are more widely awake to their own in-
terests than in any previous one since the Deluge.
We are really surprised to find a custom so revolting
still in force, and we account for its continuance,
not because of its utiUty to master or horse, but for
the benefit of the farrier's account. What would
any clever surgeon prescribe for a severe burn in
the human flesh ? The very opposite in its effects
to blister — ointment ; they do not add fuel to fire
to extinguish it. The only use of firing is to
create a perpetual ligature around and over the
muscles and tendons which have given way, or are
likely to fiiil from their insufficient strength to
support extraneous demands upon them. The
sinews of spider-legged young horses must give
way under too great weight in the saddle ; and
even those of well-formed muscular animals are
sorely tried by the absurd practice of calling upon
four-year-olds to do badly that which at six years
old they would do well. There is a restless impa-
tience of prudent delay in the present age — cravings

28 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

for hasty precocious productions in human beings
as well as animals. The children of this generation
are, apparently, wiser in their parents' estimation
and their own than the children of a former one.
Forced meat is the ruling passion, or rather folly,
of the days we live in. Hothouse plants are all
the rage. A four-year-old colt is expected to be a
perfect hunter, and a bullock or sheep of two years
to produce first-rate beef and mutton. We prate
about our grandfathers having been very slow
coaches, but they knew right well the difference
between yearling and four-year-old mutton, and
half-calf from beef. Verily, our grandfathers were
not such fools as we are willing to fancy them.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 29

CHAPTER V.

Unnecessary cruelty to animals condemned — Necessity of branding
foxhound whelps — Homeward bound — Anecdote of a lady fox-
hound— Marvellous instinct — The Three Magpies on Hounslow
Heath — Agreeable incidental adventures — Travelling in bygone
days — The extra spur to footboys — Advantages of giving names
to puppies before sent to their walks.

Animadversions will be made upon foxhunters
decrying cruelty in others, who are accused of prac-
tisinof it themselves. The cruelties in huntino: a
fox have been described over and over again, until
the subject has become threadbare. Foxes must be
killed as well as other animals of prey, and we
do not believe, were the proposition submitted to a
committee of vulpines, whether they would prefer
being trapped by keepers, or run the chance of
being snapped by hounds, there would be a
moment's hesitation in their choosing the latter
alternative.

We are running wide of the mark, however, just
now, from marking foxhound whelps to marking
foxes ; but we would gladly dispense with this cruel

30 SYSTEM OF KEXNEL AND

operation, could any substitute be found. When
whelps are sent out from their kennel in large num-
bers at three months old, they would scarcely be
recognized, after seven or eight months' further
growth, by huntsman or master, save for the litter-
mark and brand, so great is the metamorphosis from
puppyhood to doghood. Some prefer marking their
hounds twice a year with a pair of scissors, cutting
out the initial letter in the hair only, which might
easily be obliterated by a dog-stealer ; but an entered
foxhound, knowing well the locality of his kennel,
is rarely lost, and if caught up — no easy matter —
would seize the first opportunity of regaining his
liberty and returning home. The brand is of the
greatest service when the whelps are at their quar-
ters, from which they may either stray away or
be abducted by trampers. When once entered the
pack, of course the huntsman knows every indivi-
dual by other distinguishing marks or peculiarity
of feature, as a shepherd of the largest flock knows
one sheep from another.

As an instance of the extraordinary instinct in a
foxhound which directs his way home, I may relate
the following fact : — The late Mr. Elton, of Staple-
ton House, who for many years kept a pack of
thorough-bred foxhounds of Lord Egremont's breed,
conjointly with my father, to hunt both fox and
hare, gave a hound which had bred a litter of
whelps that year to a friend residing in Essex, but
at that time staying with him. This hound was
taken in his travelling chariot — the usual mode
of locomotion in those days — from Bristol, right

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 31

through London and thirty miles beyond. On the
second night after her arrival there, she escaped
from the kennel, and no tidings of such a hound
being heard of or seen in the neighbourhood could
be gathered. Her new owner, after fruitless in-
quiries and researches, bethought himself, as almost
a forlorn hope, of writing to her late master, telling
him the day she absconded, when he was greatly
surprised to learn that the hound had reached
Stapleton on the fifth day after being missed from
Essex. Knowing the instinct and sagacity of the
canine race, this feat would not have appeared any-
thing very wonderful, save for the hound threading
her way through the labyrinths of the great metro-
polis. She would have taken cognizance of the
various inns on the road where the carriage stopped
to change horses, and where, most probably, she
ahghted with her new master to stretch her legs. The
sign of a large red fox, with a goose in his mouth,
could not fail to attract her attention. A White
Horse might bring to her mind the old grey mare
ridden by the huntsman. The Goat and Compasses
— etymologically explained by " God encompasseth
us " — a phrase and sign in common usage during
that arch-liberator or arch-fiend's reign, Cromwell — ■
would strike her as bearing some resemblance to
deer which she had seen in a park near home. The
Three Magpies, on Hounslow Heath, a very noto-
rious posting-house in those times, were likely to
have made some impression on her mind from these
birds generally assisting hounds with their hoarse
notes, when a fox is before them.

32 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

Thinking of this inn brings to our recollection
an anecdote of this Mr. Elton, when travelling
together with my father up to London. On stop-
ping to change horses there, they were told by the
landlord that a Captain Melluish — I believe this
was the name — had been shot by a highwayman
only the night before on the heath, and was then
lying dead upstairs.

" It is late, gentlemen,'' Boniface urged, " and I
strongly advise you not continuing your journey in
this dark night."

*' We must go on," Mr. Elton replied, " having
made a very early engagement in London for to-
morrow morning ; so order out four horses, and tell
your ostler to bring in here a small mahogany box
he will find on the seat of the carriage. Now,"
said Elton to my father, *' you watch that rascal's
face whilst I am reloading the pistols ; for report
goes that he is connected with the highwaymen on
this road."

The ostler, having placed the pistol-case on the
table, was leaving the room, when Elton desired
him to remain, and my fether immediately detected
a change in his countenance, betokening, as he
imagined, a guilty conscience. The pistols having
been reloaded and fresh primed, Elton, handing one
brace to my father and pocketing the other, gave
the empty case to the ostler to replace in the car-
riage. A few minutes after, the landlord announc-
ing that the horses were ready, the two friends left
the house, and Elton, before taking his seat, going
up to the postilion on the wheel-horses, said, loud

SCIEXCE OF FOXHUNTING. 33

enough for the other to hear, " Now, boys ! when
you reach the spot where the unfortunate captain
met his death last night, pull up. Do you hear ? "
as no answer was returned.

''Yes, sir/'

" Go on, then, and mind you don't stop before,
or,'' he said, showing his pistol, " this bull-dog '' —
a slang name for pistol in those days — " will bite
as well as bark.''

There was also a peculiar expression in Mr.
Elton's eyes, suggestive of great resolution, which
none could mistake, and the post-boy guessed the
real character of the gentleman sitting behind him,
with the window down, without daring to take a
second look at him. When reaching the place — a
lonely one, about two miles distant from the Three
Magpies — the postilions obeyed their orders by
pulling up.

" Now," said Elton to the man nearest to him,
" whistle ! — louder ! — that's too low." A strono^er
note followed ; again and again it was repeated.

" Shout 1 " cried Elton. This was obeyed, and
the echoes joined with the moaning winds. For some
ten minutes they remained stationary on the spot,
when Mr. Elton, placing his pistol on the window-
sill, with the muzzle just opposite the postilion's
back, said, " Go on now, as fast as you can ; and
mind, the very instant you stop again, for anybody
or anything, save a turnpike-gate, before reaching
London, this bullet goes through your heart."

I have heard my father declare that he had

D

34 SYSTEiM OF KENNEL AND

never travelled over those ten miles at such a pace
before.

We must now return to the transit of foxhound
whelps from the kennel to their country quarters^
which is generally effected by a dog-cart ; not the
sort of vehicle so called in these times, but a veri-
table dog or puppy-cart, constructed solely for their
accommodation, and resembling the van now in
use to convey hounds to the place of meeting.
There is one great advantage in giving names to
whelps when first sent out, irrespective of the
absurd misnomers by which they are likely to be
christened at their walks — that when returned to
the kennel a great deal of trouble will be saved to
the huntsman and feeder, and a vast amount of dis-
comfort to the hounds. A dog Avhich knows his
name, even when transferred from one master to
another, becomes sooner reconciled to his new owner
from being thus familiarly spoken to, and therefore
we advise the adoption of this practice for all
foxhound whelps, as well as any other whelps sent
from home. In their new quarters there is gene-
rally a great diversity of treatment, save where
their protectors for the time happen to be tenants
of the master. In that case they will be carefully
tended an d well provided for ; but when walks are
procured through the interest of friends or sub-
scribers, there being no connecting link with the mas-
ter, the chances are all against these whelps figuring
in the next entry. Genuine foxhunting farmers are
the men, above all others, to whom we can confi-

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 85

dently entrust the young hopes of the family ; since,
from love of the sport, as well as from the pride of
doing them well, hounds under their care are sure
to come home rather above than under the stan-
dard. Those placed with butchers are generally too
well fed, and from living so grossly suffer more
severely from distemper. A wayside inn formerly
afforded good accommodation for hounds, as well
as man and horse, although the majority of these
hostelries are now converted to other purposes.

D 2

36 SYSTEM OF KEXXEL AXD

CHAPTER YI.

Prizes for raising foxhounds — Good feeding and careful treatment
requisite for development of form — The master's eye makes the
hound fat — Objections to distant walks — The malpractices of
puppy dogs — Home education not suitable — Return to kennel
— First draft — Number put forward — A day on the flags — Choice
of entry — Room for improvement — The gentler sex take the
lead — Pytchley run of ''QQ, and the Waterloo hero — Long days
and long runs of "auld lang syne" — A late draw — The white
horse in a dark night — Sensational visit to an old lady's
domicile — A long ride home.

The practice adopted by ourselves many years ago
of giving prizes to the rearers of the finest young
hounds, has been generally followed, producing
nearly the same effect as prizes awarded to cattle,
sheep, and pigs, at agricultural meetings ; and it
frequently happens that a successful exhibitor of
the best animal of his own breeding carries away
also the silver tankard for the clevei-est foxhound
of his own feeding. When the master or his
huntsman has exercised good judgment in produc-
ing whelps, which he has reason to think ought to
turn out clever from the fair proportions of sire
and dam, the full development of form depends, in
a very great measure, upon their treatment in the
most growing state of their existence, from three

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. S7

to ten months old ; and if neglected during that
period, or irregularly fed — overcrammed at one
time and starved at another — their master's care
and trouble will have been expended to little
purpose.

Where whelps are sent out to very distant
walks, some forty or -fifty miles from kennel, wdjere
they are far removed from the supervision of master
and man, it is no uncommon thing for them to
meet with rough usage and coarser fare during the
chief part of their sojourn there ; but as the time
approaches for their return, they are then fatted up
for the occasion, to make a fair show in the kennel ;
and this is a trick of which tenants at a distance
are too often guilty. Perhaps we ought not to lay
this charge exactly to themselves, but their better
halves — and, in truth, at farm-houses generally,
" the grey mare is the better horse.'' The master
is obliged to be in the field, from sunrise to sunset,
either superintending labourers, or himself w^orking
according to his status, whilst the missus is eno^af]^ed
in her household duties — making butter or cheese,
feeding young ducks and chickens, &c.; and a mis-
chievous foxhound puppy is more likely to interfere
than assist her in these occupations. He will very
probably be running off witli a cheese-cloth or pat
of butter, or running down a screaming young
cockerel in the yard, for which and sundry other
malpractices, in which puppy dogs are wont to
indulge, he is almost sure to incur the dire dis-
pleasure of the missus — unless she is endowed with
an angelic temper — and receive as his reward

38 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

monkey's allowance, in more senses than one. The
experiment having been tried over and over again
of rearing young hounds in the kennel, without
success, masters are obliged to send them out, and
run all risks. Two or three may be bred up at
home, if allowed to run about the premises ; but if
confined within four walls, without daily exercise,
their feet will bear a nearer resemblance to those
of a duck than those of a cat. Moreover, home
education is as objectionable for young foxhounds
as it is for young gentlemen.

The best time for their return to the kennel is
about the end of March, when the hunting season
has nearly expired, and the huntsman has more
leisure to bestow attention upon them. If hunting
is continued through the next month, as happens in
some large establishments, the care of the young
hounds must devolve principally upon the feeder,
except on non-hunting days. The best plan is to
have all brought home about the same time, and to
make your first draft directly, sending the others
away before the distemper breaks out among the
lot. More room will thus be afforded to those
selected for the entry, and consequently less dread
from virulent disease, since from overcrowded
lodging-houses this scourge of the canine race
assumes a most pestilential character. It is far
better, therefore, to send away at once those young
hounds not likely to suit your purpose, that more
room and better attendance may be given to the
chosen few, than keep the whole until the distemper
has been overcome. In the first case, of course.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 39

every master will put forward several couples more
than are required for the entry. In a two and
occasional three day per week country, ten couples
will be necessary, and a third more should be kept,
and so in proportion to the magnitude of the
establishment.

Seasons vary very much, some being more favour-
able to the growth of foxhound whelps as well as
other animals ; it is therefore advisable, when such
occur, to avail ourselves of the opportunity by
selecting as many young hounds as can be reason-
ably maintained, lest, a bad season following, the
next year's entry prove deficient in quantity as
well as quality. There is no more pleasing sight
to a master's eye than a clever lot of young-
puppies just sent in from their walks ; and certainly
he has reason to be proud of his success, coupled
with good luck, in his having so many returned to
the kennel. Then comes the examination day,
when a few select friends are invited — genuine
foxhunters, who know every old hound in the pack,
and observe their work in the field — to pass their
opinions on the points of merit in the young ones.
To the great majority of hunting men a day on the
flags presents as m.any attractions as an old lady's
tea-party — a dull, stupid affair, with a deal of
gossip about pedigrees and proportions of hounds,
in which they have no desire to take part. Few
there are — very, very few — who take the well-
being of the pack into consideration.

In choosing young hounds for the entry, we
are not groping in the dark, as when they were

40 SYSTEM OF KEMNEL AND

handled in early puppybood ; yet even now, at ten
or eleven months of age, their form is not fully
developed. Throughout the whole animal creation,
including birds also, females attain their perfection
of growth long before the males. Those young
foxhounds which appear rather loosely strung to-
gether at this age, generally turn out the most
powerful when twelve or fourteen months old.
We prefer those which show room for improvement
to others more closely knit together, in which no
further improvement can take place. Short-bodied
hounds set, as huntsmen say, very early, and these
are selected or drafted without much deliberation.
Lengthy ones require looking over more attentively,
since, when of a late litter, there is an apparent
deficiency of nmscle behind the shoulders, and in
the loins and hind quarters, which will till up as
they become matured in age. We do not regard
a hound being rather throaty or coarse about the
head, provided he has oblique shoulders, straight
long fore-legs, standing clear of his body at the
elbows, but not out of the perpendicular ; with
good ankles, and round, not exactly cat-like, feet
— for such, altliough pretty to the eye, will not
bear much wear and tear. Hunting men know
that horses with upright pasterns and short hoofs
are the most uncomfortable of all animals to ride
anywhere, particularly in going to covert and in
the field. Their action is a succession of jolts and
jars, resembling a donkey's canter. In hound and
horse there must be a certain lenojth between the
knee and foot, to enable them to travel easily to

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 41

themselves, or satisfiictorily to their owners ; but
this longitude must be limited, or it is productive
of weakness. So also as regards the foot — too
great latitude denotes an animal better fitted for
aquatics than gymnastics. A splayfooted hound
may go along tolerably well in a moist country,
and with moist weather, but his deficiencies will
become manifest in a hilly or flinty one.

We must refer to the hackneyed motto, as the
rule to be observed on these occasions — medio
tidissimus ibis. A foxhound without sound
understanding from head to foot will not pay for
his porridge. The size of his head ought to be big
enough to hold plenty of brains, and his feet
strong enough to carry his knowledge-box, with
the frame thereto belonging, to the end of a run
more lengthy than the Pytchley, February 2nd,
1866. By the way, we have not the most remote
wish or intention to speak or write in disparaging
terms of this great run in the present era, like
a certain " Greybeard," and we don't agree with
him in thinking that " half a dozen Lancashire
men on foot " w^ould have performed the distance
in about the same time. It may appear rather
contradictory, when we are always lauding the
speed of foxhounds in the present age, that a first-
rate pack, in a first-rate countrj^, the greater part
being pasture, should take tJiree Jiours and forty-
Jive rainutes, as stated in " Bail}^," to run over
some twenty-six miles of ground — the pace, on an
average, not exceeding six miles and a half an
hour. But then allowance must be made for

42 SYSTEM OF KEXNEL AND

sundry little checks whicli did occur, and always
will occur in very long runs. At times hounds
are checked entirely ; at others, their speed is
diminished by stained ground, a piece of fallows,
a turnpike road, and swinging round when the fox
is headed off his line, which, though not quite
amounting to a check, causes a slight hesitation.
Then we must bear in mind that bullfinches and
heavy fences stop hounds as well as horses, and all
these seconds and minutes so lost, when added
together, make a considerable sum total. That the
Pytchley was a right good run, and the fox one of
the right sort, there can be no question ; that the
hounds did their work well, and the master rode
gallantly throughout, is also equally apparent ; and
save for being chased by a sheep-dog, the war-
whoop must have resounded over the carcase of the
Waterloo hero.

Having been accustomed to long days and long
runs, we see nothing very wonderful in this fox-
chase, which reminds us of similar ones in days of
" auld lang syne," many of which are recorded in
my " Kecollections of a Foxhunter." One day per
week throuohout the season our hounds had to do
from fourteen to eighteen miles before drawing a
covert. Now, fourteen miles to the place of -meet-
ing, and fourteen back again, at six miles an hour
— our usual rate of travelling by road — would
amount very nearly to the Pytchley run ; and
then we had an interlude of some twelve or four-
teen miles for the finding and finishinor off our fox.
Upon these occasions the hounds got their suppers

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 43

between nine and ten o'clock P.M., and ourselves
rarely any dinner at all, since we were too much
outdone to relish overdone meat. As long, how-
ever, as there was a chance of killing our fox,
however late found, we never thought of whipping-
off the scent ; and we have ridden, with Charles
Treadwell as our pilot, upon a white horse, when
we could see nothing else — barely the fences —
until w^e wound him up, or ran him to ground.
The adventures of one night in particular occur to
our memory just now.

We had a good morning's work, killing our fox
handsomely, after a good run, and the majority of
our field went home perfectly satisfied. Two or
three funkers, who had seen nothing of it, and
came trotting in half an hour after the finish, in the
most unconcerned manner asked "if the day were
over."

'' Oh ! no,'' we replied, " it is only three o'clock,
and if you will promise to ride after the hounds
this time, we will find you another fox."

We ought not to have gratified these malcon-
tents— enough being as good as a feast on days
when hounds are a long way from home ; but our
monkey being up we trotted ofi* to draw again,
found very late, and had the run entirely to our-
selves. The shades of night were fast falling, but
the scent was good, and the hounds running hard
over a vale country. Our business was to keep as
near to them as possible — getting up to them on a
half-beaten horse being no easy matter — our first
whipper-in, Charles Treadwell (the second being

44) SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

lost), on his grey, taking the lead, and we could
hear liim floundering through the heavy bullfinches
with loud " come-ups " occasionally, and a cry of
warning to ourselves, " Look out, master, there's
a nasty ditch t'other side/' Looking out being
out of the question when we could barely see our
horse's ears, as he had the best eyes we trusted all
to his discretion, and thankful indeed did we feel
when we saw the lamps of a town glimmering in
the flir distance, near which there was a strong
head of earths. These, however, being closed, our
fox, then thoroughly beaten like ourselves, got into
a drain on the premises of an old lady, living on
the outskirts of the town, from which it was im-
possible to dislodge him. The servants rushed out
on hearing the row, with candles and lanterns, to
offer their assistance, which we declined, and left
him alone in his glor\^, having then just eighteen
miles of road-work before us ere we could reach
the kennels. This last run was eleven miles as the
crow flies, with deviations at least four more, and
the time one hour and thirty minutes.

We have not mentioned this day's work as any-
thing very extraordinary in those times, such being
of frequent occurrence; and we have had sometimes
to feed our hounds at twelve o'clock at night, when
unable to stop them in large woodlands more than
twenty miles from home. Foxes were stouter
then than now, having to travel much farther in
search of food. Game preserving is antagonistic
to our sport in two ways — first, foxes are and will
be trapped by keepers ; and, secondly, those which

SCIENCE OF FOXHCJNTING. 45

elude the trap, becoming fat and lazy, fall an easy
prey to hounds. None but old dogs, which have
escaped their numerous enemies for three or four
seasons, know much about the country eighteen
miles from home ; and as these are very few, runs
of this length must of necessity be rather of rare
occurrence.

4G SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER VII.

Treatment of yoimg hounds when brought home to kennel — Going
out in couples — Jerusalem ponies to be especially avoided — Cur
dogs — Cure for exuberant spirits — Deer parks and hare warrens
— Distemper principiis obsta — Following the plough — Diet —
Extraordinary case of distemper — Remedies and prescriptions.

The first work to be done, or wliich ought to be
done, with the young hounds selected for entry, is
to put them in couples as soon as possible and have
them out into the fresh air, if a few only at a time.
In this matter we know huntsmen are generally
very remiss, putting off the trouble with the coup-
lings to a more convenient season, when they have
more leisure ; yet from this neglect the very worst
kind of distemper is generated. The young hounds,
when brought into kennel, are fed highly on plenty
of meal and meat, the reverse of what their treat-
ment ought to be, and, in addition, they are denied
any opportunity of exercise save that of playing
in the grass-yard attached to their lodging-house.
This is precisely the same course pursued by igno-
rant grooms, in feeding their horses just alike
wliether they are in work or not ; but in this
case the animals under their care do get a certain

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 4?

amount of air and exercise out of tlieir stable or
loose boxes — the hounds do not. Those who have
ever paid a visit to a large kennel of foxhounds,
however neatly kept, will require no refreshener to
their memories that the air in and about its pur-
lieus was the very reverse of refreshing. The
lodging-rooms may be whitewashed two or three
times, the doors well scrubbed and fresh painted,
the benches scoured with soda, sand, and soft-soap
before the next year's entry comes in ; yet the
odora canum vis remains, verifying the old Latin
adage, Quo semel est inihida recens, servahit odorein
testa dlu. The acid has entered into the flooring,
and it is impossible to be entirely mopped out by
whole hogsheads of water, like the taint of cider
into the wood of a new cask.

Then there are the odoriferous breezes from the
boiling-house ever mixing with and overpowering
all other salubrious breezes. Old hounds, accus-
tomed to this kind of atmosphere, appear not to be
affected by it, like nurses in a sick chamber ; but
then it must be borne in mind that during the
hunting season they have plenty of fresh air and
exercise, and even after the season is over they are
walked out two or three times a day, and generally
go out with the huntsman and whippers-in for two
or three hours before breakfast, or after, through
parks or along by-roads, to prevent their quarrel-
ling in the kennel from too great idleness. To
huddle a lot of young hounds together into a close
lodging-room at night, wdiich have been bivouacking
out in open sheds at their quarters, or, peradveu-

48 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

ture, sleeping under a hay-mow or corn-stack
through all weather, must strike any unprejudiced
person as most likely to produce that result which
masters and huntsmen are most anxious to steer
clear of — distemper in its most virulent phase.

We know it is no very pleasant occupation,
having a lot of young awkward animals, like raw
recruits, pulling and hauling you about and getting
between your legs, before they have been drilled
into something like order, and taught to keep step
with each other ; yet as this must be done, sooner
or later, the sooner this preliminary lesson has been
gone through the better. To save a good deal of
this pulling and hauling about, the couples may first
be put on them in the green-yard, for an hour or
two in the morning and afternoon ; but they must
never be left for a moment out of the feeder's or
huntsman's sight, when so coupled, or accidents to
life or limb may follow, from getting entangled with
each other, and a valuable young hound may soon
be choked or have his leg broken.

Another precaution is also necessary — that the
collars are not too tightly buckled. Some hunts-
men couple an old hound with a J^oung one — a bad
practice, since the old gentlemen or ladies, not
relishing the idea of turning bear-leaders in their
old age, vent their indignation upon their awkward
yoke-fellows by biting or rolling them over. We
prefer keeping the young ones by themselves, join-
ing two of the same height and strength together,
so that the pulling on both sides be about even.
At first they will, of course, turn fractious or sulky,

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 49

like young horses when first harnessed, but the
whip ought not to be used. A little coaxing and
patting will do more to reconcile them to this treat-
ment than whipcord, and after a few hours' drilling
they will go tolerably well, and may be taken out
by the huntsman and the whippers or assistants —
one to precede by a short distance and the other to
follow them, not too closely. Open ground, such as
parks with deer, or large fields with cattle or sheep,
must not be chosen as early training ground, since
some might easily break away from their attendants
on foot, and most serious consequences ensue. Let
them be taken into some green lane or by-road, not
too much used by horsemen, or walked about a
home-paddock twice a day, until they become more
tractable.

Of all animals to be avoided, as most maliciously
disposed towards hounds, a donkey takes prece-
dence. Colts and bullocks will wheel round them
in a field rather with wonderment than any evil
intention ; but that brute of all brutes, a Jerusalem
pony, comes at them directly with open mouth, and
unless Jem or Jack is in advance, to check his
onslaught, in amongst the lot he dashes, tooth and
hoof, using his fore-legs like a boxer, and dealing
his blows with savage ferocity upon the backs and
limbs of the astonished pack, who are not permitted
to resent the insult. Why a donkey should feel
thus maliciously inclined towards hounds we are at
a loss to conceive, since none of his kith or kin have
ever been consigned to the boiling-house ; yet, so
great is their antipathy to the canine race, that we

E

50 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

would rather meet a bear in a green lane than a
Balaam. We have often encountered the assaults
of these brutes, or, rather, their attempts to force
their way by Charles, whose heavy thong they
appeared to think lightly of ; and sometimes he was
obliged to use the iron handle on their frontispiece,
and fell them to the earth, to stop them in their
mad career. At their walks in the country, young
hounds have been accustomed to meet with — and
chat with in their own dog language — sheep-dogs
and cur-dogs of all descriptions, and it never entered
into their imaginations then to act otherwise than
courteously towards them ; but as soon as they
have become occupiers of their large house — the
kennel — they appear instigated by a fell desire to
shed the blood of their former companions. Should
Shag or little Yiper cross their path when out at
exercise, it is a difficult matter to stop them from
giving dhase, and Jem's whipcord is called into
play, with certain objurgations of "War cur-dog ! ''
Full of young blood and high spirits, they are like
a lot of schoolboys, ripe for any fun and mischief;
and their nature prompting them to run something,
they will have a fling at any living creature which
comes within their view. There is a better cure for
this rebellious outbreak than whipcord — exercise,
and plenty of it. Too much they cannot have, and
it is far wiser to work off their superfluities by this
course than any other. The desire for running
cur-dogs may be effectually checked by taking them
through neighbouring villages, where they are gene-
rally seen in large numbers and of every variety ;

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 51

then through deer-parks and hare and rabbit war-
rens, to accustom theui to the sight of those animals
they are not to pursue.

This exercising ought to commence on the third
or fourth day after the young hounds are brought
back to the kennel, and hefore they have shown
sjmiptoms of distemper. Principiis ohsta ; sero
medicina iKiratur, is a Latin proverb which
answers to our English one, " Prevention is better
than cure," peculiarly applicable to the treatment
of young hounds. At this most critical point of
their existence, due preparation to meet this disease
is almost equivalent to its cure, and this prepa-
ration consists in plenty of walking exercise and
rather low diet. When inflammation is most to be
dreaded, as in distemj^er, then every precaution
should be taken to keep the body in a healthy
state. We once cured a couple of deerhound pup-
pies by walking them twice a day after a team at
plough, and, save at the beginning, when the
cough began, giving each a dose of emetic tartar.
They required no other medicine, the fresh-turned
earth possessing such healing and invigorating pro-
perties. We cannot claim this idea as an original
one, since we have heard of medical men in former
years prescribing the same remedy for consumptive
patients — with this distinction only, that they were
to ride instead of walk after the plough. If, in
addition to this airing, our young hounds were fed
upon whey in the morning, and porridge in the
afternoon only, we should not hear so much about
the ravages of distemper.

E 2

0 2 SYSTEM OF KENXJEL AND

This disease ajipears to fall lightly, if at all, upon
other numerous species of puppy dogs abounding
in towns and country villages. They may get it
and get rid of it for anything their owners care, so
long as they are not troubled in the matter ; and
it is quite certain that hundreds and thousands
pass through their uninteresting lives without
having it at all. Distemper, Proteus-like, assumes
a variety of forms, and in its different stages
requires different treatment. Some huntsmen
plume themselves upon possessing an infallible
remedy for all cases. Others think high-feeding
the most important, and beyond this give them-
selves little trouble, except, perhaps, administering
a dose of salt and water as an emetic, when the
cough begins. The most mild form of distemper
very much resembles influenza in human beings, by
a copious discharge from the nostrils and eyes,
when the head appears the most affected part of
the system ; and in this case, after the use of
evacuants, generous diet becomes necessary.

This disease is confined principally to the brain,
back, and loins, so that we have known hounds to
lie paralyzed upon their benches for days and
weeks without the power of motion, and yet, with
great care, they ha^-e weathered the storm and re-
covered. One extraordinary instance of this we well
remember, when a young hound, being prostrated,
regained the use of his limbs ; but, strange to relate,
one side of his head collapsed, the skin and flesh
upon it withering away, and even the bone appeared
to shrink below the level of the other side. Not-

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTIXG. 53

withstanding this deformity in appearance, the
hound lost none of his flxculties, and seemed as
sensible as before the attack. The old remedy in
these cases was the simple application of tar, from
the nose down to the tip of the tail ; port wine
and bark was also prescribed as a tonic, of which
we suppose the feeder took his share — probably the
largest. Patience and perseverance in such cases
will be commensurate with the supposed value of
the patient, and no pains or trouble can be said to
be thrown away if the life of a very clever young-
hound can be saved. We liave often seen twitch-
ino's of the limbs to remain after such visitations,
and have kept hounds so affected, which, if not
capable of very great exertions in the field, would,
from their high breeding, do more in half a day
than others would do in a whole one. Upon fleshy
hounds the distemper falls with the greatest severity,
in cono^estion of lunojs and liver, in which cases
bleeding at the very commencement may turn the
tide — in fact, although the lancet has been seldom
resorted to of late years by medical men, except in
very critical cases, we may include such attacks in
this category. In inflammatory subjects the loss of
blood often prevents the loss of life, when taken in
time — if too late, the animal dies from thy opera-
tion. Blistering ointment ought also to be applied
and rubbed in over the seat of the disease, and we
know of none more efticacious than tartar emetic
and lard, one drachm of the former mixed with
seven of the latter. Calomel and James's powders,
when lungs and liver are aftected, are the chief

54 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

medicines to be given, with low diet and warm
lodging ; from three to fom- grains of the former
in obstructions of the liver, and a tablespoonfal of
castor- oil in the morning. James's powders act
both as an alterative and a sudorific, and we have
cured many hounds b}^ means of this medicine, in
obstinate cough giving small doses repeatedly ; but
it is a dangerous remedy in the hands of a careless
person. Distemper also shows itself in fits, from
which recovery is very doubtful ; and the yellows,
so called by huntsmen, or properly jaundice, gene-
rally proves fatal, unless active remedies are applied
on its first appearance.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 0 0

CHAPTER yill.

Eoimding the entry — Reasons for so doing — Quickest mode of per-
forming it — Varieties of foxhounds and crosses — Stud-books of
kennels — Oldest establishments — The chase of wolf, boar, and
stag in ancient times — Dogs used for this purpose — Their size
and strength — Depredations of wolves in the reign of Athel-
stan — Bloodhound cross in North Warwickshire kennels — Our
own experiment in this cross — Black- and-tiin pack in the west
of Ireland.

When the entry has thoroughly recovered its
health and strength, and all vestiges of the dis-
temper have disappeared, then is the proper time
for the last operation to which foxhound puppies
are subjected, called rounding, or cutting off the
ends of their ears, which to those not initiated into
the mysteries of the ars vencdica must appear an
unnecessary act of cruelty, without some explanation
of the why and wherefore such practices have pre-
vailed in foxhound kennels, whilst their own brothers
and sisters, drafted to hunt hares, are spared this
bloody ordeal, before entering into active life. The
fact is, that young foxhounds have to commence
their work in large thickly-tangled woodlands, from
which they are rarely permitted to emerge during
the cub-hunting season ; consequently the tops of

56 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

their ears, if not cut short, would be sadly torn
by briars and tliorns, causing continual sores and
ulcerations, and thereby daily pain. Rounding,
although a painful operation, saves foxhounds from
a great deal of suffering in after life, and without
it they would not work as they ought to do,
through gorse-brakes and blackthorns, with any
degree of comfort. We have heard the old saying,
" as sulky as a bear with a sore ear," and conclude
that hounds similarly afflicted would not feel parti-
cularly anxious to increase their sores by extra
scratchings through coverts — although no animal of
the canine species possesses more resolution and
courao^e than a well-bred foxhound.

Harriers, on the contrary, having as a general
rule to find and pursue their game in the open
fields, do not necessarily require any abridgment
to the natural length of their ears ; and in bygone
time pendulous appendages of this kind were con-
sidered great recommendations to hare-hunters.
For the purpose of rounding, a block of hard-grained
wood, about the length of tlie hound's head, with a
smooth even surface, is required, upon which the
ear is laid out, and with one blow of a
wooden mallet on the handle of the half-circular
iron, the operation is over, and the other side of
the head turned round to complete the business.
The assistance of two other men is required, one
to hold the hound to the block, and the other
behind to prevent his pulling back, whilst the
huntsman performs the part of surgeon. By a
quick eye, and ready, steady hand, the severance of

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 57

the two tips may be effected within one minute,
and the hound led back in his couples to the lodg-
ing-room. There is a great difference in the width
and length of foxhounds' ears ; some are of such
extent as to require excision all round, and others
so narrow that the tips only come under the iron ;
and this distinction in the ear, as well as the size
of the head, proves the two original species of
hound, still retaining their characteristics through
a variety of crosses, and after the lapse of many
centuries.

The Northern hound was distinguished from the
Western and Southern by greater size, larger head,
deeper note, and finer nose, Avhereas the latter is
represented by ancient chroniclers of sports and
pastimes to have been more nimble of foot, lighter
form, and lighter tongue, but not endowed with
equal patience and perseverance, as his more stalwart
competitor in tlie chase. Some sportsmen have
ffone the leno;th of assurinoj us, that our finer-framed
foxhounds of the present age owe that neatness of
head, swanlike neck, depth of chest, and thinness of
stern, to an original cross with greyhound blood.
The greyhound shape is there, and moreover the
greyhound tongue and the greyhound ear ; but this
cross must have been of ancient date, since for more
than one hundred years pedigrees of foxhounds in
the large breeding kennels, from which minor es-
tablishments throughout the kingdom are supplied,
have been scrupulously and carefully registered in
their stud-book. Moreover, we know that hunting
qualifications were considered of the highest ini-

58 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

portance by all masters and huntsmen of the old
school.

Before the commencement of the last century,
kennel management and genealogical records re-
ceived little attention. We have had authentic
information as to the time when three of the first
foxhunting establishments had their commence-
ment. The Duke of Beaufort's in 1753, antece-
dent to which staghounds, foxhounds, and harriers
occupied the Badminton kennels. The Duke of
Rutland's about the year 1768, and Lord Fitz-
william's before 1765, when the celebrated pack of
Mr. Child was transferred to the Milton kennels,
with their huntsman William Deane, who hunted
them thirty-five years. It is not probable that in
these great kennels such an attempt at improve-
ment, or rather alteration, has been made since their
establishment, by an infusion of greyhound blood ;
but that such a cross had been tried many years
previously is not so improbable.

In ancient times the chase of wolf, boar, and
stag occupied the attention of our Anglo-Saxon and
Norman ancestors, and for the purpose of dislodg-
ing them from their sylvan ftistnesses, a variety of
dogs were used — bloodhounds, rough greyhounds,
and mastiffs ; and most probably their hunting packs
contained a mixture of these three breeds — to find
and hunt them from their harbour in the woods,
from which, when forced to fly, they were chased
by the deerhounds, and the hunters mounted on
horses trained for the purpose, carrying cross-bows
and spears. Wolf and boar hunting differed as

SCIENCE OF FOXHUXTING. 59

"widely as the poles are asunder to modern fox-
hunting, being productive of fearful accidents to
man, horse, and hound. We know by experience
that the bite of a fox is far from being agreeable,
but the rent from a boar's tusk in your leg must
have been something to remember for a very long
time after. We may occasionally stake our horses,
but the tusks of an infuriated hirsute old pig-
inflicted injuries of a more deadly character, since
he was not rolled over by the pack in the uncere-
monious manner befalling poor Charles James.
Boars fought desperately when brought to bay,
and half a dozen spear-heads sticking in their hides
added only to their fury, until a powerful horse-
man, riding up to close quarters, with hand over
head, sent his shaft clean through the animal's
body.

We are told that wolves were so numerous in
Yorkshire during the reign of Athelstan the Saxon,
that a kind of fort was erected at Hixton, in that
county, to protect travellers from their attacks ; and
their depredations were carried on to such an extent
that lands were leased out on payment of so many
wolves' heads, instead of money. In the more
thickly inhabited counties, such high premiums
were given for the destruction of these marauders,
that they very soon became nearly extinct ; but
in Scotland, and the northern counties, more
thinly populated, and abounding in rough moor
and woodlands, their extirpation was more gradual,
and chiefly effected by means of the chase. Now
there can be very little doubt that the dogs used

60 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

for this purpose, and from wliicli our present race
of foxhounds is descended, were a cross between
the deerhound and bloodhound — one selected as
possessing the highest courage and speed, and the
other gifted with the keenest power of scent. The
original cross must have been of great size and
strength, averaging from thirty to thirty-six inches
in height, with corresponding bone and muscle, and
equal to contend singly with their foe. How long
packs of this kind were in use, we have no means
of ascertaining ; but as in the reign of Edward I.
wolves were very numerous, we must suppose these
hounds found still sufficient occupation ; and when
their more savage game ceased from the land, their
services were required for hunting stag, fox, and
hare. To satisfy ourselves on this point — the
origin of our present foxhounds — we tried, many
years ago, the experiment of a cross between one
and a greyhound, and the result verified our expec-
tations. Four whelps were produced, three resem-
bling their mother, the greyhound, in depth of
chest and length of head, neck, and frame — and
the other almost the image of his father, with
wider head, and greater widtli of chest, possessing
also a capital nose. The dogs were used for hunt-
ing deer, and would draw covert, find tlieir game,
and hunt him afterwards, as long as the scent held
good — but we cannot say they showed much dis-
position to work upon a bad one. By persevering
in the foxhound strain, there would have been
great improvement in their hunting qualities.

We remember seeino^ in the North Warwickshire

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 61

kennels, some few years ago, a cross between the
foxhound and bloodhound — by their then master,
Mr. Baker — upon which Peter Collison, now hunts-
man to the Cheshire, pinned his faith, as the most
efficient hounds in the pack, quite equal in speed
and quickness to any others, and showing better
nose than the majority. We quite agree with all
masters and sticklers for purity of blood, in what
we now call thorough -bred foxhounds, that they
can and wUl hunt, if left to themselves, a very
cold scent ; and we are free to confess that they
owe this property to their original bloodhound
strain ; and, as we have before remarked, that that
strain is exhibited in the difference of shape of
head, and length of ear peculiar to the bloodhound
— others, again, going back to the father's side,
the deerhound, in thinness of head, smallness of
ear, and depth of chest. Naturain expellas furca,
tamen usque recurret. In proof of this, we may
state that some thirty years ago we received, in an
unentered draft from the late Sir Thomas Mostyn's
kennel, who then hunted the Bicester country, a
hound which he called Yarico, resembling a blood-
hound in every particular, as to colour, shape, and
other points ; and on consulting Tom Wingfield, the
huntsman, he assured us no such blood had ever
been introduced within his recollection into their
kennel.

Having always a partiality for large hounds, and
being acquainted with the masters as well as hunts-
men of the most celebrated packs in those times,
we had opportunities of picking up occasionally

62 SYSTEM OF KENXEL AXD

an unentered lioiuid or two, of too large dimensions
for the generality of kennels — cropping out from
the usual standard. Some very large though
rather coarse hounds about the head and neck we
got from the late Lord Lonsdale, then hunting
part of Leicestershire with a pack more conspicuous
for their hunting capabilities than for symmetry of
form. From the Fitzwilliam kennel we also got
hounds of equal size and power, but of better form.
One in particular we well remember, named Fal-
staff, of unmistakable bloodhound descent, show-
ing all the characteristics, even to the coat upon his
back. From the Badminton kennels also we had,
not very many years ago, a young hound sent us
by Will Long, standing twenty-eight inches, which
I named Marmion. It showed signs on the other
side — the deerhound cross — as to colour, and
having a narrow head, long neck, and immensely
deep chest, with ears so exceedingly fine that the
tips only required to be severed by the rounding-
iron.

Again, from the late Lord Ducie we had a
young hound of great size, a veritable bloodhound
in appearance, as to shape and colour, which we
called Druid. Mr, Ward's hounds — afterwards our
own — were notorious for size and power, the dark
tanned being the largest and coarsest, but the best
hunters. From these and other like observations
which have come under our notice, we have no
doubt in our own mind as to the originals from
which our present foxhounds are descended. The
late Sir Wheeler Cuffe, a celebrated sportsman, who

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 63

had hunted with the great Mr. Meynell, informed
us that in the west of Ireland there was a pack
of hounds, used for the purpose of hunting fox and
hare, all of one colour — black-and-tan — of great
size, and which had been kept up in that country
from time immemorial — probably ever since the
last wolf-hunt.

64 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER IX.

Training for ciib-hnnting — The imde derivatur of hound language —
Its use and abuse — Cheerfulness and good-humour in man pro-
ductive of cheerful obedience in animals — Whey an excellent
alterative — Our old kennel huntsman — Bondsman in disgrace
— Whips not to be used in kennel — Visit of a Dutchman — His
dread of foxhounds — A young lady's new waltzing partner —
Her parting kiss — The late J. Starkey, of Spye Park.

When the young hounds have so far recovered from
the effects of the rounding-iron — which operation
ought to be performed on a cold day — that their
ears are beginning to heal, exercise may be resumed,
at first to a moderate extent, since from the loss of
blood they will not be in a fit state to undergo
much fatigue. To facilitate the healing process, a
simple remedy is at hand — the oil or fat skimmed
from the copper, which may be applied by means
of a feather to the sores of the ear. In recent
wounds, a dog's tongue is said to possess very
curative properties ; and as young foxhounds
cannot lick their ow^n ears, we have often noticed
their assiduous attentions to each other in per-
forming that office, with a view, we suppose, to
stopping the effusion of blood ; but in our opinion
it appeared only to have the contrary effect — in

SCIE^X'E OF FOXHUNTING. 65

fact, no styptic can be applied at this moment, from
their constantly shaking their ears ; and a powerful
young foxhound, when loosed from the muzzle and
couples, smarting from pain, is not so easily
handled as a lady's lap-dog. The ladies will squeak
a little when denuded of part of these graceful
appendages, but the dog-hounds express their dis-
approbation of such unceremonious usage b}^ the
rising of the bristles, angry growls, and efforts to
fight — this species of auricular confession being the
reverse of agreeable to Tom the feeder, who has to
perform the part of father confessor on the occasion,
by placing liis hands on the hound's head, which is
then taken back to the extra lodging-room, well
littered down with straw, on benches and floor
also. With this last act, the stage of puppyhood
may be said to terminate.

When the entry have thoroughly regained their
health and spirits, the business of foxhound life
commences, by training for cub-hunting. Until
within a month of their being first taken to the
woodlands, the young entry will do far better by
themselves in their airing and exercise, during
which, if properly treated, they ought to become
as handy and obedient to their huntsman as old
hounds. Professionals luill adhere to the old
nomenclature of language, which for generations
has been used for foxhounds, as if intelligible and
natural to them as whooping to owls. The unde
derivatuv of these curious terms would puzzle far
cleverer heads than that of the late Samuel
Johnson, LL.D. Pronounced they may be, and

F

C6 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

are, even by amateurs, but they are hardly trans-
ferable to paper. Hounds, however, being great
linguists, readily comprehend the meaning of the
language in which they are addressed, whether
it be English, French, or that most unintelligible
of all tongues — Welsh. As to the words used,
whether classical, poetical, or dramatical, or the
reverse of all these, it matters not one tittle, pro-
vided the hounds themselves understand the meaning
in which they are used ; all that is required of
them being to answer to their names, come back
when called, turn here and there, as directed by
their huntsman. The professionals, however, gene-
ralty have a dull monotonous way of speaking to
and treating hounds when called, which produces
the contrary effect of willing obedience — we mean,
repeating their names a dozen times over, when
wishing to draw them from their kennel, at the
same time that the v/hipper-in is instructed to force
them up to the huntsman. This we maintain is a
very silly, slip-slop way of proceeding. For our
own part, we never allowed the interference of a
whipper-in in the kennel, neither did we ever draw
a hound by means of a whip, fully appreciating
their dislike to whipcord. When drawing or
feeding hounds, the only thing ever in our hands
was a thin hazel twig, not bigger than our little
finger, or a silk handkerchief taken from our pocket.
Then it must be borne in mind that these hounds
were affectionately attached to their master as a
pet spaniel to his mistress — and all our favourites
had nicknames in addition to their legitimate ones.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 67

to which they would respond with the greatest
alacrity. The general conduct of huntsmen to
their dependants is too formal and methodical,
with a great lack of that cheerfulness, vivacity,
and good humour, without which we must fail to
gain the affections of all created animals, from
woman downwards. The services of whippers-in
Avould be rarely needed, were huntsmen to adopt
the method we recommend.

The process of preparing the young entry must
be similar to that of training a thorough-bred horse
for racing, as well as a hunter for the field —
gradual walking, trotting, and at last galloping ;
and as the heat of summer increases — when we
have anything like summer weather — the exercise
must commence at a very early hour in the
morning, say four or five o'clock, and to return
home in time for the huntsman's breakfast and
their own, since young hounds at this season of
the year require feeding twice a day — about nine
o'clock in the morning, and five in the afternoon.
Our general practice was also to give the old
hounds a little thin lap about the same hour, and
their supper in the evening, which had the effect of
keeping them quiet during the night. Twice a
week during vacation time, we took them to a farm-
house for whey, Avhich contributed not a little to
their health — in short, the work with hounds at
this period is more troublesome than in the hunting
season, to a huntsman who does his duty by them.
From sunrise to sunset, there is always plenty to
do — first with the young hounds before breakfast,

F 2

G8 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

then with the old ones after it, in or out of kennel,
according to the weather, until the servants' dinner
hour ; out v/ith the young hounds again for a
couple of hours after dinner, and on their return
out with tlie old ones again, walking them about
until eight o'clock in the evening.

In very hot weather, our old hounds were
Avalking or lying about with the deer under the
shade of the trees the greater part of the day,
attended by the kennel huntsman only, no whipper-
in being necessary to keep them in order. We
Y/ere 13'ing down one day with them around us, all
fast asleep, when we were roused by some very
shrill notes, and the braying of donkeys — two boys
mounted on them having passed up the drive near
to which we Y^ere lying, too near to be tolerated by
our faithful guardians, who resented their intrusion
by pulling the boys out of their saddles, greatly to
their horror and consternation. A rate from their
master — '' let them alone " — saved the urchins from
further fright — personal injury they had received
none, although their jackets had been ruffled a little
by this unceremonious dislodgment ; for our big burly
hounds, although naturally fierce and courageous,
possessed great generosity of disposition.

During occasional absences from home, the care
of the pack devolved upon an old kennel huntsman,
Y'ho seemed as anxious about them as ourselves,
and so attentive to their personal appearance, that
during the holidays or summer months he carried
a hairbrush and small comb in his pocket — perhaps
the same used at his own toilette — Y^ith which lie

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 69

might be seen under the shade of the trees, indus-
triously smoothing down any rough hairs on the
hounds' coats. Upon one occasion, when returning
home, we found, to our surprise, a flivourite hound
chained up outside the kennel to one of the puppy-
houses.

" Why," we asked, indignantl}^, " have you
treated Bondsman in this manner ? "

"Because, sir, he pulled me down in the kennel
one day, amongst the other hounds ; and but for
the feeder running in to my rescue, I might have
been torn to pieces/'

'* And broken you up like a fox, eh ?" we added,
with a lauo'h. " But now for the whole truth ;
you struck that hound with the whip when there
was no occasion for it, and you ought to know by
this time that our hounds won't put up with that
from anj'body, except on horseback."

'^ Well, sir, I ought not to have done it perhaps ;
but he was suarlino- and oTowlino^ wdth Draco, and
to stop a row, I gave him a cut on the back, and
the next moment he sprang at me like a tiger,
seized the collar of my coat, and had me down
before I hardly knew what he was about."

" He gave you a clever back fall, that's all.
Did he attempt to bite or worry you when
down ? "

" No, sir, — walked away, as Tom said, with his
stern well up, looking as if nothing had happened ;
but then, sir, you know the other hounds might
have taken advantao-e of me."

70 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

• " Pshaw ! let Bondsman loose directly."

" If you please, sir, I had rather not, for he has
looked very savage at me ever since."

" Well, then, be off to the boiling-house for
shelter, or 111 tell him to give you another floorer ;
and for the future remember to hang your whip up
at the door before you enter the kennel/'

We had many visitors at this period of the
year, when time hung heavily on hand from the
lack of sporting recreation in the country. Some-
times professionals, who entailed upon us a day
upon the flags, to whom, a show of foxhounds
presented as great attractions as a flower-show to
ladies. Masters of neighbouring establishments
have here an opportunity of thoroughly examining
the young entry, and seeing the sires and dams of
those which particularly engage their attention,
with a view to a cross with their own hounds, a
privilege conceded to all brother masters, whether
known or unknown, without fee or favour. Some-
times we were honoured by gentlemen of the
vicinity bringing friends to see the lions, and on
one occasion we remember a Dutchman comino^
over to see, what he had never seen in his life
before, a pack of foxhounds. Having been intro-
duced by a member of our hunt, we were proceed-
ing to introduce him to the hounds, which being
visible through the palings, and hearing my voice,
rushed to the door to welcome our approach as
usual.

"Ah ! mine goot, sir," cried the alarmed Dutch-

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 71

raan, clutchiDg ua by the arm, " pray do not open
de door ; me see quite well here de grand dog ; dey
bery fine animals, but so fierce ! ''

" Oh ! no, not fierce," we said ; '' they only ex-
press their joy on seeing their master ; they would
not injure a child, so come with me/'

" Oh 1 no, tank you, I get into de garden,
whiles you go in ; '' and into the garden forthwith
bolted the Dutchman by the side-door, fearing, we
verily believe, they would devour him like a lot of
lions. His friend tried in vain to disabuse him of
his silly notions on this subject ; and two ladies
by whom they were accompanied laughed immo-
derately at his cowardice, essaying to shame him
out of it by walking with us among them.

" Look here, Mr. Yan Thyll," cried a lively
3^oung lady, pretending to beat one of the largest
hounds on the head with her parasol, *' are you
afraid now ? "

" Me do vara well outside de rail ; dat dog know
you."

" Look, you shall see him waltz with me now ; "
and taking a foot in each of her tiny hands, she
raised him from the ground on liis hind legs, and
began walking him round and round, the hound
seeming to enjoy the fun.

" There ! '' she cried, exultingly, " does he not
keep step well ? ''

On his attempting, however, to lick her face, she
released him from further gyrations, and bending
over his head, said in a low voice, " Dear Archy, I

72 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

had rather have a kiss from you than /' We

could not hear the remainder of the sentence, but
easily guessed it.

" Confound tliat cur Fritz ! '" exclaimed his
friend. " I couldn't have believed him such a
coward ! Now, girls, we must be going, so make
your partner a curtsey, Fanny, or give him a kiss,
as 3'ou please.''

Our hounds were accustomed to ladies' society,
which, perhaps, was one of the chief causes of
their courtesy towards visitors ; and from our great
attention to cleanliness, a pin might be picked off
the floor as bright as it fell.

Strange as it may appear, members of the hunt
manifest very little interest in the well-being of
the pack to which they ostensibly belong. If the
sport is good, it is a matter of perfect indifference
to them how it is effected ; in short, they w^ould not
care a rap whether a bagman were turned out of
a sack, or a wild fox from his kennel, provided
they got Avhat they go out for and nothing else —
a run, as something to talk of We considered
ourselves fortunate in having one at least who
understood the management and working of a
pack of foxhounds — one who had profited by the
instruction he had received and the lessons he had
been taught by that renowned sportsman, John
Warde, w^ith whom he had liunted for many years
previously to his joining our hunt : we allude to
tlie late John Starkey, of Spye Park, Wilts, as
enthusiastic a foxhunter as he proved himself to

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 73

be a stanch and constant friend. Men of his
class and in his position have the power of doing
much good and averting much evil. Their autho-
rity cannot be gainsaid by others in the field of
far less experience, and little acquainted with
the mysteries of the " noble science ; '' and every
master knows how to appreciate the services of
such a supporter in ticklish matters, with a ticklish
scent.

74 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER X.

More remarks on training — Gradual increase of pace — Swimming
through streams — No necessity for periodical dressings — Beck-
ford's opinion at vai'iance with our own — Clean wheat straw
indispensable as Utter — Vegetables during summer — Alteratives
— Old oatmeal the staple food — Mode of preparation — Objections
to barley — Iron boilers, not copper — Time for boiling — Good
man-cook — French cuisine — " De gustibus non est disputandum "
— A bas greaves.

In the last chapter we made some remarks on the
training of the young hounds preparatory to the
commencement of their Avork in the woodlands ;
and taking into consideration the season of the
year when cub-hunting generally begins, from the
first week in August to the first week in Sep-
tember, as the country may chance to be chiefly
pasture or arable — which makes the difference of a
month ; considering also the hardness of the ground
and heat of the weather at this period, it is evi-
dent that hounds ought to be in first-rate condi-
tion, with not an ounce of inside fat or superfluous
flesh to meet the hard work in store for them.
Two months at least will be required to prepare
them for this purpose, by gradually increasing their
exercise, both as to time and pace, until they can
go for a couple of miles at a stretch, over downs,

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 75

with the horse at a hand gallop, without distress,
and shut their mouths directly after being stopped.
If no such open ground is within reasonable dis-
tance of the kennels, shorter bursts may be
adopted, and longer trotting exercise.

Should there be a clear stream or river in the
neighbourhood, an occasional swim through it will
be of service in making the young hounds accus-
tomed to water, as well as invigorating their
frames. But there is a drawback to frequent
bathing, when hounds have to travel through dusty
roads to the river side, from the dust adhering to
their coats, and thereby causing irritation to the
skin, which we have known to break out into
eruptions like mange. As to periodical dressings
spring and autumn, for which huntsmen are gene-
rally such strong advocates, we shall merely ob-
serve, that where mange breaks out in any kennel,
it is presumptive evidence of improper food, or
neglect of cleanliness. When hounds are fed
nearly the same all the year round, mange will
appear from heat of body, or it may be induced
by bad litter. Oat or barley straw will unques-
tionably cause great irritation, and ought never to
be used as bedding, for which purpose clean, dry
wheat straw ought solely to be employed, and that
well shaken up every morning whilst the hounds
are out of the kennel, and the benches thoroughly
brushed with a stiff besom.

During the summer months, cabbages, young
and tender, not old and tougli, given twice a week
in their food, will conduce much to the health of

76 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

the pack, and prove a saving of oatmeal, mangel-
wurzel at that time being too bard and stringy,
although the liquor from the roots is still good.
The water in which cabbages or potatoes are boiled,
particularly that from the latter vegetable, ought
never to be given either to dogs or pigs ; in fact
the only method to dress potatoes, either for human
beings or animals, is by a steaming apparatus.
We tried the experiment one season of using pota-
toes thus cooked, but not answering our expecta-
tions, except as a relief to the meal bin, they were
discontinued, and young nettle-tops and cabbages
substituted in their stead. With these and occa-
sional alteratives, sulphur and cream of tartar,
Epsom salts, and regular exercise, hounds do not
require dressing as a general practice. If our re-
collection serves us, Beckford expressed an opinion
that " lie supposed the oftener hounds were dressed
the better they would look/' We are obliged to
differ with this great authority, and say, " We
know the oftener hounds are dressed the vjorse
the}^ will look;" and from several other observations
made by him, our impression is that he was a
better man in the field than in the kennel. His
feeder tells him that the best food for hounds is
part barley and part oatmeal ; but had he tried
the experiment for a few months only, he would
have made the discovery that good old oatmeal is
the thing, and the only thing, to feed foxhounds
with. No wonder that the use of barley meal
entailed upon his pack frequent dressings.

Oats contain more nutritive and atrengthening

SCIENXE OF FOXHUNTING. 77

properties than barley, and in the manufacture of
oatmeal the husk is entirely separated from the
grain, barley being ground down husk and corn
together, which causes so much irritation to the
stomach and intestines of dogs. We hear certainly
of the Irish and Scotch oatmeal being superior
to the English, and the reason is this : Oatmeal
being the staple of our Sister Isle, more attention is
paid to the cultivation of this grain, thus render-
ing it more palatable and digestible to the poorer
classes in those parts of Her Majesty's dominions,
who subsist principally upon this kind of farinaceous
food. But there is another reason why a greater
breadth of oats is sown in Scotland and Ireland.
The soil and climate are more congenial to their
growth than that of any other cereal, except rye,
the use of Avhich began to decline with the rule of
the ancient Britons. Rye is still extensively culti-
vated in Germany, and not many years since the
post-horses were fed chiefly on rye bread mixed with
a portion of sand, to prevent ostlers and postilions
appropriating it to themselves. The sweetest bread
that can be made is composed of three parts of
wheat flour and one of r3'e ; but in the present
age, adulteration of flour is carried on to such a
villanous extent, wholesome bread is unattainable
from any tow^n baker. It appears that from the
time of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, bakers generally
have been guilty of great malpractices, and richly
deserve to have their heads lifted up on gallows
hie^h as Ham an' s.

To guard against adulterated oatmeal, the coarsest

78 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

should be selected — almost whole grits, which,
although requiring more labour in boiling, proves
the most nutritious food. The manufacture of this
meal is little understood in England, and less prac-
tised ; yet the process is a very simple one. The
oats, having been first dried on a kiln, are passed
lightly through the mill to disengage tlie husks —
then winnowed clean from all chaff and dust, and
ground coarsely or fine, according to the demand.
For foxhounds, this meal ought to be hvelve ononths
old before used ; for, when new, we have found it to
disagree with them, and not stand firm after boil-
ing. There is great economy in having an old
stock on hand, a practice generally adopted in all
large hunting establishments. It goes much farther,
and pays well for keeping. We had large bins,
or rather wooden compartments, in our granary,
into which the meal was trodden down by men,
and then battened ; and thus stored it would keep
good for two years, if not wanted before.

In boiling, great attention is necessary that it
does not catch at the bottom of the boiler, which
ought to be of iron — not of copper or brass. We
had a careless feeder once, who might have lost his
life by negligence in this matter ; the meal, from
not being stirred, stuck to the bottom, causing the
boiler to burst with a loud explosion, and throw
the scalding pudding all over the boiling-house,
which the feeder had just left. " The proof of the
pudding is in the eating," and unless well boiled
for an hour at least, it will neither keep longer than
a day, nor take the proper allowance of broth to

SCIEXCE OF FOXHUNTING. 79

break it up. The coolers also must be thoroughly
washed and scrubbed, and let dry before another
lot of meal is emptied into them, or it will assuredly
turn sour. When such precautions are requisite in
preparing the hounds' food, we need scarcely remark
that a good man-cooh or feeder is of the next
greatest importance to a good huntsman.

There is also considerable care necessary in
cooking the beef, which ought not to be boiled to
rags — a common trick with idle feeders, to save the
trouble of chopping. In this state it is divested
of all nourishing properties, and becomes indigesti-
ble— the answer to which is, the broth is all the
better. Then we reply, " Throw away the rags."

Hounds and dogs generally have hitherto exer-
cised a monopoly in horse-flesh, but it seems that
our versatile neighbours over the Channel are begin-
ning to dispute their ancient prerogative to this
patent ; and if the rinderpest continues its ravages
in this country, it is not improbable that we may
also be compelled to experiment upon kennel beef.
That Monsieur Soyer or any other French artist in
the culinary department could send up an entree
composed of horse-meat, so highly seasoned and
flavoured as to form a dish resembling hashed
venison, or any other hash, we do not pretend to
question. Fortunately, being a plain feeder, we are
exempted from such impositions upon our palate.
Prejudice goes great lengths, but, dispassionately
considered, we don't see any very valid reason why
the flesh of a racehorse, which has gone too great
lengths, by breaking down, or breaking his legs,

80 SYSTE^il OF KENNEL AND

should not be as wholesome food as ox-beef. Both
animals feed alike, although the horse does not
chew the cud ; and we are assured by those who
have tried the experiment that the meat of a young
fat horse is quite as good as that of a stall-fed bul-
lock— and so it may be, for all we can prove to the
contrary. My father's feeder told us that he gene-
rally dined in the boiling-house, but being a man
of Herculean strength in body and constitution, it
would not have surprised us had he cooked a couple
of young puppies for his breakfast, since old Tom's
stomach would digest anything except the prong of
the stirrer. De gustihus own est clispidandurti —
but we suspect that our English eaters must undergo
a wonderful change, and extraordinary pressure from
without, before we shall deprive the kennel of its
perquisites in horse-flesh.

Greaves are a miserable substitute — the most
. foul unwholesome stuff that can be given to dogs
of any kind, and totally unfitted for foxhounds, in
the season or out of season, being the refuse of
butchers' shops, odds and ends of candles sold by
servants as their perquisites, and any other articles
containing fat, all of which being boiled up together,
the sediment which remains, with the scum, is
pressed into a hard cake, and sold for dogs' meat.
Sheeps' trotters were formerly readily obtained, and
the broth from them is equally nutritious — more so
even than horse-flesh; the bones, of course, being
picked out before mixing with the meat.

Enough has been written to show that to keep
foxhounds in healthful condition, none but good

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 81

sound wholesome food should be given — coarse
old Irish or Scotch oatmeal being the staple.
Durinof the summer months other farina has been
tried by masters, such as rice meal, Indian corn
meal, sago, biscuit, and coarse-ground wheat meal,
with one result — disappointment. Dog biscuit, so
called, is manufactured for the purpose, and con-
tains a great amount of rubbish ; but those prepared
from genuine coarse flour, unadulterated — of which
there is little chance — might answer the pur-
pose, when hounds are not in work ; but having
once used wlieaten flour, ground from our own corn
at a country mil], when oatmeal had risen to the
enormous price of £22 per ton, we must speak of
it as a failure, and Indian corn also.

If, preparatory to cub-hunting, hounds should
require dressing at all — which with the rules we
have laid down for diet, alteratives, and exercise,
they ought not — the most simple and efficacious
remedy is one composed of three parts of rape oil
and one of turpentine, thickened to the consistency
of cream with sulphur, and rubbed in by hand, not
by brush. To this may be added a small propor-
tion of soft soap, which will cause the dressing to
adhere more closely to the skin, and assist also in
washing it off again. Avoid all mercurial prepa-
rations as you would poison, for which there exists
no necessity, except, as we have before stated, in
virulent cases of red mange. Sulphur we know to
be one of the most useful and efficacious remedies
which can be employed in all cutaneous diseases,
and when given internally, works its way quickly

G

82 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

through the system, and out by the pores of the
skin. The most critical periods for hounds — we
may add for horses also — are spring and autumn,
when they are shedding their coats ; and it is then
that a little irritation of the skin will generally
appear, which is of easy cure, by sprinkling a small
quantity of plain yellow sulphur over the hound's
back, or upon the straw which forms the bedding.
Some economists advise the discontinuance of straw
during the heat of summer, as not requisite, being
moreover productive of vermin. We say, never
suffer your hounds to sleep on bare benches or
boarding. The bedding may be less in quantity,
but of the same first-rate quality as used in winter.
Vermin are never found in any well-regulated
kennel.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 83

CHAPTER XI.

" Merry it is, in the good greenwood,

When the mavis and merle are singing ;
When the cub sweeps by, and the hounds are in cry,
And the huntsman's horn is ringing."

Cub-hunting, the rehearsal of foxhunting — Teaching the young
ideas how to hunt — Tutors and governesses for the entry —
Division of the pack — Early dawn most favourable for scent — ■
A single hound a match for a fox — Eambler showing the white
feather, and sent rambling— Cub-hunting in the evening —
Objections to it — Giving views — Blooding the entry — 111 eifects
of lifting young hounds — More haste, less speed — The meaning
of the horn — Babbling and skirting.

Cub-hunting is the rehearsal of foxhuntino- in
which actor and actress with their company are
practising their parts in anticipation of appearing
before the public on the opening day of the season;
and, to carry on the simile, we find as few interested
in these preliminary lessons in the woodlands as
antetheatrical exhibitions. No very agreeable en-
tertainment can be expected from hearing school-
boys floundering through the Latin or Greek
authors placed in tlieir hands, supposed to be of
the easiest comprehension to juvenile minds. The
romantic tale of the loves of Pyramus and Thisbe
took our fancy exceedingly when only just begin-
ning to imagine what true love might be. So deep
an impression did this fairy tale make upon our

G 2

84 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

minds, that although nearly half a century has
passed over our head since its first perusal, we
believe v^e might repeat without much trouble
every line of it. When nicely recited by an inte-
resting youth, fully impressed with the romantic
incidents connected with it, the story possesses
great interest ; but few would have patience to
hear a stupid boy hammering away at some hard
words and making bad shots at others.

Few wish to be present at the schooling of
young foxhounds, which is, candidly speaking, wevy
uninteresting, dull work, except to masters ; and
many of these shirk this part of the business alto-
gether, leaving it in the hands of huntsmen and
whips to get the entry tolerably perfect in their
lessons, before performing in the presence of their
betters. It was our practice to draw out so many
of our old brood-bitches and dog-hounds becoming
slow, to form with the entry a pack of themselves,
wherewith to commence the cub-hunting season —
an equal number of each, if possible — and let them
work together up to the end of October. A draft
was then made of the young which had gone amiss
and the old not able to run up. Where the kennel
is not considered sufficiently large to admit of this
arrangement, a few young hounds are put into the
pack at a time, until all have learnt their first
lesson and comprehended the game they are to
pursue. Rarely, however, have we seen a pack so
managed to be thoroughly steady. The young, by
running riot at first — which they certainly will do
■ — unsettle the one-season hunters, and a hullabaloo.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 85

cracking of whips, and vehement objurgations
follow, which scare the good, and create great con-
fusion. Even of the shortest pack, not exceeding
thirty couples, we would rather make two divisions
than adopt this plan. Ten or a dozen old hounds
are quite enough, where more cannot be spared, to
teach an entry of double their number how to set
about their business ; and this little knot of veterans
holding together, is quite sufficient to kill a brace
of cubs, or more if desired, without any other
assistance. The young ones may push away upon
other scents — so let them — full of spirits and high
courage. Certain allowance must be made for the
exhibition of these, before they know the scent of
their legitimate game ; and probably many of the
entry have done a bit of hare-hunting at their
walks, with Shag and Viper ; but when once
blooded to fox, well-bred foxhounds rarely give
much trouble afterwards to the whippers-in.

For the first morning's cub-hunting, the easiest
covert for killing them should be selected ; and as
fixtures are never made previously on such occasions,
the choice of weather rests with the huntsman — so
far at least that there is no necessity for beginning
on a windy, unpropitious day. In a dry autumn,
early dawn is the most favourable time for scent,
and the drao: of cubs to their kennel when barred
out from their earths easily followed up by saga-
cious old hounds. There is another advantage with
"peep-o'-day hunting : cubs or foxes are not in a
condition, from a late supper, or very early break-
fast, to run long before their enemies — in fact they

86 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

are often found napping, which is not such a rare
occurrence as catching a weasel asleep ; and, not-
withstanding the discussion in " The Field " some
short time since about a single hound killing a fox,
we should have drafted any hound, male or female,
which would decline such an encounter. A big
burly dog, of twenty-five or even twenty-three
inches in height, with corresponding muscular
power, must be a cur in grain to tui^n tail upon an
animal of not half his weight or strength, and
which he is supposed to have been pursuing with
the most bloodthirsty intentions.

One hound only during our long experience as
M. F. H. do we remember showing the white
feather when meeting his fox, and that individual
was sent to us from a neighbouring pnck. Good
he certainly was in all points save one. He drew
well, ran hard, and hunted his fox decently ; but
kill him he would not, or attempt to do it. His
dismissal arose from the following circumstance : —

We were running into our fox, which was
making for a head of open earths, and had nearly
reached them, when this hound, Rambler, catching
view of him before any other, ran out of the pack
and overtook him just at the covert-side. The
whoop was just escaping from our lips, when, to
our utter disgust, the fox turned short round,
showed his teeth, and Rambler retrograded, giving
thereby time for the fox to reach the earths. For
this cowardly act. Rambler's travelling ticket was
issued for the first fitting opportunity, to go with
other delinquents included in the draft. We do

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 87

not aver that every young hound when first entered
would grapple with his foe in deadly conflict, un-
aided by others ; but by the 1st of November,
when thoroughly acquainted with the game they
are to pursue, we expected each individual to do
his duty in this respect single-handed, agreeing
with the old adage, that " Catch is a good dog, but
Holdfast is better."

Some masters, from disinclination to get up, as
they call it, in the middle of the night, have had
recourse to cub-hunting in the evening, when, Avith-
out inconvenience to themselves, they can see how
the young hounds enter. There are, however,
many objections to this mode of proceeding. Scent
becomes worse always towards nightfall. There is
no drag to a fox's kennel, and other game is begin-
ning to move about without being disturbed by
hounds. Cubs also are leary, and can stand a deal
more rattling at this time than in the morning.
We don't think this of much consequence after the
second or third day's hunting, for, although at first
advocating an easy victory, and an early return to
kennel, we consider a little harder work, when
used to their game, of great benefit to the entry,
by which their stoutness and resolution are to be
tested. Cubs cannot always be brought to hand
just at the moment they are needed, and by con-
tinual changing from one to another, hounds may
be running for two or three hours before catching
one ; and the great drawback to evening hunting
is that, in addition to the scent becoming worse
every hour, the shades of night are falling around

88 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

you, and may put a stop to finishing with satis-
faction.

Beginning at four o'clock A.M. is a different
affair altogether. The day is before you, and you
can knock the cubs about, in the shade of the
woodlands, as long as you please. Cub-hunting is
a tame, quiet, elderly gentleman's amusement, in
comparison with foxhunting. Hallooing, screaming,
and cracking of whips ought to be avoided as much
as possible, and the chief duty of the whipper-in
is to prevent the hounds going away with the old
fox. The huntsman's business is to keep near to
them, encouraging the young to join the cry of the
old ; and as cubs — unless stub-bred — will be con-
tinually trying to get into the earths, he will know
whereabouts to give them a meeting, if that sort
of thing is desirable, which we think not. We do
not even approve giving young hounds a view over
or down the drive. Nothing is gained by such an
extravaganza, except ocular demonstration of the
animal they are to pursue, not by sigld, but by
scent. Why then give them a view at all ? They
will soon see and taste him, when his carcase is
held aloft for their especial admiration, before being
consigned to the jaws of their older companions.
What further proof is necessary for the identifica-
tion of their game ? At first they follow him by
his scent, they then assist in worrying him to
death, and lastly partake of his blood. What
doubt can they entertain further as to his person-
alities ?

We have as grave objections to hounds being

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 89

allowed to go to view-lialloas in season, as adopting
this course of instruction to the entry out of season.
It all leads to the same inevitable result — dis-
traction. If boys at school require a thorough
grounding in grammar to make them proficients in
the Greek or Latin languages, so much the more
imperative is it to ground well the young fox-
hounds' noses — keep them there, and tlie}^ cannot
fail to do well, if there is anything like well-doing
in their composition. Lift them up by halloas and
screams, and they will assuredly do ill. Inde-
pendently, however, of the mischief done to tlie
entry by this wild work, you do not get a whit
nearer to your object — handling your fox — by
throwing them in upon him when crossing the
diive, but quite the reverse. The old hounds are
thrown off the line, and unless there happens to be
a rare scent, the young will throw up their heads at
the very first short turn made by the cub, and then
all is in confusion.

Again, by teaching the young to look out for
their game, they will be ever on the qui vlve, and
give chase to any other object which they catch
sight of; and how are they to distinguish a fox
from a hare, at a long distance ? The whipper-in
is then called to rate and scarify the delinquents, if
he can catch them ; and they may well wonder why
they are punished for doing that which their hunts-
man had been cheering them to do — run something
they had seen crossing the drive before they knew
" what's what." We say, never give young hounds
a view at all. Harriers are spoilt by this sort of

90 SYSTEM OF KENXEL AND

tiling ; why not foxhounds ? Both are eqiually de-
pendent on their noses. Before cub-hunting, they
ought to be made acquainted with the meaning of
the horn, when out at exercise — the huntsman
recaUing them by it when allowed to run in ad-
vance of him ; and as for the yoicksing and
hoicksioig, we have before expressed our opinion
on vociferous dog-language.

Supposing the object to be, on entering young
hounds, to make them handy, tractable, and steady,
their instructor must be steady and quiet, and never
in a hurry or flurry. All of the canine species
adapt themselves to the peculiarities of their owner.
If he is flighty, they will be the same. If quiet,
their demeanour will be the reflex of his. By the
conduct of a pack of foxhounds in the field, the
character of their huntsman may be immediately
discerned. There is as much difference between
the dispositions of young foxhounds as bo^^s at
school. Some enter readily, others slowly ; and a
few, perhaps, do not manifest any disposition to
enter at all. We are not partial to precocious
youngsters of any sort — biped or quadruped — and
very fast young hounds, as Avell as fast young gen-
tlemen, are generally the first to break down. We
must, however, for a certain time, let all run or
work together. Some from the first day settle
down quickly to their line of business, never needing
the smart of whipcord during their lives ; but there
will be mischievous ones in every entry — PicJdes of
their schools, which must be left to the tender
mercies of Jem and Jack, to be broken of their bad

SCIEXCE OF FOXHUNTING, 91

habits. There is one fault only for which a young
hound ought to be drafted, and may be put fairly
aside immediately — too much tongue. We have
never known an instance of amendment in this
case. Babbling increases with years. It cannot
be determined whether a young hound, not free
with his tongue, can be classed among mutes, before
a fair trial has been given him. He may pro-
bably be of a modest, taciturn disposition, or,
having tasted Jack's whipcord for venturing to
proclaim he was running a fox, when Jack would
insist he was running a hare, he might feel shy of
speaking on the subject again for some time.

Skirting is not of very early development ; but
if a young hound does persist in taking a line of
his own, after repeated attempts to keep him with
the pack, he must be underlined in the list.

92 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XII.

" Oh ! there is sweetness in the morning air,
That sloth and luxury must vainly hope to share."

The twofold, use of cub-hunting — Barring out young foxes — Shyness
of fox family — Main earths — Untenable objections to them —
Poachers, and their modus ojjei'cmdi — Former value of foxes —
"Light come, light go" — Fence months to other game no defence
to foxes — The May fox and July cub — Early cub-hunting re-
commended— Difference between grass and arable countries —
Hardness of gi'ound injurious to hounds' feet — Easy places and
short work — Early imj^ressions most lasting — When to let well
alone — Marking to ground — Scene at a coalpit.

CuB-HUNTiNG is not more necessary for instructing
young foxhounds in the wiles of the game they are
to pursue, than for making young foxes acquainted
with the enemies they have to avoid. Cubs require
routing to force them from home, and seek shelter
in more distant coverts ; and when the door of the
house is locked in which they have hitherto found
refuge, they are obliged to look out for other
lodgings. We can well imagine the feeling of the
houseless desolates, when first barred out from the
homes of their happy cubhood, about which they
have been wont to gambol in the twilight, as soon
as the setting sun had disappeared beneath the
horizon — with what eagerness to rush to the spot
where the buzzing of beetle or cockchafer gives

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 08

notice of strikino^ the ground, and fallinoj to them
an easy prey, when unable of themselves to procure
any other food until the return of their mother
with something more substantial for supper in the
shape of rabbit or leveret.

Litters of cubs are not often laid down in a
large head of earths, such being used occasionally by
badgers and other animals of the pole- cat and stoat
species, and, therefore, not sufficiently private for
the occupation of a vixen with her family of ^ve
small children — that being the common number,
although we twice have seen litters of seven and
nine. Foxes are notoriously very shy and fond of
seclusion, and on that account the vixen generally
selects a retired place — an old rabbit-burrow, little
frequented, in a small coppice or bank facing the
west, or an old broken dry drain not far from the
covert-side — wherein to deposit her cubs until they
are able to run about, when they are removed by
her to stronger places of refuge.

Objections have been raised to main earths, as
leading rather to the destruction than salvation of
foxes, to which we cannot subscribe. True, they
may be known to poachers, but they are equally
well known to earth-stoppers, whose duty it is to
watch them throughout the season ; and if these
deep caverns in the bowels of the earth are fastened
up, as some writers on foxhunting have advised,
foxes will find other jilaces not half so secure to
hide their heads in, and which probably may be
unknown to their protectors. Foxes bred under-
ground will lie underground somewhere in boisterous

94 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

weather, or after a heavy fall of snow, through which
they are easily traced by poachers to their new
burrows or drains, and as easily bolted into a net
by the poacher's dog. Main earths are their only
safe lodging-houses in sandy or gravelly districts,
from which they can with the greatest difficulty be
dislodged, on account of the depth and ramifications
of these underground labyrinthian passages. The
best terrier in the world could not force an old fox
to vacate his holding in such a place, neither could
he drag him out whilst living ; and poachers' dogs
are not over hard in the mouth, wliich would defeat
their masters' objects. We have seen a large high
net, of extent sufficient to enclose all the mouths
and outlets of the earth or fox-burrow, set upon
sticks, with bells attached to it inside, while the
poacher and his dog were lying on a sack to await
patiently the voluntary issuing of the animal ; but
this was a tedious process. To keep watch through
two or three dark wintry nights, until the fox was
starved out of his den, was not less likely to starve
with cold the besiegers of his fortress. Yet the
auri sacra fames induces men to submit to almost
any hardships or inclemency of weather, and two
guineas for a stout healthy fox — the usual price
formerly-^amounted to as much money as a
labourer's wages for a month. "Light come,
light go," has been and still is the distinguishing
motto of fox-stealers, game poachers, and all of
that class who prefer a pilfering life to an honest
one.

Fox-netting in the present age is little practised,

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 95

for two reasons : first, that the value of the animal
has been considerably diminished, on the old score
that the supply is more than equal to the demand ;
and, secondly, that cheap articles being the order of
the day, and packs of foxhounds so multitudinous,
thistle-whipping masters won't give two guineas for
a bagman to turn out on high days and holidays
for the gratification of their supporters in green ;
consequently, the traffic in live foxes has diminished,
and the skins are now more in request than the
living carcases heretofore. For half a sovereign,
few men would lie down on the cold damp ground
through two or three nights, more surely committed
to catch the ague or rheumatism than to catch
their fox. Steel traps are more commonly used
now for old foxes ; but as every hunting country
has become pretty well stocked with this kind of
game, cubs scarcely pay for the trouble of catching
them.

Grass countries possess many and great advan-
tages over corn -growing districts, and in some, one
vacation month only exists between the killing of
a May fox and a July cub. We may have too
much of any good thing ; and, fond as we are of
foxhunting, this short respite for hounds must and
does tell tales upon them, as it diminishes unneces-
sarily the tails of foxes. Game are allowed their
fence months, with the exception of hares and rab-
bits, which are without the pale of the law, simply,
we suppose, in consideration of their breeding eight
months out of the twelve, and, from their produc-
tiveness, likely to overrun the land. Foxes, still

96 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

ranking in the catalogue of vermin, may, as a mat-
ter of course, be killed at all times of tlie year and
by anybody ; and save for foxhunting having be-
come quite the fashion, and public opinion enlisted
on its side, the vulpine race would ere now have
been nearly extinct in this country.

Some few masters of hounds, having unlimited
power to do as they list, may therefore kill their
May fox and July cub, if the number of foxes
suffice for such extravagance ; but these instances
are only to be found in woodland countries. In
moderation, the earlier young hounds can be entered
to their game, the more steady they will become
before the opening day of the regular season ; but
we think the time appointed for grouse-shooting is
quite early enough for cub-hunting to commence
also, and this can only be done in favoured locali-
ties, where the woods are surrounded by pasture
land on every side. In arable countries, the corn
is seldom cleared from the fields before the 1st of
September, varying a week or two according to the
season ; and if the weather continues hot and dry,
cub-hunting must be delayed until a heavy fall of
rain, to moisten the ground, or your hounds will
suffer severely from beginning to hunt on such hard
surface. Long toes are not conducive to the beauty
or efficiency of a foxhound.

Whatever may be said as to the tameness of
cub-hunting, it is the reverse of tame work to
hounds ; in fact, we do not know any more severe
than a woodland day in autumn before the meuses
of the covert are opened, with the leaves yet green

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 97

upon the briers and underwood. The trackway
through which foxes and hares pass is sufficiently
wide to let them steer clear of burs and brambles.
The leading couples of a pack of foxhounds, how-
ever, press furiously forward, not in a line, but with
extended front, crashino- and dashing throuo^h all
obstacles, regardless of scratches and bruises. In
the thickest part of the covert, where grow rushes,
reed, and blackthorn in rank luxuriance, there is
the fox's kennel more secure from disturbances than
in any other quarter of the wood. One of the
chief objects in cub- hunting is to make the young
hounds accustomed to face the most dense thickets
or gorse-brakes, and by their manner of doing this
will their characters for resolution or weakness be
shown.

AVe have recommended easy places at first, where
blood may be obtained without much difficulty, and
we also advise short work at the same time. Kill
your first cub as soon as you can fairly, that is,
by fair hunting, without mobbing or hustling, and
take your hounds home. Don't draw for a second.
Early impressions are ever most lasting. Let your
entry return to the kennel flushed with victory,
though easily won, and they will always believe
they are to be victorious. Let them go home dis-
appointed, fagged, and weary, after a hard, unsuc-
cessful day's work, and they will know that they
can be beaten. Herein lies the secret of the success
or failure of every pack of foxhounds dependent
upon their master's or huntsman's knowledge, when

H

98 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

to let well alone. We have been met on this point
by the observation that staghounds, as they are
called, rarely taste the blood of deer, and yet run.
their game with as much apparent eagerness as
foxhounds follow theirs. All the hunting species
of dogs love a scent of some sort, which instinct
directs them to pursue, and in which they are
encouraged by their masters. The pointer works
all day without the least expectation of tasting the
blood of the game he has been taught to hunt for.
More, he knows punishment would be inflicted
upon him for ruffling a feather ; yet there is no lack
of spirit or courage in scouring the stubbles or
turnip-fields to bring it within range of his master's
double-barrel. Right and left the dead birds fall.
The dog is satisfied ! the victory won by his mas-
terly skill ; his own exertions have been rewarded
by seeing the dead game lying on the ground before
him. Moreover, the hand laid gently upon his head
with the approving smile and kind words, spoken
in kindly tones, " Well done ! good dog,'' are of
themselves a sufficient recompense ; and, with a
look betokening his gratified feelings, Ponto goes
forth with renewed alacrity and zeal to hunt for
the other scattered birds of the covey. Now, let
this dog be transferred to a bad shot, who would
day after day blaze away with very indifferent
success, and a corresponding change would soon
be perceptible in Ponto's deportment. He would
become slack in ranging ; run in, perhaps, upon
the birds ; and give chase to a winged one, in

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 99

despair at his new owner's blundering way of
doing business.

As to stagliounds, it is well known that the
scent of deer is the strongest as well as sweetest of
all game. Hounds luxuriate in it. They have no
necessity to work with their noses on the ground,
like foxhounds or harriers, over and through many
opposing difficulties. The scent of this large animal
is carried widely behind him as he flies up wind.
Widely and wildly do his pursuers stream away in
his wake, with heads well up in the air, to inhale
the odoriferous vapours floating there. They have
little else to do than put their best legs foremost,
except upon very rare occasions. And then the
result. The deer is brought to bay, and their vic-
tory is won. They have beaten him ; he can no
longer escape them on land, and therefore takes
refuge in the water. No doubt, like many of their
assistants in the chase, they would like to have a
taste of his haunch ; but the master says " No,"
and he lives to run another day. They are partly,
if not wholly, satisfied. In like manner, fox-
hounds are not down-hearted when they have run
their fox to ground ; but when, day after day, they
are prevented by ill-luck, i.e., bad scenting Aveather,
or the injudicious interference of their huntsman,
from coming to a satisfactory conclusion, the " hope
deferred maketh the heart sick,'' and they become
dispirited.

Marking a fox to ground is also a very necessary
lesson in the education of young hounds, and a cub

H 2

100 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

must be occasionally dug out and given to them
upon the earth. To effect this, a large rabbit-
burrow may be left open, which they have fre-
quented. When rattled about until beaten, they
will often seek shelter in a single pipe in the wood-
bank, or in a short drain under a gateway, from
which they may easily be bolted by the terrier, or
dug out. There may be said to be more honour in
the breach than in the performance of this act.
We do not advocate an unnecessary repetition of
it ; that necessity only exists casually in cub-hunt-
ing, to teach the entry where to stop when the
scent fails before them, and, after a hard toilsome
day in foxhunting, that hounds may not be disap-
pointed of their reasonable hope.

We recollect rather an appalling incident con-
nected with digging out a cub, which made us wary
in prying into the hidden places of the earth. The
cub had found refuge in what we thought to be a
small drain in the covert, as we could touch him
with the end of a long stick. Extraction having
been decided upon, since the young hounds had
been working hard all the morning, and were at that
time fifteen miles from kennel, a spade was bor-
rowed from a labourer, and in a few minutes we
came upon the unfortunate cub, which was pulled
out by one of the old hounds, and dispatched
immediately. Our horror may be imagined when
on looking farther into the drain we made the
discovery that he had been standing over the
mouth of an old coal-pit shaft, to avoid falling

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 101

into the 3'awning abyss ; the poor brute had pre-
ferred falling into the jaws of his enemies to a
lingering death by starvation in the dark regions
beneath. Had we been aware of the dire extremity
to which this fox had been reduced, nothing would
have induced us to take his life ; and we reflected
with gratitude upon our escape from a fate which
might have been, save for his instinct, of the most
fearful kind.

1 02 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XIII.

" Oft list'ning how the hounds and horn
Cheerily rouse the slumb'ring morn."

Master's presence necessary to judge of entiy — Duties devolving on
masters — Some excuses for neglecting them — First-class hunts-
men— Duke of Beaufort's letter to Will Long — Goosey and Will
Goodall— Tom Sebright and others — Anecdote of Tommy Moore,
the Poet — Tribute of respect to Charles Treadwell— Wanton
shedding of fox-blood — Accidents may happen — Weeding
litters — Bloodthirsty preservers— Counting noses — "I never
counts 'em whilst they suck " — The fashion in foxhunting.

The remarks of " Dryasdust " on cub-hunting,
in Land and Water, deserve honourable men-
tion among all foxhunters, and we trust they may
produce also some good effects upon those masters
of hounds who are disposed to leave the tuition of
the entry entirely in the hands of their huntsman,
as gentlemen too commonly do, the breaking of
young pointers to their keepers, ''and thus,'' as
" Dryasdust '' observes, "the master, who should be
cognizant of every detail, and with whom should
rest every appeal in all that concerns the manage-
ment of a pack of foxhounds, loses the opportunity
of judging for himself what are likely to prove the
characters of the young aspirants of the pack, and
he is obliged to entrust the very important task
of drafting to his huntsman, for the fulfilment of

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 103

that duty now rapidly ensues, and the satisfactory
performance of which must engage the most serious
and experienced consideration that can be brought
to bear upon it."

More true words were never penned. Yet how
few masters in the present age will give their time
and attention to this most important of all the im-
portant duties attached to their office — watching
the progress of the entry, and determining from their
own observation what young hounds are deserving
a place in the kennel list, as likely to contribute to
the strength and efficiency of the pack. Gentlemen
undertaking to hunt a country have many un-
pleasant as well as pleasant tasks to fulfil, and
some will argue, that Avhere they employ a first-
class huntsman, thoroughly acquainted with his
duties and business, there can be no necessity for
them to curtail their hours of rest to superintend
the entering of their young hounds ; and there are
no doubt many huntsmen of the present day, as
there have been in past times, who will faithfully
discharge their duties in this respect, and do ample
justice to the pack under their control — men above
suspicion, who would never think of drafting a
hound for a bribe, and who really take as much
interest in showing a good and clever entry as the
master himself. In large establishments of old
date we find this to be especially the case, and we
could mention many who have had almost the sole
management of the pack within our recollection,
whose zeal was only equalled by their fidelity to
the trust confided in them. Such as Philip Payne,

104 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

for many years Imiitsman to the Badminton, and to
whose knowledge and experience in breeding it is
said the hounds in that kennel owed their supe-
riority. He was succeeded by Will Long, and,
irrespective of our opinion of him, we think the
letter addressed to him by the present Duke of
Beaufort, when leaving his Grace's service, is suffi-
cient proof of the estimation in which he had been
held. As this letter was printed in the year 1855,
we may, without scruple, insert a few sentences from
it, honourable alike to master and man : —

"As you have asked me whether I am satisfied
with the manner in which you discharged your
duties up to the time of your leaving my service,
I can truly say, that I am thoroughly convinced
that you performed those duties diligently and
conscientiously, and to the advantage of your
employer. The hounds having been thrice in your
time reduced to half their number, you were placed
in the difficult position of having to double their
numbers in a short time. That you did this care-
fully and well, and showed great talent in so doing,
must be apparent to any one who looks over the
hounds carefully at this present time.''

In the Belvoir kennels we remember Goosey,
and poor Will Goodall, who was cut down in the
prime of life, both of whom well deserved the con-
fidence reposed in them by their noble masters.
In the latter we took great interest from his joyous
good-humour and lack of all self-conceit ; and we
must do him the justice to say that, although
accused of a little flightiness in the field, he had

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 105

brought the Belvoir pack to a standard of symme-
try and excellence far above that — as far as our
recollection serves — which we noticed under the
management of his predecessor in office. Goosey
bred many clever hounds, whose names and mea-
sures are dotted down in our note-book ; but
Goodall could show numbers equally clever, and all
possessing a family likeness ; in short, the last time
we paid a visit to the Belvoir kennels, the year
before Goodall's death, the pack had then attained
the acme of perfection.

Tom Sebright also, who had been, when I last
saw him, thirty-seven years huntsman to the Milton
pack, obtained a world-wide reputation as a breeder
of foxhounds, irrespective of his talents displayed
in the field. Jem Hills, with the Heythrop, the
two Treadwells, one with Mr. Farquarson, and the
other for many years huntsman to the Bramham
Moor pack, were men deserving the confidence of
their masters. And in later years Charles Payne,
of Pytcheley notoriety, has exhibited talents of no
mean order, in raising that pack to a high standard,
which, when he first undertook their management,
might be said to consist of odds and ends.

We have mentioned these huntsmen, whose con-
duct and character have come under our own
observation, to prove that there have been, and ever
will be, men of this class, to whom the manage-
ment of a pack of foxhounds may be safely
entrusted, even without the interference of a mas-
ter. It does not follow, as a matter of course, that
men filling such responsible situations, with credit

lOG SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

to themselves and satisfaction to their employers,
are of low plebeian origin, although occupying the
position of servants. Their pedigrees may not,
perchance, be found in " Burke's Landed Gentry,''
yet, as we have ever expressed the opinion that
" blood will tell," we entertain no doubt that many
of these men have better blood flowing in their
veins than some of the families Mr. Burke has
been pleased to honour with a place in his pages.

The story is told of Tom Moore, the poet, when
dining with the Prince Regent, afterwards George
IV., and the name of Dr. Moore, the author of
" Zeluco," being mentioned, the Prince asked if he
was of the same family. Moore, thinking his
humble origin was well known, and that the
question was intended as an insult, answered, " No,
please your Royal Highness ; I am the son of
Tom Moore, the grocer in Dublin,'' — an answer
which offended the Prince, and he was never asked
to Carleton House again. That the author of
*' Lalla Rookh " was a man of low vulgar ex-
traction, every line of that poem disproves, although
his father might have been a grocer. In the
annals of the poor we should find many now
occupying a very humble position, whose ancestors
have held high places in society, and vice versa.
Millionaires spring from the lowest ranks, whose
god has been Mammon, and whose motto through
life in making money may be borrowed from old
Horace, " Si loossis recte si non quocunque modo
possis/'

Having said thus much, as in justice bound, in

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 107

praise of such huntsmen to whom we render the
honour due to them, we must, however, admit that
their number is comparatively small, and as a
general rule, the observations of " Dryasdust " are
unfortunately too well founded. During our career
as huntsman for nearly thirty years, we found one
man only, out of seven or eight others, first
whipper-in and kennel huntsman, to whom we
would have trusted the management of the pack,
either in the kennel or field — and that individual
was the late huntsman of the Bramham Moor,
Charles Tread well, to whom we could securely have
trusted untold gold ; and we believe no bribe,
however large, would have induced him to betray
his master's interest.

As to the killing of cubs and foxes, notwith-
standing we think nearly all huntsmen agreed on
one point — to kill them when they can, to count
scalps on the kennel door, they are rather too
indifferent how the scalps are obtained, and we
remember a story told-*— it may be such in reality,
i.e., a fib — of a huntsman allowing his hounds to
devour a whole litter one morning ! Even were
this a fact, it admits of palliation or explanation,
since accidents will occur in the best-regulated
families ; and with the intention of taking one
only out of a litter, we remember once to have
had the ill-luck to kill four, and without the power
of preventing such unpremeditated slaughter. You
cannot prevent cubs — hitherto undisturbed and
unacquainted with their enemies — being chopped
up sometimes in a very unsatisfactory manner ;

108 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

and if there is no earth-stopping done for a
second litter, the first will suffer more severely
than intended, or you must go home. The weeding
of the litter, however, ought to depend very much
upon their locality. Those bred in pit places ought
to be tenderly dealt with, stirring them up a little
to let them know "what's what,'' and unstopping
the earths when they have had a sufficient rattling.
In large woodlands, more may be taken out of each
litter if required, since when the regular hunting
season commences, foxes will always resort to the
big woods. Although, generally speaking, not
more than one member out of the same litter should
be killed in a day, Ave have occasionally been
obliged to deviate from this rule, in ticklish places,
where a litter has been saved literally to be killed
off by the hounds in one day, if possible. This
may be called a queer method of fox-preserving,
yet there were more than one or two ov/ners or
renters of coverts who bred up litters of cubs for
us on these conditions, besides keepers to whose
wishes we deemed it prudent to yield, and if we
had not yielded, the cubs would have disappeared.
We remember one mornins; killino^ two out of a
litter thus circumstanced, which we thought more
than sufficient, when the owner of the covert — not
a very large one — said, " You are not going home
yet?"

" Quite time we should," was our reply ; " a
brace in one day."

" Oh, no ; there are five in the litter, and as I
have viewed one going away, some little time ago.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 109

to those spinnies under the hill, I want to see how
your young hounds can run over the open/'

We pleaded in vain for a respite to this young
fox, which had taken a capital line of country, in
the hope of his showing us a run in the season.

" Nothing like time present,'' was his answer ;
" a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and
you are not sure of finding him again — besides
which, I am no rider to hounds, as you know, so
here I shall sit in my saddle on the brow of the
hill, whilst you go down to turn him out, and then
I shall be able to tell you which is the fastest hound
in your entry, and how they come on over the
greensward — Avon't that be a pretty sight ? " he
asked, with a mischievous twinkle in his e^^e.

" Others would like to witness that sight as
well as yourself."

'' Very likely ; but as I breed cubs for my own
amusement and yours, not for the field, about
whom I don't care a rap, I am quite sure you will
indulge my fancy : then we shall have two young
and two old left still."

His wishes being somewhat in the nature of
commands, we were obliged to go in search of
Number 3, and our friend on the hill saw more of
the run than we did, the cub being caught just as
he reached the wood-hedge, greatly to the owner's
delight.

We were, however, never guilty of killing cubs
for the sake of counting noses, which huntsmen
generally are prone to do. This is their weak
point ; and to be paraded in print as the destroyer

1 ] 0 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

of SO many brace of foxes by the end of the
season, they take the opportunity of swelling their
list of slain by snapping up cubs, when there can
be no merit in killino; them.

An old huntsman, whose name does not at this
moment occur to us, was once twitted by a junior
holding a similar appointment, for the paucity of
his number booked. His reply is deserving the
attention of huntsmen in the present day : —

" I never counts 'em whilst they sucks."

Our sporting papers are doing not only little
service, but much mischief to the cause, by pub-
lishing any amount of foxes killed before the 1st
of November ; up to that time they ought, if there
must be such notice taken of them, to be entered
by their proper name, *' cubs,'' and not entered
on the list as foxes. "Poor is the triumph o'er
the timid hare/' and poorer still the triumph over
a litter of cubs, barred out from their home, and
murdered by the sudden onslaught of their ene-
mies, biped as well as quadruped, with screams
and yells, and the thundering roar of the pack iu
their rear, enough to frighten them out of their
senses.

The first day of November is the first recognized
meeting of foxhunters for the dispatch of regular
business — the 1st of September for partridge
shooting — the 1st of October for the slaughtering
of pheasants ; we say slaughter of pheasants,
because they are driven up in a corner, like cattle
in South America, to be killed in a wholesale
manner. To shoot game before these legalized

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. Ill

periods, involves the penalty of paying so much
money to the exchequer for kiUing it out of
season, and to appear at the covert side in regular
trim before the accredited time, involves generally
the penalty of being miscalled a muff. Fox-
hunting is the fashion — but it is not in fashion
till the 1st of November, until which time,
masters, huntsmen, and whips do everything in
their own way. There are no regular fixtures —
no regular hours of meeting or leaving off — no
regular course of drawing. They are amenable to
no criticisms. It is the cub-hunting season, they
must be let alone.

We award them all this, and more ; but then we
don't see any reason for accrediting them with
cubs, slain as so many foxes, to be added to the
list, of which we know nothing. Cub-hunting
ought to pass for what it is in reality — the
blooding of the young hounds to their legitimate
game, and instructing them in their preliminary
lessons : all we beg is, not to be disgusted with
the sight in print of some twenty or thirty brace
of foxes being killed before the 29 th of October.

1 1 2 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XIY.

"The fading many-colour' d woods,
Shade deepening over shade, the country round
Imbrown : a crowded umbrage, dusk and dun,
Of every hue, from wan declining green
To sooty dark." Thomson.

Visits and visitations to cubs — Pet places — Idleness the parent of
vice even in foxes — To be kept moving— Small and large coverts —
Mr. Ward and the Craven country — Southgrove the elysium of
foxes — Friendly societies — A novel plan for breaking them up
— Faggots vice foxhounds — Always at home — "Woodland foxes.

If practicable, every litter of cubs, bred withia
tlie limits of the hunt, should be visited by the
young hounds before the first day of pheasant
shooting. To those in small coverts, a short
morning call will be sufficient, just to stir them
up a little, upon others in large woodlands,
a visitation may be inflicted, — a thorough good
routing. There are pet places in every country,
wdiich masters often spare until the commencement
of regular hunting, but nothing is gained by for-
bearance. Young foxes, from having been so long-
undisturbed, become fat and indolent, and being-
unacquainted with their enemies, are easily snapped
up, without affording any sport at all, besides
which, being ignorant of country, save, perhaps,

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 113

within a mile or two of their home, they know
not where to run. We recollect killing four young-
foxes out of the litter of five, which had not been
previously disturbed, on the 1st of November, by
a singular misadventure. The first brace were
caught in covert without any sport. The second
having gone away to another small brake about
a mile distant, which lay in our draw for that day,
came unfortunately across our path, and the pack
again dividing, each lot killed their fox in the open,
after a short scurry, on one of the best scenting
days we ever remeriiber. This pet place did not
produce us another fox until after Christmas, and
we thereby were taught a lesson — always to give
every litter a turn before the opening day of the
season, leaving the earths unbarred, however, that
the cubs could get to ground, when disposed to
do so.

We cannot prevent foxes being killed or chopped
in small coverts ; but we must, if possible, prevent
their being eaten by the hounds within the wood-
hedge. Take them away quickly out into the
adjoining field, some distance from it, and then let
the dismemberment of the carcase be performed.
Although deterred from lying during the day in
small coverts, from which they have been recently
routed by hounds, foxes visit their old haunts by
night, and are cautious in kennelling again near
the slaughter-ground of one of their family. In
large woods they may and will shift their ground
from one quarter to another, but to break up a
fox in a small gorse-brake, or any pet place of

I

114 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

that kind, insures it being drawn blank for weeks,
if not months. Moderately-sized coverts ought
not to be visited by hounds oftener than once a
month, and of big woods it may be said as of
walnut-trees, in the old couplet, " the more you
beat them the better they he." We are disinclined
to believe that women or spaniels would be much
improved in disposition by severe chastisement.
"Walnut-trees may be benefited by it, for any-
thing we know to the contrary, and some large
woodlands admit of being knocked about once a
week with advantage.

During Mr. Ward's tenancy of the Craven
country, there was a large covert lying on the
outskirts, called Southgrove, which, being a con-
siderable distance from the kennels, then located at
Hungerford, was rarely drawn by his hounds in
the regular season ; in fact it was used principally
for cub-huntiiig, and as a dernier ressort in the
spring of the year, when a May fox, or half-a-
dozen, might be safely killed, without doing the
slightest injury to the prospects of sjDOrt for the
ensuing season. Consequently, upon foxes being
allowed to hold their own places with so little
interruption, Southgrove became a kind of elysium,
where the vulpine race congregated in large num-
bers to enjoy their otium, and when disturbed
at long intervals, they played their cards so well
on the reciprocity system of mutual assistance,
that the hounds were beaten long before any of
the fraternity could be brought to hand ; in short,
there was a pack of foxes on foot to contend with

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 115

a pack of hounds. The issue may be anticipated —
no sport — no runs. Foxes were not obliged to
run, and of course they would not run.

Well, it so happened that a very celebrated
master of foxhounds, who bad won an immensity
of laurels in the Quorn country, no less a person
than the late Assheton Smith, having obtained per-
mission to hunt this covert from Mr. Ward's suc-
cessor, threatened annihilation to this great preserve
of foxes. Still, with all his experience and know-
ledge of their habits and wiles, these wily animals
defied for a time all his strenuous efforts to dislodge
them — go they would not. He then bethought
him of a stratagem hitherto unpractised in the art
— smoking them out, not from the earths, but from
the wood altogether, large bonfires being lit in the
drives during the night to scare them away. Some
of the most timid did, we believe, take this as
notice to quit, retreating in orderly manner to
another stronghold not far distant, called Colling-
bourne Wood, but the old sticklers for place held
on still, regardless of the new element employed
for their ejectment.

This singular proceeding adopted by the Squire
of Tedworth created no small stir amongst the old
foxhunters of that and other adjoining countries,
exciting the ire of that most orthodox preacher
and foxhunter, the late Fulwar Fowle, a stanch
supporter of Mr. Ward's hounds and country, by
whom the division of the latter was regarded as a
most unwarrantable infrinc^ement of the laws of
foxhunting, equally obnoxious as the new mode of

I 2

116 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

trying to make foxes break covert ; and he was
heard to remark to a stranger joining the hunt,
"We have something new, sir, in these parts re-
garding foxhunting, introduced by Mr. Smith, who
in place of hounds uses fire, to smoke them out ! "
However novel the experiment, and unsportsman-
like, by dint of bonfires by night and hounds by
day, foxes at last began to fiy, and Southgrove
became a weekly fixture, one day per week through-
out the whole season, and with this continued
routing it was rarely drawn blank.

" Always at home,'" is a great thing to masters
of hounds and genuine sportsmen — finding the
animal of the first consideration, when found, of
minor importance — and we should as soon expect
to hear a man complaining of having too much
money as a master of too many foxes. The latter
may be not quite so easily dispersed as sovereigns,
but they possess this advantage over coin — that
however scattered, you may make pretty sure of
finding them again. Fast men abhor big woods,
yet are they generally indebted to woodland
foxes for their runs of the season. Big woods are
the preserves from which our game is circulated
throughout the country, and when properly hunted
supply the pet places with the best and straightest
running foxes.

SCIENCE OF rOXHUXTlNG. 117

CHAPTER XV.

Paults in foxliounds — Hard work and no play makes Jack a dull
boy — Trial of speed in the open — Hasty drafting censured —
Beckford's anecdote — Packing together — The ci-y of hounds —
Happy medium — Touch and go — Noisy at fences — \Yill
Goodall's opinion of large hounds — The late Assheton Smith
and Freeman — The music of the pack — Gervase Markham
thereon.

As '' hard work and no play makes Jack a dull
boy/' so must there be some relaxation given to
young hounds from hard woodland work, to which,
when sufficiently inured, a scamper over the open
country with a young fox will be of service, teach-
ing them to get away from covert, to horn and
holloa. Moreover, the master and huntsman will
have an opportunity of seeing how they can run
together, whether some have the speed of others,
and whether there will not be one or two not able
to run up at all. Well-shaped foxhounds are
rarely troubled with the sloius, and it is not to be
taken for granted because a young hound does not
at first run up with the rest, that he cannot do so.
This may arise from want of inclination rather than
from want of physical power. We should be slow
to draft a promising young hound for such a fliult
' — if fault it can be fairly called — without giving

118 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

him time to amend his ways, having seen many
slack at first, turn out the quickest in their second
season. Beckford relates an instance of a young
hound never joining the pack, either in hunting or
drawing, until one day, catching a view of his
beaten game, he ran up for the finish, and ever
afterwards pressed forward to the front. When,
however, it becomes clear that any hound has not
speed sufficient to keep his proper place, there is
very little prospect of improvement ; in this respect
it is not likely his pace will be increased by feeling
his own deficiency ; it is more than likely he will
cut corners or become a rank skirter. There may
be also one or two individuals occasionally too fast
for the body of the pack, which must go with the
slows to some other destination — drafting from
head to tail being the only method of making a
pack of foxhounds hold well together.

There is an old simile — a very old one — so old
that even Beckford thought it too threadbare to
notice in his "Thoughts on Hunting," comparing
the running of foxhounds to the flight of pigeons,
almost universally adopted by our modern chroni-
clers of runs in BelUs Life^ The Fields and Land
and Water, with the addendum of " clustering
so close together, that they might be covered
by a casting-net." Beckford uses (if we remember
rightly) one more appropriate, expressing his
opinion that they ought to be, when in chase,
"like the horses in the chariot of the sun — all
abreast," and in this order pigeons take their
flight over the fields, in a long extended line.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 119

which would require a drag instead of a casting-
net to enclose them. There can be little doubt
that the efficiency of the pack very much depends
upon the head they carry. To elucidate this, we
will suppose hounds running as a flock of geese fly,
■with one leader, the rest falling behind in triangular
fashion. The foremost foxhound, supposing one to
have the speed of the others, when at fault, from
his game turning shortly to the right or left, must
take a certain time in making his cast to recover
the line. But when the body of the pack is of
equal speed, the scent is carried on, without inter-
ruption, by an extended front taking it up on
either side at the point of deviation. However
handsome, a young hound too fast for the rest
should be drafted, although we know the reluctance
of masters and huntsmen to part with anything
very ornamental for a slight fault of this kind.
But if the efficient working of the pack is of the
first consideration — and that cannot be maintained
without keeping them well together — drafting must
be adopted freely of all likely to mar this object.

There is a great difference between well-bred
foxhounds as to tono^ue, some beine^ much more

o ' to

musical than others, and it is a very nice point to
determine the happy medium. Babblers are as
universally condemned as mutes, and properly so,
since no pack can do well with them, the first
always holding back, and the second preventing the
pack getting forward. When hounds are running
hard, as we call it, heads up and sterns down,
there must, of necessity, be little cry at that par-

120 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

ticular time, but that is not the time for deciding
the question whether they have too much or too
little tongue. Hounds may be too free with their
tongues without being absolutely babblers, yet this
freedom of speech generally ends in babbling when
they grow older. We don't like to hear a hound
throw his tongue too readily to cry when a fox is
first found. We may know for a certainty that
old Bounty never told a lie, but we don't approve
her proclaiming a find without her own nasal ex-
perience of the fact. Again, in hunting, a hound
may say too much about it, without being decidedly
noisy or a babbler. " Touch and go '' ought to be
the motto of a foxhound. We have heard of old
blue-mottled harriers so delighted with the discovery
of a scent, when juniors of this fraternity had
failed to unravel it, that they would raise their
heads on high with a loud yell, and even spring
back a few spaces in an ecstasy of enjoyment at
their success.

It is all very well on paper, writing of hounds
enjoying a scent, and in the field this sort of thing
may suit harriers, but it is destructive of sport
with foxhounds. Hundreds — we may say thou-
sands— of times we have seen foxhounds running,
not hunting, with a scent so queer (the most ex-
pressive term we can use), that not even a whimper
could be heard. Still they were going — running
briskly, feeling secure the scent was before them,
yet not so secure that they would proclaim it as a
certainty. This is, or ought to be, the distinguish-
ing characteristic of a pack of foxhounds — always

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 121

to the fore, and making the best of a bad matter.
Now these same hounds, mute on such occasions,
for which they cannot be too highly commended,
will open their mouths freely when all doubt is
removed from their minds — opining that dogs have
minds. We don't like to hear hounds throw their
tongues at fences which they ought to get through
or over as quickly as possible, without saying any-
thing about it. Again, at park railings and walls
some are exceedingly vociferous, instead of trying
to surmount them or findinor a breach higher or
lower down. Here large hounds have the advan-
tage over little ones, and we think generally at
all kinds of fences. We remember having a long
discussion with poor Will Goodall on this point,
relative to the strong bullfinches in the Belvoir
Vale, which he considered more easily encountered
by small hounds creeping through the meuses,
where a large hound could not go.

" Very true," we observed, '' but a well-bred big
one would take a spring at the fence higher up,
and like a heavy v/eight, force his way through in
his stride."

Some years ago the late Squire of Tedworth,
better known as Tom Smith, paid a visit to our
kennel, when a hound, called Freeman, then a four-
season hunter, particularly attracted his attention.

" That is a very clever hound,'' he remarked ;
" and the more I look at him the more I like him —
capital legs and feet — good shoulders, strong back
and loins — in short, I can't see a faulty place.
Have you had much from him ? "

122 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

"No/" was our reply.

" May I ask the reason why you have not ? "

" Certainly : he is rather too free with his
tongue/'

"In other words, I suppose he is noisy ?"

" No, not that exactly, or you would not have
seen him in our kennel ; but he speaks twice when
once would have been sufficient. That is his only
fault : in every other respect Freeman is nearly per-
fection— draws well and quickly, runs hard, hunts
the lowest scent.'"

"By Jove!" he exclaimed, "that hound is just
the thing for our flints and fallows ; but I should
like to see how he works. Will you sell him ? "

" No,'' we replied ; " but as you have taken such
a fancy to Freeman, he can go back to your kennel
when Dick Burton comes down for the ladies he has
left here during this frost."

With many thanks the Squire took his leave, and
at parting we said, " Now, bear in mind, we advise
you not to breed from that hound, much as you
will like him in his work, for although not noisy
now, yet he will be so two years hence, if he lives
so long."

The Squire gave us a look, which we understood
by the twinkle of his eye as tantamount to teach-
ing grandmammas or grandpapas how to suck eggs.
Well, Freeman went to the Tedworth kennels, and
soon after we received a letter from the Squire, eulo-
gizing his performances, and concluding thus : —
" Notwithstanding your caution, I like Freeman so
much, that I have put him already to two of my

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 123

best brood bitches, rather shy of tongue, and I
think the cross will succeed admirably/'

Being in the habit of paying an annual visit to
a very old and sincere friend, residing within five
miles of Tedworth, a stanch supporter of Assheton
Smith's hunt, we had an opportunity afterwards of
seeing the sons and daughters of Freeman in the
field as well as in the kennel, and the majority
of them verified our prediction, turning out too
loquacious by half. Handsome they all were —
neat as new pins, especially the ladies, to each of
whom the couplet might be applied —

"If to her share some trifling errors fall,
Look at her/orwi and you forget them all."

Such appeared to be the Squire's opinion, and he
would not then admit he had committed an error
in judgment by breeding from a hound too free
with his tongue ; although some few years after,
when out of temper with one of Freeman's pro-
geny, the confession escaped his lips, " Confound
that Freeman ! '' The Squire of Tedworth, or, as
he was very appropriately called in that country
by the lower orders, "the hard gentleman," from
his hard riding and contempt of falls, was very
partial to our pack, and the list of his hounds,
published by Mr. Delme Ratcliffe in his book
entitled "The Noble Science," in the year 1838,
shows that he had in kennel at that time no less
than thirty-seven couples got by our hounds. Free-
man, it is true, was not exactly of our sort, his
father coming from another kennel, but he was bred
and educated in our own. Our sort were not remark-

124 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

able for being free witli their tongues. Packs of fox-
hounds vary very much in this respect, some possessing
deep sonorous notes, but claiming, as we think, a
cross with harrier blood at some remote period ;
others are squeakers only, so light of tongue that
there is no music in their cry. This cannot be
called a fault, since they do speak as loudly as they
can to a scent. In bygone times the music of the
pack claimed more attention than it does in these
fast days. Old Gervase Markham gives us some
curious information on this point, thus : " If you
would have your kennell for sweetnesse of cry, then
you must compound it of some large dogges that
have deepe solemne mouthes, and are swift in
spending, which must, as it were, beere the base in
consort, then a double number of roaring and loud-
ringing mouthes, which must beere the counter-
tenor, then some hollow plaine sweete mouthes,
which must beere the meane or middle parte ; and
so with these three parts of musicke, you shall
make your cry perfect ; and herein you shall observe
that these hounds thus mixt do run just and even
together, and not hang off loose one from another,
which is the vilest sight that may be ; and you
shall understand that this composition is but to bee
made of the largest and swiftest deep-mouthed dog,
the slowest middle-sized dog, and the shorter-legd
slender dog. Amongst these you cast in a couple
or two of small-singing beagles, which as small
trebles may warble amongst them ; the cry will be
a great deal the more sweeter." " If you would
have your kennell for loudness of mouthe, you shall

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 125

not then choose the hollow deepe mouthe, but the
loud clanging mouthe, which spendeth freely and
sharply, and as it were redoubleth in the utterance ;
and if you mix with them the mouthe that roareth,
and the mouthe that whyneth, the cry will be both
the louder and the smarter ; and the hounds are
for the most part of the middle size, neither extreme
tall, nor extreme deepe flewed, such as for the most
part your Shropshire and Worcestershire dogs are ;
and the more equally you compound these mouthes,
having as many roarers as spenders, and as many
whyners as of either of the others, the louder and
pleasanter your cry will be, especially if it be in
sounding tall woods, or under the echo of rocks/'

This advice as to the compilation of a musical
lot of hounds may be of service to any new master
of hounds.

126 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XVI.

* ' A cry more tuneable
Was never halloo'd to, nor clieered with horn."

Fashion of the day not in favour of music — Pace only thought of —
Distinction between a mute and light tongue — Peculiar instinct
in drawing— Deputy — The late Mr. Codrington on gorse coverts
— Opening on the drag — Too much bow-wowing reprehensible —
How to convert harriers into foxhounds — A veritable fact — Tree-
ing a martin — A narrow escape — The run home — Qualities in
foxhounds — Cardinal points — Long and hard days occasionally
of service.

In these latter days Gervase Markham's suggestions
as to the cry of hounds, or the harmonious blend-
ings of sweet and loud voices to the pack, are very
little, if at all considered, and the system of fox-
hunting now in fashion is antagonistic to them.
DuTYi hec vitia vitant in contraria current. Fear-
ful of running into one extremity, masters of
hounds and huntsmen rush into the other, and so
long as pace is everything and hunting nothing,
foxhounds will be nearly as mute as fish. Hark,
halloa ! toot — toot — toot ! — gone away ! — found !
forward ! — and with cracking of whips and wild
screeches, hounds are driven off their noses, and
ready to fly anywhere with a scent or without it ;
in fact, they are taught to run at a scent, instead of

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 127

being allowed to carry it with them ; and were it
not for cub-hunting and an occasional woodland day
during the season, when they must hunt, they
would trust more to their ears and eyes than their
noses. It is a nice point to determine how much
tongue hounds rnay give without being really what
we call noisy.

Fast men do not care a rap about the melody of
a pack of foxhounds, and such would be of little
consequence to them, provided they could get a
good start for a quick burst. Genuine foxhunters,
however, delight in a full chorus, and they are right,
for more reasons than one. There is something
cheering and exhilarating in the cry of hounds ;
even the horses we ride are wonderfully excited by
it, and from this very excitement strain all their
nerves to keep near them.

"Me other joys invite,
The horn sonorous calls, the pack awak'd.
Their matins chaunt, nor hrook my long delay.
My courser hears their voice ; see there, with ears
And tail erect, neighing he paws the ground ;
Fierce rapture kindles in his red'ning eyes,
And boils in every vein."

When running in large coverts, how are we to
know their whereabouts, except by that cry, par-
ticularly in windy weather, and when sometimes
giving us the slip out of them, what else have we
to guide us in the direction they have taken ? A
liffht-tonofued — we don't mean a mute hound —
may find his fox, if wide of the pack, and be off
and away with him before the others could hear
him, and it does not necessarily follow that this

128 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

hound must be a skirter because at a distance from
his fellows. Some possess a peculiar instinct in
directing them at once to the kennel of a fox,
and will go straight to it, when the pack may be
drawing another part of the covert, which the
huntsman might consider the most likely ground to
find his game ; and this peculiarity is not the result
of age and experience, as may be supposed. We
have known young hounds even in their first season
thus gifted, and one in his second season remarkable
for the manner in which he drew for his game.
When the pack were dashing into the stuff, this dog
trotted up the drive, testing the several menses lead-
ing into it by smelling the twigs, without putting
his nose to the ground, and if satisfied that a fox
had passed, he generally threw his tongue once or
twice, and then went rapidly up to the fox's kennel
without again speaking, until he had roused him,
of which he gave us full notice, the rest of the
pack flying to him like lightning ; for Deputy
never spoke falsely. This hound, as he grew older,
became so thoroughly au fait at this business,
that if convinced no fox was in the covert, he would
come back to us, and look up in our face with an
expression of disappointment, as much as to say,
" It's no use trying more, master, there is no fox
here ;" and we never found Deputy wrong in his
decision.

The late Mr. Codrington, a master of great
celebrity in his day, used to say, that by drawing
his hounds round a gorse- covert, he could tell
"whether it contained a fox or not ; and generally

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 129'

speaking, there is almost a certainty in finding,
where hounds are eao^er in drawinof.

We have seen in the West of England a pack of
foxhounds opening as freely upon the stale drag of
a fox as harriers on the trail of a hare ; but this
sort of thing does not accord with our ideas about
foxhunting — in short, we sliould draft such hounds
as these, considering them as babblers. It is very
agreeable news to be told, when looking for a fox,
that he has been and may be somewhere in the
neighbourhood, but much more satisfactory that he
is positively in the covert you are drawing. There
is no dependence to be placed on drag-hunters,
since the fox they are talking about may have
j:>assed, it is true, through the covert late at night,
or early in the morning, but he may be at that
time miles away. On the other hand, when highly-
bred and well-educated hounds throw their tonojues
on a drag, w^e may rest assured he is within a
quarter of a mile of them. There is also another
very great objection to drag-hunters, especially in
a woodland country, whilst drawing doivn tuind —
sometimes an unavoidable necessity — the fox will
be moving a long time before the hounds reach his
kennel ; and although they maybe hunting him all
day, there is little chance of their getting on much
better terms with a wide-awake old traveller. Even
with harriers, much hovj-tvoiving on the trail of a
hare is very objectionable, but quite inconsistent
with the proper working of a pack of foxhounds.
We like to hear a jolly good chorus of musical
tongues, as much as any jolly old foxhunter of the

K

180 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

present or past time, when a fox is first found on a
fair scenting day, or afterwards in full chase, when
the scent will admit of it ; and we quite agree
with *' Dryasdust," that this should be attended to
in breeding foxhounds as well as other qualifica-
tions, which could easily be effected by putting
dams of light tongues to sires of deep or heavy
ones ; we don't mean noisy hounds.

A short time since we heard of a curious mode
adopted by a master of harriers to convert his
currant-jelly dogs into foxhounds, and coming from
an authentic source, we have every confidence in its
truthfulness. Hares being more scarce than foxes
in that part of the principality, it was resolved and
carried unanimously by the members of the hunt,
to fly, or have a fling, at the more fashionable pur-
suit, and it beiog then late in the season, and no
time to be lost in blooding the pack to their new
game, a fox was trapped, killed, and sldnned, ready
for eating — the naked carcase dragged across country
t)y a man on foot, and the hounds laid on the scent
of it. Whether with that of aniseed or other
odoriferous oil anointed, whether stuffed with sage
and onions to impart a higher flavour, or peppered
and salted, our deponent sayeth not, but the drag
proved sufficiently enticing, and the pack went at it
furiously, to the great delight of the master and his
supporters, for some two or three miles, until they
overtook the aforesaid carcase thrown down upon
the ground ; while the dragsman, becoming alarmed
at the great outcry in his rear, had quitted terra
firmoj for a more secure position in a tree. On the

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 131

master reaching the spot with two of his first-
flight men, where some of the hounds were still
rolling on the ground, man and fox had dis-
appeared.

" Halloa ! " quoth the master, " here's a go ! they
have eaten the fox, of course, as I see part of his
head sticking out from Jowler's jaws ; but what's
become of Jack Martin ?"

" Eaten him, too, I suppose,"' said Tom Hark-
away, laughing. '' Hungry enough to eat a horse,
old fellow, as 3'ou have given them no victuals for
tw^o days past. But hark ! hark I I hear the cry
of some hounds forward still — crossed the line of
another fox — come on !" and away goes Harkaway,
full tilt, laughing and screeching, with the j^osse
comitatus in close attendance for nearly a mile,
where the missing hounds were found, baying round
a stunted oak.

" Ha ! ha ! ha ! " cried Tom, almost bursting
with laughter. *' Treed their Martin, by jingo !
after eating their fox ! Ho ! ho ! ho ! This is a
go, indeed ! Halloa, Jack, what d ye do up
there ? "

"Too glad to get there, sir, for 'twere a near
thing, as that red devil of a dog snapped at my
trews as I were climbing up the tree, and tore a
bit oflr of 'em."

" Well, never mind. Jack, a miss is as good as a
mile ; and as you stink as much as the fox, get
down whilst we take the hounds away, and I'll
give you five shillings for another run."

K 2

132 SYSTEM OF KENXEL AND

" Not for five sovereigns, Squire Harkaway,
would I have another run Hke this."

" Come, come. Jack, no nonsense ; you ain't in a
position to make terms, but to take those that are
offered, being a prisoner of war, surrounded by
your enemies. So now listen to my terms : — The
master shall take the hounds away, and I'll give
you twenty minutes' law, by which time you can
reach home, without beino- tree'd ao-ain/'

" It can't be done in the time. Squire."

" Yes it can. Jack ; you can do two miles and a
half within the twenty minutes, easily, so come
down from the tree and be off, and I'll keep time
for you honestly, or here you shall stay till mid-
night."

Jack, knowing the character of his customer,
descended to terra Jirma, pocketed the five shil-
lings tendered by Harkawa^^, and set off at full
speed, reaching home about five minutes before the
clamorous pack were yelling at his cottage door.

This may appear a funny method of entering
hounds to a fox-scent, yet it is not altogether a
novelty, since Beckford relates an anecdote of an
old sportsman, a clergyman, also, who entered his
young hounds first at a cat, " which he dragged
along the ground for a mile or two," and it is but
reasonable to suppose that the cat was first killed,
and not dragged to death over the country ; although
probably not skinned. This is a novelty, and we
do not imagine these harriers would have touched
the dead carcase of this fox, much less have eaten it.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. ] 33

unless absolutely starved for the purpose, thorough-
bred foxhounds, we know full well, having little
inclination to break up their game unless killed by
themselves. We have been dwelling perhaps too
long upon the faults and vices of the pack, and it
is now time we should say something about their
good qualities.

We have before alluded to drawing covert as of
primary importance, and we like to see hounds
spreading wide, dashing quickly, though steadily
from riot, through the coppice. Their movement in
gorse will of course be much slower, and we know
no surer test of a hound's courage than working
through a three-year-old gorse-brake, backwards
and forwards, after a short-running fox. The two
next necessary qualifications or cardinal virtues
are, stoutness of constitution and fineness of nose,
without which no foxhound has any claim to per-
fection, perfect though he may be in symmetry of
mould. In the present day few opportunities
present themselves for testing the first sterling-
quality, and not many more for the second, our
hours of meeting during the regular hunting season
commencino^ about eleven o'clock, and terminatinof
about four in the afternoon, thus allowing five
hours for hounds being in work or chase, so that
their power of endurance cannot be fairly ascer-
tained. We are not, as must be apparent from
former observations, an advocate for ver}^ long or
hard days, and think when hounds have done their
work properly, and killed their fox handsomely,
after a run of say an hour and more, the next best

134 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

thing they can do is to be drawing home instead
of drawing for another fox.

Nevertheless, long days and hard days are of the
greatest possible consequence to masters of fox-
hounds, as proving the stamina of which the pack
is composed.

A hound may be able to hunt the lowest scent,
but he ought to possess strength of constitution and
muscular power to follow his nose throughout the
longest days.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 135

CHAPTER XVII.

"Upon some little eminence erect,
Fronting to the ruddy dawn ; its courts
On either hand, wide op'ning to receive
The sun's all-cheering beams." — Somerville.

Sites of kennels — New building preferable to old — Ancient mansions—
The Belvoir kennels the model for all others — Ground and aspect
— Too small dimensions bad economy — The Author's ideas on the
subject — Drainage — Hot air — Walls and palings — Seclusion —
Supply of water — Tanks Hobson's choice— Other observations on
the kennel — "Warm lodging as necessary as good feeding — Whole-
some meat indispensable to health.

Befoee purchasing a bird, it is generally thought
advisable to provide a cage to keep him in ; but in.
our discourses about hounds, we have assumed it
as granted that a kennel had been already erected
for their accommodation in. the country taken by a
new master ; such, however, not being invariably
the case, and some old kennels being so badly
placed, or in such a dilapidated condition, as to
require a considerable outlay in repairs, we would
offer the advice of one somewhat experienced in
these matters, to any young aspirant for honours
in " the noble science,'" never to make the attempt
of patching up an old rickety building, whose loose
walls have become a receptacle for vermin of all
kinds — rats, mice, and creeping things supposed to
enact the part of phlebotomists to animals of the
canine species during the dog daj^s. Those who

136 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

have tried the experiment of adding to old houses,
on the score of economy, have generally found out
their mistake ; and it is far better, and cheaper also,
when various alterations are contemplated in decay-
ing edifices, to raze the whole at once to the ground
and construct a new one in its place, for which the
greater part of the old materials may be rendered
available. Our ancestors had particular fancies about
the sites for building houses, and we usually see
old manorial residences located in low, we may
add unhealthy, situations, although less exposed to
the inclemencies of the weather ; and it was one of
their maxims that people ought to walk some dis-
tance to see the view, rather than behold it from
the drawing-room windows — if view there were to
be seen. We, however, entertain different opinions,
believing there are very few situations under the
hill, unless in gravelly soil, either dry or healthy —
those especially surrounded by high trees, which
not only prevent a proper circulation of air, but
are productive of much damp during the autumnal
and winter months.

Having gone through all the great kennels of
England, save one, and visited numerous others of
minor note, we are enabled, from actual observa-
tion of these various edifices, to form something
like a correct plan of their requirements on a mo-
derate scale. As to construction and conveniences,
the Belvoir kennel stands conspicuous above all
others ; but the expenses of erection must have
been very great, since nothing has been left
undone which ought to be done, and everything

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 137

done in first-rate style, including the most perfect
arrangements for the health and comfort of the
beautiful pack of hounds dwelling within its walls.
Sed non cuivis homini continglt adiri Gorin-
thum. Men of moderate means must be content
to view the castle as well as the kennels of Bel-
voir at a distance, although hints may be taken
from their structure and reduced to a minimum
scale. The other kennels we have visited were
deficient in general arrangements, and the lodging-
houses too low and small in many to be healthy.
We have seen some in such low situations as to
admit of water being conveyed through the courts,
and where the current has been rapid, the
hounds were not affected with kennel lameness.
Stagnant pools near them, however, are most ob-
jectionable, and the drainage should be complete,
to carry off quickly all the washings from the
yards. As a general rule, the advice of Somer-
ville should be followed in building new kennels.

If such situations are not to be found, the
ground at least ought to be sound, or rendered so
by artificial means of a thick layer of broken
stones or coal-ashes, and the aspect south, with no
large trees in front to interrupt a free currency of
air throudiout the whole buildino-s. Beckford's
recommendation to build on a sufficiently exten-
sive scale at first, is the best than can be offered,
since after-additions too often mar the appearance
of the whole edifice; and it is very bad economy to
curtail the size of courts and lodging-rooms to
save a few perches of walling or brick-work.

138 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

According to the number of hounds must be
the dimensions of their sleeping apartments, but
for a moderate establishment two rooms, eighteen
feet long by sixteen wide, and ten feet high, and
two smaller for lame or sick hounds on either side,
sixteen feet deep by twelve wide. The courts
must be of greater length, and in place of having
the outer doors opening into the fields or park, we
would prefer an entrance into a passage running
up between the two kennels, as in the Belvoir plan,
at the other end of which stands the feeding-house
under the same roof, and into which hounds may
be drawn throuo-h a side-door in the lodginoj-room,

CD O O '

without being obliged to wait shivering in cold
or wet weather whilst being fed, with no cover
over their heads. The two larger we will call
the hunting kennels ; and by having two of mode-
rate size, instead of one, the pack will always
enter upon a dry floor every morning, which is of
great consequence, damp being always productive
of rheumatism and mange, as well as other mala-
dies to which dogs are subject. To prevent this,
the flooring^ also of the dormitories ouo^ht to be of
brick, and the inside walls lined with the same
materia], if not entirely built with it ; and for
partitions between lodging-rooms a single brick
is quite sufficient. It signifies little what the
flooring of the outer courts may be, whether of
stone pennant or concrete, provided they are frost-
proof, and so laid with a sufficient fall to the cen-
tre that no water can stand upon them. We say
fall to the centre, because hounds are less liable to

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 139

slip up when the pavement is thus pitched, and
the water is drawn off more quickly than by a
long slope, however steep.

At the back of the kennel, on one side, stands
the boiling-house, from which a flue may be carried
into the wall of the dormitory, to afford greater
warmth to the hounds after hunting ; and this
same kennel may be appropriated to the use of the
entry after the season, unless a separate lodging
is prepared for tjiem, with a greenyard attached
to it on the western side ; and the harem may
be placed in any convenient position by itself,
unconnected with the building and the courts,
which may consist partly of grass and flagging,
being sufficiently capacious to admit of free cir-
culation of air. The outside walls should be con-
structed of stone to the height of five feet only,
and palings placed upon them overhanging the
wall, so that a hound cannot stand upon it. This
precaution is necessary to prevent the hounds
coming in contact wdth strange dogs, or being
excited by passing objects. For this reason the
spot selected for the site of a kennel cannot be too
secluded away from town and villages, and not
near any highways.

"We have already recommended good old Irish
or Scotch oatmeal as the best, and we may add
the cheapest, food for foxhounds, or any other dogs,
boiled for an hour, until it becomes as thick as a
suet-pudding ; and to prevent its turning sour, a
cooler of slate, or of well-seasoned elm board,
should be prepared for its reception, when taken

]40 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

out of the boiler, and placed in a cool place outside
the boiling-house. There ought to be a separate
boiler for meal, sufficiently capacious to hold pud-
ding for two days' consumption, and another for
flesh, both being of cast iron. Those of copper or
brass cannot be safely used in a kennel, where
feeders are not like men=cooks,'very particular as
to the cleanliness of their culinary utensils. A
good supply of water is indispensable to keep
everything in a sanitary condition. In high situa-
tions, springs of fresh water are not always to be
found, and if found, cannot be perhaps appro-
priated to the sole use of one individual. Wells
also in some localities are not to be depended
upon, so that we must have recourse to tanks and
cisterns, supplied by rain-water from the roofs of
the houses ; and many are the districts within
our knowledge which look to the clouds as their
only reservoirs of water. To those who enjoy the
blessings of pure springs, the runnings of houses
must appear most objectionable and imwholesome,
yet such is not the case where the cisterns are
large and deep. The water, although descending
with many impurities, purifies itself, and becomes
clear as crystal, although retaining a sooty taste,
disagreeable to the palate. Strange to say, it is
not consequently soft water, but requires soda to
boil vegetables with or make tea. Where this
most necessary of all the necessaries of life cannot
be obtained from the spring-head, or drawn up
from the bowels of the earth, we must submit to
Hobson's choice — tliat or none; and thousands are

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 141

too glad to get it, a thunderstorm in hot weather
proving to them a Godsend in a dry season, when
a fearful fathoming of tanks is commenced, to
ascertain how many inches of the precious fluid
yet remain before the next downfall of rain is
expected. For the water-troughs in the kennel,
slate is the best and most easily kept clean, iron
next, stone and wood last. These ought to be placed
about eighteen inches above the floor or flags, with
a plug-hole at the bottom, standing over the drain,
and fresh water added every morning.

To keep the lodging-houses clean, access must be
free for the hounds into the outer courts, either by
the door being left partly open, or through an aper-
ture in the centre of it — a movable panel sus-
pended by a hinge from above, to turn either way.
In hot weather it is preferable to leave the doors
quite open during the night. All the posts of doors
through which hounds have to pass should be
rounded, to prevent injury to their stifles. The
frame of the sleeping-benches should be made of
red deal, standing upon legs of oak, two feet high
from the floor, and spars of deal three inches wide
by one and a half in thickness, four or five of these
joined together movable — not nailed to the frame
— so that they may be all taken ofl" by the feeder
when the litter is taken up in the morning ; and if
any are wet, they can thus be easily dried in the
sun or before the boiling-house fire. The distance
between the spars must not exceed one inch and
a half "We object to the benches being fastened
to the wall for two reasons : the hounds will be

142 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

always contending for the warmest place, and in
scrambling over each other, fighting must follow,
and some be knocked over on the floor ; and unless
heated by flues, walls ai'e generally very retentive of
moisture, and, consequently, productive of rheuma-
tism. The position of the benches should be such as
to admit of two hounds passing each other by their
sides all the way round, and a wide spar or board
nailed from leg to leg, to prevent them attempting
to get underneath. The window of the lodging-
rooms should be of glass — not mere lattice-work —
and made to open and shut, like those in conserva-
tories, from top to bottom, so that in hot weather
they may be kept quite open, to admit freely

"The nitrous air, and purifying breeze,"

and entirely closed at night during the hunting
season. It is an error to suppose horses and hounds
are able to contend Avith the cold wintry elements
without, because they are kept in cold stables or
kennels. Such is not the case ; but quite the
reverse. Warm lodging is as necessary as good
feeding to keep animals of all kinds in good
condition ; and this fact has now become so tho-
roughly patent to farmers and graziers, that build-
ings for cattle are more insisted upon than barns to
store their corn in. Weather permitting, Ave know
there is nothing more conducive to health than a
free circulaiion of air through our own sleeping
apartments ; but experience has also taught us that
a cold chilling night wind is neither good for man
nor beast. To add to the warmth of the lodging-
houses, the roof should be constructed of reed, or

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 143

what is commonly called haulm, which has like-
wise the advantage of being more cool in the
summer than slate tiles, although the latter are more
sightly to the eye. But thatch, when properly laid
on, and in sufficient thickness, by a clever thatcher,
has not only a very neat appearance, but will
endure many years. When moss-grown, also, it
admits of being shaved down, presenting a reno-
vated appearance. The only objection that can be
raised to thatch is, that it may afford lodging for
rats and mice, as the rooms below do for foxhounds.
Access, however, to the eaves of the roof by these
vermin may be easily cut off by a sloping ledge of
half-inch board, fixed against the walls all round.

Having mentioned old oatmeal as the best and
most nutritious of farinaceous food for dogs of all
descriptions which have hard work to undergo, we
must add a few words respecting the meat and
broth which must be added thereto. It has been
said, but very falsely, that " anything is good
enough for dogs.'' We say nothing is too good for
sporting dogs, if they are to be kept in first-rate
condition. Bad flesh of any kind, Avhether of
horse, bullock, calf, or sheep, which have died from
disease, must strike any man of common sense as
not likely to contribute to the strength or healthy
secretions of any dog, and particularly unfitted for
foxhounds, which undergo such an inmiensity of
fatigue and work during their season. It is there-
fore necessary that the master should be very
particular as to what meat is consigned to the
flesh-pot.

144 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XVIII.

Enjojcable duties of himtsmen — Intellect and physical al^ilities re-
quisite— First-rate horsemen — Heavy Te7'siis light weights — Power
in the saddle — Honesty and sobriety — Good temper — The whip
too much used — Feeding time — Things hastily done, badly done —
Even condition of the pack proof of good kennel management —
Dainty feeders — System of the Author.

Of all occupations under the sun, we consider that
of huntsman to a pack of hounds the most enjoy-
able— for a man in that station of life, we ought,
perhaps, to have added, supposing he has adopted
the profession from natural inclination and love of
the sport ; since we have known some who have
regarded their office in a business point of view
only. We are now, however, only alluding to
those whose heart and hand are alike encyaged in
the line of life they have chosen from boyhood of
their own free will ; andj to succeed, they must
possess also intelligence and intellect above the
common order. The duties of a huntsman are
various, all requiring exercise of mind and energy
of action. So long as he has played a second part
as whipper-in, he was under authority ; sometimes,
it is true, thrown upon his own resources, in cases
of emergency, yet generally subservient to the
orders and will of his superior in office. With the
horn at his saddle-bow, " a change has come o'er
the spirit of his dream *' — a dream now realized.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 145

He must think and act for himself, and he will find
more than sufficient opportunities for exhibiting the
very best talents he may be endowed with. To
a certain extent he has been initiated into the
mysteries of the science, and cannot have passed
through his ordeal as wdiipper-in without observing
the acts and deeds of his predecessor — how he has
hunted and handled his pack. But looking on at
others playing a game of cricket is a very different
affair to playing it 3'ourself You may see how it
is done, but Avhen the bat is phiced in your own
hands, you will make the discovery that theory is
not practice. Besides which, the duties of a wdiipper-
in vary much from those of a huntsman. These,
however, we may have occasion to notice in their
proper place.

As to physical abilities, a strong constitution is
needful to enable any man to undergo the hardships
of hunting a pack of foxhounds. Setting aside
the wear and tear of every-day life during the
season, through all kinds of weather, casualties still
occur, even to the best rider — falls, knock ings
about, hard blows, perhaps a broken collar-bone or
ribs, which will prove of what stamina the corpo-
real is composed. To be always with his hounds,
he must be a first-rate horseman ; not a bold, reck-
less rider ; and as to weight, we think twelve or
thirteen stone in the saddle quite as likely to hold
his owTi over a stiff vale country as one under.
Big fences more often obstruct light weights and
light-made horses than those of the contrary caliljre
or stamp. A little horse, to be always taking high

L

146 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

leaps, which he must do to get clear of strong
blackthorn or other thick hedges, will soon have the
"puff taken out of him. In short, he is always
in difficulties from violent exertions ; whilst the
heavy weights work their way through all oppo-
sition with comparative ease. Light weights are
also more inclined to take liberties with their horses
than men of more robust frame, who know they
must husband their resources as much as possible.
We have had both heavy and light men as whippers-
in, and always found the former could beat the latter
on the same horses over an enclosed country. By
heavy weights, we do not mean a lump of so much
human flesh, but a muscular frame, stripped of all
superfluities, without an ounce of flesh to spare —
that is, a powerful man in the saddle — elastic, wiry,
and agile, one who can assist the animal he is be-
striding in difficulties, and hold him together when
requisite.

More than once or twice we have heard the idea
ridiculed, that the rider can assist or lift his horse,
and it is true that we have very often seen the
horse exercising supreme superiority over his master,
carrying him where he likes, and doing just as it
pleases him ; but in these cases the rider has been
over-matched, without sufficient muscular power to
regulate his horse's action ; a little man mounted
on a fifteen-stone hunter always reminding one of
a tomtit on a leg of beef.

Having alluded to the physical, we must now
treat of mental power and other qualifications neces-
sary to constitute a perfect master of the science.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 147

Perhaps it may be considered that the power of
mind ought to take precedence of that of body,
and in human life, intellect ranks first. But were
a huntsman the cleverest man in the world, and a
bad rider, unable to keep with his hounds, all the
other talents he might possess would be of little
avail. It is required of stewards that a man be
found faithful, and undoubtedly honesty in a hunts-
man or other head servant in an establishment,
where much is entrusted to them, is of the utmost
importance. Sober he must be, or his business
would be neglected, and no amount of intelligence
can compensate for that worst of all vices — drunk-
enness— the root from which spring so many evils.
In the present generation, this vice is less prevalent
amongst men of tolerable education, occupying
trustworthy situations, than formerly. Hard drink-
ing in any respectable class of society may be said
to belong to the past, and swearing also. In our
younger days, we have often seen men, ranking as
gentlemen, as well as huntsmen and whippers-iu,
who indulged freely in potations before taking the
field, and then, as it is called, " riding like the
devil ; '' and being clever men, these vices in the
latter were tolerated.

There is one other indispensable quality besides
honesty and sobriety, of which a huntsman to fox-
hounds ought to be possessed — good temper. Hie
TnoderatuT equos qui non onoderatitur ircVy is as
true now as in the days of old Horace. Many can
control their horses who give loose reins to their
own passions; irrespective of the unpleasantry which

L 2

148 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

will arise between master and man, where tbe
greatest cordiality should exist, when the latter is
blest with an infirmity of temper, it is obvious that
the well-being of the pack depends in a great
measure upon a quiet, kindly disposition, combined
with patience and forbearance. Animals generally,
dogs particularly, will not attach themselves to men
of harsh, violent tempers ; they judge us as we
judge them and our fellow-beings, by that most
unerring index of the spirit breathing within — the
eye. With what reluctance have we witnessed
pointers and setters following and obeying a sulky,
ill-conditioned brute of a keeper, who, upon resist-
ance or misunderstanding his orders, would nearly
flay them alive ; and although huntsmen, by the
rules and nature of their office, are not permitted to
flog their hounds, and cannot positively be accused
of showing bad temper in the field, we can tell by
the manner of their dependants towards them the
characters of the men, without examining their phy-
siognomy. Beckford relates an instance of a hunts-
man who used to flog his hounds whilst at the
feeding-troughs, quaintly remarking, that " he sup-
posed if they did not get a bellyful one way they
got it the other ; "' and in our days the whip is too
frequently used, and without discrimination, in the
kennel during the dinner hour, as well as at other
times. There is too much hastiness and bustle,
and b}'- far too many liounds let in together to the
feeding-court. They rush about over each other,
chopping at their food like a lot of half-starved
pigs, half-choking themselves in swallowing as much

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 1 49

as they can within the allotted tinie, somewhere
about two or three minutes, in which they are con-
sidered to have filled their stomachs, or sufficiently
so to keep them in tolerable condition. Then
" pop goes the whip," instead of the " weasel,'' and
the satisfied as well as unsatisfied are alike hustled
away from the troughs out into the greenyard.
Now this practice is bad and slovenly, and although
adopted by huutsmen of high standing in large
establishments, not less on that account deserving
censure. It is done to save time ; but what is
done hastily can never be well done. The excuse
condemns the act. More than five or six couples
cannot be fed properly at the same time, and those
should be drawn off first together wdiich are light
feeders, and have rather delicate appetites. The
gluttons follow after, by wdiom the troughs will be
quickly cleared. One of the greatest difficulties in
kennel management is to maintain the entire pack
in even condition, not some fat and others lean, and
by this we know how to judge of a man's merits
or demerits as kennel huntsman. Such knowledge
cannot be acquired except by practical experience ;
and here a young huntsman will most probably
find himself on slippery ground, since whippers-in
are rarely admitted to the canine dining-room,
where the feeder assists the huntsman. Some
hounds require feeding twice a day on the daintiest
food the boiling-house can produce, and, even then,
can never be persuaded to eat enough to keep pace
with their work. Others, if left to themselves,
would eat too much, and thus, from over-depletion,

150 SYSTEM OF KENXEL AND

would not be equal to work. Our general practice
was, to divide the daily allowance of the whole
pack into two meals, never giving any except the
poorest feeders the chance of a bellyful at one
single meal ; and by adopting this plan, we not
only found our hounds could undergo the most
severe work, but that they lived to a greater age
than those in other kennels ; and we were told, a
short time ago, by a master of hounds who has
handled the horn some ten years, that he had
adopted our plan from his commencement as hunts-
man, and had continued it ever since with the most
satisfactory results.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 151

CHAPTER XIX.

HUNTSMEN AND WHIPPERS-IN.

Meal and meat — General practice of feeding opposed to the Author's
— Cravings of hunger — Long abstinence injurious — Huntsmen in
the field — Fine voice of secondary importance — More reliance on
hounds' noses than huntsman's head — Knowledge of country —
Line of foxes — Enterprising genius — Lifting hounds — Self-posses-
sion and decision — An eye to business — Beckford's opinion of
huntsman and first whipper-in — Qualifications of the latter —
Opportunities of assisting huntsman — Gone away !

A TOUCHY old gentleman, when asked by a friend
his reason for doing an act rather at variance with
the usages of genteel society, replied very testily,
" I never give any explanation of my conduct,
sir/' We have no desire to follow this elderly
gentleman's example by saying, stet 'pro ratione
voluntas. And as the observations we are led
to make on hunting and system of kennel are
intended to convey instruction to the uninitiated,
the mainspring of our actions must be revealed
and explained. In our last paper, the practice of
feeding hounds, or any other dogs, twice instead of
once only a day, was recommended from long
experience of its advantage over the common treat-
ment. In a state of nature, the carnivori make
but one meal in the twenty-four hours, which,
consisting of raw flesh and bones, requires rest and
several hours for digestion. They prey at night,

152 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

and remain passive in their dens or lairs throughout
the day. Moreover, except when ravenous from
long abstinence, they rarely glut themselves Vi^ith
food. The fox, which affords us so much amuse-
ment, is a light feeder, although a great depredator,
and we know when, perchance, he gets into the
poultry-house that he will kill as long as he can
catch, carrying all away and hiding them for
futui'e provision ; and being such a bloodthirsty
animal, we feel less compunction in his destruction
than in that of the more timid deer and hare.

The practice in the majority of kennels is to
feed the hounds about eleven o'clock, so that they
have twenty-four hours without again tasting food
— the hour of meeting being now at the same hour,
and then it does not always follow that they do
taste their fox. Supposing the day unpropitious,
without this desired contingency to a run, the
probability is, that six hours more will elapse before
their return to kennel, making about thirty since
the time of their daily feed on the previous day.
Oatmeal is the strongest of all ferinaceous food,
but when diluted with the large quantity of broth
generally used, cannot afford that amount of nutri-
ment required for hounds or any other sporting dog
in hard work, and therefore, during the hunting
season, we divided the meal, giving in the morning
more broth, and in the afternoon pudding mixed as
thickly as possible with meat. We all know by
experience the craving sensations inseparable from
an ungratified appetite at our usual dinner hour.
Few things in life ruffle a man's temper more than

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 153

to be kept waiting half-an-hour even for his accus-
tomed meal. The fact is, that he is rather suffer-
ing at that time from irritability of stomach than
infirmity of disposition. As "hope deferred
maketh the heart sick/' so dinner deferred maketli
the stomach angry. Judging from our own
feelings, we may imagine those of animals when
similarly affected. By feeding our hounds with
the substantial meal about 3 o'clock P.M., in
moderate quantity, we calculated upon their not
beins: so lean as others fed so much earlier in the
day, and consequently better able to endure the
fatigue of hard work, bearing in mind Beckford's
observation, that a half-starved hound will never
kill an afternoon fox.

Having mentioned some of the domestic duties
of a huntsman in kennel management, we must
now treat of his capabilities in the field — a wide
field for the display of all the talents the cleverest
man may possess ; and since in all occupations or
possessions the power of mind becomes conspicuous
above others not so highly gifted, so will it prove
in this instance. A huntsman must possess intel-
lect of a superior order, or his career will never be
a brilliant one. As to voice, we think that of
secondary importance, or we might add, of no
importance at all, although the tones well modu-
lated ever fiill pleasantly upon the ear. If hounds
understand the meaning of their master's language
it is enough ; and as they are supposed to find a
fox, there is no merit in his finding him for them.
Knowledge of country is of very great importance

] 5 4 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

to a huntsman in directing him how to recover his
lost fox, since the line taken by one is commonly
followed by another, wind permitting. Instead of
this knowledge, if transferred to a new country,
the young huntsman must place more reliance upon
his own head and his hounds' noses — above all, the
latter, and we think better by far of such a begin-
ing, teaching him the first and greatest lesson he
can be taught — reliance upon his hounds as his
surest guide through difficulties. Knowledge of
country may afterwards be of service to him, when
he has learnt to depend upon his hounds.

In the present era of foxhunting, too much is
expected from the genius and talents of the hunts-
man, which are supposed to be equal to all emer-
gencies ; and we have heard of and seen what are
called "heaven-born huntsmen,'" but we must
confess to a great disappointment in their perfor-
mances. This appeared to us a- misnomer, inas-
much as their distinguishing characteristic savoured
more of earth than of the ethereal spirit — know-
ledge of foxes' earths and haunts, which is derived
generally from experience and observation. These
men are too much dependent upon their own
enterprising genius to allow their hounds to do
their work properly, and when at fault, or hunting
too slowly to please them, they are lifted forward
to some covert, the favourite resort of foxes, where
it very frequentl}^ happens that instead of getting
upon the line or recovering their hunted fox, a fresh
one is roused up, and the " heaven-born huntsman "
takes the credit of having displayed his talent in a

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 155

very meritorious manner, whereas he has just made
a hash of it — done what a steadier man would
have avoided.

Two of the most necessary quahfications in a
huntsman to foxhounds are self-possession and deci-
sion ; he should never be in a hurry, although, when
emergencies arise, quick in deciding how to act.
A good eye and ear are also indispensables, to see,
when hounds are running, how far the leading
couples have carried the scent ; and the organ of
hearing perfect, to detect what is going on in covert
when he cannot avail himself of his eyesight. A
fine ear reveals to him at once whether his hounds
are running a stale or fresh scent ; and he can also
tell how near they may be to their fox, with as
much certainty as if he were an eye-witness of
their doings. Although the observed of all obser-
vers, he should never be thinking of what his field
may be thinking or saying about himself ; regarding
only his hounds and his business — et totus in illis
^—he should shut his ears to all other things; and
we do not think the master should ever interfere
with him or dictate in the field, which would de-
stroy his self-confidence. Beckford has said that
he would prefer a first-rate whipper-in and a second-
class huntsman, as more likely to aff*ord sport ; and
we quite agree with him, that a stupid whipper-in
is the greatest drawback to the efiicient working
of the pack, since upon him so much depends.

The first whipper-in may be said very often, if
not always, to hold the trump card in his hand, if

156 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

he is a trump, and not an ignoramus. He must
know well the hunted from a fresh fox, and if the
pack divides, stop instantly those on the wrong
scent ; and by his quickness and cleverness in this
matter depends the fortune of the day. This is an
act thoroughly independent of the huntsman, who
cannot hunt and rate hounds at the same time.
Then he must be well acquainted with all the earths
and drains in the country to which foxes generally
resort ; and when the hunted fox is evidently run-
ning for one of those unstopped, it is his business
to get forward without instructions from the hunts-
man and prevent the fox gaining it before him, and,
if quickly done, the first whipper-in has here the
credit of killinor his fox. He ouMit also to know
the shortest way across country to any given point,
and although at some times acting, as we have just
before mentioned, quite independently of the hunts-
man, at others he must be obedient to his com-
mands. A good temper is not so indispensable as
in a huntsman, yet his infliction of punishment on
the hounds, when running riot, should be tempered
with justice and moderation. We like to see a
man sparing of tongue, but vigorous in action, —
one who will not be foolish enough to rate when he
is unable to enforce obedience, since riotous hounds
know as well as he does that they are un-come-at-able
in high coppice of seven or eight years' growth,
and therefore they will have their fun out, notwith-
standing the most furious objurgations. A sensible
whipper-in will wait patiently until the delinquents

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 157

are within reach of his lash, when emerging into
shorter stuff, then he will pounce instantly upon
them, with a blow first and a rate afterwards. It
is not unlikely on this occasion that a little irrita-
bility of temper may be exhibited, which w^e regard
as being very natural, provided the lash does fall
upon the real culprit. A whipper-in has no right
whatever to strike a hound in the presence of the
huntsman, to whom he flies, as a matter of course,
for protection; and if he loses his opportunity of
punishing him Avhen caught in the act, he must
wait for another. He should also make himself
acquainted with the different dispositions of the
hounds, since for one a word of caution or rate
will generally prove sufficient, while others may
require a severe castigation ; and w*e have known
some from their youth addicted so much to evil
practices, that they proved incorrigible.

That a first whipper-in is placed in a position
where he has the opportunity of contributing very
greatly to the sport of the day, admits of no doubt,
but at the same time he must never attempt to take
hold of the hounds so long as the huntsman is pre-
sent ; and we decidedly object to Jiis helping to hunt
them in covert — a loose practice encouraged by some
huntsmen. Such interference should not be per-
mitted— on the contrary, his voice should never be
heard except in rating or turning straggling hounds
to the pack, or in a view-halloa when the fox has
broken covert. In short, his place is to be forward
outside the covert, the second whipper-in being in

158 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

attendance on the huntsman. There is another
practice adopted by huntsmen, which we cannot
approve, although by it sometimes time may be
gained in making a cast to allow the whipper-in to
assist him, by holding half the pack in one direction
whilst he is trying in another. This has been
called a quick scientific way of doing business, but
in our opinion, loose and unsportsmanlike. We
like to see men and things in their right places, and
the first whipper-in is certainlj^ out of his place
when he is assisting to hunt the pack in covert, or
dividina: them to recover the line of a hunted fox
in the open. When hounds are running for a par-
ticular covert, and there can be no doubt as to the
point the fox is making, the place of the first
whipper-in is to get forward to the other side of
that covert, there patiently to remain until the
hounds enter it. There he will sit quietly on his
horse awaiting the issue of events. One or two
foxes may perhaps be seen by him stealing away
from the wood-hedge, yet he moves not in his
saddle, or appears by his indifferent look to have
even noticed their departure. They are gone, and a
smile only plays about his mouth. Presently there
is some object upon which his eye becomes riveted,
and his attention fixed, as if engrossing all his
thoughts. He knows it at a glance to be the
hunted fox, slowly leaving the wood-hedge, and
casting one furtive lingering look behind : still not
a muscle of his features moves, until the fox is lost to
view beyond the next fence. Then the nature of

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTIXG. 159

the man seems entirely changed. He is all energy
and aDimation, scream succeeds scream, until the
hounds come tearing through the covert to his well-
known view-halloa. The victory over his beaten
foe that day belongs to him, he knows, but he does
not claim it.

160 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XX.

Second "WhiiDper-in — Natural talents for his profession — Place of
second whip — His disposition — Implicit obedience to superiors —
Master reflected in man — The Baronet and Parvenu — Old law of
honour — Ink vice blood — Huntsmen in communion with gentle-
men— Order of march to covert side and back — Huddling
hounds together — Discipline too strict fails in its object — The
late Squire of Tedworth and his pack — The attache of the hunts-
man— Seeing not always believing — Drawing over foxes —
Pugilist Jack and the last hound — Dismounted duties.

It has been said by some writers on foxhunting,
who ought to have known better, that any boy who
can crack a whip will suffice to fill the situation
of second whipper-in ; we must difl[er with such
authoi'ities, toto ccelo. Defend us from a boy who
can just crack a whip as from an urchin with a
penny pipe in his mouth ; no greater nuisance can
befall a pack of hounds than a boy who fancies he
must be continually flicking them with his lash,
which he imagines is placed in his hands for that
purpose. The lad who is to succeed in after-life as
a whipper-in or huntsman must be born with a
head upon his shoulders containing a full comple-
ment of brains, and ought to know when to strike
a hound and when to let him alone, without being
perpetually lectured about it. Ever}^ yokel taken
from the plough-tail cannot be converted into a
whipper-in, whether he will or no. Time and trou-
ble are thrown away upon any but acute intelligent

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 161

lads, the sons of huntsmen or whippers-in, who
have been bred up to the profession, and take to
it kindly from childhood ; although it does not in-
variably happen that the children of huntsmen are
inclined to adopt their fiither's calling, or are fitted
for it ; but when they do so choose for themselves,
like well-bred foxhounds, they require less trouble in
breaking. There is a vulgar expression, peculiarly
applicable to a sleepy lad, intended for this line :
" he has not got it in him ; " and if so, you cannot
put it in him ; neither birch nor whipcord would
avail in this case. Knowledo^e of the noble science
cannot be dunned into the boy's head like Latin
and Greek, unless he is anxious to acquire it. We
have tried many lads of respectable parentage, and
althouo'h delio'hted at first with the idea of becom-
ing whippers-in to a pack of foxhounds, yet we
could not get on with them ; some proved toa
hasty, some too slow, and others too stupid, to
persevere with them ; but they did very well for
thistle-whipping, where they had the master's eye
continually upon them in the open field, and were
obliged to obey orders.

The place of the second whip to foxhounds is to
be in attendance upon his superior at certain times,
at others, be left to his own devices ; and during
cub-hunting, he may be amusing himself by cracking
nuts instead of cracking his whip, whilst the hounds
are running covert. Boys will be boys, and we
must make some allowance for their frolics ; but
unless a lad has been well brought up at home, has
naturally a good disposition, and is kind to animals,

M

1G2 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

it will be " love's labour lost '' to attempt to make
anything of him. Complete obedience, civility, and
attention to his superiors, are the first lessons which
ought to be impressed upon the mind of any youth
intended for the service of gentlemen ; and we quite
agree with the remark we once heard expressed by
an old foxhunter : " Show me the servant, and I
will tell you the character of his master." Although
perhaps little thought of or noticed in these times,
there cannot be a more sure test of a servant's
respectability — the master is reflected in the man.

We remember a scene, some years ago, between a
baronet of sporting celebrity, both on the turf and
in the field, and the groom of a soi-disant gen-
tleman— in other words, one who had plenty of
money to spend upon servants and horses, but knew
little about the usages of good society. The baronet
was picking his way quietly on his hunter's back
through a dirty lane to the place of meeting, when
this groom dashed by him at half-speed, bespattering
him with mud from head to foot. Now, the baronet
being very particular as to personal appearance,
always dressing well, and being rather of a peppery
disposition, became exceedingly irate at seeing his
clean pink, and white buckskins dotted over with
black spots, like a leopard-skin, through the inso-
lence of this blackguard, and the more enraged
when the fellow pulled up a short distance befoi'e
him, looking back with a grin at the baronet's
grotesque appearance.

" The name of your master ? " demanded Sir
L. G., riding up to him.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 163

" I shan't tell it, unless asked in a civiler way/'
the groom replied.

" Then I Avill find it out, and horsewhip him
instead of you, unless he discharges you instantly
from his service for such outrageous behaviour.''

The day proving unfavourable, our novus homo
did not put in an appearance at the place of meet-
ing, but the next morning a friend of the baronet's
called upon him to request that the servant who
had behaved so insolently the previous day might
be discharged. Ol^jections being raised to this pro-
posal. Captain D , on the part of the baronet,

suggested the expediency of his naming a friend
upon whom he might call to arrange preliminaries
for a meeting as early as possible the following
morning.

"What, sir 1 " exclaimed the astonished gentleman,
*'am I to be shot at because my servant happened
to throw some mud over your friend in galloping
up a road ? I have had dirt thrown in my face
when galloping after the hounds by those riding
before me."

" Not unlikely, sir ; but your servant did this
purposely to insult my friend when there were no
hounds running ; and by his pulling his horse up
immediately afterwards, there can be no doubt as
to his object."

" I have my doubts about ifc, Captain D ,

and I shall not discharge my man. Now, would
you, in my case? As a soldier and a gentleman,
I ask your candid opinion."

" A master is answerable for his servant's action

M 2

164 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

in such cases as these ; and I would not retain one
in my service who could so misconduct himself.
That would be my course of proceeding."

"Very well, Captain D , then I will follow

your suggestion/' Thus the groom was discharged
without the discharge of pistols — the usual mode of
settling differences in those times, now happily dis-
couraged and disallowed. In place of placing your
antagonist on turf so many paces distant, to be shot
at, you now put him in print, where you may
pepper away at each other as long as it pleases
both parties, with spilling of ink, not spilling of
blood. The servants of well-bred gentlemen have
been, and always will be, distinguished from the
rude and crude by civility, and deference to their
superiors. Huntsmen and whippers-in, by their
vocation, are brought more immediately before the
public, and in communion with gentlemen, than
any other class of dependents, and we rarely see
them spoilt by this indulgence, but the reverse.
Their manners are greatly improved by it. A little
personal vanity must be expected, and we rather
like to see these men proud of their position, and
the opportunity given them of being the chief con-
tributors to the sport of the whole field.

On their way to the covert-side, the place of first
whipper-in is in advance of the huntsman, and
that of the second a considerable distance behind
him, so far as to allow any liounds to fall back
without molestation from his whipcord; and it
would add very much more to the comfort of the
pack, if Jack were altogether out of sight. Whilst

SCflENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 165

thus travelling on their outward journey, and in
coming home also, tired hounds should be allowed
plenty of room to pick their way through sloppy
roads or lanes in bad weather. We dislike to see
hounds at any time huddled up together round
their huntsman, like a flock of sheep penned in the
corner of a field, by a dog snapping round them.
When the entry have become steady, and are ad-
mitted into the pack, discipline of this kind is as
injurious as unnecessary, since we have remarked
that hounds kept in such strict order are more
inclined to run riot than those treated with more
confidence. The late Assheton Smith was, in this
respect, the most trusting huntsman we have ever
seen in the field, and we were often amused with
the sudden change in the behaviour of his hounds
on his arrival at the place of meeting. Whilst in
charge of the kennel-huntsman and two whips
they trotted along in a compact body, solemnly and
demurely, not a hound venturing to step out of
place ; but no sooner did they catch sight of tlieir
master, or hear his voice, than, breaking loose from
further restraint, like boys out of school, they rushed
eagerly to meet him, jumping and playing round
his horse, with other manifestations of excessive
delight. The character of the hounds seemed
changed in a moment, and as they moved off to
draw covert, an independence of action was assumed
totally at variance with their former deportment.
They knew no whipper-in dare touch or control
them in their huntsman's presence, to whom, how-
ever, they yielded that cheerful obedience so pleasing

166 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

to behold in all animals attached to a kind master, a
word or wave of the hand being sufficient to recall
or turn them in any direction.

The place of the second whipper-in, when hounds
are drawing covert, is at the tail of the pack, to
watch their proceedings, and if perfectly satisfied
that any are running riot, to stop them directly ;
but he is not to be too hasty in his conclusions,
and should be convinced by ocular demonstration,
since a hound given occasionally to malpractices
will be right sometimes. The huntsman's conduct
at this time will be his best guide, to whom he is
considered as an especial attache, waiting generally
his directions and orders. When he cheers all is
right, and for that cheer the second whip must
wait, as a rule, before taking upon himself to de-
cide. Even seeing is not always believing. A
hare may be running the same line as the fox,
which we have often seen, and lookers-on would of
course say they were running riot. We knew
otherwise ; but it is the huntsman only, or clever
first whip, who could distinguish at a glance by
the hound's manner whether they were right or
wrong. Hounds should not be hurried when
drawing covert, time and room being allowed them,
or you will draw over many foxes in the course of
the season on bad scenting days or windy weather.
In thick sedgy underwood foxes will lie very close,
and not move until nearly pushed out by the
hounds. Whether they are judges of good scent-
ing days, from the fact of their occasionally hunt-
ing down their game, we do not pretend to say.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 3 67

although they certainly appear to possess this
knowledge.

When being hunted, foxes as well as hares
distinguish the distance between themselves and
their pursuers, and if not pressed in the chase,
seem to draw their conclusions that they may take
liberties on such occasions by loitering on their
course, or running back the foil. It is no un-
usual occurrence to see many foxes chopped before
getting on their legs during the hunting season.
We remember once in particular, w^hen drawing a
thick blackthorn brake, a hound, named Pugilist,
by Mr. Osbaldiston's Pontiff, making a dead stand
at a bush. Being a capital hound, as true as steel
to a fox scent, we knew, of course, no other ani-
mal could be there. We stopped on our horse,
waiting to see the issue. The hound stood for a
second or two more, when, springing into the bush,
he rolled the fox out of it on the other side, and
before I could jump off my horse had killed him.
This fox, save for Pugilist's perseverance in work-
ing about this thick stuff, when the other hounds
had dashed forward, would have been drawn over ;
and it had been better to have so happened than
die ignominiously without a run for his life. It,
however, goes to show how very closely foxes will
lie in gorse-brakes or very thick underwood ; and
therefore it is necessary to impress on the mind of
the second whipper-in that he is to keep a respect-
ful distance whilst liounds are drawing such places,
and never interfere with them when they appear
busy in any particular spot.

1G8 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

When the fox is found, the second whipper-in
must keep as near the hounds as possible, still
prepared to attend to any directions from the
huntsman, with his ears well open to receive them.
When the fox breaks covert, it is his business to
bring on any tail-hounds that may remain behind.
This duty is not perhaps, sometimes, a very agree-
able one, yet, being indispensable, Jack must be
content to perform it, and the quicker and better.
it is done, the more fun he will have by seeing the
run out from beginning to end. If, however, it is
done in a slovenly way, and some hounds still left
in the covert, he will be sent back by the huntsman
to collect them together and bring them on, which
will throw Jack out of his anticipated amusement,
and teach him a lesson which, if he is worth in-
struction, need not be repeated, that so long as a
single hound remains in covert, when the pack have
left it, he has no business out of it.

We have written enough to show that the task
allotted to a second whipper-in is not such as can
be performed by a boy who can merely crack a
whip. He must be bred up to his profession from
early youth, as assistant to the huntsman in and
about the kennels, also an occasional helper in the
stable, and to ride horses out to exercise, whereby
he may acquire a good seat on horseback, as well
as how to handle the reins, since the knowledge of
hunting and managing hounds would be of little
avail to him without the former qualitications.
The dismounted duties of the whipper-in will de-
pend upon the establishment. If not required to

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 169

help wash the hounds in kennel after they return
from huntmg, his business will be to clean and
dress his own horse, which he may think rather a
bore after a hard day, but this will afford him
also a good lesson to distinguish between the use
and abuse of the horses he has to ride. The more
care he takes of them in the field, the less trouble
will they give him in the stable.

170 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XXI.

Second horseman — Few good riders to hounds — The first start —
Different modes of ci'ossing country — Genuine sportsmen — Seats
in the saddle — Good riders and hard riders — The worst kind
of fall — Anecdote of Jack Stevens— Riding down hill — Truth of
the old triplet — How to take fences — " Experto crede " — Irish
hunters — Jack and his Kilkenny friend — Going at water — The
late Lord Kintore — Untrodden ground the safest — The horse and
his rider — Must part company sometimes.

The introduction of second horseman into the
hunting- field originated, we believe, with the late
Lord Sefton, who succeeded Mr. Meynell in the
Quorn country, and for men of heavy weight the
practice is not only defensible, but commendable,
as affording great relief to their horses, A good
second horseman, however, is as rare as a first-class
whipper-in, for, like him, he must possess with
other qualifications a knowledge of country, and
the general line of foxes, which are necessary to
enable him to nick in, as it is called, at the proper
time with a fresh horse, when his master is in.
difliculties with a beaten one. There is an art in
doing this effectually not to be attained by a lad
just out of a racing-stable, or a common groom.
He will also have to ride the run throughout,
sometimes in the wake of his master, and ready to
assist him when called for. The difference be-
tween heavy and light weights is not so great as

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. I7l

that between a perfect horseman and a bad rider,
the latter being certain to beat his horse long
before the former.

The art of riding to hounds is not to be learnt
in a month or a season by every man who goes out
hunting, or we should never behold those scenes in
the field which so commonty meet the eye in the
grazing districts, when out of such large numbers
assembled at the place of meeting, so few are
found who can live with hounds, even through a
short sharp burst ; and in a trying run fewer still.
When the fox breaks covert, the great majority are
so hurried and flurried that they scarcely know
what they are about, rushing and pressing forward
in a crowd, impatient for a good start, which, if
perchance they get they cannot keep : the cause
of this is that they have not served an apprentice-
ship to foxhunting in early youth, and do not,
consequently, understand how to get to or live, as
we call it, with hounds. Some, sailor-like, go at
their fences right earnestly, and at any hound also
which has the misfortune to be in their line, rasp-
ing away with loose reins, until brought down to
mother earth. Others take a well-known sports-
man for their guide, whom they will follow as long
as able to do so, greatly to his annoyance, and
perhaps detriment in case of a fall. The few
knowinof ones choose a line of their own, listeninor
attentively to the cry of the pack whilst in covert,
never far from them at any time, and read}^ for a
start the moment they are away. These men have
learnt by experience the business part of foxhunt-

172 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

ing, and never throw away a chance by coffee-
housing under tlie wood-hedge after the first hound
has thrown his tongue. This is the signal for him
to be on the alert, with eyes and ears open to all
that is now passing around him. He is not in a
hurry or flurry, galloping up and down the drives,
or larking over fences outside the covert ; but
creeping quietly about, shifting his position as the
fox shifts his ground, and generally pretty sure of
viewing him over the drive or across the first field
from covert ; when, and not before, his voice will
be heard to some purpose. Neither is he in a
hurry now that the pack are clear of the wood-
hedge, and settling down on the scent ; there is no
restless impatience in his manner to be off" and
over them. He can afibrd to wait until they are
fairly committed to the run ; and then, keeping
wide of them, right or left, according to the wind,
and not alongside of the leading couples, which he
knows is not his place, if it is that of the hunts-
man, but with his eye fixed upon them, so that
he may pull up at the first check. He will know
how far the hounds have carried the scent, and
when, in the eagerness of the burst, they have
overshot it, and turn his horse's head in the
direction they incline to ; in short, he is a thorough
sportsman, one of that character to whom master
and huntsman may look for assistance and support
in difficulties.

As to a seat on horseback, there are quot homines,
tot sententice ; some prefer the military seat, others
ride by balance ; some by purchase, or clinging

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 173

tiglitly by thigh and leg to the saddle ; some in
long, others in short stirrups : every man rides,
we conclude, as it suits him, or according to the
instructions received in early youth, or later in
life from a riding-master. The best and firmest,
although perhaps not the most elegant, is that
acquired by a self-taught boy on his pony, who will
stick to the pigskin through kickings, rearings,
swervings, and such-like devices to dislodge him.
The balance seat we consider the most insecure,
not only in the hunting-field but elsewhere. Well
enough as long as his horse goes straight at fences,
but should he swerve just before taking them, ten
to one against the balance man keeping his equili-
brium. We have noted many hard riders of this
class, — good riders we cannot call them, since good
riders and hard riders are by no means synonymous
terms. We consider that may be the best sports-
man who can keep his place in the field with the
fewest falls; and we may go a step farther, by say-
ino: that the horse and his rider ouo-ht never to

CD O

part company, except under very peculiar circum-
stances. The worst fall you can get is when going
fast down hill your horse puts his foot into an old
rut or rabbit-hole ; a roll over is then the inevit-
able consequence, and if no bones are displaced
you may consider yourself most fortunate.

An anecdote related of the once-celebrated Jack
Stevens, whipper-in to the more celebrated Osbaldis-
ton, occurs to us here, showing the dare-devil cha-
racter of the man. He was seen riding fast down
hill, over very uneven ground, dotted with large

174 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

mole-liills, on a horse having very rickety fore-legs,
and whilst so doing, what think you was his occu-
pation? Tying a lash to his whip, and the open blade
of his pocket-knife between his teeth. The man who
coukl perform such a feat as this, we may naturally
conclude would stick at nothing. Just the sort of
fellow to lead a forlorn hope or dash up to the
cannon's mouth. Experienced foxhunters are agreed
that there is no surer proof of courage than riding
quick down hill, although, in our opinion, this act
shows want of judgment and really good horse-
manship, for what says the old triplet ? —

Up the liill spare me,
Down the hill bear me,
On the flat never fear me.

There is often a deal of truth in these wise old
saws, and in these three lines are condensed the best
rules for riding to hounds. The forcing your horse
against rising ground is the surest method of stop-
ping him altogether, if in the least distressed, and
hurrying him down the descent most likely to
eventuate in a most calamitous cropper. The next
most dangerous fall generally comes from going too
fast at timber — a great mistake — or riding at a
swinging gate, which we have seen men do to
show their contempt of danger. Some horses have
rather a fancy for gate-jumping ; but they require
to be left to their own discretion how to take
them, which they will do by shortening sail and
gathering themselves together for the spring. In
fact, all animals of the jumping order slacken their
pace before taking their leap — deer particularly,

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING 175

which go bounding along in their course, and might
be expected to go at obstacles in the same manner,
yet, having watched them often, we have invariably
noticed that, unless very closely pursued, they would
break into a trot, and sometimes clear high leaps
standing. Taking a lesson from them, we invari-
ably draw the rein when approaching any fence, and
to this caution we attribute our encountering so very
few serious accidents during a long hunting career.
Some of your raspers and thrusters may think this
a slow mode of doing business, and that hounds
would run us out of sight and hearing from losing
so much time. Experience led us to pursue this
plan, as enabling us to see more of a run than
those who adopted the contrary one ; and in our
younger days we were quite as fond of jumping as
hunting. When, however, we took to the horn, our
whole attention w^as given to the hoimds, regarding
fences only as so many impediments in our way,
irrespective of which, we made the discoveiy that
strong fences stopped hounds as much as horses, and
that we could easily keep our place with them if
well placed at starting. Hounds cannot beat a
well-bred horse, with a workman on his back,
through enclosures, although they may and will
run away from them over open downs with a good
scent. Irish horses, from their particular educa-
tion, having been accustomed when young to follow
their breaker over fences with a long rein, which
enables them to disport themselves as most conve-
nient, are generally found to be the best standing
leapers ; and we remember a little event between

176 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

our second whipper-in and a thorough-bred Irish
hunter which we had recently purchased for his
riding. Jack was bringing along a hound or two
left behind in covert, and pressing forward to join
us in the chase, when, on jumping into an enclosure,
he found himself so far pounded that the only-
means of exit lay over a five-barred gate, at which
some two or three of the field were posted, trying
hastily to break the lock.

"Now, gentlemen, if you please," cried Jack,
" master will be wanting me up with the pack, and
if you can't manage the gate, let me have a go
at it."

* " Come on, then," they said, making room for
him, and expecting he would, by breaking the top-
bar, let them through easily.

Jack, not needing a second invitation, gave the
Irish horse a dig with his spur, thinking he would
take it like other horses, but he reckoned without
his host on this occasion ; the Irisher went straight
enough at first, but, just as he reached the gate, he
turned short under it, sending Jack clean out of the
pigskin and over the top-bar ; then, raising himself
on his hind-legs, vaulted over to join his rider. On
Jack's being thrown, a loud laugh was raised by
those on the wrong side at Jack's expense, who, on
picking himself up, said, " The laugh's on my side
now, gentlemen," and, raising his cap, wished them
" Good-bye ! "

We cannot say this way of negotiating timber
was a very desirable or pleasant one ; but this
horse, having been so instructed, would always take

SCIENCE OF FOXHUKTIXG. 177

it in this way, and Jack, being once made acquainted
with the trick, they became inseparable friends ever
after.

Some men have an idea that horses must be sent
with a certain impetus at all fences alike, and, so
far from slackening their pace when nearing them,
increase that impetus by the spur ; yet it is quite
evident that a horse so hurried cannot measure his
distance ; and, if making a mistake on taking off,
a rattling fall will be the consequence, which will
cause greater delay than if the horse had been ridden
at it more leisurely, enabling him to land safely on
the other side. We think that a little more powder
ma}^ be added when going at water ; but even then
we should prefer taking it with a brisk trot rather
than at full speed. We remember seeing three first-
flight men, one of whom was the late Lord Kintore,
riding furiously at a brook, each anxious to get the
lead, when the first horse, swerving on the brink,
being so close in the pace, all three went under
water. The most puzzling of all aquatic adven-
tures of this sort is when the banks are flooded to
some extent on both sides of the stream ; and even
then we have seen some men foolhardy enough
to gallop through it, supposing their horses could
distinguish where to take off.

Now, if there is one thing more particularly to
be attended to in foxhunting, it is the state of the
ground from which your horse takes his spring ;
never regard the lowest place in the fence, nor
that where the bounds have been lately mended.
Fresh ground is always the most safe where there

N

178 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

are no foot-marks ; and, although the quickset may
be higher at this point, there is less risk of a mis-
adventure. A good rider to hounds has no sooner
cleared one fence than his eye is cast forward to see
his best way over the next, and, having made up
his mind on this point, he will not deviate from
his line. At brooks especially, the first horse has
always the best chance. In this case it is danger-
ous to follow a leader. But of all the disagreeables
in a foxchase, peaty water meadows, with a brook
in the middle, are the worst to be encountered. As
a general rule, the horse and his rider ought to be
inseparable ; yet are there exceptional cases, in some
of which they must of necessity dissolve partner-
ship, and that, too, for mutual benefit and conve-
nience. The towing-path under the arch of a canal
is one place where a man must dismount at once
and lead his horse, unless he chooses to run the risk
of having his brains knocked out. The wooden
drawbridge over it, with a gate at both ends, and
no room to take ofi*, is another. A drop leap into
a deep stony lane is better accomplished by leading
down than riding down into it ; eleven or twelve
stone on your hunter's back being more likely to
shatter his fore -legs than to save them ; to say
nothing of a cropper to yourself, with a bloody
nose, and broken knees to your horse, which will
detract from his value ever afterwards. We have
come to park-palings in the course of a run, over
which the boughs of trees were hanging so low and
stifiiy, that riding at them was an impossibility,
unless you were anxious to incur the fate of

SCIENCE OF FOXHCTNTING. l79

Absalom. The part Id g between horse and man
being imperative, we considered it the wisest and
quickest plan to dismount instantly, do what we
could in breaking the top palings, and leading our
horse over, to contend with the rest of the timber
as he best could.

N 2

180 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XXII.

Old hunters and young riders — Vacating the pigskin sometimes a
voluntary act — With stirruj^s or without them — Hiding for sale —
The mount by a friend the reverse of friendly — Rule as to
kickers in the field — Buck-jumpers — Two strings to your bow —
SnaflSe bridle — Martingales — Breastplate — Unnecessary gear —
Spurs — Their use and abuse — The Author's objection to them —
Hunting costume — Jack-boots — The old top — The cap and hat —
Colour of coat — The spare shoe — Eau de vie — Old Meynell's
cordial — Contents of waistcoat-pocket.

The best advice we can offer to a young aspirant
for honours in the hunting-field is to purchase a
well-made hunter or hunters, which will give him a
more experimental and useful lesson in the art of
riding to hounds than we can communicate by the
pen. The older they are the cheaper they will be,
and if screws, no matter ; they will teach you in a
month that which we might fail to impress upon
your mind in twelve mouths. An old stiff-jointed
hunter will have things his own way, and if you
attempt to force him out of it woe betides you.
Give him his head without whip or spur, and you
will find him a trustworthy friend. Knock him
about the head and ears, and he will play the devil
with you. The greatest mistake a man can make
is to suppose that his horse will go for a fall, as his
master does sometimes, to get grassed on the other
side of a fence. An old hunter will never go for a
fall until there is no go left in him. Young riders

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 181

on young horses must expect to get falls, and plenty
of them ; and as there is said to be some method
even in madness, so is there some art in knowing
how to fall well, when fall you must. So long as
a chance remains of holdincc him tosjether, the
pigskin should not be abandoned, but when that
chance is gone, by your horse's fore-legs getting into
the ditch on the other side, throw yourself clear
of him, to avoid a pommelling.

Huntsmen and whippers-in, when going at a
dangerous place, or expecting a ducking, throw
their stirrups across their horse's withers ; and
having often adopted this practice, we can recom-
mend it as advisable on particular occasions, to
prevent entanglement. Stirrups are no doubt a
very necessary and luxurious appendage to a saddle,
since it is not very pleasant to have j^our legs
dangling about your horse's sides. Moreover, to
ride by gripe only any long distance occasions great
strain upon the muscles of the thighs and legs ;
still, a good horseman ought to be able to ride
without stirrups as w^ell as with them. Losing
shoes is of more f]-equent occurrence than losing
stirrups, yet on crashing through a thick bullfinch
or blackthorn hedge, you may be nearly torn out
of the saddle and one of the stirrups lefo behind,
which, in a run, there is no time to recover. Some
men, " to one thing constant never,'' are continu-
ally chopping and changing their horses — like some
young ladies, fond of new faces. Others buy young
horses to make them, for those who can afford to
give high prices for made hunters ; but unless really

182 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

in want of the needful, the best rule is never to
part with a horse that suits you. More than half
the enjoyment of a good run depends upon being
carried comfortably throughout it. Horses, like
hounds, have all their peculiar dispositions, and
there is no pleasure riding a fiery-tempered, hard-
pulling brute, who will have everything his own
way.

We were once offered a mount by a friend upon
what he was pleased to call a first-rate hunter, in
the shape of a tall, strong animal, standing over
sixteen hands, with head and tail well up, and the
action of a gentleman's London cab-horse. On
beholding the hounds, every organ and muscle of
his brute body was set in motion. Ears cocked
up ; nostrils dilated ; eyes ready to come out of
their sockets ; teeth intent on eating the bit, if
feasible ; tremblings in every limb, with circumvo-
lutions and pawings, ominous of a restless, ungo-
vernable brute within his huge carcase. Thinks I
to myself, a pretty beginning for a quiet elderly
gentleman, desirous of looking over the pack first,
and following them afterwards with an eye to busi-
ness. Meanwhile my friend sat lounging in his
saddle, seemingly as much at ease as when reclining
in his side-padded arm-chair after dinner. Ever
and anon we detected a mischievous glance of his
eye directed towards the inrouetting, curvetting
monster, upon which, [from sheer malice prepense,
or murderous intentions, we believe he had mounted
us. Now, it was sufficiently vexatious for a quon-
dam '^ M. F. H.'' to be so placed as to be precluded

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 183

the gratification of inspecting the hounds for fear
of his steed rushing in amongst them ; but we felt
also exceedingly uncomfortable in our exalted posi-
tion, from which the animal we were bestriding
appeared resolved to dislodge us as quickly as pos-
sible. Some men have a fancy for prancing horses,
to show off their horsemanship before ladies, and
this may do very well in Rotten Row, although
rather out of place at a meeting of foxhunters,
where such exhibitions do not find favour. It is
an established rule in the hunting-field, that no man
has a right to bring a kicking or riotous horse into
a crowd of others, or near the hounds. The risks
men encounter in the chase are great enough with-
out being subjected to the chance of having their
legs broken by a bad-terapered brute at the covert-
side. Finding it impossible to keep our Highflyer
in decent order, we were obliged to make ourselves
scarce, and watch the proceedings at a respectful
distance ; but no sooner did the cry of the hounds
on finding their fox arise, than he became ungovern-
able, and on breaking covert we were hurried along,
nolens voleiis, across a couple of fields, and over
a flight of hurdles, into a low gorse-brake, through
which Highflyer tore also, making fearful bounds ;
but the most darino- feat of all was his charo^in^ a
high, solitary thornbush, not even standing in his
path, in which it was an '^ all but '" that we had
not been left impaled amidst the branches. Scent
being bad, with little prospect of a run, we soon
took a line of our own straight to his owner's
stables, and have ever since entertained a whole-

184 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

some dread of being mounted by a friend. True,
there is an old saying about " your friend's horse
and your own spurs," but we never could find any
pleasure in riding strange horses. They neither
understand your way of doing business, nor you
theirs, so there must of necessity be doubts and
drawbacks until both become more intimately ac-
quainted. Scarcely any two horses go at their
fences in the same manner. Some are quite easy
to sit, others very difficult, a buck-jumper the most
difficult of all at first, but when you know how
your horse is going to set about it, you prepare
yourself for the spring.

Double bits are more generally used now than
formerly, especially in the grazing districts, where
horses are sent at their fences rushing wildly, like
a bull at a gate ; and where so little is done for
their education as hunters, it is better to have the
two strings to your bow. All horses will go easiest
to themselves, and their riders, if allowed to go
pretty much in their own way, and according to
their formation. Those with small heads neatly
joined to an arched neck, with oblique shoulders,
will go best in a snaffle bridle ; others with ewe-
necks or thick jowls require a double bridle to
hold them together. Others, again, carry their
heads so high as to require a martingale, but these,
if too tightly curbed — we might say unnaturally —
a good rider will see directly that his horse carries
his head as it is set on by nature, and humour him
in that inclination as far as necessary. Anything
impeding the action and free use of a hunter's-

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 185

limbs and lungs is wrong ; but it is better to ride
with a breastplate than draw the girths too tightly
to keep the saddle in its proper position. In hill
countries this appendage is more required, particu-
larly for light-bodied horses, but the attention of a
good horseman Avill be continually directed to its
not pressing too tightly on the neck, and that the
throat-lash is sufficiently loose ; the curb-chain also.
Perhaps half the men who go out hunting never
think of looking to these little matters, which, in
reality, are great matters to their horses ; but,
before mounting, a good sportsman always makes
a minute examination of these things, upon the
proper adjustment of which the comfort of his
horse so much depends. Unnecessary gear about
saddle or carriage horses should be avoided, and on
that account we prefer a single bit in his mouth,
and a saddle without martingale or breastplate
attached to it, since they may impede the progress
of your hunter in more wa^^s than one over a
stiffly- enclosed country. A padded saddle-cloth,
made of rough material on the upper side next
the saddle, will tend to keep it in its proper place,
and answer the purpose of the breastplate. Spurs
are considered by some as necessary appendages to
a man's boots, as much, perhaps, for ornament as
use, and may be required sometimes to keep a
horse straight at his fences ; but for a good hunter
au fait at his business, rarely indeed, since we
believe he will require no such persuaders to do
his best and keep as close to the pack as he pos-
sibly can of his own free will. In this respect,

186 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

the cry of hounds exercises the same influence over
the horse as it does over his rider, the difficulty
being rather to keep him within bounds, and check
his ardour. Having ridden for the greater part of
our hunting career without spurs, we have come
to the conclusion that they are not necessaries,
although they may be used as auxiliaries. A slug
may require a little pricking, but a free-going
hunter should never be spurred at any time ; and
we have, moreover, seen serious accidents from
their unintentional apphcation when going through
fences and coppices, by the foot being caught by
a stiff bough, and the spur pressed against the
horse's side. The heel of the boot or the voice
are quite sufficient to answer the purpose of adding
a little more energy to your horse, if required, and
with a lift of the hand and clip of the leg, his
spring may be assisted, and speed accelerated with-
out drawing blood.

As to the costume of a foxhunter, nothing can
be more appropriate or artistic than the leathers
and tops in use for so many years ; and although
the foshion in these times, the French jack-boot
is not less unsportsmanlike in appearance. It may
be more comfortable to the wearer, and possibly
turn aside a thorn from your knee, yet it cannot
equal the neatness of the old top-boot, so identified
with all our sporting reminiscences. Caps were
worn formerly chiefly by huntsmen and whippers-
in, being rather regarded as that distinguishing
headpiece or badge of office ; now they are adopted
by every sporting man who would be thought

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 187

a sportsman. The hunting- cap has its advantages
as well as disadvantages ; the head is better pro-
tected from external injuries by its shape and
stronger manufacture than that of hats, or the
numerous skull- defenders now in voo-ue. A blow
from the bough of a tree, which would knock your
hat off your head, and nearly your head off your
shoulders, would strike harmless against the firm
texture of the cap ; and in a fall you are less liable
to injury. The drawbacks to it are, that the sides
of yom" face and nape of your neck are more
exposed to the pitiless peltings of rain and sleet.
The cut and colour of a foxhunter's coat are matter
of taste, opinion, or profession ; scarlet has been
ever considered the most appropriate, as patronized
by I'oyalty some centuries ago, and it certainly
gives a gay and cheerful aspect, to the hunting- field.
Green is also assio-ned to the huntino- of deer and
hares ; but as it has been said that a good horse
cannot be of a bad colour, a good rider is certain
to make himself conspicuous in whatever cloth he
may appear ; and we have remarked that a " gen-
tleman in black '' can hold his own across country,
and compete w^ith his brothers in brighter hues.

Some years ago we were almost reconciled to
the yellow plush worn by the brothers Oldacre,
from their superior management of the old Berkeley
foxhounds, as huntsman and whippers-in. By the
foxhunters of the old school, a few little extras
were considered requisite to complete their equip-
ment for the field. The loose shoe was generally
attached to the saddle, in case of losses of this

188 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

kind. A small leather case, for eau de vie or
tincture of rhubarb, according to taste — the latter
having been, as reported, the usual cordial taken
by the great Mr. Meynell, when exhausted by the
fatigue of a long run. Be gustibus non dispu-
tandum. That a drop of eau de vie has stood us
in orood need when meetinsj with accidents in the
hunting-field, we can vouch for, and once in par-
ticular, when our fox took his line through a farm-
yard up hill, which, there being no other mode of
getting to the hounds by a high wall on either side,
we were obliged to follow. Our only means of
exit was through an open door — not a gate — and
being young, hot, and hasty at that time, without
considering the difference of rising ground, instead
of leading our horse through, which we ought to
have done, we had the temerity to ride him. The
consequences might have been seen had we allowed
ourselves a moment for reflection. In lowering our
head to pass under, the back of our neck came in
contact with the lintel, which, being rather old,
gave way ; but the concussion was so severe, that
finding ourselves on the point of fainting, we swal-
lowed the contents of our flask, and scrambling out
of the saddle lay flat on the grass.

A good pocket-knife may also be found of great
service, containing two strong blades, a picker, and
small punch, since tliere are occasions upon which
all may be required. A small lancet, in a case by
itself, should find a place in the other waistcoat-
pocket.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 189

CHAPTER XXIII.

The Kennel Register — Grenealogical book of reference — Breeding from
too near relationship — High courage in foxhounds indispensable —
Blood always tells — Interchange of civilities between masters —
Mutual confidence — Exchange of stud hounds — Belvoir, Bad-
minton, Brocklesby, and Milton packs — Braraham Moor and
Badsworth — Earl of Wemyss and Duke of Buccleuch — The new
Master of the Quorn — Huntsman's Diary — Earthstoppers — List
of hounds — Efficiency before numbers — Our first essay in the
field — Numerical strength a deception.

There are two books usually kept in. all foxhound
kennels of any pretensions to the lucidus ordo of
doinoj thinojs. One is the register of births and
parentage, the young hounds of every season's
entry being regularly inserted therein. This book
is carefully preserved and handed down from one
huntsman to another, although considered an heir-
loom in the family of the master, as proving the
genealogical descent of the pack. AVithout this
book to refer to, it would be impossible for a new
huntsman to go on breeding hounds with any
prospect of success, since too .near relationship
between sporting dogs of all kinds, particularly
foxhounds, has been discountenanced by all expe-
rienced sportsmen and masters from tlie earliest
periods. We have heard it asserted by breeders
of cattle, that breeding in-and-in, as it is called.

190 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

has not been found to act prejudicially to that kind
of animal ; and some go a point beyond, by saying
they are improved by it, in diminution of bone
and consequent increase of meat. This may be the
case, and, if so, is one reason more why such a
result is not desirable in breeding foxhounds, bone
being considered an indispensable by masters and
huntsmen, as well as plenty of muscle. The two
animals, in fact, are bred for wholly different pur-
poses, the one for an inactive short life, to put on
flesh and fat as expeditiously as possible, the other
to undergo work so long as he can work, and that
of the most severe kind. Beyond the decrease of
bone, which we have found to follow breeding too
closely in hounds and sporting dogs, their courage
is also diminished, which a foxhound should possess
in a high degree, or he is unfitted for his business.
He should never creep through a fence he can jump
over, and never give in or shut up, as huntsmen
say, at the end of the longest run. His courage
is also proved by resolutely facing blackthorn or
gorse coverts, a disinclination to draw which, shows
the white feather, or rather, a too soft skin. When
we say that a foxhound ought not to tire after a
severe day, we are supposing him to be in first-
rate condition, with muscular power and bone equal
to any labours, without which the spirit of a lion
would be unavailing ; but if thus fitted for the
chase, and he shows symptoms of weakness, there
must be somethino: amiss in his constitution or
pedigree. It is true that some hounds do a deal
more towards killing your fox than others, working

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 1 9 1

hard from the finding to the finish ; still, if highly
bred, they will never give in, even "when the
moon rides pale regent of the sky/'

From time immemorial every master of fox-
hounds has been conceded the privilege of breeding
from his neighbour's pack, or any more distant
ones, without payment of money, save the usual
fees to huntsmen and feeders, as a trifling remu-
neration for their attention to the ladies consigned
to their care for this purpose ; and so far from their
keep being charged, they live free of expense to
their owners during the short period of their
sojourn at the other master's kennel. This is a
custom we believe unknown to breeders of other
sporting dogs, showing the friendly feeling existing
between brother-masters anxious to promote the
common cause in so disinterested a matter. In
some cases reciprocal advantages may occur, but a
young master forming a new pack, may for years
be importer-general of the best blood from an
old-established kennel, without the power of
making any return whatever, since the owners of
old establishments would not think of sending to
those of late formation, and composed, as they
generally are, of draft-hounds. Before the intro-
duction of railways, we sometimes had to send
more than two hundred miles to a stud-hound of
high repute, the journey being performed by road
with horse and suit, and a trustworthv servant.
Whatever cause of annoyance to foxhunters in
other respects, railways are a great convenience to
them in the quick transit of horse and hound, at

192 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

half the expense formerly incurred. In transactions
of this kind (we do not mean railway shares, but
kennel shares) one master or huntsman places
himself quite at the mercy of the other ; but as
there is said to be honour amongst thieves, we are
quite sure of fair treatment from professors of the
noble science, whether masters or men, and our
practice was to leave it in the hands of the hunts-
man to cater for us in the best way he could. It
often happens in first-rate kennels that the seraglio
is usually filled, at certain periods of the year, by
ladies from other establishments courting the favour
of Sultan, the best stud-hound in the pack. Under
such circumstances, the wishes of all masters cannot
be gratified. There may be, however, a brother or
brothers of Sultan, not perhaps quite so celebrated
or so clever ; but, being of the same blood, perhaps
it would be better to avail yourself of their
services than be quite disappointed in your mission.
Knowing that such untoward events would some-
times occur, we generally provided for them by
writing the huntsman a full description of the
characters of the ladies sent to his kennel, re-
questing, if the hound we had selected was pre-
viously engaged, to give us the benefit of his
judgment, by using any other he could recommend.
Another course has also been adopted by masters
of foxhounds to obviate this inconvenience, in
lending or exchanging favourite stud-hounds for the
season — far more satisfactory, since they have by
these means the opportunity of judging by ocular
demonstration the true characters and working

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 193

propensities of the stud-hounds they desire to breed
from.

Of the numerous packs of foxhounds now and
for some years in existence, it would be invidious
and difficult to say which is the best, even could
such a conclusion be arrived at, although those of
the oldest date ought to take precedence of others
more recently formed as possessing the oldest blood.
The Belvoir and Badminton kennels have, for a
length of time, stood at the head of the list with
the Brocklesby and Milton packs, the latter having
reached the highest perfection under the judicious
manao'ement of their late talented and celebrated
huntsman, Sebright. Farther north, the Bramham
Moor pack lays claim to great antiquity, and are
hard-working, powerful hounds, fitted for any
country. The Badsworth again, under the scientific
mastership of Lord Hawke, for more than thirty
years have obtained well-merited notoriety. No
pack has shown more uninterrupted good sport,
season after season, for many years past, than that
belonging to the Earl of Wemj^ss, better known to
the sporting world as Lord Elcho. In Scotland,
the Duke of Buccleuch's establishment stands at
the head of the list, containing, as we are told, a
splendid pack of hounds. Retracing our steps
back to merry England, there are numerous other
packs, deserving more than cursor}^ notice, of which
we may have occasion to speak hereafter ; and we
are glad to find the Quorn kennels are again
occupied by a large number of the old pack, under
the new mastership of the Marquis of Hastings, to

194 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

•whom we wish all success in his very arduous
undertaking.

Next in order to the stud-book stands the
huntsman's diary, in which the events of each
day's sport ought to be registered, the weather,
place of meeting, foxes found, how many killed or
run to ground, scent good, bad, or indifferent, a
list of the hounds out for that day, with remarks
upon the work of each. The addendum of what
earths were stopped will also prove of great service
at the close of the season, showing to what re-
muneration every keeper or earth-stopper is en-
titled, without trusting entirely to their own little
accounts ; and when foxes have gone to ground in
any known head of earths, the pay should be
stopped, to make these gentry more careful for the
time to come. The excuse is often made by an
idle stopper of earths, that they had been opened
again, after being properly closed, by badgers and
poachers ; but as it is his business, for which he is
well paid, to see that they are rightly sealed early
in the morning, and unsealed again before night-
fall, there is no excuse for this carelessness,
particularly if the hounds meet near his covert,
where his presence is required. The greatest use,
however, of the huntsman's day-book, is in show-
ing the number of days each hound has hunted
throughout the season, and the manner in which
he has done his work. The faults committed also
are dotted down, with other remarks, at the time,
which, save for pen, ink, and paper, might escape
the memory long before the ides of March came

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 195

round again. A list of the hounds drawn for the
day's hunting should be carried in his pocket, so
that if any are missing, by reference to this slip of
paper, in calling over their names, he will at once
see which it is. In large establishments this may
be thought a work of supererogation ; but as the
huntsman has some leisure hours after returning to
the kennel, even supposing he hunts every day in
the week, sufficient time Avill be found for this
post-prandial occupation. The number of the
hunting pack will depend upon the body from
which they are drawn.

We are no advocates for useless incumbrances,
and although the great Mr. Meynell was wont, as
is said, to appear at the place of meeting with
some forty or fifty couples in his earlier days, he
lived to discover that this was a great mistake.
We consider eighteen 'couples the outside com-
plement to take into the field, no matter what the
country may be, either pasture or woodland, a
small body of hounds being more likely to hold
together than a large one ; and if they should
divide, eight or nine couples, if good, are sufficient
to kill the stoutest fox that ever bore a brush.
We first commenced our foxhunting career with
eight couples and a half only of draft-hounds —
odds and, ends from an old kennel ; but being
known to each other, they made a surprising fight
across country, and, strange to say, rarely missed
their fox, although, some being in their first season,
and others in their sixth and seventh, they could
not be said to go together like a flock of pigeons,

o 2

196 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

reminding us of Beckford's description of a similar
lot of hounds in his neighbourhood, which ran in a
long extended line, the scent being always recovered
by an old soutliern hound. If scratch packs, ill
matched, can give good accounts of their foxes,
eight or nine couples of really efficient hounds are,
save for the fashion and appearance of the thing,
quite sufficient for the purpose of hunting and
killing any fox. The great mistake in the present
day is to suppose that nothing can be done without
vast numerical strength in the kennel or the stable.
We hear of sixty, seventy, and even eighty couples
of hounds being kept in some large establishments,
with a corresponding number of horses and servants,
to hunt four days a week, whereas somewhere
about half that number would do the work more
efficiently, with an immense saving to the master.

I think we have before remarked that young
hounds cannot be worked too much, particularly
those of unsteady character ; and as long as they
can jump off their benches quickly, they will be
better hunting in the field than lying idle in their
lodging-room. Good old steady hounds, of well-
tried character, should be used more sparingly,
although every hound in the kennel, taking the
season throughout, should be able to show at the
covert-side at least two days in a week, except
from lameness or accidents.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTIXG. 197

CHAPTER XXIV.

"Tims on the air
Depends the hunter's hope. When ruddy streaks
At eve forbode a blust'ring stormy day,
Of low'ring clouds, blacken the mountain's brow,
When nipping frosts and keen biting blasts
Of the dry parching east menace the trees
With tender blossoms teeming, kindly spare
Thy sleeping pack, in their warm beds of straw
Low sinking at their ease. — Somerville.

Uncertainty of scent — Atmospherical changes — The Coplow run —
Much dust— Foxes in a quiescent state — Drawing up wind —
Making out the day — Let well alone — Etiquette between masters
of foxhounds — " Noli me tangere " — Catch him if you can.

Of all the uncertainties in this uncertain world,
there is none greater than that of scent, which
seems governed by no general rule, setting at nought
the conjectures and speculations of the oldest and
most experienced sportsman. There is no state of
atmosphere upon which we can confidently depend
for a good scenting day, and no state of ground.
"A southerly wind and cloudy sky'' may pi'oclaim
it a hunting morning, yet these prognostications
are rarely verified. We might naturally think
that a keen cutting east wind would certainly cut
off all communication between fox and hound, by
driving away and dissipating every particle of efflu-
vium escaping from the animal's body in his quick
transit over a hard and parched ground ; but we

198 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

have noticed a capital scent under circumstances
apparently so unfavourable. And what says the
writer of the old Coplow song? —

" The wind from nortli-east was forbiddingly keen."

Again, we should infer that a heavy fall of
snow would damp out and obliterate every trace
of scent ; but every year's experience teaches us
the fallacy of such inferences. Hounds run wildly
whilst the elements are in wild confusion around,
even whilst the ground is whitened by the falling
flakes. During the March winds, whilst the dust
in thick clouds is fl3^ing in their noses, the hounds
are seen flying over hard fallow fields. Scent, in
short, is a puzzle which none can unravel, a mys-
tery which none can explain, one of those pheno-
mena in nature which we know exists, and yet
cannot tell how exists ; and the next most won-
derful thing is, that fineness of nose with which
hounds and sporting dogs are endowed in following
on the track over which the game has passed so
long before. Evidently there are two kinds of
scent, one proceeding or exuding from the body
and breath of the animal when in motion, and
the other that left by the foot or pad. The first,
although the strongest of the two, is dependent
chiefly on the atmosphere, and fails more rapidly
than that left by pressure on the ground ; but the
strongest of all is where the game brushes through
grass, heather, or stunted gorse, to which these
floating exhalations will adhere, instead of being
dispersed into liquid air. Foxes in a quiescent
state emit little odour, apparently not so much as

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 199

hares, rabbits, and other game which pointers and
setters will find and stand at some distance ; and
drawino' over a fox is no uncommon occurrence.
On this account, when feasible, the draw should
be up wind, thus giving hounds every chance of
finding their game. This is not of easy accom-
plishment in our own time, from fixtures being
made generally the previous week, and therefore
we cannot follow Beckford's advice in this particu-
lar, as he suggests, by not going out hunting in
bad weather, unfavourable to hounds and scent.
We are obliged to take the rough with the smooth,
and whilst one pack may by good luck get the
best days for their sport, another may fix upon the
worst, as it rarely happens that two days in suc-
cession are equally bad. Although unable to do
as Beckford did, there is no necessity, when the
elements are combined to mar sport, and when
hounds really can do nothing, to persevere in draw-
ing coverts, and finding fox after fox to no purpose.
Such a proceeding is not only disheartening to
hounds, but wanton, by spoiling a good draw for
another day. Moreover, foxes finding they cannot
be pressed, acquire the bad habit of running short.
It does so happen sometimes that an unpropitious
morning is succeeded by a fine afternoon ; but
when the day turns out badly about twelve o'clock,
there is rarely any improvement afterwards ; and
there are days — and many too — during the season
when hounds and horses would be much better at
home.

We do not wonder that huntsmen get out of

200 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

temper when obliged, in deference to the wishes of
some influential man in the field, to keep drawing,
for the sole purpose, as it appears, of eking out the
day, for the gratification of those who have nothing
better to enofage their time ; and we have seen,
under such circumstances, what is called a sham
draw, the huntsman not wishing to find a fox, and
if he should, take the first opportunity of losing
him. Subscription masters are unfortunately so
dependent upon their supporters, that they can
scarcely be said to have a will of their own ; and
there are many of these men who stand out for
their money's worth ; and a day's hunting to them
is literally to be a day's hunting, or drawing, or
following hounds about from covert to covert, be
the weather ever so opposed to sport, unless rain
is falling in torrents ; the type of man who " won't
go home till morning" from a ball or festive enter-
tainment. To our mind, however, enough is as
good as a feast, and we have never been in the
habit of measuring sport by the hour, or continu-
ally drawing for fox after fox, until we could see
to draw no longer. Even on good scenting days
hounds may have too much of a good thing, and
if well bred and in condition, they will run and
hunt as long as they find foxes, yet not in the
same style as when above their work and flushed
with success. In these matters we ought not to
be guided by the watch, and when a run has
exceeded an hour with satisfactory results, dulce
doonitin should be the next order of the day.
If the weather is favourable to scent, and with

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 201

an early find, and jou kill your fox before twelve
or half-past, after thirty-five or forty minutes' burst,
there can be no objection to draw for another, when
hounds are in high feather, and their spirits ready
and willing. Never mistrust them then, for they
will assuredly — barring untoward events — give as
good an account of Number 2, although he may run
for a couple of hours or more. Afternoon foxes
are proverbially stouter runners than those found
in the morning, not because they are in reality
better in frame, but because, having enjoyed a
longer rest from the previous night's exertions in
seeking provisions for their larder, with longer
time for digesting their supper, they are equal to
go great lengths with their pursuers. There is
another turn also in their favour : scent generally
becomes worse towards the turn of the afternoon.
Hounds may keep on, running sometimes and
hunting sometimes, but, somehow or other, they
don't make that rapid progress they did in the
morning. Their speed also imperceptibly dimi-
nishes. Fast for one mile, slow for two, until by
a piece of good luck your fox may wait for you, or
a change from bad soil to good cause a diversion
in your favour. So long as a fox can maintain a
certain distance between his own corpus and the
pack, by slackening his pace the scent becomes less,
although we do not suppose this wily animal to be
cognizant of the fact, fact though it be.

Upon several occasions we have been enabled to
prove this by ocular demonstration. Once in par-
ticular, after a severe chase, on our fox ascending a

202 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

steep hill, we could witness liis every movement,
being nearly beaten. He was labouring up the
hill-side, sometimes stopping entirely, to look down
upon his on-coming foes ; and we noticed that on
those spots where he stood still, the scent failed
more than on any other part of the ground.
Being nearly beaten ourselves, and obliged to dis-
mount and walk our horse up the hill, we were
unable to improve our position but by lifting the
hounds forward to a view, a piece of generalship
allowable when running into your neighbour's
country to catch your fox before he reaches the
eartljs there. Our impatience may be imagined
upon so tempting an occasion, of which we were
so anxious to take advantage ; but knowing the
point to which he was bending, we contented our-
selves with watching his proceedings and husband-
ing our horse's strength for what we knew would
be the final strus^orle when once over the crest of
the hill. It happened as we expected. The fox
having got second wind, went off again at good
speed over the open down, and as his pace in-
creased, so pari j^ccssu increased the pace of the
hounds. There was nothing before us for miles :
not a fence nor even a ploughed field, and seeing
the point for which he was making, we took the
liberty of lifting our hounds with a short cheer or
two, of which, knowing the meaning, they caught
sight of their game, and never lost sight of him
again until they rolled him over on the plain.
There are occasions upon which huntsmen may
fairly take such liberties with a good pack of

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 203

hounds, without any ill effects, although the ''hark
halloa I " system, if frequently pursued, would
soon inevitably spoil them. A spirt of this kind
at the end of a long day rouses the spirits of
hounds and horses, and the former knowing by
their master's cheer and manner, when riding at
their head, that the fox is in view before them,
strain all their energies to the utmost. By the
law, or custom rather, of foxhunting, one master
has no right to send a whipper-in forward to stop
his neighbour's earths ; when the hunted fox's
point is evidently to reach that place of refuge, he
must catch him before he can find sanctuary there,
which is held to be sacred ground ; neither has
he any right to disturb the earth by pickaxe or
spade. It is considered fair, however, to dislodge
him when running into a small pipe or drain, if
he can be bolted by a stick or terrier ; although
this is sometimes looked upon as a casus belli, calling
for reprisals on the other side, which, for the com-
mon cause, ought to be avoided ; and we think it
far better to avoid collision — to do by our neighbour
as we should like to be treated ourselves ; and if
our hounds are running with a moderate scent for
one of his coverts, to stop them from entering it.
An act of courtesy like this jungit amicos servit-
que jundos. Masters are very sensitive upon this
point, and whatever they may say, they do not
like to hear of a fox being kiUed in their country
by another pack, although ever so fairly dealt with.
It is quite a difierent affair when hounds are on
good terms with their fox, and every prospect of

204« SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

catching liim before he can gain your neighbour's
covert. Catch him if you can then, by all means,
and as quickly as you can ; and this is one of the
occasions upon which a little extra excitement is
permissible, if not thought quite orthodox by some
old sportsmen of the regular hunting school.

We remember arousing the ire of an elderly
gentleman of this class by an enterprising act akin
to the one above related. We had been mnning
and hunting our fox alternately for about an hour
and twenty minutes over a variety of ground,
parts holding a fair scent, part fallow, with little
or none, when he set his head straight for a large
covert in our neighbour's country, which, withoufc
some change in our favour, he was bound to enter.
Being on high ground at this time, an old sports-
man cried out, pointing with his whip, " Yonder he
goes, my young master, over that common ; see
how the crows and magpies are ducking down
upon him! Notwithstanding, he does not appear
to be very much in a hurry, and with such a scent
you cannot overhaul him to-day.''

*' Then," we answered, " we must endeavour to
make the scent a little better."

" Ha, ha ! " he replied, " sooner said than done ;
he'll beat you now, to a dead certainty."

Our monkey being up, we took the hounds off
their noses, setting them down the hill, nearly at
the top of their speed, to a green lane, at the end
of which we guessed our fox must cross, in a line
with the covert, he being at that time rather to the
left of it. The ruse succeeded ; the hounds caught

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 205

sight of him as he jumped into the lane, and raced
him over three large enclosm'es, catching him just
before he reached the covert. Our elderly friend,
in coming up, when we handled the fox, expressed
his disapprobation at our summary proceedings,
muttering something about "its not being fox-
hunting,'' in reply to which we gave him a quota-
tion from his favourite Beckford : " a fair foxhunter
and a foolish one being synonymous terms." But
the only chance in unfavourable weather is to keep
as near as possible to our fox, since the faster he
flies the better will be the scent. It is generally
believed that rich pasture-land holds a far better
scent than a lighter and poorer soil. This, how-
ever, is not invariably the case, since it often hap-
pens in wet weather, that hounds can run harder
over down-land than across fields capable of grazing
a bullock. Neither has drainage — as might have
been supposed — effected any great improvement in
this respect, since we can remember fields, partly
covered with rushes and coarse grass, holding a
capital scent some years ago, which they have
failed to do now that they have been thoroughly
drained.

206 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XXV.

''Beware! the ditch still lurks unseen,
Which oft the cause of dire mishap has been;
But who can pause the dangerous leap to scan ?
Miltonia victa, would'st thou own the man ?
No — no — rush on, and ev'ry doubt defy —
^ Sans peur et sans reproche,'' the hunter's cry."

JMen, horses, and hounds adapted to country — The shires and the
provinces— Dick "Woodcraft and the Quorn — Comes to grief with
Ploughman — His soliloquy — The first check — Hark ! halloa ! — Up
and down wind — Dick Woodcraft assists in recovering the line —
Things improve — Fire and water — Tom Clearwell hors de combat
— Woodcraft takes the horn — Astonishes the field — Finish to the
run of the season — The mystery solved.

Particular countries require a particular sort of
hound suited to them ; and not hounds only, but
men and horses also ; for the most talented hunts-
man, transferred with his highflier out of Leices-
tershire or Northamptonshire, into Hants or Berks,
without an acquaintance with the peculiarity of
the country and the running of the foxes, would
find himself all abroad, and entirely out of his
element — and vice versa, take a good woodland
huntsman, from flints and fallows, and his little
spinnies of about two thousand acres each, down
into the shires, mounted on his famous hunter
Ploughman, everything would be different, and alto-
gether a different style of doing things to what he
had been accustomed. Large open pastures, with
rasping quickset fences and bullfinches, posts and

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 207

rails, to diversify the riding, and an occasional
brook, although not veiy wide, deep and nasty to
look at, with hollow banks ; patches of gorse, and
pretty little spinnies of three or four acres onh', in
place of interminable woods. Then the turn-out
at the meet. Huntsman and whips spruce, smart,
good-looking fellows, dressed as in their Sunday's
best, mounted on their bang-tailed, showing breed-
ing and condition good enough to run for the St.
Leger. Then the hounds, long lathy animals, with
plenty of bone and symmetry, and coats on their
backs soft and silky as moleskins. See how jaun-
tily and saucily they step along over the green-
sward to the covert, a piece of high gorse lying on
the hill-side, followed by a crowd of some two
hundred horsemen.

Dick Woodcraft looks aghast at the cavalcade
pressing upon him, and his favourite hunter shows
sjanptoms of fretfulness and impatience.

" Oh ! " quoth Dick, " I'm a-thinking there'll be
some queerish work presently amongst these gents
on their prancing nags, and Til just keep as near
the hounds as may be, where 'tis likely very many
of these fierce-looking chaps won't be, if there's a
bit of scent." Well, they reach the gorse ; with a
wave of the huntsman's hand, and a low " Hoic in
hoic ! " eighteen couples disappear — a whimper is
soon heard — then another note or two — a screech
at the farther end, a crack of the whip from Jack
— and they are away. Dick Woodcraft has not
time for thinking now, he is hurried along in the
front rank on Ploughman, frantic with excitement

208 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

at the din and clatter in his rear ; but the first-
flight men, on their thorough-breds, rapidly draw-
away from the cocktail, and ere the hounds have
gone two miles, Dick Woodcraft is out of the race,
and brought to grief by his own hunter trying to
take an upright quickset, with double ditches, as an
on and off, more suo, and his master, whilst lying
on his back, is gratified by the sight of four bright
horseshoes glittering over his head. Dick did not
require a second hint of this kind to remind him
that he was not then in Hampshire, or amongst
Hampshire sportsmen, so he picked himself and
Ploughman up as quickly as possible, and jumping
into the pigskin, sailed away again.

" Now, Ploughman,'' quoth Dick, " I think we
can show these grand Quornites a trick. It's no
use riding in their wake ; at such a pace the hounds
are running we can't catch 'em — that's out of the
question ; but if they don't kill their fox in ten
minutes more, he'll turn down wind to a dead
certainty, so here goes for a nick in, our only chance
of seeing them again ; besides which Ploughman
fancies himself in that vale between Greatwood and
Wallop, taking it for granted that there must be a
bank between two ditches — so now we have it all
to ourselves, I'll just switch him at his fences, and
take that conceit out of his head, which, by the
way, is a trifle too heavy for this sort of thing — in
short, 'tis no use mincing the matter, a half-bred
one can't go in this country."

Thus soliloquized Dick Woodcraft, a clever, intel-
ligent huntsman, amidst flint fallows and faggot-

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 209

sticks, as he turned right awcay from the line others
were following into one of his own choosing, prick-
ing Ploughman aloDg and teaching him to take his
fences. Dick's conjectures proved correct as to the
event of this furious burst up wind ; the fox, finding
he could not hold it any longer, turned short away
to the right for another point, in the direction Dick
was riding, crossing a large open pasture just in
view of him.

*'Ha, ha!" he chuckled, "just as I thought; that's
our friend, and no mistake, although I never see
him before. He's in a terrible fluster, but I shan't
holler him yet ; let Ploughman get his wind first.
But where are the hounds ? — I can't hear one of
^em."

Ah ! where were the hounds ? — Making a
swinging cast forward, after having passed across
one large field without an atom of scent. Tom
Clearwell, their huntsman, was still holding them
on, trying to recover the scent in a semicircle, when
Jem, the first whip, whose ears were always open
to squalls, rode up to him, saying, " Master, I think
I hear a halloa to the right of us, down wind, but
■'tis very faint."

" Then be off, Jem, whilst I make sure of my
ground, and if it's all right, give us the ofiice."

Jem went ofif like a shot, and as he neared Dick
Woodcraft another view-halloa greeted his ear,
about which there could be no mistake, and his
own scream came forth in such shrill response, that
Tom, catching them up, rode wildly off" to the point,
Dick still vociferating with might and main.

210 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

" Where's lie gone ? " asked Jem, still keeping
in advance, as lie reached the spot where sat
Woodcraft, coolly contemplating this new scene of
pastures green.

" Across this field,'" was the reply ; " and he
jumped the fence close to that ash-tree yonder/'*

" How long ago ? "

"Fifteen minutes, at least/'

" Then it's no go — we can't recover him/'

" I will, if your hounds are worth their pud-
ding."

" Pray, sir," asked Jem, " what may you be
pleased to call yourself? Miracles are out of date
in this countiy/'

" One who has hunted hounds before you were
born, you fool I" was Dick's indignaijt rejoinder.

" Well, uncle," quoth Tom, " I thought we
should never see you again."

" Turned up like a trump, at last," said Dick ;
" but now put 'em down at the fence by that old
ash-tree, and they'll hit it then at once ; give 'em
time, Tom, and let's see if they can hunt as well as
run. Any curs can do the last. Up wind, with
a burning scent close to your fox's brush, and
down wind a long way behind him, are very
different affairs."

The flyers did not relish the change, and a few
old hounds only felt disposed to work on the line,
which they did, rather improving their pace for
two or three fields. The fast men were beginning
their usual murmurings about " deuced slow," " a
good day lost, "&c., when the master said, "Give

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 211

him up, Tom, and draw for another ; it's no use
persevering with this cold scent/'

^' He is taking a good line, my lord, pointing
for the Belvoir country ; and if we can get on
better terms we shall have a capital run/'

" Never mind, stop the hounds ; he will do for
another day."

" I would kill him,'' said Dick, *' as sure as he's
got a brush, if I had my way with him."

"Who's that old gentleman?" inquired the
master, hearing Dick's bold assertion.

" My uncle, my lord," replied Tom, touching his
cap ; " sent down by his master in Hants to see how
we do things here/'

" Then, by Jove ! he shall have his way.
What's his name ? "

" Dick Woodcraft," my lord.

Riding up to him, the master said, "So you
say you could recover this fox, and kill him, pro-
vided you have your own way ? You shall have
it ; go on."

" Thanks, my lord," touching his hat continually
all the time he was addressed ; " but, begging your
lordship's pardon, when they begins to run again
I can't keep company with them on this old-
fashioned hunter/'

" Ah ! I see, — good, no doubt, in the rough
country you come from ; but we will set you right
in that respect. Tom, let your uncle have your
second horse."

" Yes, my lord ; " and in a minute Dick had
deserted Ploughman, and was standing b}^ the

p 2

212 SYSTEM OF KENXEL AND

side of his new hunter, looking to the girths, bridle,
&c., to see all was right before mounting.

" He's as tall as a tree ! '' was his first remark.
" Here, Will, give us a leg up, or a rope ladder,''
and he was launched by the second horseman into
his saddle.

" Now, Mr. Woodcraft,'' said Will, " mind, if you
tumbles out of the tree, you won't find another
chap to help you up again."

" Thank'e, Will, for your lift and advice," and
away went Dick to join his nephew and the cr}^,
which had beo-un to swell into somethino; more
ike a chorus, than a chop now and then by the
old ones. " We are warming up a little, Tom,
Well done, old woman ! " he cried, seeing Bounty
press forward to the front. " Have at him, my
beauties ! Hoic, together hoic ! " and Dick lent
them a cheer which seemed to electrify the pack
as well as the field.

" W^ho the deuce is that old fogey on Tom's

horse, hunting the hounds ? " asked Mr. G of

Lord'w .

" Some fellow from the Blue Mountains, come
down to give us a lesson. We were going to draw

for a fresh fox, when S overheard him making

some remark about giving up a good one for the
chance of finding a better, declaring he would kill

him if he had his own way. So S said he should

have it. That's all I know of the matter. He
seems a lively old bird, but is sure to fail in the
fencing department, when hounds run. They are
getting on, however, and so must we."

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 213

" I sfiy, Tom/' cried Dick, as they were nearing
a rasper, " does this nag of yours want much
looking after ? "

" None at all, uncle ; give him his head, and he
will skim over everything like a swallow ; but he
won't stand pulling up at his fences. "We don't
do things in that fashion down here — haven't time
for it."

The fox having recovered his wind by running
down wind, now turned his head apparently for his
first point, and having lingered awhile in a small
osier bed, through which he passed, the hounds
came out the other side in full chorus, going away
at a good rattling pace ; when, hearing the cry,
the cavalcade of horsemen began pressing upon
them, as is their practice in fast countries, fearing
they would give them the slip.

" One minute, gentlemen, if you please," pleaded
Tom for his darlings. " Let 'em settle down once
more, and we shall do."

" Hold hard ! " roared Dick. " Hang it, gentle-
men, hold hard ! " as half a dozen fire-eaters were
right in amongst the hounds.

" It's no use rating them, uncle, we can't stop
'em ; but there is something t'other side of that
fence that will do it for us."

" Oh 1 I see, water ! Wide, Tom ? "

" Not very, but deep and muddy ; let him go,'*
and with a cheer to the pack now dashing head-
long into it, both were landed on the right side,
and on looking back, the fire-eaters were seen
cooling themselves in the stream ; but the select

214 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

few had drawn ahead in their places, riding, how-
ever, wide of the hounds. On ascending the hill
— more like a mole-hill than a mountain — they
brushed through a patch of gorse, and thence the
race began afresh, with heads up and sterns down,
for a couple of miles, when the eagle eye of Dick
perceived they had overshot the mark in the
middle of a grass-field.

" Steady, Tom ! "' he exclaimed, " there's no scent
afore those young uns : here it is, to the left.
All ! old Bounty has it ! " and with a cheer, to
which the pack wheeled round in an instant, they
were again scouring away.

'^ Well done, uncle ! " cried Lord S . " That

eye of yours has saved Tom's head, and ten
minutes to boot. Now we shall handle him."

*' I think so too, my lord ; but he ain't beat
yet."

A mile farther on another check at a green lane,
into which the fox had jumped, going only half
way across it, and the leading couples, in hot haste,
dashing over the opposite fence, with Tom along-
side of them.

" Here it is, down the lane ! " cried Woodcraft,
seeing a couple of old hounds turn short under the
hedge.

'' Put 'em along. Jack," cried Tom, with a toot-
toot on his horn, and away he rode, full tilt, with
the pack at his horse's heels, straight across the
field. A cheer told that his ruse had succeeded.
He had rightly guessed the fox's line, and gained
a hundred yards upon him by this bold stroke.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 215

" Ay, ay, master Tom ! '' muttered Dick, " that
hit or miss sort of thing wouldn't do over our
flints and fallows ; but the young dog has got the
start of me through that trick," and our hero
laboured hard to catch them again, for some little
time in vain. Tom, however, was soon in diffi-
culties with a large flock of Leicester sheep, which
seemed bent on hunting his fox for him, and did
so to the fence, before Jem and Jack could divert
them from their purpose. Tom was not deterred
by this misadventure, but holding them forward, as
usual, with a swinging cast, just missed the upper
corner of the field, where two fences met, and
which the fox had threaded. Dick had time now
to recover lost ground, and on coming up he found
a hard- riding sporting yeoman, off his horse,
standing in that corner of the field.

"Killed him?'' asked Dick.

" Oh ! no, he is not half killed yet ; but if I
know anything about foxhunting, here is the line
of our fox, towards which some of the hounds were
inclining, when Clearwell hurried them away ; and
here I shall remain until he finds out his mistake."

" Why don't you halloa him back, then ? "

*' Not I ; he knows too much or too little to
suit my ideas of what a huntsman ought to be."

Woodcraft, feeling impatient, whilst the fox was
running in one direction and the hounds trying
in another, could not forbear a loud " Yoi-haut ! "
(pronounced long as Y-o-i-i-h-a-u-t), signifying, in
hunting parlance, hold hard and try back, and
Tom, taking the hint, wheeled round towards the

21 G SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

spot where Dick was posted ; but, in galloping
back, his horse put his fore-leg into a rabbit-stop,
and a heavy fall w^as the result, by which he was
so shaken that he could scarcely get up again.
Seeing he was more hurt than he liked to confess,
the master desired Woodcraft and Jem to go on
with tlie hounds, leaving Jack to take care of his
huntsman. Much time was lost by this unfortu-
nate accident, but Tom, declaring he should be all
right, and with him again, Dick obeyed orders by
recovering the lost ground at a hunting pace,
resolved now to keep the hounds' noses down ;
and thus he persevered, until they began running
pretty briskly into the Belvoir country. They
had flocks of sheep and other impediments thrown
in their way, yet he held them on through all,
without taking them quite off their noses, and the
few who now followed the hounds began to wonder
how a stranger to their country could do such
strange things.

" Now, mind," said Dick to Jem, the first whip,
" we shall be in the Belvoir home- wood directly.
Take care you don't halloa a fresh fox ; ours has
had nearly enough of it/'

Dick proved a true prophet ; the fox entered at
the east end of the covert, not half a mile before
the pack, and they raced him up the long drive at
such a rate, that he had no time to turn right or
left, and away he went down into the vale, where
they ran from scent to view, rolling him over in
the open, before he reached the village of Botsford,
Dick never having: been thrown out of the tree

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 217

until lie vacated it of his own accord to handle his
fox.

" Well done, indeed !" exclaimed the master, in
an ecstasy of delight ; " you have redeemed your
pledge gloriously, Woodcraft. The run of the sea-
son, or of any season, something like the old Coplow,
though not quite so long, and the wind in the same
quarter ; but how could you guess so well the line
of your fox ? ''

" I was whipper-in to Mr. Goosey, the duke's
huntsman, for three seasons,'' was his reply.

" Ah ! the mystery is explained now," added the
master.

218 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XXVI.

" At length an old chest that had long lain hid
Was brought to light — they rais'd the lid, —
A skeleton form lay mould'ring there,
In the bridal robes of the lady fair." — Mistletoe Bough.

Different standards of foxhounds — The Craven and H. H. packs
-The late Sir John Cope and his rattlers — Bramshill, and the
old oak chest — The multum in ^nirvo — Hounds changing countries
— Mr. Osbaldiston and Sebright in Hants — The two celebrated
squires and their exploits — "Mors omnia vincit."

All foxliounds are not equally suited to all coun-
tries ; and altliougli a low standard, in comparison
with that of former years, is now the fashion, not
exceeding twenty-four inches in height, with con-
sistent bone and power, yet even that would be
considered out of place in many districts. Where
large woodlands form the chief feature of any
country, with continuous hills, a hound of twenty-
one or twenty-two inches will be found to answer
the purpose far better than one of larger dimensions,
provided he has power and courage for the work,
since covert-huntinor is the most laborious and
trying — far more irksome than running all day in
the open. A small, or rather low hound can follow
his game through all the menses and intricacies of
the thickest woods without being obliged to exert
himself so much as one of greater height ; for, in-
stead of breasting the briars and blackthorns, he is

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 219

enabled to creep under them, and in gorse-co verts

he has on this account a decided advantage over

larger hounds. In a flinty country also he can

travel much more easily, where Aveight tells against

a big one by his feet being sadly bruised against

these sharp obstacles lying so thickly over the

fields. The late Mr. Ward, it is true, hunted the

Craven country for many years with a very large

and heavy sort — the largest pack of foxhounds in

those days ; but he must have known and seen

that they were little adapted to the country from

the number of lame hounds always in hospital

during the season ; and in dry weather a third of

the hunting pack would become invalided, after a

hard day, with bruised feet, the only remedy for

which used by their huntsman was to let 6ut the

blood from the ball of the foot, by means of a sharp

incision of his penknife. Through this surgical

operation the hound was of course unfitted for

work again until the wound healed. There were

two reasons for Mr. Ward persevering with this

large sort of hound in such a country. The first,

that he had, throughout his earlier career as M.F.H.,

been accustomed to breed hounds of large size, well

suited to the grazing districts he had previously

hunted, and on chano-incr countries he did not choose

to change his style of hound.

Perhaps there was another, not confessed, although
suspected : knowing heavy hounds could not run
away from him when more advanced in years, and
become slower himself over those flints and fd\-
lows ; in confirmation of which we remember a

220 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

remark made by him when looking over the hounds
of the hate Mr. Villebois, who then hunted the
H.H. country with a pack the very reverse to his
own, pecuharly suited to their country as to height,
cleanness of limb, and hunting qualifications — in
short, we do not remember any hounds of that
day so well calculated to hunt a rough country.
The two masters were canvassing the merits of an
individual in the lady pack, remaikable for great
beauty and symmetry, when Mr. Ward said, " Yes,
she is surpassingly handsome ; but eighteen stone "
(meaning himself) " could not see which way that
hound went.'' It would have been no easy matter,
however, even supposing Mr. Ward had the dis-
position to breed hounds of a smaller sort, since it
has been invariably found that like begets like,
and he could not have reduced his standard without
great trouble for many years. Although so large,
they still would hunt, and did hunt, as low a scent
as beagles ; and we believe for a period of eighteen
years they fought on this uncongenial soil, killing
on an average their forty brace of foxes annually
— no very easy conquest with an abundance of
game and heavy woodlands.

The most attractive features of that country
were, however, the jovial-looking faces at the place
of meeting, which were wont to assemble again in
the evening at the festive board, the Craven at
that time having obtained the character of being
the best six o'clock country in England. Adjoin-
ing this, on the eastern side, lay that part of
Berkshire then occupied by Sir John Cope, of

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTIXG. 221

Bramsliill, who possessed a pack neither resembling
Mr. Ward's nor Mr. Yillebois', but between the
two. We should not have called them very close
liunters, or gifted with very extraordinary nasal
qualifications, but they were remarkably quick in
their work, and committed havoc amongst the
foxes. At Bramshill we were shown a long old-
fashioned oak chest, standing in the picture gallery,
where it is said the Lady Lovel was suffocated,
"when playfully hiding from her lord, as related in
the song under the title of " The Mistletoe Bough.''
When lifting the lid a shudder crept over us, to
think that one so young and fair should have met
with such a dreadful fate.

At that time the Vine hounds, kept by Mr.
Chute, were in the zenith of their power, quite tlie
onuHum in parvo sort, low on the leg, with plenty
of bone and muscle, and so distinguished for their
performances in the field, as well as ancient descent
from very old blood, that even Mr. Ward did not
hesitate occasionally breeding from them ; and later,
Mr. Assheton Smith showed us a hound. Radical,
which he obtained from the Vine kennel, the most
powerful and clever dog we have ever seen for his
inches. These hounds, accustomed to a rough
country, would, as a matter of course, if taken
into a good scenting one, with grass instead of
flinty fallows beneath their feet, acquit themselves
most creditably, although for the shires a larger
kind of hound has been found better able to con-
tend with the obstructions of stiff fences and
heavier land, where little hounds and little horses

222 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

are generally in difficulties, from constant strain
upon their exertions. When, however, a good pack
of hounds is transferred from the grazing districts
to flinty hills and large woodlands, the change
cannot fail to operate most unfavourably upon
them. The late Mr. Osbaldiston tried this experi-
ment many years ago, when removing his estab-
lishment into the Hambledon country, where he
'anticipated an easy victory over the Hampshire
foxes. A better pack of hounds could not be ; and
of the Squire himself, as a huntsman, or Tom
Sebright, it were needless to say more than we
have written before. Nothing could be more per-
fect than the whole staff: and yet what did they
effect ? How many foxes succumbed to this for-
midable array of men, horses, and hounds, all the
very first class ? The noses were so easily counted,
that the cleverest of all huntsmen retired in diso:ust,
and acknowledged his defeat.

Some years after, his rival brother-master, Asshe-
ton Smith, commenced forming his establishment at
Tedworth, on the borders of the same county ; and
we remember that for two seasons it was a very
up-hill game for him to fight, his hounds coming
from grass countries. . But having resolved to live
for the residue of his days at his old family place,
he set resolutely and patiently to work, and his
usual success attended his efforts. For the first
season his chief, and we may add sole dependence
rested upon a very large old badger-pied hound,
named Solomon, given to him by Mr. Ward, upon
his resigning the Craven country. This hound

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 223

was indeed rightly named, possessing the wisdom
of Solomon in all hunting matters ; and without
his assistance we have heard his master declare
he never should have killed a fox at that time
in his newly-adopted country. Having been ac-
customed to large hounds, Mr. Assheton Smith
showed great reluctance to lower his standard, but
experience soon convinced him of this necessity.
It was, however, a work of time, since the dog-
hound would give evidence of their descent from a
large sort ; but the lady pack, after a few years,
became exceedingly level, averaging from twenty-
two to twenty-three inches in height ; and up to
the time of Mr. Smith's decease, no hounds in any
rough country have ever shown greater sport, or
killed more foxes. When running over those
flinty fallows, we have noticed them, as well as
other hounds in like localities,' keeping to the
furrows, if possible, to avoid cutting their feet ; but
on reaching a piece of down-land or old clover ley,
they would then spread out and carry a good head.
Many have been the runs recorded in Bell's Life of
this pack forcing their fox through Collin bourne
woods, Thackham, and Dowles — all coverts of im-
mense size — and killing him in the open. A very
valuable addition to his kennel was also made by
the purchase of the late Duke of Grafton's hounds,
which were of a hardy, wiry nature, and indefati-
gable in their work. Mr. Assheton Smith lived
long enough to see his hopes and expectations fully
realized in the formation of a new country, with
a splendid pack of hounds exactly fitted for it ;

224? SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

and we have often heard him declare, that he never
enjoyed better sport, or saw longer runs, when
hunting the far-famed Quorn country, than over
the nmch-despised flinty hills of Hants and Wilts.
Of Assheton Smith himself, and his rival, Osbal-
diston, so lately consigned to the tomb, nothing now
remains but the fame of their extraordinary ex-
ploits by flood and field, which will be handed down
through succeeding generations of sportsmen, until
foxhunting shall be no more.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 225

CHAPTER XXVII.

** Hounds stout, and horses healthy,
Earths well stopped and foxes plenty."

Earth-stoppers and keepers — Barring out for the season — A failure —
The earth-stopper and his pony of olden time — Gamekeepers —
Their perquisites and tricks — Game preservers and foxes —
Turning down cubs — Previous treatment — Mange in foxes — IVIain
earths in sandy soils — Yiper buried for ten days — Badgers and
their habits.

Eaeth-STOPPERS are necessary appendages to every
foxhunting establishment, without whose assistance
huntsmen and hounds w^ould not be able to get on,
or show good sport. There are days when foxes
prefer basking in the sunshine to lying underground,
but rarely do we find such days ; during the depth
of winter, and in boisterous or rainy weather, they
will, if possible, hide themselves beneath the surface
of the soil somewhere, either in the regular head
of earths, large rabbit-burrows, or old drains. The
experiment has been tried by more than one master
to block up the earths entirely throughout the
season, directins^ those whom it ouojht to concern
to keep them thus closed until the end of the
campaign, when the doors were again to be thrown
open to the lawful tenants of the domicile, or any
other visitors. This had a twofold object, first, to
ensure the earths being properly stopped, since

Q

226 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

earth- stoppers are very loth to turn out of bed in
the middle of a cold wintry night, and, unless the
earths are stopped between the hours of ten o'clock
at night and two o'clock in the morning, there is
no certainty of barring foxes out ; the other object
in view was to diminish the expense, by giving
so much per annum to the man so employed, in
place of the half-crown or dollar for each night's
work. This plan failed on both counts. Foxes
bred underground will lie underground, and when
stopped out of their old haunts will find other
places of refuge unknown to earth -stoppers or
keepers, and there remain "perdu for the season, or
be trapped by poachers ; and the earth-stoppers,
deprived of the usual emoluments appertaining to
their office, turned restive, and became indifferent
about preserving foxes. There can be no doubt as
to the bad policy of offending these men, upon
whose willing co-operation so much of our sport
depends, and for their work, if fairly executed,
they are entitled to a fair recompense.

The earth-stopper of olden times is rarely to be
met with now : this man was formerly a servant
belonging to the establishment, to whom the super-
vision over a large tract of country was confided,
a pony being kept for him by the master, and it
was his duty to be continually going the rounds of
all the coverts in which there were any heads of
earths, to see that no poaching or trapping was
carried on, in winter and summer alike. During
the breeding season he had his time fully occupied
in visiting and looking after sundry litters of cubs.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 227

for which he was held responsible, and during the
winter months stopping the earths. Such a situa-
tion could not be considered a sinecure, for it
entailed upon him the worst of all work — night
work ; as a reward for which, however, he had the
privilege of seeing his foxes found occasionally on
his rough pony, when not overtired with the
previous night's exertions in barring them out,
although not able ofttimes to see a run, unless of a
very slow character, in which from knowledge of
country and the line of foxes, he would sometimes
cut a conspicuous figure.

In cub-hunting lay his chief amusement : first
stopping the earths and then awaiting the arrival
of the hounds at the covert-side about four o'clock
in the morning, and after being in at the death
of a cub or two, he returned to his breakfast, the
remainder of the day being at his own disposal.
The picture of this sporting character of bygone
days is still present to our mind, accompanied by
his rough terrier, with a spade thrown over his
right shoulder, and holding in the other hand a
lantern, the rein hanging loose on his pony's neck.
In this respect things are now greatly changed —

" Otliello's occupation's gone."

Gamekeepers claim the right of stopping earths
in the coverts over which they are appointed
protectors, and in non-preserved localities the
woodman has the same privilege ; in others of
small extent hedgers and ditchers employed on tlie
farm undertake the business. The latter class of

Q 2

228 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

men are more to be depended upon than the
gentlemen in velveteen, whose demands, if serving
under non-hunting proprietors, or renters, are most
extortionate, and beyond this there is little chance,
pay as you may, of inducing them to act fairly and
honestly. They tell you long stories about foxes
devouring their perquisites — rabbits — by wholesale,
and taking hen-pheasants off their nests, whereby
their complement of that kind of game is so
reduced that they are obliged to purchase eggs
elsewhere. The master of the hounds has no
alternative in such cases but to satisfy, or rather
pay these mxen large sums annually for litters of
cubs bred in their woods, and a handsome douceur
for every fox found afterwards. The cubs are kept
until found by the hounds, at least some of them.
The keeper boasts of his forbearance in preserving
them, ])ut they are found no more. He has got
his two guineas, and destroys those that remain
immediately after, and the old vixen also, if she is
to be caught. His guinea for foxes found during
the hunting season he considers tolerably secure,
since foxes, when routed from adjoining coverts, are
sure to seek shelter in quiet places, and where they
have little trouble in providing themselves with
food.

These tricks cannot be played under proprietors
honourably disposed towards foxhunting. Under
them keepers must have a good show of game as
well ns foxes — and they have them. Not very
long ago we knew a large landed proprietor who,
nut hunting himself, took very little concern about

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING, "229

foxes, although professing to preserve them for his
neighbour, Avho kept foxhounds. Upon his pro-
perty there were several good coverts and heads of
earths, which had, from time immemorial, produced
several litters of cubs ; in short, it was what is
called " foxy ground," yet here were no foxes now
to be found. The master, on making remon-
strances, year after year, was met with this re-
joinder— " I give my keepers orders not to kill
foxes, and am assured by them they do not. Can
you prove the contrary ? ''

" Yes," was the reply ; " a fox was brought
to me yesterday with a trap on his leg, which has
your mark upon it, and this, I presume, is pre-
sumptive evidence that your keepers do gin foxes,
although it is done, as you say, contrary to your
orders. Here is the trap with your initials, and
the maker's name. The fox died from mortification
last night.''

" Well, I will make inquiries about it," was the
satisflictory answer to this remonstrance.

The result was, the head keeper denied having
set the trap, saying it must have been stolen from
their woods by some poacher, and used by him for
this purpose somewhere out of their bounds ; and
the master of the hounds, finding the master of
the coverts so little disposed to sift the matter
farther, gave up the point. Some two years after,
this gentleman, tired with preserving, let the
shootinof over his coverts and lands to a oenuine
sportsman, fond of hunting as well as shooting,
whose first act was to discharge all the old keepers

230 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

given to these malpractices, and put fresh men in
their places, telling them, unless they kept plenty
of game for himself and friends, with foxes also,
for the amusement of his neighbours, they would
not continue very long in his service ; and to
show his determination about the preservation of
the latter, he gave several young cubs at the spring
of the year to his head keeper, with directions to
put them into the main earths, and there feed them
with rabbits until they could provide themselves.
We need scarcely mention that the hounds never
afterwards drew those coverts blank.

In turning down cubs, certain precautions are
necessary to insure their safety, and before being let
loose they ought to be kept, until two months old, in
some large airy building, with a few faggots in one
corner, or a box — not one ever used by dogs — to
hide themselves under. If taken very young, new
milk must be given them night and morning, and
a young rabbit or two, skinned, left for their
supper at night. If of good size, then water will
be better ; but it must be clean and fresh every
day, and clean hay or straw for their bedding, to
be changed every other day. In their natural
state, foxes are of very cleanly habits, and if
neglected or confined in too small a place when
young, they will become mangy, and certainly die
when turned out. The mange in these animals is
of a very different character to the disease so
common to dogs. It generally affects the back,
loins, and brush in the form of large scabs, the hair
falls off, and we have rarely known an instance

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 231

of the stronsrest old fox recovering^ from this
malady. It has been supposed that the cause of
this disease is attributable to a sudden chill after a
severe chase. There is some reason in this sup-
position ; but, however engendered, it is evidently
contagious, since we have known foxes generally
affected by it in certain districts ; and cubs, if
confined too long in close places, without plenty of
air, will assuredly become mangy. Before turning
them down in main earths, careful examination
should be made that no badgers or old foxes fre-
quent these strongholds, or they will kill these
strange cubs immediately. All the pipes or out-
lets, save one, must then be stopped up with
stones or brushwood, and the main entrance left
open until the cubs are placed therein, which must
then be closed also with rough stones, so arranged
that the air is not excluded, with sufficient space
for a pan of water and food being placed inside.
By keeping the cubs thus shut in for two days and
nights, and fed regularly at the same hour — eight
o'clock in the evening — they will become accus-
tomed to their new home, and there remain ; but if
default is made by the man to whose care they
are entrusted in supplying them without fail every
night with rabbits, they will wander away in
quest of food, and most likely be starved to
death.

Sand is the most healthy of all soils for foxes,
and the underground lab3rinths in an old head
of earths of this description are really astonishing.

232 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

Tier upon tier or floor after floor of passages and
lodging-rooms, to the depth sometimes of twelve or
fourteen feet, when lying against a sandy hill, have
been exposed to our view ; and once, in particular,
we remember employing three men for a week in
digging for a favourite terrier which had gone to
ground after a fox. So various were the windings,
that we were obliged to give up further excavations
in despair ; and at the end of the ninth day, during
which time the dog had been buried in the bowels
of the earth, he emerged, a perfect skeleton, bones
and skin only, but with the greatest possible care
he recovered. The cause of his long confinement
was that the fox kept throwing up sand in his
way as a barrier between them, which the dog in
turn had to throw behind him, thus unconsciously
burying himself deeper and deeper, until a return
became impossible ; but fortunately we had cut
across his track, thus giving him an opportunity of
escape. Badgers are the chief excavators of these
subterranean cavities, for which purpose they are
naturally qualified by their long claws, resembling
those of a mole ; and it is an old saying " that
badgers, like fools, make houses for foxes and
sensible people to live in." These very beautiful
and harmless animals having, however, been put
into the keeper's catalogue of vermin, are rarely
now, if ever, met with in this fell destroyer's
precincts, although everybody knows, who knows
anything about natural history, that the badger is
supplied with these claws by nature to dig his

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 233

food out of the earth, as well as dig his hole into
it. On passing by hedge-rows or banks in the
fields, not very far distant from his home, the
claw-work of the badger is manifested by sundry
routings after roots, and dumbledore nests, of
which they are particularly fond. Keepers give
them bad names, that they may be allowed to
destroy or catch them for the purpose of that
most cruel and barbarous of all amusements,
badger-baiting, which, although forbidden by law,
under Mr. Martin's act, is nevertheless carried on
in what is called "sporting houses.'' The badger,
like the fox, prowls about at night in search of
food, but he does not, like the fox, ever venture
far from the covert-side, and although acquitting
him of bloodthirstiness, they will commit depre-
dations on the farmers' produce of peas and beans
during the summer and autumn months ; but when
winter sets in they retire, like the dormouse, to
some warm shelter under the earth, where they
remain in a half-torpid state, seldom venturing
from their comfortable nests of reeds and grass
collected in the summer, unless forced out by
hunger.

Oliver Goldsmith, in his description of the badger,
calls it, " like the fox, a carnivorous animal, and
nothing that has life comes amiss to it. It sleeps
the greatest part of its time ; and thus, without being
a voracious feeder, it still keeps fat, particularly in
■winter." There is also another assertion of his,
■which carries refutation on the face of it, that

234 SYSTE]M OF KENNEL AND

" when surprised by dogs at some distance from its
hole, it falls upon its back to defend itself from its
enemies/' thus exposing its most tender and vulner-
able part, which, during our long acquaintance with
the badger family, we have always seen them most
anxious to jDrotect.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 235

CHAPTER XXYIII.

Stub-bred foxes the stoutest runners — Any port in a storm — Terriers
— Our old sort — Pilgrim — Bagmen.

Foxes have always a preference for that kind of
earth in which they have been bred, for there is
a great variety of soil throughout the different fox-
hunting countries in the British Isles. In some
parts of Essex, however, called the Roothings, there
are scarcely any earths, the substratum being a
hard, impervious clay, into which even badgers have
great difficulty to penetrate. Cubs here are what
is called stub-bred, that is, laid up in an old hollow
stool or under the roots of decayed trees ; some-
times, also, on the bare ground, in gorse-brakes.
These foxes, never having been accustomed to seek
refuge below the surface, make a long flight, depend-
ing solely upon their strength and speed to save
them from their enemies, and on this account are
said to be the stoutest runners in England. Foxes
bred in drains are the most difficult to find, since,
if barred out of one they find another very easily,
not known to eit];ier stopper or keeper ; and when
lands have been thoroughly di^ained, with large mains
to carry off the water from so many tributaries, it is
not a very easy matter to break up one of these, if

236 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

permitted to do so. In former years the principal
material used for draining was stone, brushwood,
and turves, under which foxes could easily make
their way and excavate a cavity at the upper end
sufficiently large to accommodate themselves and a
small family of cubs. Since the introduction of
pipes for this purpose, a dry lodgment is not so
easily obtained ; still, when pressed by hounds,
foxes will seek any port in a storm. A few good
terriers are of great use to a pack of foxhounds,
and we think no kennel complete without them.
The white Scotch is the best we have ever known
for this purpose, a breed of which had been in our
family more than a century, and they were quite
perfection in their work ; would help to draw
covert, and run with the pack, and somehow or
other, even in quick bursts, they contrived to be
thereabouts at the finish, to have their small share
of the spoil ; and, if run to ground, we had not long
to wait for their assistance in ejecting the fox.
Perhaps they were a trifle too hard in the mouth,
although never crossed by bull-dog blood, and if
they could not bolt they would kill him. Terriers
belonmnc^ to a foxhound kennel ouMit to be stanch
to fox, and not given to run any other game, for if
once permitted to do so, they cannot be depended
on ; and we have heard of digging to a rabbit, which
is the reverse of agreeable on a wintry day, not
to mention the diss^ust a huntsman must feel when
making sure of his fox being within reach of his
whip, he is still showing his heels above ground.
It must not always be taken as a certain conclusion

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 237

that when the hounds stop and bay at the mouth
of an earth, the fox is within.

Foxes, when heated in the chase, will sometimes
enter an earth, and finding the want of air, quit
again immediately, or linger about it for a moment
or two, and then resume their course ; the best plan
is to hold the hounds round tlie earth at once, to
see if they can hit the scent beyond, and when a
check occurs at farm-buildino^s to make a rep'ular
cast round them, before commencing a search into
all the nooks and corners generally found in such
places. It is almost hopeless work attempting to
dig a fox out of a large head of earths, and the loss
of time when feasible must be taken into considera-
tion ; unless after a long run and some distance from
home, with hounds short of blood, it is best to leave
him alone in his glory, and draw for another.
Hounds flushed with every-day victories do not
care to stand about an earth for half an hour or
more, waiting for their victim ; they would prefer
finding another, and so would the majority of their
attendants. Want of blood is not a very common
complaint in these days, when foxes come too easily
to hand.

Whilst writing about running to ground, a
singular instance of sagacit}^ displayed by an old
hound, named Pilgrim, occurs to our recollection.
It was our practice neyer to draft or destroy a
favourite hound which had done good service during
the best portion of his life ; and when unable to run
up with the pack, he was permitted to run about
the premises, having a small lodging-house appro-

238 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

priatecl to himself, under the same roof as the boil-
ino'-house. We had brought a fox back to our
home coverts, where he went to ground, and the
old dog hearing the cry of his quondam companions
joined them. Not wishing to dig the fox out, we
placed some stones at the mouth of the earth to
prevent another getting in, should we find again.
This not being the case from drawing the coverts
only a few days previously, the hounds were taken
home and fed. In the evening, when visiting the
kennels, the old hound and two terriers were found
missing, and after making fruitless search for them,
it occurred to us that Pilgrim might have gone to
the earth, and the terriers might still be about the
premises, as they were not generally confined to
kennel. Upon our reaching the earth, there lay
the old hound at its mouth, having scratched away
all the stones, and kneeling down we heard the
terriers at the fox inside. As these terriers had
not been out hunting that day, the mysterious part
of the business was, how they had been coaxed by
the hound to follow him. The place not being a
stronghold, we sent for pickaxe and spade imme-
diately, knowing the fox would be killed if left to
the tender mercies of Viper ; and great was the
delight of Pilgrim when he was dug out and taken
home in a sack, to be let loose again at night.
When arrived at years of discretion, it was not our
practice to turn down bagmen before the hounds,
for, strange as it may appear to the uninitiated,
the scent of a fox, which has been caught and con-
fined even for a day or two, is so very different to

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 239

that of the wild animal unkennelled in his native
woods, that good old foxhounds will not hunt or
own it, although those accustomed to the thing dash
fiuriously at it. The fact is, that the scent of the
bagman is much stronger, without the addition of
aniseed or other oils, which are supposed to give
a more pungent flavour to fox-meat. Beckford, T
think, tells a story of an old orthodox master, whose
hounds having been hallooed on to a bag-fox, turned
down in a covert he was drawing. He suspected,
from the manner of his stanch hounds, some trick
had been played ; but when the fox was at last
run into by the young and wild ones of the pack,
not one would attempt to break him up.

" Well, sir,'' exclaimed the master, addressing
the suspected trickster, "you have deceived my
huntsman and the whole field, but you cannot
deceive my hounds. They know he is a bagman,
and won't eat him."

This is no uncommon trick in the present day,
to which keepers have recourse to keep up appear-
ances with the master of the hounds. A fox is
caught a few days before the advertised fixture
for drawing their coverts, and turned down in the
morning about an hour previous to the arrival of
the pack, so that he gets tolerably clean by brush-
ing through the underwood ; yet an experienced
master and stanch hounds are never deceived by
his artful dodge.

240 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XXIX.

Forming a pack of foxhounds — Entered and unentered dVafts — Dog
shows — Foxhunters' Club — "Weak understandings — Saffron — The
tape — Length of body or limb — Stud-hounds — A leaf from the
genealogical tree.

The collecting of a pack of foxhounds is a work of
time and labour, as well as attended with great
expense ; and w^e believe to purchase an entire
pack, when practicable, will prove cheaper in the
end. Old drafts are generally composed of faulty
hounds, or those unable to run up with the rest ;
and these last, the only individuals good for any-
thing, are generally good for nothing after one
season's work ; in fact, their work is done before
they are dismissed from their own kennel. Amongst
the lot will be found some, perhaps, lame in the
stifle, others mute, others noisy ; so that out of
these fifty or sixty couples of castaways, five or six
may hold together, but the great majority of
greater use in the orchard, under apple-trees, than
in the field.

Whatever huntsmen may say about their entered
drafts, their qualifications may be rightly estimated
by the price paid for them, as it is not likely a
hound worth from ten to twenty pounds would be
sold for thirty shilhngs, unless there were a screw

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 241

loose somewhere. The best plan is to get together a
large body of young unentered hounds from different
kennels. Select some twenty-five or thirty couples
of the best blood, in which you will be assisted by
the huntsmen from whom they are purchased, and
begin working them together as early as possible in
the cub-hunting season, so that they may become
tolerably steady by Christmas. With such young
recruits much cannot be expected for the first two
years, in hunting a cold scent ; but with a good
one they are likely to give a good account of their
foxes. What they do will be done brilliantly, all
at head ; but failing the sine qua non, the io
triumphe will also be wanting, i.e., scalps easily
counted on the kennel door. In their third season
these will be a pack of hounds, and their motto,
Labor vincit omnia.

A brother master and contemporary, some years
ago, formed his establishment in this manner, but
his country being principally arable with large
woods, his sport for the first season was miserable.
In the second there was some improvement, and in
the third his pack was quite efficient in their work,
although not very level or e^^e-taking. Huntsmen
cannot afford to draft clever young hounds, unless
of doubtful parentage ; and if there is one better
looking than others in the whole lot, be sure he is not
worth his porridge. It is said that we have reached
the height of perfection in breeding foxhounds ; and
yet at the late Yorkshire Hound Show, representing
twenty odd kennels, and containing over eighty
couples, the best looking out of each pack, selected,

R

242 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

of course, we are told by a competent authority,
there were very few of perfect symmetry, combining
all the essential points with plenty of bone and
straicrht fore-les^s.

Some twenty years ago we endeavoured, in
conjunction with the late Lord Ducie, to establish
a show of foxhounds at TattersalFs, during the
week of the Epsom or Ascot meeting, and at the
same time to form a club of masters and ex-
masters, to a committee of whom all disputes as to
rights of country should be referred. The diffi-
culties and expenses attendant upon the transit of
hounds at that time were, however, considered by
those living at long distances from London to be
grave obstacles, and the proposal fell to the ground.
The case is now altered, from railway communica-
tion ; but we are still of opinion that London would
be the best place for the show, as more central and
easier of access to the majority of masters of fox-
hounds, and a very large body of sportsmen, who
generally pay an annual visit to the mighty
Babylon at that season of the year, and would no
doubt take great interest in the exhibition of nearly
all the finest hounds, selected from the best kennels.
Our object also was by means of an admission fee,
sufficiently high to exclude the Unwashed, to form
a fund which should be applied to the assistance of
deserving huntsmen or whippers-in out of place, in
reduced circumstances, or disabled by accident or
illness. The assembling together of so many
masters of foxhounds cannot fail to be beneficial
both to themselves and the cause generally. They

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 243

Lave an opportunity there of discussing all matters
connected with the " noble science," as well as to
discuss the merits of hounds belonging to other
kennels. They see before them the cleverest of the
entry from numerous packs, and the best stud-
hounds, which otherwise they might have no
opportunity of seeing ; and although we are all
prone to make swans of our geese, brother masters
are not deficient in candour when questioned as to
the peculiar qualities of any hound put forward as
something approaching this pattern of excellence.
Then the genealogical tree is referred to, from which
such fine fruit has been produced, so that the form
is before you, the descent explained, and the cha-
racter unfolded. You cannot know more, except
by becoming an eye-witness of the hound's per-
formance in the hunting-field. The post-prandial
hour is the time for all these discussions aperit
cum vera precordia Bacchus. Men's hearts are
warmed and expanded, as in old Horace's days, by
a few glasses of wine, and they then feel not only
in a more communicative but more friendly spirit
towards their fellow-men.

The objection to dog shows, where pointers,
setters, and other dogs are awarded prizes, chiefly
on account of their appearances, without regard to
working qualifications, does not apply to foxhounds,
except the unentered, inasmuch as faulty ones
would not be tolerated in any kennel of high
repute, and of course there can be no doubt as to
the character and capabilities of a stud-hound
which has been used in his own pack. The only

E 2

244} SYSTEM OF KEXNEL AND

drawback to these exhibitions is that the judges
must be guided, when several of this class are
subjected to tlieir inspection, by S3mimetrical pro-
portions rather than by excellence of character ; and
the best hound, by some trifling deficiency in form
or substance, may be rejected in fjxvour of one
better looking although less meritorious. The
fashion of the age is too much in favour of non-
essentials, by which we mean neatness of head and
length of neck, with fine shoulders ; but these are
not indispen sables. The framework of the body,
depth and width of chest, strength of loins and
muscular hind-quai'ters, ought first to engage our
attention. The muscles behind the shoulders should
also be prominent, and the fore-legs straight as
gun-barrels, standing on good round feet.

"We remember a few years since a clever hound
in. other respects, but weak in the ankles, made use
of as a stallion in the north Warwickshire kennel,
and on expressing our disapprobation of continuing
such a failing, the huntsman pleaded his many good
qualities, saying it ^vould not be seen in his
progeny, of which he had several just come into
kennel from their walks. Our reply was that we
should like to judge for ourselves by having his
children paraded before us on the flags, which,
being complied with, we pointed out to him in all
save one the weak point of their father. This
hound, Avhose name we cannot now call to mind — a
pretty sure proof that he did not take a hold upon
our fancy — was a nicely-topped, fashionable-looking
dog, head and tail well up, with swan neck and fine

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 24)5

shoulders, but deficient in his understanding.
About the same time we noticed a hound named
Saffron, in the old Warwickshire pack, which has
held a place in our memory ever since, being one
of the most powerful our eyes have rested upon.
Saffron, however, was not quite the fashion as to
appearances, having a square head, rather short
neck, and not very oblique shoulders, capital fore-
legs, with plenty of bone, big chest, and muscular
loins and hind-quarters. There were also two
daughters of his presented to our view, exceedingly
handsome, attractive young ladies, with better fore-
hands than their sire, to one of which the first
prize had been awarded by Jem Hills, as
judge ; and several of his descendants are still
to be seen in the Badminton and other kennels
of repute.

The tape has been pooh-poohed as rather an
unsportsmanlike way of testing the powers
of a foxhound ; but in our opinion no satis-
factory conclusion can be formed without its
assistance, when making comparison one with
the other.

A quick eye will detect at a glance any imper-
fection in the shape or make of limbs and body,
but tlie tape gives at once the dimensions behind
the shoulders, where the chief strength of a hound
lies ; and it will be found that, as a general rule,
this measurement is just four times as great as that
of the arm. If the arm measures seven inches,
the body will be twenty-eight. In deciding be-

246 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

tween two or more hounds of apparently equal
power, due consideration must be given to the
condition of each. Those full of flesh will, of
course, measure more than those of less bulky pro-
portions. Judges of hounds, horses, and cattle,
have very often a difiicult task to perform, and
generally a very unpleasant one, since it is impos-
sible to please all parties. Some must win, others
lose, yet everybody expects to win, like the drawers
of lottery tickets. Sometimes we have been puz-
zled to which the palm of merit ought to be
awarded, although looking over in the course of
a season hundreds of couples. One hound may
possess all the essential points in great perfection,
and yet not have sufficient length of body to quite
please our fancy. Another may make up for the
deficiency by length and strength of loins, and
prove not so powerful behind the shoulders, and
with less bone. As to horses and hounds, we all
know they must have length to go the pace, and
those with short bodies generally have that length
of leg which is not conducive to speed. There is
a greater objectiou, however, to short-bodied ani-
mals of the female kind, and their incapacity on that
account of producing fine progeny. In judging
hounds from various kennels, cceteris ^9ari6t(/5,
pedigree should be thrown into the scale, and turn
it in favour of high descent ; and at foxhound
shows, when stud-hounds are exhibited, they should
be accompanied with a leaf from the genealogical
tree to prove their parentage. Blood will tell in

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 247

the long run, and masters of tlie old school were
very particular in never breeding from hounds
which were not stout and good in every other
respect, not paying much attention to fashionable
appearances. After all that can be said or done,
blood is the thing, and never ought to be lost
sight of.

248 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XXX.

Expenses of foxhunting establishments — Lai^ge and small packs —
Scratch lot of harriers kept cost free — Farming and foxhunting
— Touring with an agriculturist — A dip in blue water — Master
growing his stud as well as his corn — Grentlemen huntsmen.

The expenses of foxhunting establishments will
necessarily depend upon the number of men, horses,
and hounds kept to hunt the country, some of
which are still so extensive as to admit of six days
a week during the season. Different men have
different opinions in regard to this matter ; some
like to hunt every day, others are content to indulge
in that recreation two or three days only out of the
seven; and for ourselves, we could never see any
great fun in making of pleasure a toil. There is,
however, the peculiarity attached to foxhunting more
than to any other sport, — it is ever varying, scarcely
two days throughout the season being alike as to
results, — besides which, man being a sociable animal,
the meeting with friends at the covert-side proves
a great attraction. To noblemen and masters of
great wealth, expenditure is of little consequence,
and large establishments are of great benefit to the
locality in which they are situated, by giving em-
ployment to numerous hands; but the quiet master
with his two-days-per-week pack has equal, if not

SCIENCE OF FOXHUKTING. 249

greater^ enjoyment of the chase, and with experi-
ence may manage his establishment pleasantly and
economically. For his two days a week, with an
occasional bye, twenty-five couples of hounds are
sufficient, seventeen, or at most eighteen, being quite
enough to bring into the field, thus having a re-
serve in kennel of seven couples, for accidents or
other contingencies. Every hound ought to work
two days at least in the week, to keep him in proper
condition and wind, and young ones cannot well
have too much. To hunt two days or four is far
preferable to the odd numbers of three and five,
which throw a pack out of order. Tuesday and
Saturday are the most convenient, so that if sport
on the first day is bad, a short bye on Thursday
will set them right, and then the pack will be quite
ready for Saturday again. If hounds have long
distances to travel on foot before reaching their
places of meeting, that also must be taken into ac-
count, since late hours and long days take nearly
as much out of hounds and horses as sharp work,
with a quick return to kennel or stable.

The cost of keeping twenty-five couples of hounds
may be easily reckoned, as one pound of dry oat-
meal is, on an average, the daily allowance to a
middle-sized hound, which, when boiled and mked
with fiesli and broth, will be found ample. The
price of horse-flesh varies very much with the
locality, the highest never exceeding a sovereign,
and one horse is sufficient to give a good supply of
beef for a week. In the neighbourhood of large

250 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

towns, where horse-flesh is used as cats'-meat^ — and,
for all we know to the contrarj^, converted into
sausages, — the demand for this commodity is gene-
rally so great that few find their way to the kennel ;
but near smaller country towns, and in coal districts,
the rejected of the equine race are so numerous,
that they are disposed of at almost any price, and
those dying from disease, or killed by accidents, are
quite unsaleable. We were assured by an owner of
a scratch lot of harriers, occupying a few acres of
land, who did also a little in the butchering, and
other trades besides, that he positively kept his
hounds for nilj for feeding them on flesh all the year
round. His account was that he gave eight shillings
for the horse, selling the skin and bones for this
sum ; and at the present time we know of another
lot of hounds which, from the number of horses,
living and dead, brought to their kennel, are main-
tained at a very trifling expense ; and need scarcely
mention that the bill for oatmeal does not form a
very heavy item in the yearly expenditure of this
establishment.

If, indiff*erent as to appearances and condition,
hounds in such favoured districts may be kept at
a very moderate cost, and if the owner is also a
cultivator of the soil, the kennel may stand on the
creditor side of his ledger. The master who farms
has unquestionably a great advantage in this
respect, by the manure from kennel and stable,
particularly the former. The produce of his land is
wonderfully increased, and, of course, this ought to

SCIENCE OF rOXHUNTlNG. 251

be debited in bis estabbsbment in place of guano or
otber artificial manures now so extensively used.
These act ratber as stimulants tban strengthening
to tbe soil, aiford it no permanent improvement,
and are chiefly employed in the cultivation of root
crops, whereas a proper dressing of kennel manure
will leave its mark upon tbe land for years.

Having been a farmer as well as foxhunter, we can
attest the accuracy of this ; in fact, a few years after
the commencement of our career as M. F. H., we
were forced into tbe farming line rather against our
inclination, by the tenant of the home farm so
mismanaging bis land, taking everything out of it
and putting very little in, that the necessity was
laid upon us of taking it into our own bands, or
letting it to another for a mere song. "We adopted
tbe former course, upon tbe recommendation of a
first-class agriculturist in the neighbourhood; but
having no practical knowledge of the business, we
pressed our friend into a farming tour, to see how
things were done in otber counties. At that time
Sussex had obtained great notoriety for its breeders
of Southdown sheep, and this sort being considered
the best to work poor land into condition, thither
we bent our steps, and were gratified with a sight of
the Duke of Eichmond^s and the late celebrated
Ellman^s beautiful flocks, from which our stock were
subsequently descended, with a cross of the Wilt-
shire down, an animal of larger frame, and better
adapted to folding than the highest bred South-
downs.

'zd'z system of kennel and

III tlie course of our travels we had called at
various homesteads tenanted by extensive and
scientific agriculturists, of whose good cheer we
occasionally availed ourselves in furtherance of our
object, " to get understanding,^^ as Solomon has it.
The style in which these men lived took us rather
by surprise at first, imagining in our innocence or
ignorance that good strong home-brewed ale for
dinner, and a glass of grog afterwards to top up
with, might be the ultima Thule of their desires.
Great, then, was our surprise at the appearance of
champagne and sherry during the dinner hour,
succeeded by really good port and claret, which
could do violence to no man^s feelings. The table
also literally groaned under the viands placed upon it.
Eeiug an inland district, fish was unattainable, but
soup really good ; and at one hospitable house, we
had a round of boiled beef, with tivo couples of
roasted fowls on one dish, placed before half a dozen
down-sitters. Not being over particular as to eat-
able or drinkables, the pleasing task of ordering
dinner at the various inns on the road where we
halted for the night was assigned to our companion,
who, strange to say, selected the produce of the
farmyard in preference to that of the field. Having
treated us two days in succession to this dish, we
asked, on the third, what he intended should be set
before us that evening. " If you have no ob-
jection, sir," was his reply, " there is nothing nicer
than a pair of fowls and a piece of bacon."

''Toujours perdrix ! " we exclaimed in surprise;

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 253

"wliy_, we thought you had been tired of eating
poultry at home/^

^' Oh, no ! I always prefer it to beef, mutton, or
pork."

'^Well, then, you shall have it again tomorrow if
you like, but now, being in Brighton, we will order
some fish, and a hind-quarter of veritable South-
down lamb/^

From Brighton we journeyed down to Bognor,
where we were treated to the finest prawns for
breakfast we ever beheld, and of which my travel-
ling companion having freely partaken, we proposed
a walk to some ruins by the seaside. "Well," we
cried, after examining them, "the sea-water looks
very inviting; a swim out and in will do us a power
of good, and here is a nice little nook where our
vestments may be deposited in safety while we are
out at sea."

" Thank you," he replied, very demurely, " for the
suggestion, but I have always preferred land to
water, as I do poultry to butcher's meat ; and Fm
not at all certain that were I even to venture out
to sea, I should ever see land again."

As no persuasions could induce him to take a dip
in the briny deep, we availed ourselves of the op-
portunity to have a taste of salt water, our friend
sitting down on the ruins to watch our clothes and
proceedings. Upon our return to Bognor, the waiter
at the hotel informed us that we had chosen the
most dangerous place on that line of coast for
bathing, which afforded our agricultural friend

254 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

great cause for rejoicing in his prudent resolve never
to entrust himself to the deep blue sea, except at-
tended by a bathing machine and a couple of old
women. It has been said or sung that_,

" Men to distant regions roam,
To bring politer manners Lome."

"We don't remember exactly whether any such im-
provement resulted from our visits to sheep -farmers,
although of a very superior class, but we returned
wiser in regard to the line of business we were
compelled to pursue, and, assisted by our hydro-
phobic friend, commenced our novitiate as a tiller
of the soil under the most unfavourable circum-
stances. Being a bit of an economist, however,
we thought to grow a sufficient quantity of oats for
the hunter^s stable from afield of some twenty acres,
which, at a moderate calculation, ought to have
produced at least two hundred sacks ; but, to our
disgust, two hundred bushels were not forthcoming,
so impoverished had the land become ; and, seeing
it impossible to grow cereals, we resolved to begin
with roots and food for sheep only. Now the effect
of the kennel and stable manure became very ap-
parent, and we compounded also with the feeder
for his perquisites — the horse-bones. By means
of these fertilizers, the land soon recovered from its
forlorn condition, and in a few years the produce
was nearly doubled : also the grass-land, hitherto
barely yielding a ton per acre, carried two. We
have entered into these particulars to show that
farming and foxhunting ought to go hand in hand

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 25 0

together, where the master has land of his own, or
can rent it at a fair price, since by growing his oats
and hay, instead of paying for everything in hard
cash, he will certainly effect a great saving, and so
much ought to be credited to kennel and stable for
extra returns. According to usual custom, hay,
when consumed on the premises, is valued at three
pounds per ton only, sometimes less; but if forced
to the hay-market, the master will have to give
five, if not six — often more. For this one item,
therefore, there will be a saving of one-half. Oat-
meal may also be manufactured at home, although
requiring more time and trouble than we thought
worth bestowing upon it, and we considered the
Irish and Scotch preferable to the English.

To hunt two days per week, with an occasional
bye, three horses to each man are more than suffi-
cient, and, barring accidents, two better than three,
since one day a week, unless with severe work,
would not keep a horse in racing condition. It is
of great advantage in all foxhuntnig establishments,
large or small, to have young horses coming in as
the old ones are going out, which can be used on
bye days and light days, when four or five years
old, preparatory to regular work the following
seasons ; and if occupying land, a master ought to
grow his stud, as well as corn and hay, for the use of
his establishments. Having adopted this plan, we
were so satisfied with our brood mares, that we re-
commend the same course to others. Three or four
of these, with good sheds to protect them in cold

256 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

weather, and running over any rough pastures during
the summer, take nothing out of the pocket, and
their produce, when past three years, may, not
improbably, be worth three figures, provided the
mothers are nearly, if not quite thorough bred,
Avith frames suited for hunters. It will, of course,
make the difference of one man if the master
hunts his own hounds; and our opinion was, that
half the fun consisted in handling the horn :
then, as to the whippers-in, one, where economy is
to be the rule, may suffice ; but he must possess
" all the talents," and be, like Sambo, here, there,
and everywhere.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 257

CHAPTER XXXT.

Subdivision of overgro^\'ii countries conducive to sport — Leadenhall
foxes — Rights of country — " Mos pro lege" — Foxhunting the
fashion — The king of sportsmen — The late Sir Wheeler Cufle and
clipping — Neutral coverts.

The lavish expenditure upon foxhunting establish-
ments in the present day has induced us to point
out how these may be curtailed, and by so doing
we have reason to think that we are doing good
service to the noble science. The magnitude of
many establishments must deter men of moderate
means from embarking in such hazardous enter-
prises, and although hitherto rich masters have
been found wilHng to undertake the management,
rather from love of notoriety than love of sport,
yet when the novelty of the thing wears off they
are not sorry to retire from a situation involving
more trouble than pleasure. So much is sacrificed
now to pomp and parade, everything must be in
apple-pie order, and not onl}^ so, for of the lucidus
ordo we complain not, but in more than apple-pie
order in excess of all necessary order — a super-
abundance of hounds, whose numbers militate
against their performances, and so little worked that
their good or bad qualities cannot fairly be tested.
Masters and huntsmen, with their second and third
horses in the field, serving only as an excuse for

258 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND .

keeping a stud of bad ones. It is an established fact
that the better the condition by training and exer-
cise, the better fitted for hard work are men, horses,
and hounds, and less hable to suffer from blows and
injuries. A man accustomed to walk or ride so
many hours in the day can undergo almost any
amount of toil with comparative ease, his muscles
and body being in a healthy state, and we know by
experience how soon the whole corporeal frame gets
out of order by inactivity. There was a remark
in the old posting days, ^^What becomes of post-
boys and donkeys ? '^ from never hearing of the one
or the other paying the debt of nature. Huntsmen
also and whippers-in generally live to a green old
age. The two celebrated masters of hounds,
Assheton Smith and Osbaldeston, attained each
their eightieth year ; and no two men ever worked
so hard in the saddle for the greater part of their
lives. And we find as no uncommon case, that the
larger the country hunted by one master, the less
the sport, simply because foxes are not routed about
sufficiently, and, being out of condition, fall an easy
prey to their pursuers. The subdivision of over-
grown countries has always, as far as sport is
concerned, been attended with beneficial results ;
and we can name several which within our re-
collection formerly occupied by one pack of hounds,
find plenty of room for two now.

The Warwickshire, divided a few years since into
North and South ; the Craven, a large slice of which
was handed over to the late Squire of Tedworth
some thirty years ago ; and, more recently, Mr.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 259

Farquliarson^s in Dorsetsliire, wliicli now affords
occasional employment to three establishments.
Under the old regime a larger extent of country-
was monopolized than could be sufficienth^ hunted
during- the season. The big woods or forests were
resorted to only in the early autumn for cub-
hunting, or late in the spring to wind up with a
May fox. Now this course is decidedly antagonistic
to good sport. The big woods, from being so
seldom disturbed, foxes would of course resort to_,
and there remain secure from molestation the
greater part of the year. Then what was the use
of them? They might as well be underground
for any sport they afforded, and, as " Satan always
finds some work for idle hands to do," probably
they would, during their long vacation, acquire
mischievous habits by purloining farmers' poultry
where rabbits were not in sufficient supply. Bad,
lazy, Leadenhall foxes are the very worst of all
the vulpine race, and like black sheep in any
community, aristocratical, clerical, mercantile,
or quocunque nomine gaudent, bring discredit
upon the class of society to which they belong.
We have always regarded a bad fox in the same
light as a mad dog, and although short enough,
and too short, of the animal in our own country,
our advice to farmers was invariably to " kill
every brute of that sort you find prowling about
your farmyard. '^ Those foxes which rob hen
roosts are either half tame, from being housed
too long as cubs before turned loose, or mangy.
The sooner they are disposed of the better, and

s 2

2 GO SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

there is no excuse for such depredations when game
and rabbits are plentiful. Good wild foxes avoid
the haunts of men, rarely venturing near farm-
houses or villages.

There are certain rights of country, however,
which every master is expected to maintain inviolate
against incursions from another pack ; and not to
suffer these to be infringed is, whilst he is in office,
part of his duty. There is no law for foxhunting ;
in fact, the law of the land is against any man
trespassing upon others' property, but the mos pro
lege has been found sufficiently obligatory, and, as a
general rule, one master rarely interferes with a
brother master's prerogative. Disputes have arisen
as to the boundaries, where outlying coverts have
been conceded by the master of one hunt to another
many years previously, without stipulations of any
kind ; but in this case, when those coverts have
been hunted for a length of time by hounds be-
longing to another hunt, and with the consent of
the proprietors of the land, we consider if the original
right was not entirely to be abandoned, tlie coverts
would have been occasionally drawn to keep up the
title to them. This can only occur in certaiu
families of distinction, who have obtained the
privilege of hunting a certain district from time
immemorial, supporting their establishments nearly,
if not entirely, at their own expense — in short,
independent masters ; but as this cannot be con-
sidered as entailed property, even in a foxhunting
point of view, the heir to his own estate must abide
by his father's or grandfather's decision in parting

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 261

with any portion, and without reservation in writing
it cannot be rechaimed. The proprietors of coverts
have also an undoubted right, supposing them to be
inefficiently and irregularly hunted, to offer such
coverts to a neighbouring master.

In bygone times, in the days of Noel, Meynell,
and Corbett, foxhunting establishments were so few
and far between, and foxes so scarce from the prices
set upon their heads as vermin, that immense tracts
of country were occupied by one master of hounds,
and at that time barely sufficed to find employment
for one pack. But as the love of foxhunting in-
creased, and in consequence the preservation of
foxes, the extended area of country, then considered
only sufficient for the maintenance of one establish-
ment, became evidently too large for monopoly, and
thus necessarily and fortunately subdivisions have
taken place, to suit the temper and requirements of
the age we live in. The pressure of public opinion
has also exercised a very proper influence in this
matter, since

" Those now hunt who ne'er did hunt before,
And those who hunted love to hunt the more,"

The fact is, that foxhunting has become exceedingly
fashionable of late years. It tends greatly to the
amusement of those who are bound, willingly or
unwillingly, to spend certain months of the year —
and those the most drear}^ — in their country quar-
ters. Shooting is all very well in its way; battue
shooting, the tamest of all ; duck and snipe shooting
the wettest of all ; the billiard table, a dernier
ressort in bad weather ; but without foxhunting, the

262 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

exhilarating sport of foxhunting, the reunions at
the covert side, in place of reunions at certain clubs
in London, what would become of half the people
who are obliged to winter in the country ? We are
now writing of genuine sportsmen, or foxhunters of
the old school, who went out hunting for the sake
of the hunting ; not of those who adopt this mode
of recreation rather from necessity than choice, and
some of whom would probably be found administering
to themselves certain doses of prussic acid, during
the dreary month of November, were not the first
of that month inaugurated as the commencement of
the foxhunting season, when every man is supposed
to be in proper trim himself, and to have his stud of
hunters in proper condition to meet the hounds in
the field. Temjjora mutaniur et nos mutamur in illis.
Foxhunting is the fashion — it is enough, all press
into it.

We are told that when the great Mr. Meynell
(and great he certainly was, in more senses than
one) first commenced his hunting career in Leices-
tershire, without possessing an acre in it, that he
was supported by only two subscribers. Lord R.
Cavendish and Mr. Boothby. But it is evident
from his being called '^ the king of sportsmen,^^ that
he had derived that title as a first-rate master of
hounds, and moreover he could not have hunted that
country as a stranger, had not his conduct as a
gentleman ensured him the support and approbation
of the whole country. Two lines of the old Coplow
hunt song occur to us here, —

" Talk of horses and hounds, and system of kennel,

Give me Leicestershire nags, and the hounds of old Meynell."

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 263

We learnt many particulars relative to ]\Ir.
Meynell and his establishment from a very old
friend, who had hunted with him in his early days,
and wdio could not say too much in his praise; and,
if we remember rightly, notwithstanding the num-
ber of hounds in kennel, wdth such an extent of
country, he seldom hunted more than three days in
the week, and it was not then the fashion to have
second horses in the field. Sir Wheeler Cuffe also,
it appears from his own account, was the first man
who introduced clipping, or, as he called it, " shaving
horses/^ His stud being reduced by hard work or
accidents, he was told of a good hunter then run-
ning loose in a farmyard (having been disabled the
previous season), but now quite sound, although
with a coat like a bear. A bargain having been
struck with his present owner, he was transferred to
the baronet^s stable, who, to bring him quickly into
hunting trim, hit upon the novel expedient of first
cutting off all the long hair, and then sending for
the village barber, to lather and shave him all over
excepting the head and legs ; and he used to relate
wdth great glee that, although well known before in
the hunt, he was not recognized by even his former
master after this metamorphosis, his colour having
been quite changed. Sir Wheeler had been a first
flightman in Leicestershire, and he was not only a
genuine foxhunter, but an observer of the working
of the hounds, and the lessons taught him early in
life by the father of foxhunting were treasured up
in his mind with great care, and proved of much
service to us when commencing our career as

2Gi SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

M.F.H., when lie generally paid us an annual visit
during the hunting season. Even at that time,
having reached the age of man, he could still make
a good fight across country.

Since the time of old Meynell, we need scarcely
remark that, to meet the spirit of the age, great
changes have taken place in that part of Leicester-
shire, which at one time he might almost have
claimed as his own ; in fact, the country has been
divided and parcelled out by the proprietors to suit
their convenience. There are, in some foxhunting
countries, also some woods called neutral coverts, a
sort of " no man's land,'' which two packs claim the
right of drawing, and this debatable ground too
often gives rise to disputations and disagreements
destructive to that harmony which ought to exist
betv^een two neighbouring masters of foxhounds.
We believe we have already mentioned that no one
master has a right to dig a fox out from a stronghold
in another's country, or to send forward a whipper-
in to stop the earths there, and the more particular
we are in regard to the etiquette observed upon these
and other occasions, the more shall we conduce to
the interests of the " noble science."

SCIENCE OF FOXHCJNTING. 265

CHAPTER XXXII.

" In ancient times, when Rome witli Athens vied
For polish'd luxury and useful arts ;
All hot and reeking from the Olympic strife,
And warm Palestra, in the tepid bath
Th' athletic youth relax'd their wearied limbs.
Soft oils bedew' d them, with the grateful powers
Of nard and cassia fraught, to soothe and heal
The cherish'd nerves. Our less voluptuous clime
Kot much invites us to such arts as these.
Tis not for those whom gelid skies embrace,
And chilling fogs, whose perspiration feels
Such frequent bars from Eurus and the Korth —
'Tis not for these to cultivate the skin
Too soft." — Armstrong.

Turkish baths — Warm baths for hounds — IVIore bad than good re-
sults from their use — System of kennel — Originated with ' ' The
Father of the Chase " — The master's eye— The late Lord Ducie
and Bondsman.

Turkish Baths are all the fashion in the present
day, and supposed to afford a panacea for all the
maladies to which humanity is subject. To a
certain extent, and under certain circumstances,
their beneficial effect cannot be disputed ; but the
customs and habits of Eastern countries cannot be
adopted in more northern latitudes as a general rule
of practice. Turks are as a nation indolent and
inactive, and the bath is one of the greatest lux-
uries, to which they resort daily, as a refreshing
relief from Eastern dust and heat, and those who
have tried the experiment in this country ex-

266 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

perience groat relief from the softening influence
of warm vapour, with the accompanying rubbing
and shampooing, which latter claim half the battle.
Warm water — not hot — has been used for many
years past as the most effectual means of subduing
inflammation from wounds, inflicted upon man,
horse, or hound, and if persevered in for a certain
time, has been known to efi'ect a cure without the
aid of other applications. In rheumatism, gout,
and other complaints of a like nature, and in
certain cases of fever, it may be resorted to with
good efi'ect ; but as an every-day resource, par-
ticularly in a cold climate, such as ours, the Turk-
ish bath must be productive of very debilitating
effects. Cold water, not warm, is the thing for
natives of the British Isles in a state of health,
and tends to invigorate the corporeal frame. An
occasional warm bath may be used, as the most
effectual means of opening and cleansing the pores
of the skin, and the sensation derived from it is of
a very pleasurable nature. After severe fatigue it
has always been found a great restorative. The
late Assheton Smith assured us that on his return
from a hard day^s hunting, he could not have eaten
a morsel of dinner without plunging into his warm
bath. Without the rubbing perfectly dry after-
wards, however, the effect would be rather pre-
judicial than otherwise, and here is the difficulty
with regard to bathing hounds after hunting when
they come home draggled and dirty, for in fine
weather no one would think of washing them.
The warm bath was constantly used in many

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 267

kennels some thirty years ago, but unless great care
and attention were bestowed upon tlie treatment of
the hounds whilst undergoing and after the pro-
cess, more bad than good results followed. We
tried it ourselves for some time, but were at last
obliged to give it up, from shortness of hands to do
the work effectually. The theory is good, but the
practice inadequate to carry out the system. When
hounds return to their kennel draggled, dirty, and
bruised from hard exertions, we know perfectly
well that a bath of warm water and broth is the
most certain to assuage all irritability from wounds
inflicted by briers and thorns, and by removing
the dirt adhering to their bodies, the greatest of
palliatives to the corporeal frame ; but unless each,
individual can be rubbed thoroughly dry after this
operation, the object we have in view must be
frustrated. With human bodies, the case is very
difi'erent; they are not hirsute animals, and their
bodies can be completely cleaned, and made dry
and comfortable in a few seconds ; by using a good
rough towel, no dampness remains upon the skin,
and the pores from friction are opened ; but unless
the same process can be adopted with hounds,
unless every hair upon their bodies can be separated
and worked from dampness into a dry and glowing
state, the experiment will not only prove fruitless,
but detrimental to health.

To show its inconsistency, we must refer to the
modus operandi^ set forth by an eminent writer and
clever master of foxhounds, who suggests that the
hounds should be plunged into these warm broth

268 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

baths immediately on their return to kennel, and
when emerging reeking from their bath, they should
be immediately fed, then turned out for a short
time into their airing-yard, and then into their
dormitory for the night. Now this course is mani-
festly inconsistent. To subject any animal, biped
or quadruped, when reeking-hot from a warm bath,
to a cold wintry atmosphere, can be productive
only of the worst results, by throwing a sudden
chill upon its body, and entirely neutralizing the
good effects supposed to accrue from warm water.
The wooden boxes in general use for this purpose
were of oblong shape, and of sufficient length to
admit two hounds back to back, and deep enough
to immerse the whole body, except the head, under
water. In these baths the houuds were placed for
a few seconds, whilst their attendants were rubbing
the dirt off with scrubbing-brushes, and then after
being fed they were allowed to lick themselves dry,
without being dried by hand. This was one of our
chief objections to the process, for we could not see
any benefit likely to follow from hounds licking off
dirty broth from each other, and dirty to a certain
extent it always would be, unless they were taken
out of one bath and placed into another of cleaner
water ; and the time thus occupied in doing the
thing properly and efficiently, washing clean eigh-
teen couples of hounds, may be imagined as an-
tagonistic to the working out of the system, with
their huntsman ravenous for his own dinner. Under
such circumstances the benefit derived was very
questionable. Our plan differed from this. We

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 269

made use of a more shallow bath, the water only
reaching half-way up, and not covering the body ;
and when the dirt adhering to their bellies and
legs was thoroughly washed off, they were quickly
rubbed dry by two pairs of hands, each man having
a thick woollen cloth for that purpose, the hunts-
man standing by to see if there were any thorns or
wounds about their limbs and feet. The hounds
were then fed under cover, and not allowed to go
out into the yard, but immediately let into their
sleeping-room, with a profusion of clean dry wheat-
straw, in which they buried themselves, huddling all
together for greater warmth. It is a great advan-
tage when the lodging-room can be heated by hot
air from the boiling-house copper, since nothing
restores animals suffering from fatigue and cold like
a moderate degree of heat.

The system of kennel is said to have originated
with Mr. Meynell, who, whether returning late
or early from the hunting-field, superintended the
feeding of his hounds before preparing to sit down
to his ov/n dinner, and as according to the old
adage, " The master's eye maketh the horse fat,'' no
doubt the hounds benefited by his attention to their
proper feeding. It is too much the practice in our
time to entrust the entire management and care of
the kennel to the huntsman, and the stable to the
head groom. But however trustworthy and talented
such men may be, every master of foxhounds would
do well to imitate the praiseworthy example set
them by the " Father of the chase." Admitting
the perfect sufficiency of the two first officials, the

270 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

master's eye cannot fail to produce a good effect
upon all the subordinates. Servants may give
themselves airs, and be disobedient or inattentive to
the orders of higher servants, but they would not
dare to question those of their employer, whom
they know also to be thoroughly acquainted with
the management of horses and hounds. To be
respected and served willingly, not merely with eye-
service, the master must be a practical man himself,
and take a lively interest in everything connected
with his establishment. He must be fond of his
bounds and horses, deeply interested in their wel-
fare and comfort, and resolute in seeing his com-
mands and wishes carried out to their fullest extent.
He must be a prime minister over all, and
although adopting the suaviter in modo course, it
must be the fortiter in re also — implicit attention to
his directions the rule to all in authority under
him.

The even condition of the pack depends entirely
upon judicious careful feeding, and, as we have be-
fore remarked, the huntsman being like the hounds,
hungry after a long day, they may be fed too quickly,
the greedy getting too much, and the delicate appe-
tites too little ; in fact, just as we feel ourselves after
over hard work, indisposed to eat at all. It is very
often the case that the lightest feeders are the
heaviest workmen, some half-dozen doing more
towards kilHng their fox than all the rest put to-
gether, and from these extra exertions, called forth
by the spirit within them, they exhaust themselves
more than the gourmands of whom the body of the

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 27 1

pack is composedj and we have remarked the same
thing with horses.

We remember, some years ago, sending a very
excellent hound to the late Lord Ducie, a trifle out
of the rectangular as to form, but in all other
respects perfect as to work, and his observation
after the probation of one season.

'^ Your dog Bondsman does more for me in two
hours, when we are in difficulties, than the whole
pack for one day, and therefore I cannot aff'ord to
part with him, although, as you told me, he is a
three-cornered one."

What he meant by a three-cornered one is, that
he was a little out at elbows, and rather flat-sided,
which imperfections are not suggestive of a hound^s
capability to endure the silvery rays of the moon,
one which would not challenge his enemy the fox,
in the words of the old song, —

'* Oil ! meet me by moonligh.t alone !"

We would rather measure work by its merits than
by the day. One labourer will do more in six hours
than another in twelve. So it is with hounds.
There have been two opinions as to the state, warm
or cold, of food given to hounds. It is fortunate that
both are right in the two seasons of the year — cold
may be given during the summer months, when the
hounds are lying idle, but in winter, especially after
hunting, there can be no doubt that hot broth,
mixed with oatmeal and meat, is the most proper
and nutritious ; besides which, warm food goes
much further than cold. A hungry man will
devour almost any quantity of cold boiled beef, of

272 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

whichj Avlien hot, a very few slices would suffice for
his dinner, and although —

"While winter clulls the blood, and binds the veins,
No labours are too hard,"

yet the body requires heating, or warming, after
them. Light feeders require humouring with the
best of the trough, more meat and richer broth
than the others ; neither will they eat much when
tired, therefore it is wiser to give them a little at
first, and about two hours after to offer more, when
the stomach has regained its tone for digestion.
Although the example set by Mr. Meynell, and
other eminent masters of foxhounds since his time,
in seeing to the feeding of their hounds, is worthy
of imitation, yet it is not an absolute duty, and if so
considered, few would undertake it. To one really
fond of his hounds it becomes a pleasure rather
than a penance ; and the old masters who adopted
this course pursued it more from the gratification it
afforded them than from actual necessity, when they
had trustworthy servants under them. Some have
imagined dogs to be more attached to their owners
through this means, which may be called " cupboard
love,'' at best, not very gratifying; but dogs will
attach themselves from another cause— kind treat-
ment ; and they soon discover the difference between
their feeder and their master.

We have known many masters to whom their
hounds exhibited every token of affection, who
never fed but hunted them only, of whom one was
the late Assheton Smith, and the welcome with
which they greeted him at the place of meeting, or

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 273

"when paying a visit to the kennel, certainly arose from
exuberant feelings called forth by his presence amongst
them. There is another cause also : dogs like those
who assist them in their hunting, and contribute to
their amusement ; and hounds, when let loose from
the kennel and control of whippers-in feel, we may
suppose, like boys rushing out of school on a holi-
day, to enjoy their games and relaxations beyond
the authority of tutors and ushers. Very much
depends upon the motives by which masters of
hounds are actuated. Some love hunting for the
sake of hunting — others love hunting for the sake
of their hounds, — in short, make pets of them as
ladies do of lap-dogs — attend to their feeding, and
see that they are reposing comfortably on their
beds before leaving the kennel. Such care is to
them no trouble, and we need scarcely add, that
masters of this nature enjoy to a greater extent
than others more lukewarm the pleasures of the
chase.

274 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTEE XXXIII.

Hydrophobia — Length of time the virus lies dormant in the system —
Our feeder.

Of all maladies to whicli dogs are subject, the most
fatal is madness, for wliicli we believe up to this
time no certain cure has been discovered. The
origin of this dreadful disease is enveloped in
mystery, although it has existed for many centuries,
defying the medical skill of age after age. In this
country the most favourable seasons for its appear-
ance are during the spring and autumn months ;
and we know from experience the virus will remain
dormant in the system for weeks, months, and
even years, until roused by some exciting cause.
This we know to be a fact, but it does not follow,
as a matter of course, that hydrophobia must be
produced in every case by the bite of a mad dog.
It may be now, as it undoubtedly was originally,
spontaneous, — caused by ill-treatment, confinement
without sufficient air or exercise, want of water,
exposure to the heat of the sun without shade, or
introduced into the system by some other means
with which we are unacquainted.

Some years ago we had a large yard-dog, a cross
between Newfoundland and mastiff, chained to a box
in the stable-yard by night, but allowed his freedom

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 275

by day, when lie generally accompanied the children
and their nurse walking. After the hunting season,
we left home for a few days at the end of April, to
see the Royal Stag-hounds in the New Forest,
having given particular orders to the feeder to see
that the dog was supplied with fresh water every
day, the weather being sultry. Our horror may be
imagined when, on our return home, we were told
that the dog had gone mad, and had, it was supposed,
bitten several of the hounds and terriers running
about the premises. The account given us was,
that he had not been let loose to take his usual
walk for three or four days following, and that when
he was unchained by the boy, he jumped about him
as usual, although it was noticed by the nurse that
his mouth was covered with foam. Upon the child
pushing him away, he ran straight for a pond, dashed
into it, and then ran round by the green-yard,
where the young hounds were lying about, and was
seen by the feeder snapping at them through the
palings. These things being reported to our better
half, orders were immediately issued to have the dog
placed in a secure outhouse, and there kept till our
return. The third night, however, he died raving
mad, having torn everything to pieces within his
reach. Most providentially no injury had been
done to the children, and for the coming trial with
the hounds we were now fully prepared.

The immediate cause of this dog^s madness never
could be ascertained. Servants will not tell tales of
each other, but we received a hint from one, that
during two days, very warm and sultry, the feeder

T 2

276 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

had neglected to give liim water, and he had not
been let loose. No mad dog had been heard of in
the neighbourhood, and therefore we attributed his
sudden attack to this cause. We regard it, in short,
as spontaneous hydrophobia. On the third day
after this dog's death, two of the young hounds
— very valuable ones — showing symptoms of the
malady, they were immediately taken from the
kennel and placed by themselves in a loose-box
within the stable_, the window being left quite open,
to admit the free circulation of air, and these I
resolved to watch and wait upon myself, to see if
any remedy could be found to ameliorate their
deplorable condition. "We had then a very clever
surgeon and general medical practitioner belonging
to our hunt, whose assistance and advice were at once
solicited, and as readily accorded ; but previously to
his arrival we deemed it prudent to administer a
strong dose of laudanum to the afflicted hounds, as
the only means of subduing the paroxysms incident
to this malady. The laudanum produced the effect
we expected — the hounds became drowsy and listless
— they made no effort to bite each other, and were
as quiet and peaceable as if nothing were wrong.
They recognized me when approaching, and patting
their heads, wagged their tails, and then again
lay down to rest — that rest from which they
never more awoke in this world — the slumber of
death. The doctor came after these two hounds
had breathed their last. I told him what I had
done.

'^ You have done madly enough/' was his reply,

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 277

" how could you tliiuk of giving any medicine to
mad dogs ? ^'

" You have heard/^ we said^ '' that there is some
method in madness ? ^'

" True ; but that is a madness quite different to
hydrophobia. If one of these hounds had bitten
you whilst administering these doses of laudanum,
nothing could have saved your life, and no medicine
with which I am acquainted can save the life of any
other hounds which may be attacked in a similar
manner. Many nostrums and quack medicines
have been prescribed by enthusiasts as certain
remedies in this most melancholy malady, but not
one upon which any man of common sense could
pin his faith. Physicians and surgeons are all alike
in the dark on this incomprehensible visitation.
We may subdue the paroxysms but we can do no
more ; and the best and only advice I can offer you
is to destroy every dog which exhibits signs of hydro-
phobia.^^

It did not suit our humour then to follow the
doctor^s advice. Other hounds were seized, and as
we had discovered they never showed any disposition
to bite their master, we continued giving them
laudanum and prussic acid, in the hope of alleviat-
ing their agony, if not of curing the disease. In
the former we succeeded — not in the latter. One
by one they died away, curled up as if asleep, but
Avithout any suffering. We had now lost fourteen
hounds, some of our finest young bitches, by this
terrible scourge, and as no new cases had appeared
for a month, began to congratulate ourselves upon

278 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

the safety of the others. A second month passed,
and ^Ye then felt secure, although still feeding them
ourselves, and watching them carefully at other
times.

Just nine weeks after the first outbreak we
noticed a young hound chop at his food in an un-
usual manner, and he was immediately removed to a
safe place where he was seized soon after, and died
mad on the fourth morning. Neither my whipper-
in nor feeder had remarked this dog^s manner when
eating, and save for my presence and suspicious
supervision, the whole pack would assuredly have
been destroyed.

I had, however, more serious cause of alarm on
account of the feeder, who in taking this hound to
the hospital, had most rashly caught him by the
neck, when the dog, naturally savage, turned round
and bit him through his naked arm, since, in defiance
of our orders, he would still go about his work as
usual, with his arms bare up to the shoulders. The
blood flowing freely from the wound, we had his
arm immersed in warm water to encourage the
bleeding, and when it ceased, made him suck the
wound until quite clear of blood, and then applied
some lunar caustic. The doctor was of course sent
for immediately, who approved our treatment, and
said he could do nothing more except cauterizing or
cutting out the bitten part, which he thought, after
the caustic, would be of little use. To make assur-
ance however, doubly sure, the part was cauterized;
but the unfortunate feeder felt very much alarmed
about himself, though we did and said everything we

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 279

could to prevent too great excitement, and we verily-
believed from the course we had so promptly pursued
the virus would not have penetrated into his system.
He was now in the hands of the surgeon, who
gave him the medicines he considered right, and the
next day his arm was in a frightful state of inflam-
mation, when drawing poultices were resorted to,
until all the inflammatory symptoms had subsided.
The ominous three days passed away — three weeks
— three months — and yet no appearance of hydro-
phobia, and he began to think he was tolerably safe.
But as some of his friends had been talking to him
about sea-dipping, he said, " I think, sir, I should
now feel quite comfortable in mj- mind if I had a
good washing in sea-water/'

^^ Certainly, George,^' was our reply, " you shall
have that or anything else you fancy — but my
candid opinion is, now, that you cannot go mad, as
you call it, if you wished to do so."

Well, he had sea-dipping. We sent our first
whipper-in down with him to Weymouth, to see all
fair; but by the advice of the blue-jackets employed
on the occasion — who had got certain crotchets into
their heads, that a man in his case ought to be
thoroughly saturated with the briny fluid — he was
very nearly drowned outright by the operation,
since they ducked him and ducked him malgre his
cries for mercy, until the vital spark had been very
nearly drenched out of his body, and unless the
whipper-in had taken him from them, he must
assuredly have been killed in the curing. Sailors
and seafaring men are proverbially superstitious.

280 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

and his clippers insisted that, to effect a cure, he
must be all but drowned — if not quite — before the
desired change in his blood would take place.

Poor fellow ! he came home more than satisfied
with his dose of salt water, which left him in a
prostrate condition for some days. His mind, how-
ever, was set at rest; he dreaded no longer an
attack of hydrophobia, and went about his work as
usual. For four years after, while in our service, he
enjoyed his general good health, although at the
return of spring we gave him alterative medicines,
succeeded by a dose or two of calomel, and at the
expiration of the period he was married, and left
our service for his native village, where he worked
as a farm-labourer for four years longer. Not liking
his occupation, he returned again to his old place,
but greatly altered in appearance, from severe
labour and hard living, to which he had been unac-
customed, having, previous to becoming feeder, filled
the situation of footman in our family. Although
ever a most willing active servant, he was not of a
robust constitution, and not of very strong intellect.
We noticed the change, and did all in our power to
induce him to feel once more at home, for it had
ever been our desire to attach those capable of
attachment by every kindness to ourselves, and we
had rarely failed in this respect.

He was soon evidently in a rapid consumption,
and died just nine years after being bitten by the
hound ; and those who attended him in his last
moments declared that he was attacked with con-
vulsions and barked like a dog ! If the fact were

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 28 1

SO, whicli we had no reason to disbelieve, it is a
proof that the virus does remain in the system for
a great length of time without showing itself; and
there is another singular fact connected with hydro-
phobia, which came immediately under our own
observation — its breaking out in three days, six
days, or nine days — and at the same period of weeks
— the last hound we lost having been seized just
nine weeks after its first appearance in the kennel.

282 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XXXIV.

Various prescriptions for the cure of hydrophobia — Oliver Goldsmith's
opinion — Dogs having fits and distemper often condemned as mad
— Our terrier on the moor.

In the last chapter on this subject we gave the
results of our experience and observation when the
poison had once entered into the system, and we
believe when that has been the case, there is no
cure that has ever been discovered. We had no
means of ascertaining when and where the hounds
had been bitten which died from hydrophobia, but
as they must have been bitten some days before they
exhibited symptoms of the malady, we felt powerless
to avert the consequences. We could only palliate
the paroxysms. But in regard to our feeder, whose
arm was perforated through and through, the op-
portunity presented itself of taking active measures
immediately, which prevented its breaking out, and
then, after nine years, in a very mitigated form.
Our opinion is, that if remedies were applied in-
stantly, as soon as the bite is inflicted, by means
of hot-water fomentations first, and cauterizing the
part afterwards, that the power of the venom would
be subdued to a very great extent, if not entirely
blotted out; and that, at any rate, is something
gained. To the bite of a viper we have used sweet

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 283

oil, with unvarying success^ if immediately applied,
or before the limbs or body begin to swell immo-
derately. We always used this remedy in the cub-
hunting season, when the hounds were frequently
bitten by these ancient enemies to the human race.
For the sting of wasp or bee — of which insects we
entertain a well-founded dread, from having been
nearly killed by them — oil or ammonia, if applied
immediately, will effect a speedy cure.

We are told by sporting writers that hydrophobia
prevailed to an alarming extent in this country sixty
years ago — in the years 1806 and 1807, when the
weather was very changeable ; and worming was
then greatly in vogue, as a supposed precaution
against a mad dog biting. This idea of a worm
existing under the tongue of a dog, causing not
only a voracious appetite, but creating uneasy^
irritable sensations, is one of the most absurd
theories which has ever entered into the head of
man to conceive. There is a fibrous or skinny
substance under a dog^s tongue — simply a mem-
brane connected with it — which medical men of the
old school pronounced to be a living worm, and the
excision of which was supposed to be sufficient to
counteract the evil consequences of rabies canina,
by preventing the dog biting another. Prevention
in such cases would be far better than cure ; but it
appears that the wormed dogs went mad quite as
readily as those that were not wormed, and were
not incapacitated, by the excision of this ideal
worm, from implanting the virus raging in their
own system to the bodies of any other animals.

284? SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

biped or quadruped, with wliicla they unfortunately
came in contact. Worming, of course, failed, which
any man of common acquaintance with canine
nature might have anticipated. To Pliny has been
attributed this fanciful crotchet, and upon his
authority it has been handed down as an infallible
remedy in the prevention, if not cure, of hydro-
phobia. Blane says : " In the operation of worming,
it is common to strip off this froenum or bridle from
the tongue, the violence made use of in doing which,
puts it on the stretch, so that when removed from
the mouth, its recoil is adduced as a proof that it
is alive, and proves it a worm in the opinion of
credulity.^^

That queer old writer, Markham, seems to have
fallen into the same error, and, in treating of this
worming system, observes : — " When young, a little
worm is subject to breed under their tongues, that
makes them bark much; take it out with an awl,
and it prevents their growing mad.^^ He then
continues, — " It is said there are seven sorts of
madness in dogs^^ (^^'by not seventeen, or seventy?) :
" the dumb madness, the running, the falling, the
lank, the lean madness, the sleeping, the shivering,
and the hot burning madness ; and in my opinion
the best and only cure is to knock them on the head
for it."

Notwithstanding his rational opinion, so far as
the last sentence, our old sporting friend, Gervase
Markham, prescribes various remedies for the cure
of hydrophobia, such as " sow-thistle, fat meat,
filberts, dry figs, woman's milk, calomel, wild tare

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 285

seed, ass's milk, garlic and rue/' After his first
suggestion, as to " the only cure by knocking a mad
dog on the head/' we are surprised at his recom-
mending such ridiculous nostrums as those above
cited, for the cure of that malady which he had
pronounced previously to be incurable ; and as for
the seven sorts of madness, these are simply the
seven phases, or stages, of the disease. Of Markham
— who could give a very fair account of hounds and
hunting, evidently in this respect a practical man,
although not a foxhunter of the present school — we
might have expected better things than this loosely-
strung list of remedies for rabies cani?ia. The only
excuse to be made for him is, that it must have been
inter pocula when such crazy notions entered into
his head, and we have an idea that " ass's milk "
did not form a component part of his breakfast,
although it is more than probable that filberts and
figs were largely indulged in after dinner, and not
disagreeing with his happy digestion, he recommends
them to his mad patients.

To show the medical talent in olden time, we give
the opinion of Leonard Mascal, who flourished in
the reign of James I., and had the honour of
attending that learned monarch : —

'* In hounds and dogs which fall mad, the cause
is that black choler hath the mastery in his body,
which choler once roused in them through vehement
heat, it overcometh the body, and maketh him to
run mad. For the black choler, which is so strong,
infecteth his brain, and so from thence goeth to all
the other members, and maketh him venemous."

286 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

His list of curatives follows, showing the excursive
imagination of this most learned of doctors : —

" Also calamint, seed of wild tares, sea-onions,
watercresses, herbgrace, salt, aristolochia, nuts with
rue, the roots of asperage, and the seed, balsanum,
vinegar^ and the milk of an ass, and other U7i-
mentionables '' — no doubt equally efficacious, and
making more of the ingredients thrown into their
cauldron by the witches in Macbeth, the enumeration
of which would not prove palatable to tastes polite.
In later times we have heard of the Ormskirk
medicine — supposed to be infallible — Dr. Mead's
remedy, and the remedies of other learned Thebans,
which have proved equally fallacious. Cauterizing
the part bitten has also been recommended, and
this, in our opinion, if immediately adopted, is the
only remedy likely to be of the slightest service,
since we believe when once the virus has had
sufficient time to enter the system, no medicine with
which we are at present acquainted has power to
check its progress.

Oliver Goldsmith makes some very sensible re-
marks on the subject, to which we fully subscribe_,
and transcribe for the benefit of the timid : —

"A dread of mad dogs is the epidemic terror
which now prevails, and the whole nation is at
present actually groaning under the malignity of its
influence. The people sally from their houses with
that circumspection which is prudent in such as
expect a mad dog at every turning. The physician
publishes his prescription, the beadle prepares his
mallet, and a few of unusual bravery arm them-

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 287

selves with boots and gloves, in order to face the
enemy if he should offer to attack them. In shorty
the whole people stand bravely upon their defence,
and seem by their present spirit to show a resolution
of being tamely bit by mad dogs no longer. Their
manner of knowing whether a dog be mad or not
somewhat resembles the ancient Gothic custom of
trying witches. The old woman suspected was tied
hand and foot and thrown into the water. If she
swam, then she was instantly carried off to be burnt
for a witch j if she sunk, then indeed she was
acquitted of the charge, but drowned in the ex-
periment. In the same manner a crowd gather
round a dog suspected of madness, and they begin
by teasing the devoted animal on every side. If he
attempts to stand on the defensive and bite, then he
is unanimously found guilty, ^ for a mad dog always
snaps at everything/ If, on the contrary, he strives
to escape by running away, then he can expect no
compassion, for ^mad dogs always run straight for-
ward before them.^ Were most stories of this
nature well examined, it would be found that of
numbers of such as have been actually bitten, not
one in a hundred was bit by a mad dog/'

As a case in point, confirming Goldsmith's opinion,
we remember the highly-respected master of our
school being bitten on the fleshy part of his arm by
a young greyhound, which, from being seized with a
fit immediately after, and foaming at the mouth, our
kind-hearted doctor believed to be mad, and with a
resolution few would exhibit, he ran into the kitchen,
thrust a knife into the fire until it was red-hot^ and

288 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

then cut out the bitten part with his own hand. A
fearful wound Avas the consequence ; but fortunately
the dog was not destroyed^ as ordered, and a surgeon
being sent for pronounced it to be a bad case of
distemper only. Had the dog been killed, our
worthy master would have been distracted with
apprehension for weeks and months.

The life of a suspected dog, which has bitten
man, woman, or child, or other dogs and animals,
ought to be preserved, and his manner carefully
watched, to prove whether he is really mad or not;
and we are the more convinced of the soundness of
this advice from a case which came under our own
observation some twenty years ago. We bought a
terrier, which was warranted as having passed
through the ordeal of distemper, and when walking
out with him one day in the month of May, with
an attendant carrying our rod and fishing-basket,
he was seized with a fit, and bit our servant through
the arm in his attempts to pacify him. The man
immediately let go the dog, which went away at a
tremendous pace over the open moor, until lost to
sight.

" That dog is mad, sir," exclaimed our companion,
" and I shall be mad too within a few hours, or days
at furthest.^^

" That dog is not mad," was our reply ; " and to
satisfy you on that point we must recover him."

" I never wish to see him again, sir : let him go ! "

"And let you fancy yourself going mad, w^hich
you will do to a certainty, unless I prove to you the
contrary ? "

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 289

The dog had gone straight across the moor for
about two miles, and we searched the ravines lying
under it for some hours without finding him.

"Better go home, sir/^ remarked our companion ;
" we shall never see him again alive.^'

"The moon will rise early to-night," was our
reply; "you can go home.'^

" No sir, not without you ; and I think, if he
must be found, that I can show you where he is
likely to be.''

" Lead on, then •/' and on walking down another
ravine, covered with heather and gorse, calling his
name, the dog's head suddenly appeared out of a
patch of brushwood, close to the stream. Our delight
may be imagined, on beholding him come forth to
meet us. After frisking about and showing his joy
at being restored to his master, the dog quietly
followed us home, greatly to the surprise of our at-
tendant ; and, to make assurance doubly sure, we fed
him that night with our own hand, and put the key of
the stable in which he had been kept in our own
pocket. The next morning, however, on being let
loose, he exhibited such symptoms of unusual excite-
ment, notwithstanding a calomel pill administered
after his supper, that my attendant of the previous
day, in conjunction with the landlady of the inn at
which I was then sojourning, requested that the
dog might be immediately shot, to prevent further
mischief, as he was evidently mad ; and soon after
some of the village authorities called upon me for
the same purpose.

" Nothing you can say or urge," was our reply,

U

290 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

" shall alter our determination. We have seen
numerous cases of hydrophobia ; this is not of that
character : and to satisfy you how firm my opinion
isj that terrier shall never again be out of my sight,
or out of my bedroom at night, until he is tho-
roughly recovered from this attack of distemper."

We need scarcely add, that all thought us better
fitted for a lunatic asylum than to be at large,
petting a mad dog. But knowing well what we
were about, we persevered in our course of treat-
ment, notwithstanding an occasional fit ; and at the
end of a fortnight the dog was recovered so far
that all his bloodthirsty enemies applauded our
firmness in not allowing him to be destroyed, and
the bitten man rejoiced in his escape from a fearful
death, or at least the constant apprehension of it.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 291

CHAPTER XXXV.

The science of foxhunting opposed to hareliunting — Chase of the
wild stag — Exmoor Forest — Famous runs — Major Byng Hall's
work.

There is a science in all our sports and recreations —
in other words, the practical knowledge of being
able to do things rightly and at the right time —
which distinguishes the accomplished proficient
from the novice or mere professor. There is a
science in foxhunting, a science in hareliunting,
a science in coursing ; science in deer-stalking,
science in racing, science in riding to hounds,
science in shooting and angling ; science in
boating, cricketing, and other manly recreations;
a science in archery and croquet, more particularly
appertaining to the fair sex. There are various
other games and sports, albeit requiring skill and
forethought, we do not place in our category, having
at this moment our thoughts more engrossed with
field sports. Foxhunting has not very inappropri-
ately been designated by the rather presumptuous
title of " The Noble Science ; ^^ and how far it is
deserving this distinction it will be our endeavour
to shadow forth.

Leaving for further consideration presently the
many benefits conferred upon the country generally

U 2

292 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

by foxlumting', and its tendency to promote good-
fellowship and more social intercourse between the
higher and lower classes^ we will confine our re-
marks to the sport itself, and the cause which may
be disposed to claim for it this distinction from all
other field sports. The most devoted harehunter
must admit that, although his game may exhibit
great cunning and ingenuity in her various strata-
gems to avoid her pursuers, and occasionally imitate
the fox by taking a forward course for some miles,
yet, as a general rule, her running is confined to the
circular rather than the straight line. When first
routed from her form, with the currant jelly dogs in
full cry, and hard upon her scent, she goes away at
full speed, quickly distancing her enemies ; but at
the first check the natural instinct of the animal is
brought into play. Unfitted for prolonged exertions,
she betakes herself to those devious movements
which have sometimes gained for her the sobriquet
of a witch ; and on this point Beckford very per-
tinently remarks, '' We have heard of hares as
witches, but never of foxes as wizards f in fact, no
two animals of venery can be more dissimilar in
their tactics.

The hare is fitted for rapid flight, more rapid than
the fox for a certain time, but she possesses not the
power of endurance characteristic of the more
robustly formed fox. The power of the hare being
quickly exhausted, she has recourse to those tricks
and devices which now seem to come instinctively to
her aid. Without any shelter to seek, or home
underground in which to hide her diminished head —

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTIXG. 293

for when a hare is running, every old harehunter
knows that her hind quarters are raised higher than
the fore — she must beat her pursuers by foils and
doubles, in the hope of regaining strength or eluding
the vigilance of her enemies. She will run straight
up one furrow to the hedge, go through it for five
yards, and then retrace her steps, and when half way
down it again take two or three wonderful springs at
right angles, and then lie unseen in the fallow,
whilst the clamorous crew of motley or mottled
hounds are pressing to the fore.

" Patience on a monument '' would not be an
inappropriate representation of a huntsman to
harriers on his horse, without any excitement
working his brain, whilst his hounds are doing
their best to work out the scent. Everything is
quiet and peaceable around. He has no call upon
the energetic action of mind or matter. He may
take out his pipe, light and smoke it — and it may be
about the most sensible thing he can do — whilst
Eellman and Bowler are proclaiming their sagacity
by unravelling the labyrinthian windings of their
game. We are not thinking now of riding down a
hare with a lot of thoroughbred foxhounds ; this is
not legitimate harehunting, more than hallooing,
screaming, and telegraphing a fox, are foxhunting.
Orthodox harehunting consists in allowing hounds
to work out the line without lifting them, except on
very particular occasions; and it must be a very
consolatory reflection in believing that, so far from
haste or excitement aiding you in your object,
patience and perseverance are the most certain

294 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

means to lead to success ; and herein lies one great
and wide difference between foxhunting and hare-
hunting.

To tell a huntsman to the former that his fox had
been seen half-an-hour in advance is tantamount
to an almost certain annihilation of his hitherto
sanguine hopes of getting again on tolerably good
terms with him ; but the harehunter receives no
discouragement from news so unwelcome to his
brother in scarlet, knowing that when beyond the
sound of Bow Bells his game is not still showing
him a light pair of heels, but cooling her heavy
heels in some sedgy swamp, or beneath the shade of
a huge turnip. " The more haste the less speed ^*
is the characteristic motto of harehunting ; Vestigia
nulla retrorsum that of foxhunting.

The pursuit of the timid is a very agreeable
pastime to men of a certain age or certain fixed
habits ; and we quite agree with Beckford that
^^when you make a serious business of it^ you spoil
it/^ There is not, and ought not to be, anything
serious about it; there is no serious work to be
undertaken. A pleasant sociable little group of
friends and neighbours meet the master in green at
the appointed fixture. They enjoy their little
chat; have time to discuss the current news of the
parish; exchange perhaps their opinions on the
change of administration — always ticklish ground
in the country; and then — exchange lights for
cigars.

" Now, gentlemen/-' exclaims the master, disliking
tobacco scent, " I think we had better move on.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 295

Where shall we find a hare, Mr. Stubbs V appealing
to an old farmer of the old type.

" Sure to be one or two in our swedes, sir, or
toother side of the hedge, in that piece of fallow/^

^^Where first, farmer?^'

" Fallows, if you please, sir, being the most likely
ground,^' with a knowing wink of his eye.

" Ah^ yes ! I understand. Lead the way and
open the gate for us.-*^

The field show their wish to assist the master by
crossing the fallows at certain distances from each
other, although probably not half a dozen out of
the five-and-twenty horsemen would discover a hare
in her form upon ploughed land. No matter — all
take their turn about ; and at the third turn up
rises the timid at the extreme end of the line of
march, and furthest from the huntsman. A hulla-
baloo ensues, every man shouting or squeaking
according to the powers of his vocal organ. Away
scamper the pack, heads up and tails down, in
view of their game; dash into a hedgerow, the
boundary of the parish road, and over it into the
opposite field, where they appear in the middle of it,
with heads up and tails up too, looking about them
as if they expected another view.

" Hang it," exclaims the huntsman, " this comes
of all that confounded hallooing."

"Why don^t you make your cast, then?" cries
Tom Headstrong, npon a pulling steeplechaser.

" Casts be d ," retorts the excited master, " no

hounds will throw np at head when there^s a scent
before them ; they have been pressed beyond it."

296 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

So it proved. An old lady in a scarlet cloak,
toddlinf]f up the pathway leading across the field,
had frightened poor pussy so much, that she turned
short, and made again for the road, down which she
ran some half mile, and then made good her point
for a little brake not a mile distant. The currant
jelly dogs had now to bring their noses to the grind-
stone, and to pick out the line by slow degrees down
the road, scent being ticklish, until they hit the
meuse through which their game had passed some
fifteen minutes before them. Then arose a Babel of
tongues on crossing an Eden of pasture land, and
everybody said, who knew nothing of the matter,
"Now we are in for a run." They were out of
their reckoning.

Ten minutes or a quarter of an hour — we prefer
the former — allows a fox time for consideration ; and
he makes up his mind accordingly to steer for a
certain covert or head of earths some eight, ten, or
fifteen miles, short of which he never thinks of
loitering by the way, except to recruit his strength
by slackening speed. The timid squats as soon as
she reaches the first coppice, or perhaps, if an old
one, traverses it to elude her pursuers, round and
round ; and tlien emerging from its shelter, throws
herself into a hedgerow, patch of gorse or brushwood
beyond, where she sits patiently, expecting to have
outwitted them. Guider, however, unravels the
mystery by perseveringly following her tortuous
footsteps, and springing on to the bank, bustles her
out into the field below; and away go the merry pack
in full chorus back again to the fallows on which

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 297

she was first found — through the swedes and over
the open for a short distance, and then circhng
round to the little coppice, another ring is described
interiore gyro, as her strength fails, and she is pulled
down within a field of her starting-point. This is
the usual style of running with hares in an enclosed
country. Those bred on open downs generally
go ahead, and afford chases more resembling
those of the fox ; but although possessing superior
speed to the wily animal, they lack his power of
endurance.

Wild deer hunting stands nearly if not quite on
an equal footing with foxhunting — a noble sport, the
sport of royalty from time immemorial in these
realms. But where is it to be enjoyed now ? On
one spot only of once merry England, that wild
tract of land and wood called Exmoor Forest, where,
by the generosity of its liberal owner, Mr. Knight,
wild deer have been strictly preserved for many
years, not for stalking, but for hunting ; and thereby
affording sport of a superior nature to the gentle-
men of Somerset and Devon who have the good
fortune to reside in the vicinity of this favoured
spot. From the reign of Elizabeth down to the
year 1760, staghunting was supported here at the
expense of the Crown, Hugh Pollard, Esq., ranger
of the forest in her time, having first established a
pack of staghounds at Limmouth Water. To show
the length of time a wild stag will run before
hounds, and the extent of country he will traverse,
we give a description of a run from Major
Hall's sporting work, entitled " Exmoor, or the

298 SYSTEM OF KENXEL AND

Footsteps of St. Hubert in the West/^ wLicli we
obtained from the journal of the hunt : —

"Oct. 3rd. 1781. — Found a stag in Milieu's
Wood, in the parish of Goodleigh. Stopped the
tufters, and laid on the pack, in the road above
Chilfum Bridge. From this point he made for
Birchwood, and thence on to Bratton Down ; then
over Exmoor by Wallaford, Castlehead, Battlewater,
Blackpits, to Lucat Moor ; thence by Pool Bridge,
for Homer, and down to Eastwater Pool, where
the hounds run into him, and he was killed after a
glorious chase of two hours and a half.

''' A respectable farmer, named Ellis, informed the
field, previous to the stag being taken, that he had
been in his meadows the previous night, inasmuch
as he had driven him from a field with his sheep
dog, and that he knew him well, from a white spot
on his haunch, and therefore could not be mistaken.
This intelligence proved to be correct, as on the
death of the stag, true enough, the white spot on
the haunch was discovered. We have named this
fact to show the immense distance of ground these
animals will travel over when disturbed, as, from
the spot named by Mr. Ellis to that of Milieu's
Wood, where he was found, could not have been
less than thirty miles.''

To those who take an interest in the wild scenery
and wild sports of the West, we can recommend
this book of Major Hall's, published in 1840, as
likely to afford them both pleasure and entertain-
ment in the perusal of its pages.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 299

CHAPTER XXXVI.

The antler'd monarcli of the waste

Sprung from liis heathery couch in haste.

But, ere his fleet career he took,

The dew-drops frora his flanks he shook ;

Like crested leader proud and high,

Toss'd his beam'd frontlet to the sky ;

A moment gazed adown the dale,

A moment sniff' d the tainted gale,

A moment listen' d to the cry

That thicken'd as the chase drew nigh." — Scott.

Something more about staghunting and deer — Scientific huntsmen to
foxhounds — An example in "Will Headman.

Admitted that a wild red deer can hold its course
equal in extent to that of a thorough good fox, of
which from our own experience we entertain no
doubt, still the chase of the stag and fox differ very
materially in some respects from the find through-
out to the finish. In the first place, our ears are
not gladdened by the merry cry of hounds, in-
creasing from one or two notes until the swelling
chorus echoes through the wood and dale, filling
every true sportsman's heart with raptnre and
delight. There is nothing of this enUvening
nature in staghunting. A few old hounds called
tufters are thrown into the wood, where a staggart
stag, or warrantable stag — his age ascending from
four to six years old — has been harboured by the
woodman or forester; and these tufters are used

300 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

for the purpose of rousing up the stag from amongst
the ladies of his harem, and forcing him apart from
them, to show himself outside the wood hedge.
When this object has been obtained by the tufters,
and the deer breaks clear away, the pack is then let
loose from some near barn or shed, and laid on the
scent. Thus the first overture to staghunting is
decidedly tame, in comparison to finding our fox.
Then so sweet and lasting is the scent of the deer
that there is no necessity to clap hounds upon him
the moment he breaks covert, and little anxiety is
experienced as to the result of his capture. Stag-
hounds, with a fair start, are almost sure to keep on
good terms with their game afterwards, seldom
requiring to be lifted or cast, the only critical
interruption to the chase being when the deer beats
down a stream, which he always will do when blown
if water is near, and continue swimming through
the pool, and floundering through the shallows in
the middle of the river, for a mile or more at a
stretch, to shake off his pursuers. If he takes to
water up wind, and the stream is not very wide, the
pack run the scent on the banks, to which the
floating particles are wafted, where

*' Fuming vapours rise and liang upon the gently purling brook."

"Who has not seen terriers and spaniels following
the track of rat or waterfowl across pools of water
or rivers wide and deep ? We have often seen our
own hounds running as hard, or softly — per-
haps the latter term would be more appropriate —
yet swiftly over water meadows, with the spray
flying above and over their bodies like a cloud of

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 301

dust ; SO it is very clear that water does not
prove a non-conductor of scent. We find water
possesses the power of attracting and retaining the
effluvia of odours which, save for its magnetic in-
fluence, would be dispersed in other directions down
the wind and down the stream. The case may be
somewhat altered in staghunting ; yet, wherever the
deer emerges from the stream, and shakes himself
from the water, there the hounds can have no diffi-
culty in taking up the running.

Beckford says : — '' Could a foxhound distinguish
his hunted fox as the deerhound does the deer that
is blown, foxhunting would then be perfect.'^ This
assertion has been cavilled at by other sporting
writers better up, to use a scholastic term, in theory
than practice. One ounce of experience is worth
two pounds of theory ; and we have witnessed scores
of times — hundreds we might safely say — our own
deerhounds pursuing a blown deer through and
through an entire herd, without deviating right or
left, or flushing away upon another scent, until they
disengaged him from his comrades, more anxious to
evade than befriend him.

Having both red and fallow deer in our park — not
an over extensive one — some of the latter would occa-
sionally break bounds, and betake themselves to the
adjoining woods, from which we had to dislodge
them, not by harriers, or foxhounds turned into
staghounds pi'O hac vice, but by two or three
squeaking fast resolute terriers, trained to the
purpose, which Avould not stop short at any other
inferior game, such as hares or rabbits. The deer-

302 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

hounds bred by ourselves would run either by nose
or view ; but the terriers were so wonderfully rapid
in their movements_, and possessed of such extra-
ordinarily good scenting qualifications, that in a few
moments after been thrown Id to the largest covert
they struck upon the track of a deer, and rousing
him up with tooth and nail from his lair, he was
obliged immediately to fly or die, since from their
large size — too large to run with the foxhounds, but
of the same blood — they would spring at a deer's
throat, and thereby hang on until the deerhounds
came to assist them. We had, however, a some-
what singular method of capturing our deer without
much injury. The dogs were trained to run at the
ears and no other part ; so that when a couple of
these hounds, lusty and powerful, ran up alongside
of their blown deer, one on either side, he was
soon pulled down, and held by the ears until we
reached the spot.

Handling even a fallow buck with full honours
upon his head is far more ticklish work than hand-
ling a live fox ; but grappling with a stag of the red
deer species involves a terrific encounter, little short
of bearding a lion in his den. Everybody has
heard of " taking a bull by the horns," yet we have
never seen the man who would do it when the
animal was infuriated. We have had numerous
encounters with common deer, and many rollings
and tumblings in consequence, being often kicked
over upon our backs, although from physical power
able to overcome them at last; but with the red
deer in the plenitude of his strength we have found

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 803

it hopeless to contend head to head, or hand to
hand, totidem verbis, we could not hold him, even
when the bracelet had been tightened above his
hocks to prevent his escape. Fight and rake with
his antlers he would, giving more than a welcome to
all comers on, until a lasso was thrown over his
head, or a bullet sent through it.

Our last encounter with a stag of this kind we
have good cause to remember. He was brought to
bay, after a long chase, in a small brook, by a couple
of deerhounds fierce and resolute as tigers, and one
of them, our greatest favourite, in endeavouring to
pull him down, was struck through and through her
body by his spike. Infuriated by this f^xtal attack
upon the truest and best deerhound we ever
possessed, we rushed furiously upon her destroyer,
and seized him by the horns. He hurled us as he
would a child from him upon the bank. We knew
his strength then, and springing up, resolved to
meet it. Once more with renewed vigour and
exasperation we returned to the charge, and grappling
with him in right earnest, sent the knife through
his throat, which quickly settled the combat.

Red deer generally — the stags I mean — are fierce
and savage, particularly in the rutting season ; the
only exception to this rule in our experience being
an aged one presented to us with other red calves
by the grandfather of the present Duke of Beau-
fort, when we w^re also in our calfhood or boyhood,
and by whom, being then Lord-Lieutenant of the
county, we had also the honour of being appointed
a magistrate at a very early date. This deer, which

804 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

had been named " Mumbo Jumbo/' from the terror
inspired by his majestic size and appearance to all
women and children, happened to be the most gentle
of his kind. He would come down to the hall-door,
and receive bits of bread and other things from the
hands of our children, following them also about the
park in the most dutiful manner. A friend of ours
acquainted somewhat with the nature of red deer,
remarked to us one day, " If you don^t kill that
stag, he will some day kill one of your children."

" We know him too w^ell," was our reply, " or a
bullet would have gone through his head long ago."

Poor old '^ Mumbo Jumbo " merited our con-
fidence in him to the last. When, chilled by the
blasts of a very inclement winter in a heavy fall of
snow, he was found unable to rise from the ground,
we had him conveyed upon a hurdle covered with
straw into a loose box, where he was attended with
assiduous care until his candle was burnt out ; and
his grateful acceptance of all our little attentions to
his wants proved that he appreciated our kindness.
Those who have studied deeply the characteristics of
animal nature must have perceived something more
than instinct cropping out in their conduct towards
those who show them great kindness. " The ox
knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib,"
and so wdll every animal or bird in the creation
respond in some way to gentle and kind treatment.

Irrespective of the high scent exuding from a
red deer in chase, there is the slot or mark of his hoof
left strongly impressed upon soft soil, by which the
huntsman may be guided when his hounds are at

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. o05

fault. In Mr. Scrope^s work on Deerstalking (who,
by the way, was an old friend of my father^ s) we find
him so impressed with the idea of deer invariably
running up wind, that he was slow to believe the
contrary, which will appear from a quotation we give
in his own words : — " It is mentioned in a letter
printed by the late Lord Graves, who hunted the
wild deer in Devonshire, that these animals, when
they find themselves pursued by scent, generally run
down wind, and the same thing has been asserted by
others. This, if true (for I confess I have my
doubts), is an extraordinary instance of sagacity, as
their natural instinct leads them to the opposite
direction ; it being a most difficult thing for men
alone to drive them down wind."

Mr. Scrope clearly doubts the fact of red deer
running down wind as their general practice. Foxes,
however, almost invariably turn down wind, unless
trying to reach some sanctum or place of refuge, and
in this respect show the wiliness of their nature, by
keeping their enemies at a longer distance, and in
the full knowledge that they cannot come upon
them without due notice.

There is another reason why foxhunting may
take precedence of stag — we do not mean calf, but
wild deer — hunting. The fox, in comparison with the
stag, is a very diminutive creature, leaving generally
a very poor scent behind him, except under very
pressing circumstances ; and as his physical power is
diminished by a long chase, so are the chances of
overhauling him lessened by the consequent failure
of the 81716 qua non. With a burning scent the

306 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

science of foxhunting is not called forth. There is
nothing to do or think about but riding ; and there
are many, very many huntsmen to foxhounds good
up to the throat — good horsemen, good riders to
hounds, and with good voices — yet without heads.
Racing a fox to death is not foxhunting. Perhaps
we had better attempt to elucidate our meaning by
bringing before our readers a slight sketch of a
hunting run, to show the working of a scientific
huntsman's brains upon such an occasion. The day
or month of the year is not of very great con-
sequence, nor the whereabouts. It may suffice to
say, that not even an old oak-leaf swung suspended
upon its branches when Will Headman^ with as fine
a lot of hounds as ever stepped over the flags of a
kennel, was seen approaching a beautiful fox covert,
containing about thirty acres of good fox lying. An
individual of rather aristocratic features rides down
to meet him.

" A fine morning, Headman, and I hope a fine
scent.-''

" Don't often go together, my Lord."

'^ Well — perhaps not ; but we shall be sure to find
a fox here, I suppose, and then you and your hounds
must make the best of him.''

" We must find him first, my Lord, and I'm not
very sanguine about that in these parts. There are
too many keepers to make sure of finding foxes."

" You think they kill them, then. Headman ?
although to my certain knowledge they have orders
to preserve them."

"I know all about it^ my Lord, or I have no

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 307

business to be where I am — huntsman. They kill
all they can catch_, and no more; poison ^em they
are afraid of doing. But, my Lord, if you like to
ride with us ten yards within the wood hedge, 1^11
tell you if there is a fox here or no. The gentlemen,
I see, are all crowding to the top of the wood as
usual, where you can see everything, and a fox, of
course, when he breaks, quicker than I can.^^

At the gate opening into the lower drive through
the thickest part of the coppice, stands a keeper,

who, on Lord P 's approach, doffs his hat yevy

obsequiously.

" I hope we shall find a fox here to-day," said his
Lordship, " or I shall report you to the Duke for a
fox -killer."

" Sure to find, my Lord ; I heard him barking last
night, when I were unroosting the pheasants."

'' Hang the pheasants ! We don't care about
that dull pastime ; keep us foxes, sir, or you shall
not be kept much longer."

"A fox, my Lord, by all that's wonderful!"
exclaimed Will Headman, as his hounds dashed
eagerly into the stuff; "but he's a stranger; so look
out, my Lord, for he won't hang a minute."

Will Headman was not often short in his reckon-
ing. A few quick sharp tongues are first heard, then
such a crash through the wood; one turn, and he
breaks aw^ay at the top of the covert. He is headed
by the puflp of a cigar from young Coventry, who
had pertinaciously taken up a position close to Jem
the first whip, although respectfully solicited not to
do so.

X 2

308 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

" Hang that conceited ass !" cries an old sports-
man. " I told him he had no business at that point,
unless he wished to spoil our run, and he has done
it.''

The body of the pack came with an impetus out
of covert, and in their eagerness flash beyond where
the fox had been headed.

"Hark! back! hark!'' vociferated Jem, with a
crack of his ponderous thong, turning them in a
moment. " Old Saracen has it ! hoic, to him, hoic !"
and the pack is lost to sight, running sharply back
inside the wood hedge, down to the drive, where still
sat Will Headman in his saddle, patiently awaiting
the expected result.

"Hah! here he comes;" when he heard the
rustling of the fallen leaves ; and in a second the fox
sprang across the drive, with a bound like that of a
greyhound. Yet no scream issued from Headman's
lips. The hounds were well upon the line, at a pace
which could not be improved.

SCTEXCE OF FOXHUNTING. 309

CHAPTER XXXVII.

*' All at once the pack
Witli gveedy nostrils sniff'd the fuming steam
That glads their flutt'ring hearts ; as winds let loose
From the dark caverns of the blust'ring god
They burst away, and sweep the dewy lawn."

"Will Headman handling his hounds — Jem the first whip — A wily
trickster outwitted — '' Finis coronat opus."

Will Headman knew when to let well alone.
His lips, however, moved a little as he muttered,
"Ah! you^re a fine one, and I shall know you
again ; and now I know also the point where your
home lies ; that's enough for me. But, by Jove, he's
away!^^ as his quick eye caught a glimpse of his
friend springing into the field from the high wood
bank. " Ah ! that's the thing ! no hallooing now ;
the gents are all t'other side — the right side of the
M'ood for us. We shall have a fair start, and after
that no favour."

No sooner had the fox cleared the second fence
over a large pasture field, than the forms of Will
Headman and his hunter were seen vaulting over
the deep ditch which bounded the coppice, and then
— not till then, when his darlings were settled well
down upon the scent — did a screech issue from his
throat, which cleared the wood of any young hound
which might have lingered behind.

*^ Cheeringly ho ! merrily, cheeringly en we go,"

310 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

cried the enraptured huntsman ; ^^ he's a tough one,
my lads, and a traveller; but, please the pigs, we'll
handle him before the moon's up."

For three miles Will Headman had it all to
himself, the pace being such that no rider, however
good, without a good start, could get near them.

'' Ha ! we are a trifle too hard upon him," he
muttered. " He can't hold his ground up wind to
Beacon Hill earths at this pace. He knows it, and
so do I. Therefore he'll try to shake us off in
Batcombe" — a covert of more than a hundred acres
which the hounds had just reached — "push up a
fresh one, too, perhaps, if he can ; but — well — I wish
Jem were with us. He has taken his measure as
well as I have, no doubt, and will know him again."

The pack went streaming up the middle of the
drive, their huntsman close in their wake, when they
turned about midway into the high wood, bearing
to the left, with every tongue let loose as if they
were in view of their fox.

" Capital !" exclaims Will Headman in raptures;
" nothing can be better ! " and he pressed forward
with energy up a blind trackway to be with them.
A welcome scream greets his ear as he tears through
briars and blackthorns.

" Jem's view, halloo ! by all that^s lucky ; but how
got he there ? "

In a few seconds the hounds are outside the wood
hedge, and not a hundred yards behind appears the
head of their huntsman, scrambling through the
hazel sticks often years' growth, his face besmeared
with blood.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 311

" Far afore ^em, Jem ?^' was his laconic question.

*'Not above two miDutes_, master/^

" Will you know him now ? ''

'' Right well/'

*^ Then mind we don't change for a worse — this is
a good uu.-"

A trifling check on the ploughed ground.

'^ That's the point at which you hallooed, Jem ? "

" Yes ; and he turned to the left as for Butter-
mere " — another big wood.

" Aye, aye/' muttered Headman, " I see his
tactics. He won't try for his point until he has
thrown us far deeper into the shade. Away to the
far corner of the wood, Jem, as fast as you can go.
We can rattle him through it without your help —
and as for Jack, we don't want him."

The traveller having tried the earths, with which
he seemed to be well acquainted, by reason probably
of his intimacy with some black-eyed Susan who
dwelt therein, and finding the door shut, took a
circuit round the covert, hoping thereby to keep his
pursuers at a more convenient distance, in making
his grand coup for Beacon Hill. Will stuck to
him like birdlime, through thick and thin — high
wood and low — cheering and pressing on his hounds
now in right good earnest, until the traveller was
obliged to make his escape, although still from
pressure unable to venture on the experiment of
running up wind for eight miles over the open,
with nothing but a hedgerow to shelter him. This
crafty old fox and Will Headman were engaged in
playing out a game of chess on grass land instead of

SI 2 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

boardj and it seemed doubtful sometimes whicli
would be the winner — biped or quadruped. Charles
James feared to commit himself with an opponent
quite as wide awake as himself, who would have
taken advantage of him the moment he caught him
making an imprudent move; and Will Headman
had resolved that when he did make that move, and
faced the open for Beacon Hill earths, his brush
should be in his hand before he could reach them ;
therefore Charles James thought to compass his
ends by a deviation from the straight line, which a
younger vulpine in his ignorance would have at-
tempted, and been eaten up before he had gone half
way.

He had felt the pace at which he had been hurried
along in the first burst by Will Headman's lurching
hounds, superior in speed and quickness to the pack
in his own country, which for three seasons had
been outrun by him and their huntsman outwitted,
and wisely endeavoured, b}^ seeking the shelter of
the big wood, to put a greater distance between his
brush and the noses of these rattlers. A wild
scream from Jem proclaimed his flight a second
time only two fields ahead of the pack ; and another
burst over all grass land brought him in view just
as he gained the wood hedge of the last large covert,
over which the hounds bounded all abreast into the
high covert, and through it they pressed him out
into the drive, which he held to for three hundred
yards or so ; then turned short into the younger
coppice. For a second the tongues are silent, the
leading hounds in their eagerness having overrun

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 313

the scent. Quickly, however, they turn to the
right and left ; but old Bounty hits it off almost at
right angles from the drive up which the fox had
been running.

With a cheer from Will Headman they are at him
again, yet not all together. The foremost couples,
in scoring back to the cry of the veterans, crossed
the line of a fresh fox, and away they went with him
in an opposite direction, throwing their tongues
right merrily. An anxious expression might have
been seen to dwell for a few moments on the features
of Headman.

^^ Changed at last," he muttered; "but no great
misfortune. It might have been worse. I have
still a handful of the right sort upon the right line,
any two couples of which will stick to him, and taste
him too, if above ground. Now, Jem, we shall see
if you have taken his right measure."

Toot, toot, toot ! went the horn. " Have at him
again my darlings ; " cried AYill Headman with the
veterans, cheering them on to victory, and crashing
through the underwood as if he had been riding
over a stubble field. At the furthest corner of the
covert sat Jem, motionless as a statue, under a large
whitethorn bush, patiently abiding his time. A
fresh fox sprang out from the wood hedge, about a
hundred yards below him.

" Ah ! well," he said, " you arn't the animal I
wants just now, although a very nice un to look at ;
but you^ll do for another day;" and jumping the
fence into the field below, he met Foreman, the
leader of the levanters, with such a thundering

Sl-i SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

crack upon liis sconce as to astonisli himself and
followers-.

'' Hey ! hey ! you flashing devils ! what are you
arter now ? Get away with you ! Hark back !
hark to cry ! hark, halloa V' as he heard Will Head-
man's cheer ; and he swept them off the line of the
fresh fox with his stinging whip as a housemaid
would cobwebs from a ceiling. " Here — here — here ! '^
he cried, hearing his huntsman^s horn now outside
the covert, and capping them down under the wood
hedge at a rattling pace.

" Forward, my lads — forward, away ;" and in less
time than it takes us to describe it, Jem had joined
Will Headman with the delinquents, and once more
the pack was complete, still going at a tremendous
pace over some fine meadows, holding a capital
scent.

" All right again, Jim ! " exclaimed the huntsman ;
" he did^nt take much by that move. But where is
he going now V

" A long way round, master, to get home, and ^tis
a long lane that's no turning; he will turn when he
has got the chance, but he 'aint half done yet, and
to my mind, will take another hour before he is
dished up.''

" Where's the gents, Jem ? "

" Just where I hope they'll be till we have him
in hand — nowhere, throw'd out at first starting;
they never could make up leeway at the pace, and
that's something in our favour, no over-riding them
to-day."

A slight check at a troublesome brook ; the wily

SCIEN'CE OF FOXHUNTING. 315

showing his craft by stopping short on the bank,
and then running do\Yn the same side some little
distance before crossing. In plunge the leaders,
and out the other side, but there is no scent beyond
them. Old Saracen, however, turns short down upon
his line along the bank, and the youngsters catching
it up again where he really had crossed flash away
like lightning. A large flock of Leicester sheep are
huddled up together in a corner of the next field.

" Hang them ! '' said Headman, '^ they ought to
be in the fold eating turnips, instead of grass in the
field, at this time o^ year. They have followed him,
Jem, the fools, as they always do ; and I believe he
got in amongst ^em on purpose."

'' Most likely, master."

"Turn ^em away then, Jem, whilst I make it good
the other side of the fence. I hates sheep as poison
in the wool, but a boiled leg of mutton with trim-
mings isn^t a bad thing on the table, when one
comes home hungry after hunting.^^ " Steadily, ho !
my lads," was Will Headman^s note, as he held them
forward over the stained ground, not quite lifting
them off their noses. " Hold to the line, my old
darlings, and teach the young ones how to work
through difficulties. We can afford him now a few
minutes^ longitude, and for all that, I feel pretty sure
of overhauling him at last. This side wind tacking
has brought him further away from his point than
he intended, and eight miles goes for something at
the pace we have been travelling."

By a judicious cast the line is quickly recovered,
and the pack again clustering together go away at

31 G SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

a spanking rate over some rough old pasture fields.
For four miles no interruption occurs, Will Head-
man and Jem having nothing to do but to ride,
until they reach Calcot Plantation, in the middle of
which there is a large pool, with a grass drive all
round it. The hounds dash eagerly into the water,
crossing over to the opposite bank ; they feather out
amongst the rough brushwood, trying right and left
of themselves, but no tongue is going. Will Head-
man now comes to their assistance, but his ma-
noeuvring fails to recover the scent.

" What's become of him, master ?'^ exclaims Jem ;
" drowned himself to outwit us ? "

"No, not that; I have it now. He has doubled
back into the water from the same spot he landed,
and swam down midway to the tail of the pool. Here
here, my lads ! '^ and he galloped to the point he
expected the fox would make for. " Hah ! we have
him again.'' The old hounds take up the hunting —
noses are down instead of heads up. They do not
dash and fly as heretofore, neither is there a clamor-
ous cry, yet they press steadily forward. A patch
of stunted gorse lies in the fox's way, through
which he brushes, lingering for a short while to
recruit his failing strength, and thence boldly sets
his head straight up wind for home. Once more
their heads are up and sterns lowered, and away
they go, running as if they viewed him.

" That move settles him," cried Will Headman in
delight. " The Beacon Hills are looming in the far
distance, but he can't reach them." For five miles
more — the longest five yet accomphshed — they still

SCIEXCE OF FOXHUNTING!. 317

press on at a galling pace, the power and condition
of the foxhounds gaining rapid advantage over the
less robust frame of the fox. Still on he toils with
slackening speed, but not beaten yet.

^' Yonder he goes, master," cried Jem, " over the
brow of that second field to your left. Shall I get
forward, and cut him off from the hill."

" Your horse could'nt do it if you were to try, Jem ;
but there's no occasion. He finds he cannot reach
them, and now turns down wind, again. Ten minutes
more, and his race is run. The hounds shall kill
him fairly by themselves, and how can they be
doing better? Scoring and screaming at such a
time won't mend matters, but make them worse."

When reaching the rising ground where Jem had
viewed the fox, a few fields below them lay Oakwood,
containing about fifty acres.

" Ah ! that covert shelters him for a minute or
two," exclaimed Headman. '^Now, Jem, to the
further corner, if your horse can do it ; and mind we
don't change, although I don't think it likely, as our
neighbours were here yesterday, and of course the
earths arn't unstopped yet."

Jem cuts corners to his position, taking advantage
of every open gate ; and to tell the truth his horse,
Hardcastle, had, like the old fox they were pur-
suing, very litlle galloping power left in him.

"Well, old fellow," said Jem, jumping ofiP the
saddle when he reached the appointed place, "just
you take a nibble at the grass while I mount this
tree. I knows you won't run away, and if you do,
I can run into that old varmint on my ten toes.

318 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

Charming ! oh, charming music they makes ! "
chuckled Jem ; " and coming my way too. He ain't
far afore 'em, however, I'll swear; but as four legs
is better than two, I'll just drop into the saddle
again."

He had scarcely done so, when the fox, with mea-
sured gait and slow, emerged from the wood hedge,
running alongside it for a hundred yards or so, then
turned short back into it again. The hounds came
out almost in view, the old ones with their bristles
up now leading, and following his track with unde-
viating tenacity.

"Tallj^-ho ! back," cried Jem. ^^Look out, master.
Ah ! they are a-physicking of him, and he has no
more chance with them old uns at head than I
should with a couple of lions. Hark ! master has
got a view on him. That screech of his is enough
to frighten any fox to death. Yes, by jingo ! they're
out at the bottom of the wood, running like blazes
up that hedgerow. Ah! what now? heads up and
starns too ? He's in the ditch — they are over it — old
Bounty jumps in upon him. Out he comes, and
exerts his last effort to regain the wood. But
Barrister's on the right side — runs into him ere
he has got half away across the field ; and when the
lawyer once gets hold of him 'tis whoo-hoop !"

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 319

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

The New Year's gift of '61 — " Keep moving," tlie cry of the day —
Galloping down a fox not foxhunting — Spirit of hounds —
Variety of foxes — "Will Headman has a difficult game to play.

In our last cliapter we attempted a delineation of a
fox chase over a good country, and tinder favourable
circumstances, the scent being sufficiently good
to keep the majority of the field at a respectful
distance ; in fact, the pace throughout continued so
fast, that the best riders — and there were some good
ones out — were unable to get near the hounds.
Had the run taken place over the open, the first
flight men would have been there or thereabouts ;
but when a fox pursues his course through large
coverts with blind drives, and those few and far
between, spick and span foxhunters show a decided
disinclination to have their pinks nearly torn oft'
their backs by encounters with blackthorns and
brambles, besides the disfigurement to the os frontis
likely to result therefrom. It is imperative on a
huntsman to foxhounds always to be with them ;
and he has more work to do with head and hand
than the first whipper-in, whose position, compara-
tively speaking, is a very easy one. Jem might
smoke his pipe, if he dare, on the outside of the big

S20 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

wood whilst the master is tearing himself into tatters
within it.

We have no wish to divest foxhunting of that
spirit and energy which form its chief characteristics,
in opposition to other hunting ; but we have endea-
voured to show by the conduct of Will Headman
that there are occasions when it is well to " let well
alone." So long as hounds continue to do their
work well by themselves, any interference with them
cannot fail to be prejudicial to sport. The eternal
"toot — toot" of the horn, and perpetual cry of
" Forward, forward ! " when hounds are on good
terms with their fox, is sure to produce mischief;
what must they occasion then on bad scenting days?
What is the use of hounds if huntsmen are resolved
to do their work for them ? The great secret of
foxhunting is to know when to let hounds alone.
Hallooing and screeching a fox too soon when first
found is pretty sure to spoil your run, and the
same thing repeated when he is sinking is generally
productive of spoiling a good finish.

In the January number of "Baily," 1861, appeared
a paper entitled " A New Year's Gift — One Word
more on Foxhunting ; " and although without any
signature attached thereto, we have no hesitation in
ascribing this excellent article to the author of
"The Noble Science," whose opinions as a prac-
tical master also are deserving every considera-
tion : —

" Let us not be mistaken. We deny not the
needful energy, the brilliant cast, the firm and
resolute eff'ort to retrieve a check by what our

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 321

neighbours over the water term a coup de main,
which cannot be Anglicised otherwise than as taking
hold of hounds — nay, lifting them on occasion. We
plead guilty to a love of mud-sucking, of beagling
without pattering, convinced that it leads to an
ultimate increase of pace — the pace that kills ; that
most haste is least speed ; and that hounds of the
present day, though bred faster, generally perform
a run slower than formerly, because their own
impetus, or that which barely follows or accompanies
them, drives them beyond scent. But we seek not
to effect revolution. The majority of the field are
satisfied, without further inquiry into causes.
'There is no scent, and till something changes
there can be no sport ; and as to talking of too
much haste — bosh ! ' On the very first day, when
by chance the pell-mell, harum-scarum, go-ahead
system succeeds, and a fox is galloped down, with
perhaps two or three couples on scent, finis coronat
opus, ' Bravo ! ^ they cry ; ' that's the time of day !
Where should we have been with a huntsman a
turn slower than greased lightning ? ' ' Ah ! where ? *
we would answer ' where ? ' and where hounds would
eventually get to, if they could not sometimes bunt.
But the ruling motto is, 'Keep moving!^ Aye,
keep moving ! and so long as we do keep moving,
there may not possibly be a dozen of the field who
know or care what hounds are about. We repeat
that this paper is not penned with the slightest
hope of attracting the attention or effecting any
improvement in an uneducated class, who, with
the best intentions, and gifted with true love of the

Y

322 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

sport, cannot bring with them into the field the
portion of intellect wherewithal they may have been
endowed."

With one exception we fully endorse every sen-
tence of this quotation from a brother master, and
that exception is — " that hounds of the present day
are bred faster." The system of the present era is
faster — not the hound. The speed of thorough-
bred foxhounds cannot be greater now than it was
seventy years ago. We may provoke a con-
temptuous smile from the fast man by such an
assertion ; yet such is the fact — the irrefragable fact.
We do not say indisputable, because men will
dispute and split straws about anything ; but if
watches go faster now than they did seventy years
ago, then may you claim greater speed for your
hounds than th.'it exhibited by Colonel Thornton^s
Merkin. "Then why or how comes it," demands
the pace man, " that we can run into and eat up in
fifteen or twenty minutes a fox that would have
taken a pack of the past century a day to kill ?"

Gently, my fast friends. Your foxes are slower by
reason of over-feeding: and we suppose you will
admit that an alderman, after a civic feast, would
cut a poor figure in a foot-race of a mile the ensuing
morning. Then there are two more points for your
consideration. There is more than one distinct
species of fox in this country at the present time
which did not exist here seventy years ago —
although only one species of foxhound. Before
the introduction of French foxes some thirty or
forty years since, there were only two in the British

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 323

Isles, two varieties of the vulpine genus^ called the
greyhound and bulldog. The first a large long
animal, with light-coloured fur; the other possess-
ing a wider head, and a much darker skin. These
two original breeds have been nearly stamped out
(except in certain wild mountainous districts), and a
bad cross stamped in, by the importation of French
foxes — a little red species, worth little save for their
skins; and even in some parts of Wales, from
which 3^ears ago we obtained some veritable grey-
hound foxes, there is nothing of the kind to be
found.

These little red ^^ varmints ^' have no chance with
a pack of thoroughbred foxhounds when they can
be prevailed upon to run straight, which is rarely
the case. They cannot if they would, and would
not if they could — it is not in their nature; but
they often beat hounds by short running dodges.
N'importe whether foxes be good or bad. The
practice of trying to race them to death as soon as
they are on foot is radically bad — destruction to
sport and ruinous to hounds ; and the men who
advocate this rash system are either totally ignorant
of '' The Science of Foxhunting,^^ or wholly indiffe-
rent to it. There is a restless impatience in pseudo-
foxhunters of these latter days which thwarts the
very object they have in view.

Beckford's observation is correct enough to a
certain point — " Hounds which will not bear lifting
are not worth keeping ; " but it is equally certain
that hounds which are continually lifted are worth
nothing at all. On a good scenting day they may

Y 2

824 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

run into their fox^ if he goes straight ; but tempora
si forent nubila, on bad scenting days he escapes.
Exempli gratia, we now relate how Will Headman
succeeded a few days after in bringing another good
fox to book, in a country wholly arable, under the
most adverse and most unpropitious circumstances.
The wind was in the west, with a cold-looking leaden
sky, and the air was the reverse of soft and balmy;
in short, those weather-wise collected at the place
of meeting proclaimed it at once as a scentless
morning. The covert to be drawn first was a
large one_, over a hundred acres, like the majority
of woods in that country. Little spinnies and
patches of gorse were very few and very far
between.

''Well, Will," asked John Staveley, a genuine
orthodox foxhunter, " what think you of the morn-
ing?"

" Queerish, sir. Nothing to be done without
patience and perseverance, and — yes — a bit of luck
also."

" Very true. Will, that's my opinion ; but if you

lose one fox you are pretty certain of finding

another without much trouble."

"That's not our way of doing business, sir.

When I find a fox worth attending to, I make a

point of sticking to him as long as we can ; and in

the main I generally find this sort of thing pays

best."

" Right, Will— quite right. That's the way to

make good hounds for every day in the week.

Never mind the weather."

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 325

'^ They will ride over un to-day, sir," Will
Headman remarked, as he quietly slipped his
hounds into covert. There was no noise, no
'' Yoicks in ! hoics ! " no cracking of whip by Jem to
rouse a fox up from his kennel before found by
hounds. The pack dashed away, thoroughly intent
upon their own business, and requiring no encou-
ragement to do it. They fly rapidly through the
high wood, spread widely and eagerly over the
thicker underwood, turn back at a signal from the
horn when they reached the boundary of the hedge,
and are now searching the lower section of the
covert with an impetuosity which seems significant
of a find. Their huntsman is with them, an
occasional word of encouragement proceeding some-
times from his lips ; yet they want no such incentive
to do their work efiPectively. Every yard of the
covert is drawn thoroughly and completely, yet
there is not a whimper heard.

'^ I verily thought we should have found him here,
Will," said John Staveley, who had followed the
hounds through every part.

'' So did I, sir; but here he is not, that's clear,
although he has been here not long ago."

" Where now, AVill, then ?"

" I've been thinking, sir, that there's a little bit
of a brake about two fields ofi^, lying very snug and
quiet under the wind, with a thick sedgy bottom to
it, which it's more than likely a fox would fancy
after such a night as last. There I think we shall
find him, sir."

'^ Here ! here ! here ! come away," cried Will

32 6 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

Headman; and with a few notes from his horn, the
pack were quickly at his horse's heels. " Ah ! there
he is, sir, and no mistake/' as the hounds dashed
eagerly into the brake. " They'll have him up and
out in a minute;" and so they did; but being
headed on all sides save one, that nearest the river,
he broke away at the bottom of the brake into the
big wood first drawn, where he tried the earths, and
then essayed an escapade at the top of the covert
for another wood about two miles distant. The
gentlemen, however, having by cutting corners got
to this point before him, he was, of course, headed
back, and another circuit under hazel and oak trees
the result ; but there was no pressure upon him,
hounds hunting, and sometimes barely owning the
scent.

'^ Ah, Will,'' exclaimed John Staveley, '^ just as I
thought. No prospect of doing anything on such a
day as this. I think I shall go home and do a bit
of farming."

"Stop awhile longer, sir; there's no saying how
things may alter ; and then perhaps we may have a
bit of luck at last, when nobody expects it."

" You could not handle a bad fox with everything
against you, much less a good one."

" The good one for choice, sir ; and if the
hounds cannot hold to the line, I suppose I
must."

'' Then you really believe that this fox, evidently
bent on travelling, is to be handled with a scent like
this?"

" We shall do our best, sir, to accomplish that end.'^

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 327

'' Then, by Jupiter Ammon ! Til stick to you/^

" Thank ye, sir ; that's more than many will do.
Yet — hark ! he^s away ! Jem^s holloa at the bottom
of the wood. Ah ! he^s some way before them, but
holloaing and screaming won't answer the purpose.
It must be all beagling to-day, Squire Staveley, up
to a certain time; and after that I reckon upon a
good finish.^^

Headman was not dilatory in reaching the spot
where Jem had sounded his tocsin, and the pack
settled down on the scent over a piece of early sown
wheat on rather better terms than he expected ; and
the wind blowing also in their teeth, they scored
away at a respectable pace for a couple of miles, up
to the Holt, where their fox again tried the earths
without benefit. Here, however, there being no
horsemen in advance to head him, he dwelt not a
moment longer than necessary to ascertain the fact
that the door was closed, and he was off again
towards the east ere "Will Headman and his darlings
had entered the western side of the covert. Jem
was not quick enough this time to holloa him away,
but a yokel did the office for him.

"Where's he gone, Bill?^^ asked Jem, riding up
in hot haste.

" Over the plough — and a whopper he be.'^

" How long agone?^'

*^ Handy half-an-hour, Jem.^^

" By your watch, eh ? '*

" Noa, dang it, I ha'ant got one.'^

" Why we hav'nt found him half-an-hour agone 3
in Cold Harbour Wood, so he must have come here

328 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

pretty quickly. Were liis tongue out or in his
mouth?"

'' Out, sir, and he stopped to lap up a drop of
water from the furrow; and then when I hollaed he
just trotted on, as if there warn't nothing the
matter, and nobody looking arter him."

" Cool ! deuced cool ! " muttered Jem. " This 'ill
be a moonhght job, I expect ; but master won^t be
denied as long as he's above ground ; and here he
comes, cheering 'em along, as if he were sartain of
handling him in twenty minutes. Well, Til tip him
the office, and he can do as he likes about clapping
on or no. Gone away," cried Jem, " forward away !
aye, aye, that will do " — and Will Headman is seen
crashing through the covert, cheering on his hounds,
which are doing as well as can be expected.

"Viewed him, Jem?" he asked.

"No, master, gone a longsome time afore I got
here. That chap sitting on the gate says half-an-
hour."

" Then there is a precious deal better scent than I
thought ; but no, that's all gammon, he can't be two
miles ahead of us."

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 329

CHAPTER XXXIX.

** But reynard at last feels his strength giving way ;
The hounds too, he hears, are close at his heels ;
His eyesight grows dim,
There's a sinking within,
"Which tells him too plainly, he's ate his last meal."

The Fox Chase,

Hunting run — A pulling horse — The hit of luck — Jem to the fore —
Exchange no robbery — A new way of stopping earths — Fast and
furious — Pounding in a ditch — Slow and sure — Jem lias it all to
himself.

It is not very agreeable intelligence on a good
scenting day to be told that your fox is a couple of
miles ahead of you. What must it be, then, on a
bad one ? With the present system further pursuit
of him under such circumstances must be aban-
doned, and the order at once given to draw for a
fresh one, in the hope of No. 2 proving more
odoriferous than No. 1 ; and the majority of hunt-
ing men — rather we should say riding men — in these
fast days, prefer ten minutes' burst, best pace, to a
good hunting run of an hour and forty. We are
old-fashioned enough to dehght in seeing the instinct
and sagacity of the hound displayed, rather than his
speed only ; and, therefore, to follow Will Headman
and his pack, now committed to the arduous task of
trying to catch a good fox with a forbidding scent.
The big woods are left behind, and the fox, having
got a start, stretches boldly away over the open
country. There is no merry cry of hounds,

330 SYSTEM OF KEXNEL AND

although all cluster together^ and press on in close
column, the lead being conceded to the veterans,
whom experience has taught how to make the best
of a bad scent. Still they are moving — the blade of
grass does not grow under their feet, when they
meet with it in old ley or this year's seeds. O^er
fallows — no tongue is heard ; and yet, with old
Saracen at head, the pace, such as it is, does not
slacken. He knows and feels the line of the fox,
and without saying a word about it presses resolutely
forward, until he strikes the mouse in the hedgerow
through which his game had passed ; then, with one
note only, gathering all to the front, he springs the
fence, and through the next field of turnips the
chorus swells and the pace increases.

" Ah ! fallows again," exclaimed Will Headman,
in disgust. '^Summer fallowing is of some use;
winter fallowing is of none, that I can see, except to
stop hounds. At this rate he'll beat us blind ; yet
there's no saying — a bit of luck, perhaps; and here
it is, out of fallow into the road, which means out
of the frying-pan into the fire. Confound him !
he's an artful dodger ; but I've taken his measure
once, if not twice, before this morning. There —
they must work it out as long as they can, and
when they can't I must help 'em."

Headman was holding his hounds quietly forward
down the road, when overtaken by Mr. Staveley, who
asked abruptly, "Where now. Will? He seems
bent on mischief, but I don't quite understand the
point he is making for."

" There is an old stone quarry, Squire, some ten

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 331

miles in advance^ where I ruuned this gentleman
last year, early in the season^ and as the earth were
not stopped, in course he beat us."

"Is the earth stopped now?"

" No, sir, not that I know of ; we must not stop
earths in our neighbour's country, and that old hole
don^t belong to us. However, he is running very
straight for it as yet, and we may get a turn in our
favour. Ah ! there he has it ; Jailor marks him
down the middle of the road. Have at him, old
fellow ! we are safe to hit him any side when he
crosses/'

For half a mile down the road into a valley below.
Jailor with old Saracen pertinaciously marked his
pad, and then over the fence into a bit of veritable
meadow the body of the pack dashed, running the
w^hole length of the enclosure at more than half
speed.

'^ We are warming up a little," remarked John
Staveley ; " but where's Jem ? he has slipped us
coming down the road, where the two lanes meet at
the top of the village."

" Gone to get a stopping of baccy for his pipe.
Squire, perhaps, or a glass of beer; but we don't
want him just now. Jack will do all we requires."

" I did not think Jem was given to those mal-
practices, smoking and drinking," continued Mr.
Staveley.

" Nor I, sir ; but I'm a-thinking he has smoked
something to more purpose than a baccy pipe.
They're a-running now, by Jingo, Squire, up that
side of the hill, and there's a pretty little bit of

832 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

covert just above it. He may have stopped tliere
a minute or two to look down on the pretty scenery
below, seeing no cause to be in a hurry, as gentle-
men tourists do, when time's no object/*

" He is too far in advance, Will Headman, to be
handled by you, notwithstanding your jokes/*

" Then, joking apart, Squire, I intend to mask
him before sun-down."

The fox had waited a few minutes in the covert,
and when he poked his nose out the other side into
a fallow field, where a plough-team was at work, a
shrill scream from a cart-boy caused him to poke it
in again, and hearing shooters along a hedgerow the
other side of the fence, he deemed it prudent not to
risk exposure to fire in that direction. Up wind he
did not wish to go ; so perforce he was obliged to
consider awhile what course to pursue, and then tack
round again for his point. Will Headman^s rattlers
improved their pace considerably by this movement,
and the fast men began to press them.

" Steady, gentlemen, if you please,** cried their
huntsman, " they arn't going to ran away from us

yet."

'' And I'll take good care they don*t,'* muttered
Sam Coventry, riding in atop of old Jasper, as he
was jumping the fence,

"Hold hard, sir!** vociferated the master. "I
won*t allow my hounds to be knocked over in that
fashion by you, sir, or anybody.**

" Beg pardon, sir, but my horse pulled so, I could
not hold him.**

" Then ride wider of them, Mr. Coventry ; the

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 333

fields are large enough for you to take a Hue of your
own, if you could do sucli a thing, without maiming
one of the best hounds in my kennel/^

" I would hang every one of them/^ muttered
Coventry; ^' a set of bow^- wowing loitering brutes,
always getting in a fellow's way, and Bill Headman
to boot. I say, George,'^ addressing his friend, '^ I
won't stand any more bull-ragging from that old
chap in buckskin and mahogany tops, and shall for
the future turn thistle-whipper; they can't do things
slower than Will Headman and his clod-crushers.'^

'^ Well, Sam, you can do as you please ; but
hounds can't run without a scent."

" Yes they can, Tracy, and I have seen them do
it. Tom Harkaway makes them do it. Sure of a
run with him ; for if there's no scent at all, he takes
them up at half speed for three or four miles to the
next sure find, and there we are all right for another
spree."

" Very well, Sam, then you had better smoke
your weed comfortably on your road home. I shall
stay to see the game played out, for, in my opinion,
we shall have something to do presently, which will
take the shine out of your highflyer."

*^ Then if you'll hand me a couple of cigars —
mine were exhausted long ago at Cold Harbour
Wood, where we sat shivering in the cold for an
hour and a half, before this confounded old fox chose
to break covert — I don't mind stopping a bit
longer."

This conversation took place when the hounds had
been brought to a check half way across the second

334? SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

field from tlie brake, where Sam Coventry had
knocked over old Jasper into the ditch, outside of
which, when getting again upon his legs, without
sustaining much damage, he was busily making a
short line of his own, whilst the pack were being
forced forward by horsemen over the scent.

^^ Here it is/^ cried the master; " hark to Jasper^
Will/'

" The old dog has it, sure enough ;'' and a toot
from his horn brought the pack round in a minute.
** Down wind again,'' muttered Will Headman ;
" that's his point, as I judged before."

" Then why not steal a march upon him ? " asked
John Staveley ; *^your hounds will bear lifting once
in a way."

" Very true, sir; but I don't think we should mend
matters much by lifting with a scent like this, and
there is no covert big enough to hold him for any
length of time between this and the old quarry hole
he is making for. The hounds are working away
well upon the line, and if we got their heads up,
they wouldn't feel disposed to put them down again
in the same persevering manner as now. 'Tisn't a
day to take liberties, sir."

With patience and perseverance, the pack held to
the line of their fox, occasionally assisted by their
huntsman, for some seven miles over a heavy arable
country, and the horses were beginning to feel the
effects of going fetlock deep the greater part of the
distance, not to mention the constant strain upon
their sinews from the strong fencing, when Will
Headman's ear caught the chattering of a magpie,

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 335

sitting upon a tall tree^ at the end of a plantation
just in sight.

'^ Ah ! YOU are thought to bring bad luck to most
folk/^ chuckled our huntsman; "but a good friend
to hounds — quite as good as a whipper-in sometimes;"
and as they reached the middle of the plantation,
tongues began to be let loose right merrily, and
away they went at the farthest end, with heads up
and sterns down. "Now for the bit of luck, Mr.
Staveley/^ cried Will Headman joyously, " if Jem is
there before him, it's all right enough, and the
cream of the thing is to come."

"Aye, aye, "VYill, I see now all about Jem's
smoking his pipe."

" He's a wide-awake fellow, sir, and quick to take
a hint ; but this old fox, has got a deal of running
in him yet, and to my thinking, there won't be any
more riding over hounds. The wind has shifted a
little, and the air feels warmer than it was an hour
agone."

" We have become warmer Will from increased
pace, and the fur on that old fox's back has been
warmed also. The faster he flies, the better the
scent. Up to this point, we have been almost
walking after him."

"Yes, sir, that's true enough; but the wind has
shifted, notwithstanding, and we are now nearly
running up wind instead of down, which makes all
the difference."

For a couple of miles, the hounds pressed forward
with extended column, at three-parts speed ; nearer
and nearer they approach the earth in the old

336 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

quarry, and quicker beats the pulse in Will Head-
man's heart, as the distance becomes shortened.
Jem he thought had not sufficient start to get there
before him, and running to ground seemed poor
consolation after such toilsome work to hounds and
horses. ^'^ They deserve him, any way, he was thinking,
when a shrill scream burst upon his ear, to which
the hounds sped like lightning. Another and ano-
other, succeeded by a ''Tally ho! forward;'^ and as
they near the bottom of the brake in which stood
the old quarry hole, a white figure on horseback was
discerned winding round the hill side, with the
leading couples.

" What the deuce is that ?" asked Staveley, " along
with the hounds now ? By gad, it looks like a
witch!''

" Not unlikely. Squire ; the damsels in these parts
are a lively lot ; and I should not be surprised at a
dairymaid's hunting hounds, if they came in her
way. Well, they've got it all to themselves now, for
I shanH be able to make a trot of it much farther.
However, it don't much signify, Jem will be there or
thereabouts, and he is pretty sure to finish him off
in good style, though he don't much fancy slow
work."

"Awfully slow, Sam," exclaimed George Tracy,
as they were pounding away together. "Pluck up
your spirits now, for the finishing burst. Jem has
got hold of them, and twenty minutes, best pace will
about finish him.''

" Ten will finish my brute ; there's no go left in
him."

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 337

'^Ah! tliat comes of larking when hounds are
not running; I thought how it would be. Well,
harden your heart, for here's a nasty murky-looking
piece of water before us, and have it we must.''

" I shall have some of it, Tracy, and no mistake,
for my confounded brute never will jump water ; but
now he's sure to go into it for a guzzle."

" Well, hang it, Coventry ! I can't stop till he has
done drinking; but if you're under, old chap, I'll
pull you out on terra firma — that's all that can be
expected of a friend under such pressing circum-
stances."

Sam's horse dived as expected like a duck under
water ; but his rider had taken the precaution of
throwing the stirrup leathers over his shoulders, and
being a light weight, sprang clear of him to the
opposite bank.

" Well done, Sam," cried George, whose horse
had cleared the bank cleverly ; '^ by gad ! you ought
to be at Astley's. Ta-ta, old fellow ! Lots of chaps
behind to drag him out, if he's worth the trouble."

George Tracy spurred away over the field to the
next fence, which proved a yawner; and as he got
over, loud cries for help assailed his ear, a little
higher up, but no object met his view. '^ By gad ! "
he thought, " there must be some poor fellow come
to grief in that dyke, and his horse, perhaps, atop
of him. Well, he must get out as he can, the pace
is too good." Another loud cry, smote his ear, and
this time his heart also. " Confound it ! I can't
leave him in such a plight ;" and riding up quickly,
he said, '^ Holloa, old fellow, what's the row?"

z

338 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

'^ Knock my horse's brains out/will you'?'^ the voice
replied, "■ he is following me up the ditch, and tramp-
ling my legs to pieces — I can't get out of his way/'

George saw at a glance how matters stood; and
springing from his saddle, seized the reins of the
floundering horse, and pulled him back upon his
haunches^ with his head against the bank.

''^Now, sir, quick if you please;" and out crawled
an elderly gentleman, with snow-white hair.

^^ Hurt ? " asked George.

" Not much, thanks to Heaven and your assist-
ance. This comes of riding thoroughbreds in a
cramp country. I can never repay you. Captain
Tracy, for your timely help ; but I shan't forget it.
Now, go on, never mind that brute."

'^ No, nO; sir, I'll get him out for you, now I am
about it. We are out of the race, but a brush
more or less is not of much consequence ; for good
luck, however, we have a long green lane before us,
beyond which I hear the hounds running, and Jem
cheering them. Come on, sir, we shan't be the last,
if we can't be the first."

Meanwhile, Will Headman with Squire Staveley
were taking things quietly — far more quietly than
they desired ; yet there was no choice left to them,
without second horses, of doing more, when three
fire-eaters passed them, spurring their jaded horses
to their last exertions.

" Good night, Mr. Headman,^' laughed the fore-
most ; *^' slow and sure — eh ? "

Will made no reply^ but his look spoke unutter-
ables.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 339

^' I hope we shall get there before those snobs/^
exclaimed Staveley.

" Breath is lost -upon such as they be, squire. We
shall see ■'em again long before they sees the old fox
in Jem^s hand. The ground goes better now, sir ;
we have got upon dairy land, and in course the
hounds, too, feel the difference.^^

For somewhat less than a mile, the trio kept
a-head of the huntsman and Mr. Staveley, when, on
doing a stiff in-and-out cleverly, although slowly.
No. 1 was found standing over the prostrate form of
his horse, with his glass to his eye, exclaiming,
" Eh, demmit, what^s the matter with him ? Mr.
Headman, what^s your opinion t'^ as that individual
pushed through the fence.

" Slow and sure, sir ! good night ! You must
carry your own saddle home, that^s all about it.^''

" Dem that old raven ! but his croaking is true
enough. The puff is out of him, and no mistake."

" On ! on ! on ! still forward !" is the cry ; and gal-
lantly does the old fox now put forth his utmost speed
to distance his pursuers. Hitherto he had not been
pressed, but now came that pressure when he felt it
most oppressive. There was life in the old fox yet.
Foiled by Jem in his purpose of taking refuge in the
quarry hole, he now set his head straight for another
stronghold four miles distant ; but having reckoned
on a bad scent, as before, he was mistaken, or rather
overtaken, before he could accomplish his purpose.
Jem and the rattlers were close in his wake ; and the
former, now having it all his own way, capped and
cheered them on at such a terrific pace, that he got

z 2

340 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

their heads up to a view over a large pasture field,
and they ran into their fox before he could reach
the fence. Jem^s "Whoo-hoopP^ was heard for
miles down wind, and glad enough were the few
select still struggling on to hear it.

" He's got him in hand now/^ cried Will Head-
man; '^but how his mare could have lived with ^em,
that's the wonder/^

Some half-a-dozen men staggered into the field
with beaten horses, where stood Jem under an old
oak tree, the fox suspended on one of its lower
branches, and the hounds baying around him.

" Holloa, Jem,^' said Headman, " what have you
been doing ? Your chestnut mare is turned into a
grey horse, and there's no coat on your back."

" The story's soon told, master. Finding the mare
could not do it in time, I spied doctor's old gre}^
which I knowed to be a good one, tied up to a green
door at the end of the village ; so I thinks exchange
ain't no robbery, and I slips off the mare, and into
doctor's saddle, leaving her in the grey's place.'^

^^Hah! hah! hah!'' laughed John Staveley, '^a
capital trick, by Jove ! but where's your coat Jem?"

'' Well, sir, ^twere a very near thing. I got to the
mouth of the earth just about a second before the
old fox, having hitched up doctor's horse to a thorn
bush, and were standing there, when down he
rushes at me like a lion, and, you wouldn't believe
it, tried to run between my legs ; so I were obliged
to knock him off his by shying my cap at him,
and then it was, sir, I first holloa'd him, as he turned
away; but thinking he might try it again, and

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 341

knowing master^s objection to stop a neighbour's
earths, I stripped the bit o' pink off my back, and
laying it over the hole, jumped into the saddle, and
were with 'em as soon as they com'd up : and you
knows the rest, sir."

'^ No, I don't, Jem, but can guess it ; and here's a
sovereign for that fox's brushy which you have out-
manoeuvred so cleverlv."

342 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XL.

Biding a willing horse to deatli — General bad treatment of the equine
race — Meeting of the four winds — George Tracy gets a quid pro
quo — Will Headman on turf — Jem and his thoroughbred — The
old squire, John Staveley — Scurry from a gorse-brake over the
open downs.

Will Headman's prognostications became facts on
the following morning, when three dead horses were
brought to the kennel, victims to the ignorance and
merciless conduct of their riders on the previous
day. Accidents, we know, will befall the best horse-
men and hunters, and we know also that horses
will do their utmost to live with hounds as long as
they are able to do so ; but to whip and spur a
beaten horse to death is a decided act of cruelty,
which no man possessing a particle of pity would
perpetrate. The majority of mankind, we are obliged
to confess — and, we are grieved to add, the majority
of womankind also — regard horses more in the light
of steam-engines than animals composed of flesh
and blood, heart and lungs, like ourselves. We have
known ladies — many very kind, affectionate, com-
passionate beings in social life; philanthropic, saint-
like in their intercourse with the fallen, or miserable,
or poor, or destitute — Sisters of Mercy, in fine — but
Proserpinish in regard to unfortunate horses when
linked to their carriage. Why is it ? How is it that
such inconsistencies are daily, hourly seen in the

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 343

conduct of those, who, save for these glaring cruel-
ties, might justly claim the title of ministering
angels ? Must we assign it to ignorance or in-
difference ? Charity would suggest the first as a
palliative excuse. * We are loth to attribute it to
the latter. It has been said, " Where ignorance is
bliss, -'tis folly to be wise -^^ but we say, when the
Bible and the laws of our country punish cruelty to
all animals with severity, the most ignorant can
scarcely be unacquainted with the divine, as well as
human, injunction, " to be merciful to their beasts.^'
No excuse can be made for ^^ riding a willing horse
to death.''

Will Headman's next appearance in public was
in a district wholly unlike that from which he ob-
tained the hunting run above recorded. There lay
a small patch of gorse, surrounded on all sides by
down land, and in one direction extending for
several miles, without a twig to shelter a fox from
his pursuers ; and thither were seen flocking from
north, east, south, and west equestrians of all
denominations, from four different hunts, to witness
the performance of Will Headman's rattlers over
the open, the news of his late exploits having spread
in all directions. It was a gala meet for the fast
men, and Sam Coventry had selected a thorough-
bred for the occasion. George Tracy, also, was
conspicuous for the neatness of his attire, and that
quiet and unassuming manner which distinguishes
the well-bred gentleman from the snob. Whilst
talking with Coventry, the elderly gentleman with
white hair, to whom he had rendered assistance a

844 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

few clays previously, approaclied him and offered his
hand, saying, " Good morning, Captain Tracy/'

The salutation was returned most courteously,
yet deferentially, with uplifted hat, displaying a fine
forehead, encircled by dark-brown wavy hair.

*' I hold only a commission as lieutenant, sir,
although my friends are pleased to assign me a
higher rank," he answered, smiling.

" I have a few words for your ear only, Captain
Tracy, if you will ride with me a little way out of
the crowd •'' and when apart from observation, the
elderly gentleman presented him with a small packet,
saying, " If you will read the enclosed, not now, but
when you return home, you will find that I have not
addressed you impertinently as Captain Tracy."

George felt so taken aback, that he really did not
know what to say or do, but sat as one bewildered
in the saddle, holding the paper in his hand.

" Put that in the breast pocket of your coat.
Captain Tracy," said the elderly gentleman impa-
tiently, "and come along, the hounds are moving
off."

George mechanically obeyed the order, and on
meeting with Coventry again, the latter asked,
"Who's your friend, George?"

*' I cannot exactly tell, although his features seem
familiar. We have met before, butwh ere I cannot
remember."

" Well, that is Colonel Hamilton, one of our
county members, a man of considerable influence,
both in town and country ; lots of tin, and people
say a great favourite at the Horse Guards. Worth

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 345

knowing, old fellow, as lie might give you a lift up
another step in the ladder ; but now we have other
fish to fry^ and my impression is, there won^t be
much slow work this morning, if that bit of gorse
holds the animal. AVhat a lot of swells ! and such
a gathering of all nations and languages from the
four winds (i.e., four adjoining hunts) I have never
seen drawn together : over three hundred, and most of
them prepared to do their worst for Will and the pack,
and the best for themselves. The old master is
blithesome and gay," continued Sam, ^' flattered, no
doubt, by the compliments thus paid to him by so
large an assemblage of sporting men to meet his
hounds. Mr. Headman, as he is generally called,
looks as if he had got out on the wrong side of his
bed this morning ; but there is a cynical mischievous
expression in Jem^s eye, mounted on his Newmarket
second — how the old Squire got hold of him, I
cannot imagine — which tells us plainly enough that
he won't be distanced in the race by anybody out.
By Jove, George ! what a huntsman that fellow
w^ould make ! All alive O ! though looking as
demure — well, we wonH be vituperative — as a certain
sort of lady at a christening.'^

"Jem's a capital fellow in his place, Sam, and
knows all about it, but is no more suited to hunt
hounds now than you are. A man may be a first-
rate captain, who has not had sufficient experience
to shine as a general in the army. Jem is too fast
for everyday work, and would miss his headpiece
sadly if thrown upon his own resources. He will
grow older and wiser in a few years more, and then

346 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

perhaps turn out a good huntsman, though not as a
certain sequence." Well, we are on the move now,
after the learned in such matters have expressed
their opinion on the merits and condition of the
pack ; and I heard one jealous chap, who has gained
a high reputation in the shires, remark, "^ Ah ! the
vale is tlieir province ; they can^t go over the open.''
'' Can't they ? " sneered old Fowler of ours, who heard
the observation. " You^ll soon be satisfied on
that point." Another fellow said, " If there is a fox
in that patch of short gorse, they can^t get into it
to get him out of it."

'' Now, Will," cried the old Squire, " let them go ;
and you will oblige me, gentlemen," he said cour-
teously, addressing the cavalcade of horsemen already
pressing forward, '^ if you will keep on this side the
covert, and leave the other open for the fox to have
a start. Don^t be nervous, gentlemen, my hounds
are so heavy and slow that they can^t run away from
you — can they, Mr. Staveley?" appealing to that
first-rate sportsman.

Staveley appeared to be rather dull of hearing that
morning, as he made no reply ; but he was gathering
up his reins, and close to Will Headman, when his
hounds sprang into and buried themselves beneath
the dark green covert. In a few seconds the surface
of the gorse began to wave to and fro, like a field
of standing corn bending before the wind, then
heads appeared here and there above it, and ever
and anon the forms of Will Headraan^s favourites
were observed springing clean out of it, with a
short sharp note.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 347

"Aye, have at him, my lads, push him out;" and
push him out they did, as the fox, fiuding himself
surrounded by his enemies, leaped out from among
them, and actually ran along upon the top of the
thick gorse for some few yards.

" Now, gentlemen/' cried the master, riding up
to the dense column drawn together at the very
point he wished the fox to break, " let me entreat
you to wheel to the right or left, and leave this space
open. It is your concern more than mine, if you
wish to see a run, for I don't care much about it ;
spoil your own sport, if you like, my riding days are
past ; and if he is chopped in covert so much the
pleasanter for me."

The old squire's reproof produced a certain effect.
The ground was vacated immediately, and no sooner
left open than the fox broke away over it. Then
arose a Babel of tongues, screeching and screaming,
and the column of horsemen rushed rapidly to the
fore, in pursuit of the flying animal and a single
hound, ere the pack had left the covert.

" Hold hard, gentlemen !" cried the excited master ;
"for goodness sake, hold hard one minute !" On
they go stilL " Then go, and be d — d !" he mut-
tered ; " they shall beat you yet." And with a shrill
scream from the old squire, the hounds were hustled
off by Jem from the line of another fox they were
hunting in a contrary direction.

"Now, Will," as they caught the scent, and
flashed rapidly away upon it, " these pacemen shall
soon see the difference between ploughed land and
turf. Away, away ! and mind, Jem," as the second

348 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

in command passed his master, "you've got a
tlioroughbred under you as well as A¥ill Head-
man.'^

" I slian^t forget it, sir /' touching his cap.

The master would have been perfectly justified,
under such audacious behaviour from his field, in
sending Jem to stop the single hound, and go direct
away with the body of the pack after the fox they
were hunting, and which had just broken covert in
the opposite direction — in fact, such is the rule to
be followed in such cases. The old master knew all
about that, and might have had a good run to him-
self; but, to use a vulgar expression, "his monkey
was up,'^ and he resolved to beat the fast men with
their own weapons just for once, and to prove to
them that hounds could beat horses.

"Come along, Jem,^' said Headman, "put them
on : the squire wills it. What^s missing V^

" Hecuba and Hotspur, master ; and those two
young devils won't lose sight of the brush till they
get hold on it."

"They can't hunt, Jem, and shouldn't if they
would ; so there is nothing for it but to get 'em clear
out of the crowd, and then we shall see who can
catch 'em again."

It was contrary to Will Headman's principle and
practice to act as he was obliged to upon such an
emergency; but he was too good a soldier to disobey
orders from his commander-in-chief, knowing well
what his intention was. Mounted on two thorough-
bred horses, more notorious for their staying than
fleeting properties, Will Headman and Jem drew

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 349

steadily througli the host of horsemen, and in less
than two miles the hounds were running at the top
of their speed, and not a soul within a hundred yards
of them.

" Aye, aye, master, this will do V^ cried Jem, in
ecstacies; "this scampering over downs ain't un-
pleasant after that heavy work in the vale : my nag
can go like lightning."

" Then hold him together, Jem, for the race is
only begun. This is a straight running old gentle-
man afore us, or he wouldn't have faced the wind in
this manner, and you knows he saved his brush last
year by getting to ground in sight of the pack over
yonder hill."

^'Yes, master, I recollects all about it; but he
ain't going to serve us that trick to-day. You don't
want me now, I suppose ?"

'' No, Jem ; but you can't do it at this pace ; and
there's no doctor's horse to be found hitched up at
a green door if yours fails you."

Jem drew ahead, notwithstanding ; and as he sped
along his thoughts escaped him, or, in other words,
he was thinking aloud.

*^ Master's a deal heavier in the saddle than I am,
and in course I couldn't leave him without some
excuse ; but I know the old squire's notions about
this spree, and if I don't handle him long before any
of them chaps get up, my name ain't James."

The race now commenced in earnest. George
Tracy, Sam Coventry, and half-a-dozen light weights
on thoroughbred horses, strove fiercely to cut down
Jem and take the lead from him ; but our first Avhip

350 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

proved too good a jockey for them all. Pass him
they could not ; and the further they went^ the fur-
ther went the hounds before them.

"Now, Coventry/^ cried George Tracy, as they rode
neck and neck together, " now is your time to ride
over some of these slow bow-wowing brutes, as you
called them the other day. The old squire is not
here to rate jo\xP

'^Who would have thought it, George — not I,
certainly — that they could go such a trimming pace
over the turf? By gad, I can^t catch them/^

" They have nothing to carry, and your horse and
mine have, that makes some difference ; and then,
3^ou see, the fox is close before them/'

^' I can't see him if you can."

" Then cast your eye forward, and you will discern
something like a rook skimming along, straight
ahead of them."

" If that's the fox, he's a precious little one, and I
wonder how he can go such a pace."

"The distance makes him look small; but he is as
big and stout an old warrior as I have seen for many
a day, although the hounds are now getting nearer
and nearer to his brush at every stride ; and have
him they will in less than another mile."

" Oh, me ! what a purl that chap has got to the
right," exclaimed Sam ; " that comes of riding over
old cartways covered with grass, which none but a
wide-awake fellow knows how to take. By Jove ! it
must have been a stunner, for, although up in the
saddle, he is riding away from the hounds."

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 351

CHAPTER XLI.

The four-mile race — Danger of crossing old trackways — George Tracy
disabled — A lucky fall — The pace that kills — Ups and downs —
The squire's joy on seeing his hounds beat the field — Who-hoop!

In the good old times, long before the birth of
MacAdam, packhorses and carts of rude construc-
tion were generally used to convey goods from one
town to another, across moors and down lands ; and
even to this day some of these trackways still remain
to give evidence of the use to which they were for-
merly assigned. These ancient highways were not
restricted, as in later times, to so many feet or yards
for their lawful boundary, beyond which no man
might venture to trespass by hoof or wheel without
subjecting himself to a casus belli, or law process.
It was not the fashion then to fill up ruts with
broken stones; and, in consequence, when the
ground became miry in riding over, deviations were
made right or left to go upon firmer turf. Since the
increasing ardour for cultivation, there are few of
these ancient landmarks remaining in the present
day, except in very isolated districts ; but where they
are yet to be met with and encountered, the stiffest
country is not more prolific of falls than crossing
these blind horse-traps. "Were the width of only one
or two cart tracks to be covered, a good rider might
accomplish it with a jump or two, without being
brought into trouble; but a dozen of deep ruts

352 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

covered over witli long grass, cannot be tripped over
by a half-blown horse with a loosish rein, except on
the usual terms of heels over head.

Such an obstacle occurred in the burst we were
about describing, midway between find and finish ;
and the number down at the sweeping was — we
were going to say, marvellous — yet there was no
marvel in the case. Every man had fixed his eye upon
the hounds, as they were running away from him;
and, there being no fences to crane at or funk, each
thought of riding over the Newmarket course or a
nicely kept bowling green; and to a certain point all
went pleasantly and comfortably enough, although
their horses did not go quite so rapidly as antici-
pated. In short, every man fancied himself upon a
thoroughbred in tip-top condition, simply because he
was riding a race over turf; and we need scarcely
note their disgust when disabused of these day-
dreams by a sudden change into midnight, when
hosts of stars seemed glittering around them. As
in the charge of cavalry at Balaklava, every third
man of the first rank went down; the majority coming
out of the vale, and not accustomed to such ins and
outs without seeing a fence before them, went down
also ; but the hill men rode more carefully, knowing
the risk to life and limb in going fast over such
treacherous ground, and the ruck extending some
two miles en arriere, profited by the example set
them by their betters in pace.

" Steady, squire,^^ cried Will Headman to Mr.
Staveley, as they were approaching the trackways,
'' pull him up, sir, into a trot ; it can't be done

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 353

otherwise, except by accident. A double ox fence is
milk-and-water to such things as these; and going at
water ever so wide — barring the Severn, and other
rivers not jumpable — is quite harmless in com-
parison. You gets your go under soft and soapy
like, and comes up not much the worse for the dip-
ping; but here, as that there Count says, who comes
over from Johnny Crapaud's land, ^tis all ' de contraire
— 3^our horse's nose goes into de ground, and you fly
over de ground •/ and the chances are in favour of a
man's spine being disarranged without the assistance
of Mr. Calcraft. Steadily does it, sir, and a pull up
for a second or so over these ruts will give our horses
just time to catch their second wind, and then we
shall sail away as pleasantly as ever. Jem's ahead
of us, squire, and his nag has got the foot of mine,
with two stone less upon his back, which goes for
more than most folks fancy. As for catching him,
squire, or the hounds, that's all moonshine. We
can't do it. ' C^est impossible,' as the Count says,
— who, I expect, from his manner of operating, will
come to grief afore he gets t'other side of these
crossings — it's just the sort of trap to catch a
mounseer. Heads up and tails up — all that sort
of thing ; instead of minding where he is going to
and keeping his horse together. Now, squire, for
the run in. Come along, sir, the best foot fore-
most." And away sped Headman, on his bit of
blood, at an astonishing pace.

But every one knows, who knows anything about
it, that blood will tell in man, horse, or hound. The
better they are bred the better they will go ; and

A A

354 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

Will Headman had been placed upon the back of a
big one, over sixteen hands high, which could carry
his weight and take a good place in a four-mile race
— for such this was without mistake : and, like the
trial between horses and hounds, some years ago,
over the Beacon course at Newmarket, the hounds
had the best of it. The old squire's hounds had not
been trained upon legs of mutton or sheep's trotters,
but they were in first-rate condition, from hard
work and proper diet ; and the four miles were accom-
plished in a few seconds under eleven minutes.

" Now, Sam, they have him \" cried George Tracy.
" That black hound has, I see, turned him on the
point of the hill, and the second catches him by the
back, and the only fellow within three hundred yards
of them is Jem. You and I hope to be in second
and third ; and Will Headman has been making up
leeway at such an extraordinary pace that he must
be fourth ; and I would not undertake to say that he
cannot pass both of us yet."

The triumph of the old master — who, by the way,
had set to work right manfully in this struggle, re-
solved to show what he had done, and could do still
although past the years allotted to mankind — was
complete when he beheld his first whipper-in alone,
with the fox held over his head, and the hounds lying
and standing around him, and not another horseman
yet within fifty yards of him.

" Now, gentlemen," he exclaimed, as some of the
stiff-necked ones began dropping in one by one on
cock-tailed horses, " you see we can beat you with
all the odds against us. Our hounds have just

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 855

passed through all of you easily, and my first whip
is the first man up at the finish."

" The quickest thing I ever saw in my life, sir/^
said the master of a neighbouring pack. " I con-
gratulate you upon such a brilliant aff'air."

"We do not care much about brilliant things,
sir/^ was the reply. " Once in a season, just to see
how hounds can run together, is well enough ; but
this is foxracing not foxhunting. There is no oppor-
tunity for the display of talent in the huntsman or
sagacity in the hound. A Newmarket lad could
do quite as well here as the most experienced of
professors, and a lot of curs, colly dogs, and lurchers
run over the ground as fast as well-bred foxhounds.-"

" I can^t hold him up any longer, master," said
Jem to Will Headman; "he ain^t so light a weight
as you seem to think, and my arms are tired of the
job; besides which we may find another fox, and
kill him in like manner, before half the gents as
started gets up — if ever they gets up at all, which
seems very dubious. I never seed such an example
made of hossmen. There is a tail of ^em for two
miles at least, and lots of nags all over the downs."

" Give him to me, then, Jem :" and Headman,
taking the fox, held him for a few seconds over his
head ; and then, with a scream which none could
imitate or exceed, threw the carcass high up into the
air, and the bones were broken ere it reached the
ground by the expectant pack.

George Tracy, however, and Sam Coventry do not
put in an appearance at the winding up of this per-
fect performance in its way. Where are they ?

A A 2

356 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

There is a little group of horsemen collected around
an object lying on the turf, about half a mile below,
and that object is the prostrate body of George
Tracy. He was riding into the finish cheerfully and
carelessly, when, on stepping on what appeared to
him as firm turf as any before crossed, his horse
floundered and fell, throwing him heavily, and roll-
ing over him. Coventry sprang instantly to his
assistance, picked him up, and was endeavouring to
administer a dose of aqua vitce from his flask, when
Colonel Hamilton reached the spot.

" What has happened ?" he asked, quickly.

" Tracy is, I fear, seriously hurt,^^ was Sam^s
reply; "quite stunned, — and I can^t bring him
round.^^

" Let me try, then, whilst you ride for a surgeon;
there are two out with the hounds."

" By all that^s lucky," cried Sam, ^^ here is Mr.
Danvers just coming up, who is as clever at this
sort of thing as in crossing country after hounds."

The doctor was soon out of his saddle, and kneel-
ing by Tracy^s side, feeling for his pulse, and exa-
mining his body.

*' Concussion of the brain, colonel, and, to add to
his misery, a broken collar-bone."

^'"What can be done ?" asked the colonel.

" We must get him down to the nearest inn as
soon as possible — better to a farmhouse, where there
would be less disturbance.'^

" He shall be taken to my house, doctor, which is
not far distant, and fortunately my carriage is on
the ground somewhere. I will go for it directly."

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 357

By the time Colonel Hamilton returned, Tracy
had in a great degree recovered his consciousness
and Sam having assisted him into the carriage, gave
his horse in charge to the colonel's groom, and then
again rode off to join the cavalcade now in motion to
draw for a second fox. George Tracy being a great
favourite in the hunt, anxious inquiries were made
by his friends of Sam Coventry.

" He is not, I fancy, so badly hurt as I first
thought. George could not have fallen to such ad-
vantage anywhere else ; and, taking the pros and
cons into account, I have a shrewd suspicion that it
will be the luckiest fall he ever got in his life. His
collar-bone will soon be all right, with a clever
doctor to attend to him, and a beautiful girl to while
away his pains and aches with her silvery tones.
Egad ! George is a good-looking fellow, a favourite
with women, and the colonel seems to have taken a
decided fancy to him. Under such auspicious cir-
cumstances it is not very difi&cult to guess the result
of his being laid up as an invalid at the Grange.^'
The latter part of his speech was addressed to John
Staveley in a low voice.

"The colonel is a very particular man in some
respects,'^ remarked Staveley, " and the on dit is that
he has assigned his only child to Lord John."

" Who is old enough to be her father," added
Sam.

"No matter; he was always considered a marti-
net in the field, and is not likely to be trifled with
when his mind is made up upon any point."

358 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XLII.

" The pack full opening, various, tlie shrill horn
Resounding from the hills, the neighing steed
Wild for the chase, and the loud hunter's shout. "

Scurry the second — A dip into the vale — Harmony of huntsman and
first whip — Jem and his master — Over the hills and far away —
Dropping sterns and dropping astern — Blood and condition will
tell — ' Up the hill, spare me' — Trying it on foot — Jem beats his
master at pedestrianism — Short, sharp, and decisive.

"Well, Will, what next V asked the old master of
his huntsman. " This little burst has opened their
pipes, and now they want something better to do.
We shall find a fox, I suppose, at Hazelgrove, under
the hill V'

" Yes, sir, that's a pretty sure find ; but Fm a
thinking there's that other w^e whipped off from the
gorse not likely to have left the downs yet awhile,
and I can partly guess where he is. Those gents,
sir, want one more gallop of this sort just to satisfy
^em quite entirely that the hounds can beat ^em out
and out, and then we can have a nice quiet hunting
run in the vale to finish with ; and Fll undertake to
say, however moderate the pace, there arn't a horse-
man out who can ride over ^em. They are nearly
pumped out already, sir, and one more go over this
turf will just put ^em all in their right places.^^

" Then, Will, let them have it.''

" And so they shall," muttered Jem between his

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 359

teeth ; " we arn't going to be sneezed at by these
Imrry-scurry riders from t'other hunts, who com'd
down on purpose to show us the trick. I rayther
thinks they'll go home wiser than they set out ; and,
although they do say all the wise men come from
the east, Fve a notion we of the west can show 'em
a trick or two worth knowing/^

Some six miles back from the point where the first
fox had been brought to hand in a style so satisfac-
tory as to elicit general applause from all who could
reach the spot, lay a small plantation, overhanging
a beautiful grass vale, and there Headman fancied
the second fox might have waited awhile, as he had
not been followed by hounds a hundred yards from
the gorse; and his conjectures proved correct; for no
sooner had the pack been thrown into it than the
fox bundled out of it, not quite in view, however, and
down the hill he went, without hesitation; and the
pack, catching sight of him as he descended, set to
running again a terrific pace. Taking it as granted
that they were now committed to a clipper in the
low-lands, the majority of the field rattled down after
them, bent on mischief.

" They won't run away from us here, master
Jem," cried Tom Harkaway, belonging to the B. C.
Hunt, " the fences will stop them ; they can't creep
through them as fast as we can jump over them."

" Our hounds never think of creeping through
hedges like yours, Mr. Harkaway — they be bred too
high for that sort of low muddling work ; so come
along, and Pll soon pump you out, my hearty," he
muttered, as he went over the first wide double with

360 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

a swing which none but a thoroughbred could ac-
comphsh.

" Ha ! ha V' he laughed, as Tom Harkaway got
a nasty one into the far ditch. " You don^t seem to
get over ^em quite so easy as you expected. Very
fine riding/^ chuckled Jem. " These hill men don't
know anything about double ditches and fences;
^tain't in their line — a donkey could jump the biggest
fence in their country. Ride over our hounds !
That's a good joke. Ha ! ha ! Come up, Duchess/'
as he landed his mare over a sunk fence into a gentle-
man's park.

The pressure, however, proving too sharp, the fox
made short work of it in the vale, having turned
again back for the downs, evidently with the inten-
tion of trying the earths in the gorse from which he
had been at first dislodged. He had dipped suffi-
ciently deep, notwithstanding, into the vale to draw
down the whole cavalcade after him ; and now ensued
a struggle more severe than the first race over the
open, the fox having made a circuit over about a
mile of the very stiffest enclosures before tacking
round, and the pace did not slacken.

Will Headman was now to the fore, the light
weights being unable to take the lead from him
through the stiff blackthorn fences, which they could
not grapple with hke men of greater power in the
saddle. During this semicircular burst our hunts-
man maintained his place and reputation as a first-
class rider to hounds, nulli secundus. Once let the
lead be taken from a huntsman to foxhounds by any
one of his hunt, and his authority is gone. There

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 361

are solitary exceptions^ wlieii he may by accident be
thrown out, and fast races over the downs where
lighter weights eclipse him ; but in everyday work^
the man who cannot hold his position as first fiddle
is not the right man in the right place. If other-
wise, his only excuse can be that he is too badly
horsed to be with his hounds. The old squire
took especial care that no such charge as this should
be placed to his account. His men were well
horsed : they knew it, and did credit to their
master^s judgment in providing them with animals so
well fitted for their requirements. Will Headman,
and his first whip, Jem, were paragons of perfection
in their line of business. Two superior to them in
all respects could not have been found throughout
her Majesty^s dominions ; and although Jem, as
avant courier , might occasionally take advantage of
the position when his master, as he called him, was
not up, yet did he know his duties too well ever to
play him false, acting fairly and honestly as a locum
tenens until his superior came up. There were no
jealous feelings between huntsman and first whipper-
in — too commonly the case, and as commonly sub-
versive of sport in the field. Jem regarded AYill
Headman in the same light that a schoolboy looks
up to a clever kind preceptor ; and Will Headman
repaid his pupiFs attachment and deference to him
by a sort of fatherly interest in all he did. Jem was
admitted into all his arcana, or mysteries of the
science ; neither was he excluded from the kennel,
and kept in the dark as to the pedigrees of hounds,
breedings, and crossings, and other little matters of

362 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

that kind. With such miitaal confidence, it was
not surprising to find the working of the establish-
ment in such harmonious order.

Jem, from his position as first whip, being at
the far end of the plantation when the fox first
broke away, had got the first start with the hounds,
and it was his business to keep close to them, but
not to interfere with their proceedings before the
huntsman came up ; and he had been too well in-
structed to think of handling them so long as they
could feel a scent. Being a light weight also, he
could ride down hill — the most dangerous of all
riding — much faster than thirteen stone would con-
sider necessary ; and hounds, having nothing to
carry, can go down declivities much faster than
horses with their riders. The hill overhanging the
vale was nearly as steep as the roof of a slate-covered
house ; and Will Headman effected his descent by
making use of his horse's hind legs as a sledge — for,
knowing the danger of sidelings on such an emer-
gency to be productive of sidelong rollings and over-
turnings, he put his head straight, his hocks and
tail acting the part of rudder. A horse cannot fall
forward going down hill if held in this position, and
it is equally obvious that he cannot fall backwards,
if properly guided. Let him diverge to the right or
left, and " earth-biting '^ is the certain result ; and
the rollings and catastrophes to the unskilled in
horsemanship were grievous to relate.

Once down the hill, Headman felt, like many
others, a deal more comfortable in his saddle, and
the strides of his Newmarket second soon brought

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 363

him into nearer relationship with his hounds ; and
the glance of his eagle eye detected in a few minutes
the sudden swerving of the chase to the left, of
which he took immediate advantage, and nicked in
just at the critical time as their heads were again
turned towards the hill.

"Ah/' he muttered, "I see it all. He hadn't
start enough for Hazel Grove, and now means the
gorse again. Hang it ! going down such a hill- is
bad enough ; but I'll warrant we all went down a
deal quicker than ever we shall go up.'^

Will's surmises proved something more than mere
guesses as to this part of the performance. The
ascent was in truth a choker to all save fox and
hounds. Horsemen could not make a trot even by
tortuous windings and tackings, and there was the
pack before their eyes, going up at such a pace !
Will Headman tried it on foot — so did Jem; but
the latter, being as light as a feather in comparison
with his master, took precedence in pedestrianism.
Jem could run where his superior could only make a
walk of it, blowing like a grampus the while : and,
as a natural result, the first whip had the best of
this up-hill game. Ere, however, Jem reached the
top, the hounds were over the downs and far away,
going at racing pace as before, and they ran from
scent to view, pulling down their fox within half a
mile of the gorse entirely by themselves. Jem was
again the first man up; but nought remained of
the fox save his head, which Chancellor was carrying
about in triumph.

" Halves, old fellow !" said Jem, catching him by

364 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

the scrufF of his neck ; " I wants his nose, and you
shall have the rest."

" Will Headman/^ said John Staveley, who was
switching his big brown horse along at a tremendous
pace, "this is a glorious finish to our down meet.
These jealous men from the other hunts can^t go
home and laugh at us, that^s one consolation. They
have had a pretty good dusting this morning, and
ril engage have never seen hounds run so fast in
their lives.'''

" All very well in its way, squire, and Fm glad
it has been in our power to show them that our
hounds can run as well as hunt. They have made
clean work of it this burst, and in course^ by the time
we reaches ^em there won^t be so much as a pad left.
No matter — they can see what's been done, and I
hope Jem was in time to save the brush."

Ten minutes after about fifty horsemen of the
three hundred got up to the spot where the fox had
been dispatched so summarily, and some twenty
minutes were allowed for other stragglers to come in,
during which the merits of the sport were discussed,
and voted unanimously the finest ever witnessed.

"Now then, I suppose," said Mr. Palmer, the
master of the B.C. Hunt, "home is the next order
of the day, since we have had galloping enough — at
least, I can speak for myself."

" Oh no, sir," replied Headman ; " our hounds
wants a good hour or two more, just to get their
heads down again after this wild work ; and master's
orders were to draw Hazel Grove if this here fox
was killed on the downs."

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 365

" A very wise resolve ; and as Hazel Grove lies in
my way home^ it suits my book to a nicety ; besides
which such a scenting day may not fall to our lot
for another month. Carpe diem is my motto ; so
come along.

« Well, Mr. Staveley/' said the master of the B.C.
Hunt, " although of the opinion that enough is as
good as a feast, I will follow you into the vale.^^

" And if benighted there,^^ added John Stavelej^,
" there is bed and board for j^ourself, and a loose
box for your horse, at my place, and a hearty good
welcome.^'

fi66 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XLIII.

" Each season has its joys, 'tis true,
And none should reason spurn ;
And those who nature rightly view,
Enjoy them in their- turn.

" The angler, racer, courser, shot,
As each to each is born ;
But the season of seasons — is it not ? —
When the huntsman winds his horn."

"Sub Jove frigido" — The foxhunter's season — When a fox is not a
fox — Distinguishing characteristics of well-bred foxhounds —
Making the best of a bad scent — Will Headman's descent into
lower regions— Hazel Grove — Forcing a fox — A cool calculator
nearly outwitted — The afternoon fox — Barren downs and luxu-
riant pastures.

A GOOD scenting morning may be^ and often is,
succeeded by a bad scent in the afternoon, during tlie
winter months which constitute the season of fox-
hunting. It so happens that the foxhunter is de-
barred from the usual enjoyment of sunshine and
genial weather which cheer another sportsman,
whether handling rod or fowling-piece. Angling,
grouse, partridge, and pheasant shooting are not
pursued as our sport is, sub Jove frigido. The at-
mosphere is not so frigid that they cannot derive
some enjoyment from the balmy breezes by which
they are surrounded, even should their game prove
too scanty to fill creel or bag. There are two causes
which prevent our sport commencing before the
winter season sets in. Foxes are not considered as

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 367

foxes until the 1st of November. They are not full
grown before that time, and hedges are not denuded
of their foliage even then ; moreover, foxhunting
would not be tolerated by agriculturists whilst their
corn remained standing in the field. On these ac-
counts, therefore, the opening day for foxhunters is
fixed for the 1st of November by general consent,
since foxes may be lawfully killed, like hares and
rabbits, every month in the year. From experience,
old sportsmen know that cold weather, frost, hail,
snow, and chilling storms militate greatly against
scent ; and the wonder is that foxhounds should be
able, in the face of all these dampers, to hold the
line of their game at all. Use has been called
second nature, and hounds, from becoming used to
fight through all these inclemencies, adapt them-
selves to the difficulties to be encountered.

It has been truly said that no animal of the canine
species possesses so fine a nose as a thoroughbred
foxhound, and from experience we have good cause
to endorse this opinion. We have seen foxhounds
stoop to hunt hare, which beat all the old blue
mettled sort in the pack out and out at questing, as
it is called — i.e., speaking to the trail and hunting
her afterwards over every variety of soil; and this
was .done by hounds purchased from an old estab-
lished foxhound kennel, which had been proved
staunch to a fox scent only for tliree seasons.

Beckford tells us a story — a true one, no doubt —
of a foxhound belonging to a neighbouring pack,
which joined his harriers one day by accident ; and,
as he ran faster and turned quicker with the scent

3G8 SYSTEM OF KENXEL AND

than his own currant jelly dogs, he hit off every
check, and helped them to kill a brace of hares.
This fact not only proves the sagacity of a foxhound,
but his superiority of nose, even beyond that of
harriers ; and we have seen pointers with a fox-
hound cross conspicuous alike for their enduring
qualities and quickness in finding their game. The
most striking characteristics of well-bred foxhounds
is the pace with which they will carry a middling
scent, when harriers would be hunting and bow-
wowing over it.

Will Headman, nothing loth, descended from the
breezy downs into a countr}^ much better suited to
his weight and taste ; and, after a trot of some six
or seven miles, reached the renowned covert called
Hazel Grove, notorious for a sure find and a straight
hard running fox. It was not a very big coppice,
nor a little one — a betwixt-and-between — but big
enough to hold a fox for an hour, if not disposed to
leave it. Forcing him from such a place was " all my
eye and Betty Martin," the crude derivation of this
old adage being from Oh I mihi beatus Martinij as
"we suppose most people know ; but how this became
a byeword amongst the heathen we are at a loss to
conjecture. Certain, however, it is, that a fox won^t
leave a good thick covert of sixty or seventy acres,
unless it suits his convenience to do so ; in fact, he
might wear out the best pack of hounds by ringing
the changes upon them round and round the boun-
daries of it, without the risk of their tearing his
carcase to pieces. It is a great mistake to suppose a
knowing old fox can be frightened by the cry of

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 3G9

hounds, screeching of huntsmen and whippers-in, or
cracking of whips, and made to leave his stronghold
one moment earlier than it pleases him to vacate it.
We have witnessed the nonchalance of these wily ani-
mals thousands of times, and even when pressed by
hounds^ their apparently thorough contempt for their
enemies. "Whilst fresh in physical power, as yet un-
tried and unabated, they seem regardless of the risk
they incur by running into the mouths of the hounds,
and more afraid of a pink jacket outside the wood
than forty spotted skins within it. Headed back
almost into their open jaws is an event of everyday
occurrence ; but it is not often they are tripped up
by such an audacious act.

One of the most barefaced things we remember
was perpetrated by an old fox, who sat up on his
haunches in the very next field to a small covert,
whilst the hounds were running merrily upon his
scent and certainly not two hundred yards behind
his brush ; and there he sat for a second or two, as
if calculating the time when he should be obliged
to go faster. Nothing could exceed the indignation
of Charles, our first whip, on witnessing such an
insult to decency on the part of a fox. He hollaed
him, but trudge on he would not until it suited his
pleasure ; and when we reached the spot where sat
Charles screeching, he said, '^Well, sir, I hope we
shall take the shine out of that old devil, for, of all
the impudent brutes in fox-skin, I never seed his
equal,^^ telling us the occurrence.

" We shan^t handle him to-day, then,^' was our
reply, '' for he seems to know we cannot do it/'

B B

370 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

" 1^11 try hard, master, and so of course will you ;
and if he beats us botli he is a good un, and no
mistake.*''

This old fox, however, did contrive to beat us at
last; but it was a very near thing, and he never lived
to boast of it. He led us a tremendous dance over
miles of country, and, at the last, crossed a deep and
rapid river, over which we were obliged to seek the
assistance of a ferry boat to waft us and our horses.
This little delay saved his brush ; but he was so
beaten that a man breaking stones on the road above
the river, seeing him so completely exhausted, caught
him, as he told us, by the " tail,^^ when the old gen-
tleman turned and bit him through the leg for such
uncourteous treatment ; and then, crossing under a
gate, he reached the refuge in some rocks for which
he had been running, and from which he never again
sallied forth.

We could relate numerous instances of coolness
and sang-froid exhibited by foxes when hounds were
in full chase after them which would prove them
to be very wide awake and calculating, not timid,
animals : and as to forcing them to leave a large
covert, or to pursue any course contrary to their in-
clinations, it will be found that eventually they suc-
ceed in their object, unless barred out from home or
outpaced by hounds. We remember the reply given
by the late William Codrington, who was considered
a second Meynell for his wonderful knowledge of
foxhound pedigrees as well as his own practical ex-
perience, to a young paccman who had expressed
his opinion very loudly in his presence about the

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 371

inability of liis pack to force a fox from a large wood
of several hundred acres. " Force him out, sir, did
you say?'^ rejoined the indignant master. "Force

your grandmother to- &c., &c. !" There is a great

deal of truth also in the doggrel lines respecting
the conduct of a fox, even under pressing circum-
stances : —

"If he will go, he will, you may depend on't ;
But if he won't, he won't — and there's an end on't."

By the time Will Headman reached Hazel Grove
it was nearly two o^clock in the afternoon ; and we
all know that afternoon found foxes generally prove
the stoutest runners, one cause of which is assigned
to their having enjoyed a longer siesta, after perhaps
a late heavy breakfast. Hazel Grove was not a covert
of sufficient area to admit of a fox playing vagaries
with his enemies, and Headman^s rattlers soon
convinced the old gentleman found therein that
they were quite in earnest about either ousting or
eating him. The head they held through the
faggot sticks admitted of no short turnings, for they
ran in a widely extended front, like a trawling net
spread out for catching fishes.

" Capital scent still, Will,^^ remarked Staveley.

"They are whirling him round a bit rather
sharply, squire, as usual on first finding ; but how
long it will last is another matter.^^

" There ought to be a better scent over these rich
pasture fields than across those barren downs we
have just left.^'

" There^s no ^ ought ^ in this case, squire, begging
your pardon, except the big round letter which goes

B B 2

372 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

for notliing; and I always backs them barren clowns,
as you call them, against meadow lands, as holding
a better scent any day in the week. You see,
squire, scent depends more or less upon the air than
upon the ^arth and I dare say youVe noticed a sharp
frost take more hold of things under the hill than atop
of it. Hark ! to Counsellor. Have at him, my lads !
hoic together! hoic! They're a- sticking to him, sir,
and one more round will about satisfy him. But, as
I were saying, there ain't such a thing as a rule for
scent ; nobody can tell anything about it except by
experience. Your wiseacres — book men — them as
sucks other folks' brains for what they puts in print —
knows all about it, in course, and talks a deal about
^atmospherical and terrestrial influences ; and yet,
squire, they knows no more about what they are
writing than a schoolboy beginning to spell liis
ABC does about grammar. But there's Jem's
holloa — he's away ; and we'll talk more on scent, sir,
as -we goes home wdth his brush."

A rush was instantly made by some fifty of the
right sort, who still followed the hounds into the
vale ; but it was evident, after crossing the first large
grass field, that there was but a holding scent, and
not much chance of the pack getting clear, as in
the morning, of the horsemen. The fences, however,
proved strong enough for the veriest glutton, which
w^ent for something, and the pace good enough to
keep them from riding too close, until they reached
the bank of a wide and deep river intersecting the
country, and at a point where no friendly bridge was
perceptible.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUXTIXG. 373

'^ Lower down, gentlemen/^ said a cowman, in
answer to a question addressed to him, " jou can get
over bv the mill;" and without further delay, away
rode forty-eight of the field. Will Headman,
whose sharp eye detected a landing place on the
other side, where the cows came down to drink,
cried out to John Staveley, " Here, squire, follow
me ; if you don^t mind a dip under water, I knows
how to land you again ; '' and dash into the middle
of the stream he leaped, with Jem on one side, and
Staveley on the other ; and after a ducking all three
emerged safely, and landed on terra firma. Two
others followed their example, when they had seen
how they succeded in battling with this formidable
obstacle ; but the trio were two fields ahead ere they
had accomplished their in and out, not quite so
cleverly as they expected.

"Egad, WilV^ exclaimed Staveley, whose teeth
were chattering like castanets with the cold, " I
don^t much fancy this sort of thing ; water isn^t to
my taste at any time.^^

"Not unlikely, squire, but it must be taken
sometimes, and we shall soon get dry again by hard
riding. Besides which, we are all right with the
hounds, and the other gents are all wrong about
that bridge, which lies more than a mile up stream,
and the hounds are pointing toother way, so we shall
have ^em all to ourselves.''^

For fifty minutes the fox ran straight ahead, as if
making for some large woodlands in their neigh-
bour's country; but on crossing a large open
common, on which a herd of cattle were seen

874 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

blowing and snorting, it was evident they had been
following the fox, and the pack could barely hold
the line through them, at a very slow pace. Head-
man did not consider it prudent, however, to make
a swinging cast forward, in the hope of bettering
his position; and well it proved that he let well
alone, for on jumping the fence into a green lane
near a cottage. Counsellor hit the scent off in a
contrary direction.

'' Headed, squire,^^ he said, ^' by that man in the
garden ; and his dog looks as if he had been arter
our fox, for the hounds don't like it, and won't speak
to it, sir, although feeling they are upon it. A little
patience, and we shall be right again, but he has
now given up his point forward ; of that there can't
be much doubt."

And so it turned out. The fox now made a wide
circuit over the vale, and the pace improved as the
pack gained upon their game. Again the dreaded
river appeared with its meandering course to resist
their progress ; but, fortunately, this time a bridge
saved them another cold bath.

" Now I knows all about it, squire," exclaimed
Headman ; " he is running straight for Sandiway
Park Coppice, and the earths were put to this
morning ; so we shall handle him yet."

Cold water tells upon a fox as well as a hot sun.
By the time he had gained the wood his strength
was nearly exhausted. In vain he tried every earth
— all were fatally closed upon him ; and whilst thus
lingering, the hounds came tearing np through the
underwood.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 875

CHAPTER XLIV.

A cold bath — Beaten horses and a beaten fox — Will Headman tastes
somethinrr stronger than pea soup — Jem and the miller— Two
ways of letting off steam — Our huntsman's ideas about scent —
The Queen's Head — Staveley and the old waiter — Lame hounds —
The jog home.

When Will Headman, followed by John Staveley,
reached the brow of the hill under which lay the
head of earths just tried by the old fox he was
pursuing, their horses were pretty much in the same
condition as the wily animal, in short — to use a
homely phrase, they were ^^ used up,^^ or done up so
completely that they could not make a trot of it one
yard further ; and to add to their despair under such
distressing circumstances, the fox did not choose to
die upon the earths, but with an energy peculiar to
sinking vulpines, after giving his enemies a turn
round the covert, he again broke away at the lower
end of it, with the eighteen couples not a hundred
yards from his brush. Headman watched his last
exit for a second or two with an intense scrutiny -,
then, jumping from his saddle, said quickly,
" Squire, will you hold my horse, he can't jump
another fence; but, although not so lithesome as
twenty years ago, I can see the finish on foot. He's
running now for those farm buildings, and he can't
go beyond them.''

In a trice Headman was bundling down the hill,

37t) SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

going at liis best pace, and fully prepared to do the
run out on foot if the necessity arose for so doing ;
but his bold resolve was nipped in the bud, greatly
to his consolation, by seeing his darlings whisking
their sterns about the cow-house, and hearing one
or two well-known tongues baying within.

" All right,'' spluttered Will, as he rose up, after
an unexpected surge into a cesspool, into which he
had fallen when scrambling over a low wall ; " we
have him now to a dead certainty, although I'm
pretty well stifled by that villanous cow slush.
Well, it don't much signify; the pink's dyed purple,
that's all — bah ! I stinks like bad baccy."

"Holloa, master!" cried Jem, who just then
made his appearance on foot. '^What's the matter?"

" Nothing particular, Jem, only a dip into the
mucksum, which aint quite so pleasant as rose-
water : but here he is, behind these boardings in the
cow-house, so lend a hand to pull one of 'em up."

This operation being speedily completed, the fox
bolted out amongst the hounds, and was as speedily
dispatched, by which time John Staveley had arrived
in the farmyard leading Headman's beaten horse.

" Here he is, squire," exclaimed that individual,
holding the fox over his head until he reached a
clean bit of grass outside the walls ; " and I think,
squire, you'd like to have his brush, stick cd and
labelled, and hung up in your hall amongst t'other
celebrated trophies of that kind; and I must say,
squire, you've well deserved it."

"Be that as it may, AVill, I would not have
missed this brush for a five-pound note ; and so now

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTIXG. 377

let tliem have the carcase at once, for my coat
seems frozen to my back, and Jem looks as if a hot
glass of brandy- and- water would just save his life.
Moreover, we can get some gruel at the Queen's
Head for the horses, and all on our road home."

" Ah ! squire, that's the ticket," said Jem, in
high glee, " for I do feel much more like a moving
icicle than a whipper-in ; that last plunge into the
river, when you and master went over the bridge,
pretty nigh did for me and the poor mare. We were
a longsome time under water; and when we com^d
up, the current took us down stream, and I began
to think we never should land, when the miller hove
in sight, and beckoned me to guide her to where he
was standing on the bank; and being a strong man,
he laid hold on her head, and dragged her out."

" Now then, Will, quick march ; give me the
brush and take your horse, I shall foot it for a mile
to get warm."

" And so shall I, squire, and then we can talk
about scent the while."

" What's the matter with Jem, Will ? he seems
to have got a fit."

"No^ he, squire; he only turned hisself on his
back, and is kicking up his heels to let the water
out of his boots."

" Ha ! ha ! ha ! not a bad plan either ; but I
always have a gimlet-hole in the sole of mine, to let
it run out."

'^ Well, squire, I guess that is something new."

" New or old. Will, ^tis an easy way of letting off
the steam, when we have too much of it ; and as it

378 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

has cither rained or mizzled every day in the week
this season, except one Sunday, my dodge answers
the purpose very well."

" I shan't forget the hint, squire ; but where is all
the gents that set out from Hazel Grove, sworn to ride
us down?^'

'^ And that Mr. Harkaway," chimed in Jem, who
had got upon his legs again ; " he funked the river
when we went into it^ and turned away for the
bridge with the rest on 'em. Well, Vd rather be
drowned than that any one of that B.C. Hunt should
have been up at the finish of this old fox. "We
have blow'd ^em all up, high and low — on down and
in the vale ; and 1^11 warrant our good old master,
when we gets home, will give us a hearty welcome
for beating the knowing ones so thoroughly.-'^

"Now, sir,'' said Headman, as they tramped
along on foot towards the Queen's Head, "I sup-
pose you didn't expect a scent in such weather as
this, with the mist freezing on our coats as it falls,
and the wind in the east ; but then you see, squire,
there's no rule for it, as I said this morning, not-
withstanding all the philosophers tell us about it.
It were better, though, on the downs than it is in
the vale, where generally the land is of a colder
nature, and for choice I'll back the lighter soils
against the heavy ones; but there the Aair, squire,
has more to do with scent than the 'arth."

" That's true enough, Will, for I remember seeing
a capital scent with spaniels when out shooting last
year, during the hardest frost I ever remember. The
wind was due east, as it is now^ and the cold most

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. S79

intense ; and yet, not-n-itlistanding, our little cry of
spaniels and terriers, kept knocking about the hares
and rabbits at a wonderful rate, the greater part of
the day ; and as for the ground, it was as hard as a
board, and not a blade of grass in the high wood,
where the scent was the best. This sets at nought
all the old established crotchets about a southerly
wind and a cloudy sky, with their balmy breezes, as
indispensable to a good scenting day. Experience
teaches us that the enigma of scent lies as deep in
the well as truth is said to be.-"

" Well, squire, Fm quite of your opinion, and
still thinks it's all in the hmr ; contrariwise, how
could our hounds twice this arternoon have owned
the scent across that 'ere river ? The water the fox
touched in crossing were gone a long way down the
stream before they reached the bank ; and in course,
if the water held the scent, they would have gone
down arter it^ instead of swimming straight across
it. The fact is, squire, the water didn't hold the
scent at all, no more than the land does sometimes,
^twere wafted over it by the Aair, or /^atmosphere, as
some learned folks call it, and the hounds felt it
was before them. Well, now, here's a case in point ;
there's that chap before us walking along the road,
and smoking his pipe ; his whiflP don't touch land or
water, and yet I could run him for miles, as long as
his baccy lasted — leastways Jem could, and run into
him, for he's a deal lighter on foot than I. Then,
squire, I remember seeing, once in my life, a lot of
staghounds, as they're called— and a pretty lot it was
—break away from huntsman and whip, and run the

380 SYSTE"M OF KEXXEL AND

deer cart like blazes, although the poor brute shut up
in it, had not put his hoof vet on the ground, so
that couldn't be called a pad scent any ways — ■'twere
all in the hair, squire/'

'^ Well, so it is generally, Will ; but the air is
uncommonly cold just now, and thank goodness we
are at the Queen^s Head, where we shall get some
hot brandy-and-water."

" And I'll warrant, squire, arter we have drunk it
folk might run us for a mile or two when we get
into our saddles."

" Well, what's to be done with the horses, they are
worst off?"

" We'll put 'em into the stable for a minute or
two, out of this biting wind, whilst we gets some hot
gruel for 'em and a mouthful of hay.

"Corn, I suppose you mean?"

" No, squire, they could'nt eat it ; and if they
would gruel is the thing first, with a noggin of gin in
it to warm 'em, then a morsel of hay, and we must be
on their backs again. It won't do to let 'em stop
too long, or they'll get stiflP; and here's a large loose
box with plenty of straw where we will put the
hounds for the ten minutes we can stay."

Whilst Headman and Jem, with the ostler, were
arranging for the comfort of their horses, John
Staveley entered the house, ordering cold meat with
the brandy-and-water for three, to be placed on the
table in the traveller's room, where blazed a roaring
fire, before which he stood with his back to the
grate.

*^ NoWj waiter, that will do ; we havn't much time

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 381

to spare, so call the liuutsmau and whipper-in to
come here directly/^

" Yes, sir; but master, seeing you looked cold, has
had some good gravy soup got ready/'

" All the better, bring it in/^

Exit waiter ; enter head ditto, with a tureen of
hot stuff called ox-tail — a misnomer generally, as
ox-tails are not so easily got hold of as sheep^s tails
in the provinces.

" Well, Thomas,^^ exclaimed Staveley, ^^ I was
afraid to ask questions, not seeing you as usual, and
began to think this cold weather had shrivelled you
up like a daisy at sunset."

'' I was engaged, squire, taking up dinner to some
gents in the commercial line when you rode up ; and
you know they always wants the best of things at a
mementos notice, and the lowest rate.'''

" And how does the house go on, Thomas ?"

'^'Tain't burnt down yet, sir, but 'twill soon by
these fire engines. They have got the rail open to
within ten miles of ns, and when they builds up the
station-house at Lenton Hill, 'tis all over with our
house. We shan't ever do any business except with
tourists and trappists, and they won't pay the coal
bill."

" What do you call trappists ? "

" 'Tis another name for bagmen — in politer lan-
guage, commercial — we can't tack on ^gentlemen,'
sir, without doing violence to our sense of truth."

" Here, Jem," cried Staveley, "off with that red rag
of yours. Take it in the kitchen, Thomas, and bring
your master's dressing gown or your missus's flannel

382 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

petticoat to throw over his shoulders. Now, Jem,
down with this first/' pouring him out half a
tumbler of brandy-and-water, " and then go into
the basin of soup. Egad, Will, I think we had
better put him in between the blankets at once, and
do him up here for the night. '^

" I shall be all right again presently, thank ye,
squire ; but I do feel very much like a dog in a wet
sack."

Horses and hounds, after a hard day, such as we
have been relating, are far better jogging quietly
on their way home, than standing or lying in a
stable, however comfortable, at a way-side inu, for
more than a few minutes, the former for a little
warm water or gruel to resuscitate their exhausted
frames, but as to the latter, it is very seldom that
any refreshment can be procured for them. Whilst
moving, hounds which have been strained or injured
by blows or blackthorns do not appear to feel these
effects; but when their limbs begin to stiffen by
lying down, they turn out quite lame. Will Head-
man, knowing this certain consequence, hastily
swallowed his soup and brandy-and-water, with a
small proportion of bread and meat, and pocketing
the remainder of the loaf for his pets, said, " Now,
squire, Vm ready ; but you can enjoy your meal
comfortably, and overtake me on the road."

^' No, Will, I don^t want to spoil my dinner ; so
get out the hounds while I pay the bill — I shall be
ready, too, in five minutes."

" Some of them go rather tenderly," remarked
Stavelcy, on resuming their tramp upon that road.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 383

^' Yes, squire, and there "will be more goinj^ ten-
derly to-morrow morning ; but that can^t be helped
after such work as they have gone through this day.
And now to resume our discourse about scent ; you
seemed dubious about it^s being in the /^air?^^

'' Not always, Will."

" Generally — that^s my rule, if there^s any rule.
My meaning is, that scent always does depend more
upon the /^atmosphere, than upon the state of the
ground. Now you noticed, I dare say, this arternoon,
that the hounds were running hard up one side of
the hedge, over Buttermere farm, when the fox had
gone up the other side ; yet, now I suppose you will
admit, that Avas not a ground scent, inasmuch as the
fox never touched the 'arth where the hounds were
running what is called breast high, that is, when the
scent is Avafted over their heads. I don^t mean to
deny, squire, altogether, that the ground has nothing
whatever to do with it, no matter what sort of soil
you are running over, provided there is something
to catch and hold the ^fluvia oozing out of the
animaFs body and his breath ; and there was a proof
of it, when we got upon Starveall Common, the
poorest bit of ground in the countr}^, but covered
with coarse grass and patches of heather — didn^t
they fly over it ! faster than across the rich grazing
lands of farmer Grainger."

'' Well, Will, I admit this, but the air has little to
do with it on a bad scenting daj^, when hounds are
obliged to pick out the line foot by foot.*'

" Veiy true, squire, that^s what we call a pad
scent; left upon the ^arth chiefly by the fox^s foot ;

oS-i SYSTEM OF KENXEL AND

and when liounds are holding the line over greasy
or sticky fallows there is less scent, from the soil
clinging to the ball of the foot. Then so much
depends upon the pace at which the fox is travelling.
The faster he goes the better the scent ; and the
reason is plain enough — the ^fluvia from his body
being thrown off in a much higher degree when in
motion. "\Ye often draw over foxes lying snug in
their kennels; and every spooney who knows any-
thing about varmints can tell ye that a ferret or a
fitch whilst asleep throws off no scent from his
body ; but stir him up with a pole or a terrier dog,
and don^t he smell a few, squire ? This very morn-
ing, the second fox we killed was found by me, not
the hounds, which passed him, curled up under a fir
tree fast asleep, and I gave him a cut of my whip to
rouse him up. So you see, with all the burning
scent he left behind him when bundled out, not a
hound winded him in his kennel, when the Aair
around him was not impregnated with the ^fluvia
from his body. Then you see the scent changes as
the fox grows weaker after a long run ; and when he
is quite exhausted, there is scarcely any at all : and
you know, Squire, one of our greatest difficulties is,
when running a beaten fox into a covert where
there is another, to prevent the hounds flashing
away upon the fresh one, the scent of which is so
much better than that of the hunted one. Now, if
hounds had the sense to know this, they would stick
to their own game, which is nearly knocked up, and
not run after the fresh fox, which will lead them
many miles before he can be brought into the same

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 385

condition. In course, all hounds enjoy a scent,
that^s natural ; but I rather think they like catching
their game quite as well as hunting it.^'

^' YeSj AYill, that^s true enough ; changing scents
is the greatest of all our drawbacks.''^

" It is so, squire ; we must put up with the
weather, chop and change as it may, like other folk j
but to have hounds holloa'd on to a fresh fox when
they are just on the point of catching the tired one,
after a hard chase, is what I calls a very hard case."

" There will be a harder case to-morrow, I think —
a precious hard frost, and no hunting at all for a
month, perhaps."

" A fortnight^s shut-up wouldn^t do us any harm,
squire, as we have had a pretty good share of work
this season, and that^s about the lion's share in
comparison with our neighbours. But, talking of
frost, I dare say you have seen a capital scent in a
white one, whilst it was white, but just the reverse
or none at all when it were going oflp, and the
vapour like rising from the ^arth. Well, putting
this and that together, and all things considered,
scent is, after all that can be said about it, a very
ticklish subject to handle, like a live fox; still I pins
my faith upon the /2air."

" Right, quite right. Will, it does all come from
the hair : here our roads cross, so good night."

c c

o86 SYSTOr OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XLV.

Foxhunting fixtures — Various motives for meeting liounds — Change of
line in drawing coverts — Good foxes on the look out for squalls —
Witches and wizards — The poultry fancier — Scarcity of good
bipeds as well as quadrupeds — Counting noses— Keeping your
appointments — Hunting a cure for atra cura — Advertising
fixtures now imperative — Ludicrous scene in the field — ^An explo-
sion— The flight of Anak.

Every pleasure in life has its alloy ; but of all field
sports, ^Ye believe foxhunting to be the most enjoy-
able. The ride or drive to the place of meeting on
a hunting morning cheers and exhilarates one ; the
expectation of meeting friends and neighbours ; the
anticipation of good sport; the scene of hounds and
horses grouped together at some favourite fixture;
all these aiford food for enjoyment to the genuine
lover of the sport. It is not our purpose to inquire
into the various motives by which one half, perhaps,
of the assembled horsemen are actuated ; but it
would be contrary to our experience to say that all
men go out hunting for the sake of hunting. Vtj
condescending to patronise the sport, however, they
arc doing good service to the cause, and we welcome
their appearance at the place of meeting with
pleasure. Foxhunting happens in these days to be
the fashion ; and, as the lady once said, " We may as
well be out of the world as out of the fashion.^^
Tlie place of meeting never ought to be at or

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 387

even near the side of the covert to be first drawn.
Moreover^ masters of experience know full well the
necessity of keeping their own counsel^ or, in other
words, sealing their lij)s, as to their line of march
from a given fixture. If a certain covert is gene-
rally drawn from a certain place, many will not go
to that place at all if lying out of their road from
home, but content themselves with loitering at the
wood hedge, instead of riding a mile further to the
advertised fixture ; yet, whilst approving their
prudence in saving their horses' legs, we are reluct-
antly compelled to disappoint the expectations of
the few in order to ensure, as much as in our power
lies, the sport of the majority. If the same covert
is invariably drawn from the same place of meetings
that covert will be besieged by a host of foot-men as
well as horsemen, long before the arrival of the
hounds; and if there is a good fox in it, he will
make sure to be out of it on the first intimation of
danger. A good old fox is rarely caught napping,
and as rarely waits to be found by hounds. We do
hear occasionally of a straight running one being
thus found ; but it is generally in a strange country
or in the spring of the year, when dog-foxes are
unusually indolent and sleepy during the day, from
travelling many miles over night. But a knowing
old wily, upon his own ground, when finding his
door shut, is always on the qui vive for squalls ; and
the tramp of horses or talking of pedestrians
around the wood are sufficient hints to make himself
scarce as soon as possible.

We have often known foxes to leave the strongest

c c 2

388 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

coverts in whicli the earths had been stopped at
night — perceiving, of course, what this barring of
doors portended — and to he out in hedgerows, even
in the stubble and turnip fields, until the hounds
had been drawn away from the wood, and then,
when the whole cavalcade had passed out of sight
and hearing, quietly emerge from their hiding-
places, and sneak back into covert. This stratagem
is continually adopted by crafty old foxes, and the
huntsman is often blamed for not drawing the wood
sufficiently — in short, leaving foxes behind him,
which, in reality, were not there when the hounds
were. The fact is, that foxes are not credited with
half the wiliness and sagacity they possess ; and
although we have often heard hares called witches,
the term wizard is rarely applied to any of the
vulpine race.

By instinct the hare has recourse to many devices
when her strength and speed fail to elude the
pursuit of her enemies; her leaps and doubles in
retrograde movements, even to the last, being truly
surprising. Occasionally, when hardly pressed by
liounds, hares will take refuge in drains or rabbit-
holes, and if not ejected from them will resort to
the same shelter again to save their lives ; but, as a
general rule, their chief dependence is upon strata-
gem, to mislead their pursuers; and this constitutes
the great distinction between the chase of the fox
and the more timid animal. A fox runs straight, if
permitted so to do, for a given point — a head of
earths or drain — which he regards as his home; and
if barred out from them goes still further on for

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTIXG. 889

other sucli places with which he is acquainted. That
is generally the course pursued by what we call
hard-running foxes ; and it is marvellous what an
extent of country they travel over in their nightly
peregrinations at a particular season of the year.
There can be no question that both foxes and hares
do not exhibit such stoutness in running as in
former days, and the cause is obvious : they are
generally too numerous and too well fed at home
to be under the necessity of travelling very far for
companionship or food. All experienced sportsmen
know — although reluctant to admit the fact, for fear
of the numbers being diminished by unfair means —
that for hunting, game should be rather scanty to
afford good sport.

The great drawback to foxhunting is the
changing of foxes (crossing the line of a fresh one),
when save for this misadventure the run would have
been complete. There are wdiat we call ringing
foxes as well as the straight-running. The former,
however, are generally vixens, and therefore their
lives ought to be spared. But when a dog-fox is
detected in such shortgoings, a couple of hours are
well spent in securing his scalp ; for having once
beaten hounds at such tricks, he will never improve
upon further acquaintance. Kill this sort of animal
by all manner of means — fair or foul. ]\Iob him,
hustle and holloa him to death as soon as possible if
you can; and we forgive you taking every advantage
of this mar-sport, short of spoiling your houuds in
your effort to obtain his sjjolia opima, since he
generally brings discredit upon his family by

390 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

prowling about farmyards at night — unless rabbits
arc very plentiful in liis locality — and robbing the
henroosts ; and when found by hounds has recourse
to dodging tricks^ and rings round covert to foil them.

It is related of a famous old Dorsetshire fox,
which had beaten Mr. Farquarson's hounds for
several seasons, and had obtained the sobriquet of
Buttermere Jack, from being generally found in a
large covert of that name, that on hearing the
tramp of a horse near the wood, or the slamming of
a gate, he was off immediately, gaining thereby such
an advantage that the hounds could never overtake
him. One fox of this character is worth a score of
those so easily brought to book, after your twenty
or thirty minutes' burst. Ah ! that book-keeping or
nose-counting account is just the very thing to
mar sport. The thirty brace of cubs disposed of
somehow or other before the 1st of November
would appear to argue that the pack which could
accomplish such a feat must be, as good spirits are
said to be, ^' above proof;" whereas ten couples of
harriers would as easily perform the same act.

It is universally admitted that good people are
scarce — much more scarce, considering the increase
of population, than they ever have been since the
days of Noah — so are good foxes. The good ones
are rarely to be met with, the bad are continually
in our way when not wanted. In Beckford's time
it was not the fashion generally to advertise the
places at which foxhounds were to meet ; and there
can be no doubt that such a reservation on the part
of the master proved beneficial to hounds, although

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 391

unsatisfactory and exceedingly disgusting to the
foxhunting community. Every genuine sportsman
will allow that there are days, and many throughout
the season, when hounds would be far better lying
upon their benches iu the lodging-house at home
than disturbing coverts from which no sport could
reasonably be expected. Moreover, the hunting
fixture in his time was not attended, as now, by a
large concourse of men on horseback, who had sent
on their hunters many miles by road or railway to
be present at the gathering, and had set apart that
day for recreation from business, or from a real love
of hunting; so to either of these, although from
different causes, the non-appearance of the hounds
could not fail to produce great disappointment, and
something more. To be told by a whipper-in, with the
master's compliments, " that the hounds would be
there next morning if favourable,^' seemed only
adding insult to injury.

Men who have nothing to do at home, and others
so exceedingly fond of hunting that nothing could
keep them at home, when there is a chance of
meeting hounds, will go out in every kind of weather
in the hope of finding, if not a fox, a cure for that
atra cur a quae sedit post equitem, to kill time — save
the mark ! — which, to those who know not rightly its
value, passes heavily and slowly along, like the car
of Juggernaut, crushing numbers by its weight ;
yet to others, who count the minutes as they fl\^ as
the most precious moments of their lives which
they can only call their own, every hour to them
has its allotted work.

392 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

The vast increase of Imuting men in these later
days, has, however, rendered the pubhcation of
hunting fixtures imperative; and although many-
large landed proprietors are not foxhunters, more
than half their friends and acquaintances are lovers of
the chase, and to gratify them parties are made over-
night, when the foxhounds are advertised to meet at
or near their country scats. An additional impulse
has also been given to this popular sport by the pa-
tronage of the fair sex. A man may prove sulky
and surly to his brother man, where his pursuits
differ, who is not proof against the winning smile of
woman when pleading the cause of " The Koble
Science." The tillers of the soil may be called the only
class of men avIio really do suffer from this sport
having become so fashionable ; but, putting aside the
love of it inherent in the hearts of all true Britons
or half Britons, the increase of hunting studs in
every locality must and does increase the value of
their hay and corn to a great amount, and conse-
quently compensate for any injury done to their
crops w^hen in a growing state. Occasionally we do
meet with a sulky farmer, who threatens to pitch-
fork some of the field if he can catch them ; and we
will relate a little emeute of this kind which oc-
curred lately in the hunting-field.

The hounds had come to a check on the land of a
big burly agriculturist, who assailed one of the hunt
with very uncourteous language, threatening him
with condign punishment on the spot for thus tres-
passing. The assailed, in no wise disconcerted at
this furious attack, quietly took out a cigar, and

SCIENCE OF FOXHUXTIXG. 893

lighting it from his matchbox^ replaced the latter in
his coat pocket, on which he unfortunately bumped
down in the saddle ; and being a bulky man, the
sudden and hea^y pressure caused the whole to
explode with a sharp crack, resembling that por-
tending the advent of a thunderstorm. There
being no fire-engine nearer at hand than that
belonging to the parish three miles off, and being
unprovided with Mr. Benham^s Extincteur (which
every smoker ought to carry on his back, in case of
a similar accident), our hunting friend sprang from
his saddle instanter, tearing off his coat with wild
and frantic gestures — and well was he justified iu
doing so, upon finding such a cracker attached to
his tail. We presume many of our readers may
have seen or heard of unfortunate dogs placed in
this uncomfortable dilemma by mischievous urchins.
The agricultural Anak cast but one look at this fire-
eater springing from his horse, not a long linger-
ing look behind, but believing his adversary's
intentions to be, from tearing ofi" his coat so hastily,
to challenge him there and then to a game of fives,
Anak fled incontinently and ignominiously from his
own field ; neither slackened he his speed until he
had reached his homestead, some half-a-mile distant,
wherein he bolted and barred himself from the anti-
cipated onslaught ; and we need scarcely remark
the exceeding merriment it caused to the whole
field.

394 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER XLVI.

Winter rural sports — Foxhunting and pheasant shooting — The battue
— Commander-in-chief — Non-interference — Exjierienced sports-
men of service sometimes — General conduct of the field — Rivalry
in horsemanship — Hunting to ride — Spoiling sport — Heads and
tails up.

In the present enlightened age the time of meeting
together for the purpose of finding a fox is about
one hour before noon, when our forefathers gene-
rally returned home for their early dinner, having
mounted their horses at cock-crowing, i.e., by the
earliest dawn of light, and long before Aurora
had risen from her bed in the east. Beckford's
opinion on harehunting was, that "if you make
a serious business of it, you spoil it/^ Young
England appears to entertain a similar opinion in
regard to foxhunting. "VVe have become very
luxurious in the nineteenth century ; w^e don't like to
be put out of our way, or, in other words, subjected
to the least inconvenience or trouble when it can be
avoided ; and therefore, in obedience to their require-
ments, eleven o^ clock has become the fashionable
hour, allowing plenty of time to make a good break-
fast, glance over our letters, and take a hasty run
through the newspaper, before having a run through
the country.

The heaviest time during the winter season is the
forenoon, when there is little to be done in the way

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 895

of recreation and amusement by tliose liappy mortals
who liave literally nothing to do^ except, perhaps,
scribbling over two or three sheets of note paper to
very particular frieuds ; and were not foxhunting the
fashion, what would become of them ? On non-
hunting days time may be saved from ennui by a
lounge down to the stables after breakfast, smoking
a cigar whilst looking over the horses, and kicking
your heels against the corn-bin whilst watching the
operation called dressing, A battue day possibly
may sometimes intervene to drown dull care ; but
the most thickly stocked preserves cannot afford
sport — shooting we ought to have said — for three days
a week throughout the season, like a moderately
stocked foxhunting country. A battue day is a
grand meet for gods and goddesses ; but, like real
angels' visits, they are few' and far between. Battue-
ing would lose its chief, and we may add only,
attraction were less than a thousand head of game
slaughtered in one day ; and where are the preserves
which could afford such blood-sheddins; three davs
a week, from the 1st of October to the 1st day of
February ? More money would be required to
maintain the staff of keepers, w^atchers, &c., for such
an establishment than that for the support of six
packs of foxhounds on a moderate scale. Although
little can be said against foxhunters, they get pretty
well bespattered with foul language as well as with
mud in foul weather; yet selfishness and vain boast-
ing cannot very fairly be laid to their charge. A
master may feel rather pleased on seeing a good
run afforded by his pack noticed in sporting prints.

396 F_YSTEM OF KEXXEL AND

and he has good cause to be proud of such an
achievement, which has cost much labour and
scientific knowledge in bringing to a fortunate
termination. Omiic tulit punctum qui miscuit utile
dulci.

Foxhunting may be said to combine the utile and
dulce, by imparting health to the body as well as
recreation and pleasure to the mind. Wild-shoot-
ing, in contradistinction to battueing, where a man
must take plenty of walking exei^cise to fill his bag,
is both useful and agreeable, and the shooter can
boast of pursuing his game to more advantage than
foxhunters. Upon such matters of taste, however,
we are not disposed to split straws. Some men
prefer walking to riding ; the latter is our choice,
from being more exhilarating, and attended with less
fatigue of body, which always tells upon the spirit.

With foxhunting, non-intervention on the part of
the field has been considered a necessary and
general rule to lay down, the propriety of Avhich is
obvious ; as " too many cooks spoil the brotli,'^ too
many amateur assistants are certain to spoil the
sport. There are some men who really take an
interest in all the proceedings, from the find to the
finish ; but they are rarce aves in these days, when
riding occupies the minds of ninety-nine out of the
hundred, and so little attention is bestowed upon the
work of hounds : still, where such men are to be
found, masters hail their appearance at the place of
meeting with sincere pleasure, regarding them as
brother labourers in the same field, upon whose co-
operation in critical cases they may depend; and there

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 397

are many opportunities when experienced sportsmen
can lend a helping hand in case the whipper-in may
be absent from his post.

Whilst drawing coverts, the head whipper-in
cannot be here, there, and everywhere at the same
moment, although, perhaps, expected to do such
ubiquitous duty : and here a sensible amateur w ho
knows '^ who^s who ^' in the pack — videlicit, has made
himself acquainted with the hounds and their various
dispositions — may be of great service to the master,
and contribute greatly to the sport of his fellow
foxhunters, by a judicious use of his voice and whip
in several ways. When the body of the pack has
settled to one fox he may cut off stragglers breaking
away after another. If young hounds are running
riot, of which he has ocular proof, a rate and a
crack of the whip at the right moment are of signal
service to the master and huntsman. We are, of
course, supposing the amateur who can do these
things to be a proficient in the science, otherwise
he may do more mischief than good. When a few
couples get ahead of the pack, he may have an
opportunity of stopping them, absenti whipper-in.
At a check on a fallow field, nothing more likely
than for a " timid '^ to start up from her form and
scuttle away, with Foreman and Fleecer, straining
every muscle to catch her. A cut over them, with a
deep guttural note, will prevent others following their
bad example. But hallooing and screaming is quite a
different affair to rating, producing the contrary- effect,
and creating immense confusion. An amateur assis-
tant, however zealously affected towards tlie orderly

398 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

conduct of tlie pack to wliicli lie has attached himself,
unless possessing strong vocal powers, had better
not attempt a rate, but content himself with the
use of the whipcord. Riding and hallooing after
young hounds in pursuit of a hare with a shrill
voice is more often taken by them for a cheer than
a rate, encouraging others to join in the outbreak.

Upon such an emergency, a sensible huntsman
will instantly turn his horse's head, calling his
hounds back or in a contrary direction, leaving the
delinquents to the tender mercies of Jack, who will
give them a thorough good scoring before they can
take refuge in the pack, where, of course, they ought
to feel quite secure from further punishment. We
know of no better plan to break young hounds from
running hare than this ; and after one lesson of this
kind, it is not likely that they will run the gauntlet
again, especially if both Jem and Jack can be spared
to give them a thorough good lashing before they
can reach their huntsman. AYe have found the
most wilful rioters cured by this process, when all
others have failed. Where hares abound, hounds
are accustomed to see them continually getting up
before them, and become indifferent; but where
they are scarce the reverse is the case. We re-
member a clever huntsman in the New Forest — at
that time full of deer — who used to trot his young
hounds along the drive across which they were con-
tinually passing ; and if any of the entry broke away
he turned his horse round quickly, trotting off in
another direction and blowing his horn, whilst the
whippers-in were punishing the offenders and driving

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 899

tliem back at full speed to tlieir huntsman; and
those which had been thus scarified and horrified
by whip and voice never would look at a deer
again.

The late John Ward, when hunting the Craven
country, had a tame deer, which used to walk out
with the hounds into a paddock near the kennels,
and fed with them out of the troughs containing
oatmeal and boiled flesh. We all know that preven-
tion is better than cure ; and this is more particularly
the case with young foxhounds, which are very diffi-
cult to cure of bad habits, when they have once
tasted the blood of deer or hare. The noli me tangere
must be rigidly enforced ; and although " cats may
be permitted with impunity to look at kings and
queens," young puppy dogs must not cast longing
glances towards their forbidden fruit without caution.
A whipper-in ought to be a first rater^ with his
tongue as well as his hand. We don^t care the
least about a melodious voice, for, although agreeable
to the ear, it is of little service in wood or field, and
the possessor of it generally indulges this faculty
rather too freely. We prefer the vox objurgans to
the vox suavis et canora in a whipper-in.

The mischief arising from an unruly pack of
hounds is great, but that from an unruly field of
sporting men far greater. We have ever considered
the position of a subscription master anything but
enviable. Those who pay their twenty-fives, or even
tens, always think themselves entitled to have a
hand in the game, or, rather, a voice in the vote ;
they have a right to holloa whenever so disposed.

400 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

to ride over hounds if in their way, and to commit
sundry other enormities as it pleases them ; and if
reproved, tender their resignations as supporters of
the hunt. This conduct is, to say the least of it,
evidence of very bad taste, as well as of utter dis-
regard to the conventionalities of society. The
most furious of radicals are represented by a delegate,
whom they not only pay for his services, but feel
bound also to submit to his decision ; and when a
master has been selected by the unanimous con-
currence of the hunt, every subscriber ought to
know that he is the recognised commander-in-
chief pending his tenure of office, whether of long
or short duration. As with nations so with fox-
hunting countries ; there must be one to whom the
reins of government are entrusted ; there must be a
head and neck to guide the body and control the
limbs.

Compliance with certain established rules is ex-
pected of the " field,^^ both to afford the huntsman
and hounds room for exercising their several abili-
ties without let or hindrance, as well as to ensure
their own sport. When gorse or spinny is being
drawn, the '^ fiekP' are expected to leave that side
open and quite free from trespassers, where the fox
may be likely to break for a good line of country ;
and until he is gone clear away, no holloa should
escape the lips of those who may have caught sight of
him, since nothing will head back a fox more cer-
tainly than a premature signal of this kind. Should
the gorse be small, silence ought to be observed by
all the lookers-on. Talking and coffee-housing is

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 401

permitted at the place of meeting ; but these should
cease and cigars be thrown away as soon as the pack
is thrown into the covert. It is also expected of the
" field ^^ that they allow the hounds to go first and
settle down upon the scent before they take up the
running or riding. This is a very difficult rule to
be enforced by the master when all are so nervously
impatient to be off and away.

Rivalry in horsemanship is the great evil in the
hunting-field. Harry Hasty does not relish the idea
of being cut down by Tom Harkaway ; he is on the
look-out to take the lead of him, and malgre entrea-
ties or remonstrances from master or huntsman, goes
away at racing pace with the leading couples. What
concerns him is only how to get a good start and
keep it. What are hounds to him ? He rides after
them, it is true, because the recognized fashion is to
do so ; but he is evidently intent upon using this
kind of riding to hounds — or, more generally, riding
over them, unless the pace is good — for a means to
an end. A steeplechase would be infinitely more
to his taste. Probably, most probably, the horse he
is riding has to undergo this ordeal at the close of
the hunting season. Poor brute ! merciless man !
TiHimporte. Harry Hasty has a point to gain in the
betting ; as for hounds, they ought to take care of
themselves, and get out of his way. Now what is a
master of hounds or his huntsman to do with such
hurry-scurry fellows as these? They cannot be
caught, perhaps, till the mischief has been done ; and
by that time, in the game of ''' follow my leader,^^ a
score more will be in the same catalogue of first-

D D

402 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

class offenders ; tlie hounds, heads up, in ten or
twelve minutes ; and no scent forward.

To tell such men — sportsmen of course they are
not — that by their own conduct a good run has been
spoilt, will be mere waste of so many words. They
have no idea of sport ; it has never entered into their
imaginations to conceive what sport might mean.
They have gone out hunting for their gallop, have
had it j and Harry thinks his nag has the foot of
Tom's, and can negotiate — that's the cant term —
his fences in better style. That's all he cared about
knowing; and as for the master's "damson juice,"
he don't care a rap about it. He has broken old
Saracen's leg ; but masters of hounds don't bring
actions for damages of this kind.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 403

CHAPTER XLVII.

"But if the rouglier sex by tins fierce sport
Is liurried wild, let not such horrid joy-
E'er stain the bosom of the British fair.
Far be the si)irit of the chase from them !
Uncomely courage, unbeseeming skill,
To spring the fence, to run the prancing steed :
The cap, the whip, the masculine attire,
In which they roughen to the sense ; and all
The winning softness of their sex is lost."

A clear stage — Clearing a pack and five-barred gate — Pressing hounds
— Thoroughbred hunters no novelty — Short and bang tails —
Ladies in the hunting-field.

At present we are treating of the duties wMcli the
"field" owe to the master and his hounds; here-
after we may discuss the forbearance they ought to
exhibit towards each other. We lay this down as a
rule absolute, recognised by ever}^ true sportsman,
that no man is justified in riding so close upon the
line of the pack as to interfere with their just prero-
gative of doing their proper business in a proper
way. If a man cannot ride to hounds without rid-
ing after them — that is, in their wake— he is bound
to give the last hounds both time and space to clear
every fence before he puts his horse at it. Nervous
riders are always in an absurd fuss about this very
thing, and why ? Hounds don^t run now, if they
ever did, in a long extended line of half a mile, when
it might be imagined that the leading couples would

D D 2

404 SYSTE^I OF KENNEL AND

kill and eat tlieir fox before tlie rear-guard got up,
supposing all had an equal start. But the fact is,
that although not quite so closely huddled together
•whilst running, as recorded in the "Memoirs of
another Tom Smith," that a man on horseback
could clear the whole lot and a five-barred gate at
one swoop ! foxhounds generally pack tolerably
well in chase ; and he who takes the tail hound for
his pioneer has no cause to be nervous about being
thrown out — only let him beware never to ride too
closely upon him, to prevent him keeping his place.
A great deal of trash has been written and said
about riding alongside of the leading couples, where
no one has a right to be — no, not even their hunts-
man— cui bono ? If a man has eyes in his head he
ought to be able to see, without being in such for-
bidden and dangerous proximity, whether they have
a scent before them or not. Twenty or thirty yards
to their right hand or left is sufficiently near, allow-
ing them space to turn on a sudden check and make
their own cast, without being ridden over in their
eagerness to recover the line. Hounds are rarely
ridden over by experienced sportsmen, the mischief
being done by steeplechasers — jealous and nervous
horsemen — solely occupied Avith their own thoughts
and the performances of their horses, without con-
sidering any further. Such continue pressing and
poking on, fearful of losing place, and to them a
sudden throw up at head is an intolerable disaster;
it lets other fellows in who happened to be out of
the start, placing them on an equality with them-
selves ; and on that account only they are so impa-

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 405

tient of delay. It does not appear to enter into
their calculation that a short respite from excessive
respiration may prove of great service to their
horses^ which ought to be standing still or moving
slowly about^ while the rear-guard are in distress
from making up lost ground. Upon these occasions
a pull-up for a few seconds or minutes is tantamount
to a couple of miles gained in the run ; it gives your
horse time to recover his wind ; and after that, if
worth his keep, he will keep his place to the end
of it.

Not very long ago — within the last year — we
noticed in print an assertion, that men ride better
now than their forefathers ever did before them.
That more men hunt now — or rather, go out riding
with hounds, which are not exactly synonymous
terms — we readily admit ; but that men ride better,
with more judgment and discretion, maintaining
firmer seats in the saddle, than fifty years ago, we
utterly and entirely repudiate; for of the two or
three hundred who meet together in the grass shires,
there are not more than twenty or thirty who see the
end of a good run, the remainder being told off
generally in the first four miles when the pace is
severe. If the majority of the field ride so much
better now, how docs it happen they are so easily
displaced ? We have been told that hounds are
much faster. The same assertion has been made
with regard to hunters ; therefore they must be on
equal footing as to speed.

Young England entertains the idea that nobody
ever rode a thoroughbred horse in the hunting-

406 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

field prior to the advent of the present century,
simply because, we suppose, hunters of the past have
been pourtrayed in print with short tails instead of
long. This is a great mistake, good riders to hounds
in all previous days since foxhunting has been in
existence having shown a preference for thorough-
bred ones, although from prudential motives curtail-
ing an excessive longitude of horsehair. Bang tails
are the fashion now — short tails in bj^gone times.
Crinolines are also the fashion with women — per-
haps we ought to say, have been till very recently —
trains now. Well, we won^t cavil about trifles : but
will any young Englander have the face to tell us
that women were not as fair, as estimable, as ami-
able and equally well bred, if not with better blood
flowing in their veins, than those now flaunting in
public with their flowing dresses, for which a page
is requisite to uphold ?

To confess our true opinion, we don^t think the
hunting-field quite the arena upon which women can
exhibit themselves to so great advantage as in the
drawing-room. Men admire the fair sex mainly be-
cause they possess those characteristics not common
to themselves ; and, on the other hand, women
generally love our sex because we possess qualifica-
tions the very antipodes to their own. A pretty
face, with a graceful figure, in female costume, on
horseback, is a very charming sight; but we had
rather behold it in Kotten Row than in the hunting-
field. There cannot be any more health-giving
invigorating exercise. What is lolling idly on the
soft cushions of a carriage compared to a seat in the

SCIENCE OF FOXHCTNTING. 407

saddle ? Little air and less exercise can be expected
from the former ; wliereas nothing can be more de-
lightful than a brisk canter over downs^ or through
green lanes, on a fine balmy spring morning. In
these days, also, of crinolines and wide-flowing
dresses, it is quite reviving to see a good figure in a
riding habit, which sets off the form to the greatest
advantage.

Out of the large number of ladies, however, who
ride to meet or follow hounds, there are very few
Dianas who really enjoy the sport, and can take a
line of their own across country. When a man falls
at a fence his misadventure excites little or no com-
passion from his brothers in pink — more often a
laugh ; but when a woman comes to grief there is no
gentleman in the field who would not give up his
place to render her every assistance in his power.
Such acts of gallantry and attention show the feel-
ings of a true sportsman, as well as of a well-bred
man. We confess our anxiety on their account
when seeing them in full chase, riding at fences
which many men would decline, and with a spirit
characteristic of their sex; for the minds of these
gentle creatures, when aroused to acts of daring and
activity, are not only on an equality, but often
surpass the most courageous of the sterner sex.

It has been remarked over and over again that
horses, however fractious with men, become suddenly
quiet and tractable when handled by women — one
cause of which may be attributed to their holding
the reins as if with a silken thread, and the other
their more gentle treatment ; the siiaviter^ in modo

408 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

is, as regards equestrianism, more efficacious than
thcfortiter in re, since a good horse never requires
whip or spur, and women especially never ought to
be placed upon the backs of any save made hunters.
Young adventurous riders may take pleasure in
teaching a four-year-old how to cross country ; the
pleasure is enhanced by finding oneself on a quick
and ready pupil ; and if brought to the finish after a
good run, the pilot has good cause to feel proud of
their joint success, although attended perhaps with
a few overturns.

SCIENCE OF FOXIIUXTING. 409

CHAPTER XLVIII.

The author's visit to a game preserver with a friend — Hospitable re-
ception— 'Mr. Fortescue's advocacy of " The Noble Science " in a
social point of view — Hunting wild animals natural to man —
The time of year when foxes may purloin pheasants, which,
even then, have a peculiar protection — Rabbits their favourite
game.

Many years ago, -wlien commencing the unthankful
task of forming a foxhunting country in a district
which had at a remote period been visited by a pack
of foxhounds — but which, like angels' visits, had
been few and far between; so rare, indeed, that a
price had been set on the heads of the vulpine race,
and paid by the churchwardens of some parishes —
we called upon a large game preserver to solicit the
favour of his preserving foxes for our hunt.

"Preserve foxes V' he exclaimed, in perfect amaze-
ment at the apparent impertinence of our request;
" I preserve hares and pheasants for my own and
my friends^ amusement. What on earth induced
you to ask me to make my coverts a preserve for
foxes ? '^

"That you might increase the number of your
friends fiftyfold. But the term preserve, is perhaps
rather too strong; our meaning is, that if you will
protect the foxes which may enter your coverts from
being trapped by your keepers, you will confer a

410 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

very great and lasting favour iipon a great many of
your neighbours, Tvho prefer hunting to shooting."

'' But this is not a foxhunting country; it .is too
hilly, and the woods are considered too large for the
purpose. In short, since my possession of this pro-
perty foxhounds have never drawn one of my
coverts ; and, therefore, as a matter of course, I
have treated foxes as other vermin, and they have
been trapped accordingly."

"Well, sir, we admit that hitherto, no hounds
having ever drawn your coverts since your succes-
sion to the property, you were perfectly justified in
killing foxes ; but as to the unfitness of this country
for foxhunting, by reason of its hilly nature just in
this immediate vicinity, and the extent of its woods,
we must observe that the hills you speak of are
mere molehills to the mountains we have seen in
many provincial foxhunting countries ; and as to the
woods, they are the most insignificant spinnies in
comparison with those in Hants, Berks, and Wilts.
Why, sir, my friend Fortescue, of Langley Hall, on
the borders of Wilts, who accompanied me this
afternoon, declared that every acre of wood he had
seen within our six-mile ride would not amount in
acreage to half of one of the coverts in his hunt."

"Where is Mr. Fortescue?" he inquired. "His
father was a particular friend of mine."

" Holding our horses in the stable-yard."

" Oh ! that must not be. Pray have your horses
put into the stable. I should like very much to see
Mr. Fortescue."

Eeturning with our friend, who was received

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 411

most graciously, and many inquiries made about his
father, we sat some time talking upon indifferent
subjects, and, when taking leave, the great game
preserver asked us to stay and dine with him.
''^ Being a bachelor/-' he said, "I will dispense with
your dressing for dinner ; and foxhunters are not
disposed to be particular as to the viands set before
them."

Having no engagement, and it being then the
month of July, we accepted with pleasure the invi-
tation ; and our host, upon so short a preparation,
produced an entertainment which none can furnish
better than bachelors' cooks ; and we certainly did
ample justice to his champagne, for which the heat
of the weather was pleaded as an excuse. After
dinner, claret and burgundy took precedence over
our port and sherry ; and although our host, from
ill-health, drank only a weak solution of brandj^-and-
water, he was pleased to see his guests so well
satisfied with the productions of his cellar. Our
friend Fortescue being both witty and clever, with
an abundant store of odd stories and anecdotes,
contributed most pleasantly to the hilarity of the
entertainment, and our host, feeling in high good
humour, said with jocularity —

" So, Fortescue, you came over with your friend,
it seems, to storm my castle and preserves, by the
assault, I suppose, of your agreeable conversation?"

'^Not exactly so, sir, since I did not calculate
upon being admitted at all into your presence ; but
as you conferred that honour upon me, and received
us with such unbounded hospitality and kindness,

412 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

my lips are sealed as to our mutual object ; but thus
mucli I may say, without intending to say more,
I am a foxliunter by choice — you are a game-
preserver ; yet, like my friend, you are also a master
of hounds."

"A master of hounds, Fortescue?"

" Yes, sir. You are master of the choicest kennel

of greyhounds I have seen ; and my friend H

is a master of foxhounds. Yours run by sight — his
by nose ; your game is abundant — his scarce."

'MYell, then, you think, as brother masters of
hounds, I might spare a few hares to maintain his
foxes ?^^

Fortescue was silent.

"Ah! I see ; silence gives consent. It shall be,
then, as you desire. I will protect foxes to this
extent in my home coverts, that if any one is caught
there in my keepers' traps, which are set alike for
all four-footed vermin "

Our friend started nearly out of his chair at his
game being called vermin, which our host noticing,
said quickly —

" I meant no offence to you or your pursuit,
Fortescue ; but foxes in this neighbourhood are
considered vermin.^^

" Thank goodness, sir, they are not so considered
in ours, or we should have little enjoyment of field
sports during the winter, and few friends to partake
of them. In our country foxhunting is dignified by
the name of ^ The Noble Science/ and we have one
of the choicest professors of it at its head, who
maintains a first-rate establishment at his own

SCIENCE OF FOXHL'XTIXG. 413

expense for the recreation of himself and neighbours.
What would younger sons during their vacations,
professional men, farmers^ tradesmen^ and others,
who have no ground to shoot over, do for occasional
relaxation from business, without foxhounds or
harriers ? I can assure you, sir, our neighbourhood
was the dullest of the dull until our great Squire
came down to settle at his old place, and brought
with him a pack of foxhounds. The change pro-
duced by this event is really marvellous. Friends
who chanced to meet perhaps once a month at a
dinner party, then known by name only, living out
of visiting distance, now greet each other at the
covert side three times, if they are so disposed, in
the week, some galloping over the downs on their
hacks to have a gallop with the hounds. The tillers
of the soil are seen flocking together with their
jovial faces. Parsons, proctors, tradesmen, doctors
swell the meet, on their roadsters, cobs, and ponies,
just to have a look at the hounds, and join in social
chat, before the business of the day begins. All
appear with cheerful countenances. Many intro-
ductions are made ; people become acquainted who,
save for foxhunting, might have been strangers for
life. In short, sir, the animals you are pleased to
call 'vermin^ have been productive of more social
intercourse between man and man — bringing also
the lower and higher classes into communion and
good fellowship — than all the hares and pheasants
in the British Isles put together."

" Ohe ! jam satis,'' exclaimed our host. "Pray
forgive me, Fortescue, the lapsus linguce of classing

414 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

your friend Reynard amongst vermin. Until now
that you have enlightened me upon the subject, I
was not aware of the benefit this little animal
confers upon mankind. For the future, however,
his claims to protection shall not be overlooked by
me ; and, as I was about to proceed when that
unfortunate epithet fell from my lips, if any fox
should inadvertently be trapped by my keepers, he
shall be immediately conveyed to your friend's
house ; and should a litter of cubs be laid up in my
home preserves, which are small coppices only, they
shall be dug out alive with their mother, and sent
also to the kennel. In the larger woods, lying about
a mile distant, I am not so particular about game,
generally killing all pretty closely down by the end
of the season. No steel-traps shall be set again;
and jouv friend is most welcome to hunt them as
often as he pleases — in moderation, of course; and
there also the cubs, as well as the foxes, shall be
protected for his amusement and that of our neigh-
bours who prefer hunting to shooting.'^

Our very grateful thanks were tendered for the
kind compliance with our request. Less we had
anticipated — more we had no reason to expect. To
turn a game preserver, with all his prejudices
strongly enlisted against our game, into a fox
preserver all at once, or at all, we foresaw would be
a very difficult, if not impossible, undertaking.

A man convinced against his will,
Is of the same opinion still.

Game preservers and gamekeepers appear to have
a natural antipathy to foxhunting. Yet is it not

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 415

natural? Since the time of Ninirod the love of
hunting or venery has been natural to mankind ; and
it is nowhere so generally displayed as by the inha-
bitants of our British Isles. From rich to poor, from
childhood to manhood, men were not only " deceivers,"
but hunters ever of some kind of game. Rabbit-
hunting and rat-catching are to the boy what fox-
hunting is to the man. They follow the instinctive
impulses of their nature, as dogs and other animals
of prey do theirs. It may be a humiliating confes-
sion^ yet the fact is so. Nimrod was a mighty
hunter; and we find the privilege of hunting and
capturing animals, birds, and fishes conferred in
these words upon Noah and his descendants : —
" The fear of you, and the dread of you, shall be
upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl
of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and
upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are
they delivered. Every moving thing that liveth
shall be meat for you." Reasonably, therefore, we
may say that hunting is our natural sport — battue
shooting unnatural, because it involves no risk, no
excitement, no labour, no use of skill or science in
the acquirement of our game ; and it is like a whole-
sale haul of herrings or mackerel in comparison with
hooking and landing a salmon of twenty pounds
weight.

Well, we don't quarrel with people merely because
our opinions, tastes, and pursuits differ, or we should
be for ever quarrelUng. We may, however, offer
this piece of advice to game preservers, who too
often pretend to preserve foxes also — secretly con-

41 G SYSTEil OF KENNEL AND

niving at tlicir destruction by their "keepers, or,
what is tantamouut to the same thing, asking no
questions. Let them follow the example of the
gentleman we have above cited. Eather than per-
mit the cubs and foxes to be killed, they may
protect them to this extent, without the hollow
profession of preserving them. There are, we know,
many game preservers who act fairly and above-
ground towards foxes — and we give them all honour
for this forbearance and kind consideration of their
neighbours' sport — but there are others who had
rather that the foxes which visit their coverts should
be put underground.

The only time of the year when foxes do commit
depredations upon pheasants is wdien the hen birds
are sitting upon their nests outside the preserves ;
and a hungry vixen with cubs may occasionally fall
upon one or two in her rambles. Yet very rarely
indeed does this occur where there are rabbits, which
are certainly the favourite food of foxes. In fact,
we have often w^atched the movements of vixen
foxes when leaving their cubs in search of prey, and
their first have been invariably directed in pursuit of
rabbits. There is, moreover, a natural protection to
all birds sitting on their nests in the absence of any
scent from their bodies to attract their enemies to
the spot.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 417

CHAPTER XLIX.

The wiliness and caution of foxes — Easily scared from poultry and
pheasant pens — Ill-founded charges against rooks — Gamekeepers
and poachers — Travelling in the last century — Old fox and dairy-
maid— Innocency of cubs — Feathered game on the wing, before
they have left home — The gamekeeper's scapegoat.

There is not an animal with which we are ac-
quainted more cautious in his movements than the
fox — from this peculiarity called " wily," an epithet
he is most justly entitled to. Perhaps we might
make exception in favour of deer, as they appear
equally on the move when danger threatens them.
Deerstalkers have discovered the inutility of at-
tempting to gain a near proximity to a wild stag
down wind, even when apparently sleeping on his
bed of heather. The slightest taint or si mavis
scent emanating from mankind, borne upon the
breeze, rouses him in a moment from his lethargy ;
and, springing to his feet, he looks around for a
second, then gallops away to some rising ground,
where he may watch more securely the advent of
his enemy. Although unseen, equally avoided is the
track of man by the wily fox. Poachers and keepers
are so well acquainted with this fact, that, when
setting traps for them, they generally besmear their
shoes with sheep^s offal, to nullify their own scent ;
and we have heard fox-stealers sav, that when setting

£ E

418 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

a live trap, called a witch, at the mouth of the
earthy they never visited the trap except once in
twenty-four hours, or an old fox would lie sulky
there for a week before venturing out : and to prove
how easily they are scared away from committing
depredations upon poultry, we can state this as a
fact of some service to farmers and breeders of
pheasants : —

For three years in succession we have raised from
sixty to a hundred head of turkeys and chickens on
a piece of moorland^ within two hundred yards of
the wood hedge of a very large fox-covert, in which
no less than five litters of cubs were reported by the
woodman to be laid down the season before last.
The only protection to this host of the feathered
tribe consisted of a penning made of wattled hurdles,
four feet high, with a piece of twine netting raised
above the hurdles on stakes six feet high, and at
intervals strips of red cloth attached to them, float-
ing in the breeze. The coops containing the hen
birds were placed within this enclosure, where the
chickens remained day and night for three months
during the summer, although allowed to roam about
the moor at certain hours of the day. A light net
was also thrown over the coops at nightfall, when we
visited the penning for the last time, and walked
round it to see all was secure. Thus situated, with no
other protection, we have raised our poultry for three
years ; and not a single chicken has ever been carried
away by a fox, although we have often seen their
footmarks within a few yards of the forbidden fruit.

More than this^ there are kites^ hawks, ravens.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 419

crows, magpies, and jays continually hovering over
the ground. Rooks innumerable, of which we take
no notice ; but from seven hen turkeys, invariably
making their nests and laying their eggs in the
heather, we have not lost seven eggs. This is not
all. Within fifty yards of our penning there were
hatched out this last summer two coveys of par-
tridges. Now some sceptics will exclaim, " How can
these things be V They are facts. The bit of
netting, with our red pennon waving with the wind,
scares away the fox — the midnight robber — and the
gleam of our gun-barrel in the sun warns the birds
of prey — Procul, oh proculy este profani ! We never
set traps or lay poison for any of these obnoxious
vermin. On the contrary, we watch with pleasure
and admii'ation the graceful evolutions in the air of
three, four, or five large kites, wheeling, screaming,
and sometimes swooping down within a few yards of
our proteges ; yet we do not send the bullet hurtling
through the air to their destruction. The barrel is
raised aloof to warn them that this is forbidden
fruit and forbidden ground, and that warning proves
sufficient. Crows are more impudent, and we are
occasionally under the necessity of riddling their
jackets for a too near approach.

Ravens, like foxes, are very wary, and, although
continually flying and croaking over the moor, have
never done us any harm. Now, if one man, with
a paddle much oftener in his hand than a gun, can
thus protect young poultry and game from the
depredations of these beasts and birds of prey per-
petually crossing this tract of land, how is it that a

E E 2

420 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

staff of keepers and watchers cannot do the same
thing, without having recourse to steel traps and
poison ? If game -preserving continues to increase
as it has for the last few years, all these beautiful
birds, although birds of prey, will soon disappear
entirely from the British Isles, as the bustard has from
the Wiltshire downs, when the spread of cultivation
extended over that once magnificent prairie of our
country. Kites and ravens travel miles and miles
away from their nesting-places in search of food, and
the latter more frequently subsist on carrion than
young game, feathered or furred ; and as to their
killing old game, credat Judeus apj^ella. The raven is
not fitted by nature to pursue and catch game. He
is too unwieldy and clumsy a bird for this purpose ;
but, gifted with extraordinary keenness of scent, he
is seen winging his way to some distant spot where
lies the carcase of some animal mouldering to decay ;
or, if within reach of the sea-shore, thither does
instinct direct him in search of fish left on the sands
by the receding tide. We have been accustomed to
ravens from childhood, these birds having been pro-
tected almost with religious care by our ancestors
for many generations, their nest in the old king oak
containing at least a cartload of sticks and other
building materials. There they have been permitted
to live unmolested and bring up their young, which,
when able to provide for themselves, took their
flight to some more distant woods, one pair of birds
only ever remaining with us.

The buzzard and dun kite also found a home and
protection in our coverts ; and as for rooks, every

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTIXG. 421

tree in the park, and even the large laurels around
the house, were loaded with their nests ; and to give
some idea of their countless numbers, the sky was
positively darkened as they hovered over us before
descending to their roosting-places in the lofty elm
and oak trees which surrounded the lawn. In the
face of all these supposed enemies to game, we
always had an abundance of it ; and partridges par-
ticularly were so numerous that we could kill during
September our thirty brace a day, if required. The
land also under cultivation was never more produc-
tive than at that period. These are stubborn facts,
which may be cavilled at by game preservers of the
present day; but they are, nevertheless, perfectly
true, and could be vouched for by old men living in
the neighbourhood, besides ourselves.

Now, as rooks have been accused of sucking eggs,
and even killing young ducks and chickens, we leave
these assertions to be digested by those who have so
mistaken their natural calling. Our poultry yard
stood in the midst of this huge colony of ^' black
barons of the wood,^' where they were seen strutting
about, as over the lawns and gardens, in perfect
security ; yet the loss of chicken or duckling was
never charged against them. Perhaps it may be
that out of gratitude to their protectors such for-
bearance was exhibited towards the young poultry.
No matter from what cause, our statements of these
facts cannot be contravened.

There were only one keeper and one woodman to
look over the home manor of some fifteen hundred
acres of wood and land ; and, besides partridges in

422 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

such profusion, we had a fair show of pheasants and
hares — quite as many as were required for our own
family and friends; but, at that time, not a rabbit
existed on the property. Our greatest enemies were
poachers, who did not, however, as now, assemble
very often in large bands, our preserves not being
sufficiently well stocked to pay for such combined
nocturnal visitations. Yet were there a few deep
artful thieves of this fraternity, who ventured single-
handed, or in small parties, to knock pheasants off
their roosts on windy moonlight nights. But our
keeper at that time proved more than a sufficient
match for two or three such men, even unaided,
although he always had the command of assistants
whensoever they were needed. He had chosen,
when young, the prize-ring for his profession, being
an active, athletic young man, and had gone into
training for this purpose in London, when his uncle,
a respectable farmer in our parish, not approving the
line of life marked out by himself, persuaded his
nephew to return to the country, and occupy the
situation of gamekeeper, then vacant, in our family.
He accordingly came down ; and, being brought
over by his uncle, and highly recommended as a
young man of great promise, his services were ac-
cepted, and he was forthwith installed in office.
Ours, however, not being a house to be visited by
rich or poor without an introduction to better things,
uncle and nephew were returning home, with heads
a little elated, when they must needs make a call
upon the host of a small wayside public-house,
wherein were assembled a motley group of poachers

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 423

and blackguards of every description, who, on hear-
ing from the landlord that the nephew of farmer
Hancock had just been taken by the Squire as
keeper, ventured most impudently to utter threats
and anathemas against persons undertaking such
discreditable offices^ declaring how they would serve
him if attempting to interfere with their amuse-
ments; but the young keeper, not relishing the
language addressed to him, soon set the matter in
dispute on a right footing, by dealing his services
around upon his assailants more Tom Spring, knock-
ing one fellow first off his pins, and then two or
three to tumble over him; so that, with the co-
operation of uncle H., they were soon like the army
of Sennacherib, all dead corpses — at least hors-de.
combat — in less time than it has taken me to relate
the encounter. This onslaught and terrific dealing
with his opponents taught our country yokels to
keep their heads a long way out of milling distance
from the new keeper, who, sooth to say, was as
expert at single-stick or back-sword as with his
mawleys. Moreover, he was a wide-awake fellow,
out all night — not at a public-house, but on his beat
or rounds — and sleeping by day. In short, he
turned out just the man we wanted ; and as at that
time, between school and college, little of our time
was spent at home, he shot game also in large quan-
tities, with which my father never seemed satisfied,
having so many friends to supply with this com-
modity.

In those times there were no iron roads, no handy
stations at which baskets of game might be left for

424 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

immediate transit, as now, by poachers. Convey-
ances were rare and slow, roads bad — parish ditto
nearly impassable in certain seasons, or in very bad
weather : and, to show how very bad they must have
been many years anterior to our entering on our
pilgrimage in this wicked world, we may mention
the fact of our great-grandmother being dragged to
the parish church, only two miles distant, in the
family coach by six long-tailed black horses; not
only that, but so great was the toil to horses con-
sidered, that our venerated great-grandmother took
her dinner with the parson, and returned home after
evening service.

In our boyish days foxes did not abound in our
coverts, as they were never drawn by foxhounds, and
therefore not strictly preserved; but we remember
one grey-headed old monster, of the true greyhound
breed, which had madn his kennel upon the top of
a high ivy-clad wall, overhanging the poultry yard,
whence he was wont to look down with lonsring eyes
upon the feathered tribe below ; but the dairymaid,
who had charge of them, used to threaten him with
her mop. " Ah ! you old villain,^^ she was wont to
say; "you may peer out of your hiding-place, and
welcome; but come down, if you dare, before night-
fall, when my pets are shut up, and then you shall
have your supper, as usual ;^* and, strange to relate,
this old fox never did run counter to the dairymaid's
orders, who always put his supper for him, consisting
of oftal, heads and necks of chickens, entrails of
game, and other odds and ends, outside the back
door, which the old gentleman regularly dispatched.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 425

At that time we thought little, and cared less, about
foxes ; but a few years later in life they came more
immediately under our own care and cognizance,
and we studied their habits ; and from this long
study and observation, we have formed the conclu-
sion, that those wily animals are far too wily to
prove so destructive to game and poultry as short-
sighted game preservers and long-sighted game-
keepers would force upon our credulity. So long as
cubs imbibe their mother's milk they are incapable
of sucking blood from birds and four-footed game
killed by their own prowess or cunning; and, as
they do not arrive at months of discretion before the
month of August, by which time young pheasants
and partridges are on the wing, or ought to be, it is
not very likely that many of these could fall to their
share.

It is not a very easy matter to put your hat over
a covey of young partridges or pheasants when
under their mother's wing and watchful care ; and
when pheasants take to roosting on high, which they
very soon do, we should hke to see the fox-cub or old
fox which can lure them from their perches by a
magnetic fascination of his eye. Rest assured, ye
lovers of the tri^jger, that our game is more sinned
against than sinning. Your pheasants are too high
exalted to fall into bis mouth at his bidding ; and if
he does occasionally pick up a wounded bird, how
are you the loser? He would perish from gangrene
a day or two later. Your keepers tell you idle tales
about foxes, because they interfere with their per-
quisites— rabbits. But this is not all : when the

426 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

number of pheasants is shortened by their own mal-
practices, there is no more convenient scapegoat
than a fox. All that we could wish is that he were
sent forth, like the goat from the camp of the
Israelites, into the wilderness unscathed.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 427

CHAPTER L.

Testimonials to huntsmen — The old capping custom — Beckford's anec-
dote— Hard and irregular life of these officials — Four days per
week more agreeable than six — May foxes and July cubs — Pensions
— Huntsmen to old established and subscription packs.

Capping lias become obsolete — the fashion of the
custom has passed away ; and foxhunters of the pre-
sent era may raise their eyebrows in surprise^ and
a curl of the hairy lip may denote their contempt
of the practices so long countenanced by those who
were supposed to have existed in a barbarous age.
Many a reader of these pages will exclaim, " What
does he mean by capping?" — perhaps handicapping.
Not exactly in the same sense that term is now used
as appertaining to racing; but_, in its etymological
meaning equally^ if not more, correct. Capping
signifies putting your hand in your pocket and
drawing out a five-shilling or half-crown silver coin —
formerly dropped into a cap held out for that pur-
pose— to reward the huntsman for exhibiting the
scene of tracing a fox, or rather killing him, since it
did not invariably happen that a fox, even in those
days, sought the shelter of woodlands to yield up
his life.

We are told by Beckford that a huntsman accus-
tomed to this usage had been offered by his master

428 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

a considerable sum of money, more than equivalent
to ^Yhat he had ever received in any one year pre-
viously as cap-money; but that, at the end of the
season, he begged to return to the old custom, as
nearly as we can recollect, in the following lan-
guage:— " You have been generous, sir, in giving me
this allowance, to which I have no claim, and it far
exceeds my expectations; yet I have not now the
same pleasure in hilling my fox as under the old
system/^ We could not accuse this huntsman of
greediness, if the case so cited were true ; and there
can be no suspicion of its being incorrect, as cited
by one of the most truthful of foxhunters. We must,
therefore, dive into deeper water — to the bottom of
the well, if we gap — to explain the anomaly.

The huntsman of the old school had been accus-
tomed to the practice of capping ; it acted like a
stimulant upon his nerves — it was something like
dram drinking. The anticipation of dollars, half-
crowns, and shillings being poured into his pouch
on the death of the fox excited both his brain and
frame to the greatest possible exertion ; and not
merely for filthy lucre's sake did he look forward to
this recompence, but for the honour of the thing.
Cash prices, quick returns, are, we are told, the life
of trade; and huntsmen, like other professionals, are
not wholly indifferent to pecuniary rewards for ser-
vices rendered; but, as a general characteristic, we
rarely find the talented of their class sordid-minded.
Well paid they ought to be, and must be, to dis-
charge their several and onerous duties efficiently.
The great risks they incur to life and limb must

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 429

be taken also into account — not to mention their
liability to colds, and other maladies, from exposure
to the most inclement weather, and under peculiar
circumstances.

Gentlemen can go fast or slow, as it pleases them,
to the place of meeting — on horseback, or upon
wheels ; and in very bad weather they may be ex-
cused from appearing at all, it being merely optional
whether they face the elements without or remain
withia doors. Not so with those to whom the
management of the hounds is entrusted — huntsman
and whippers-in. Whatever the weather may be,
they must face it, and there is no escape from the
pelting of the pitiless storm.

Other men can gallop out of it, and seek refuge
in a public or farmhouse — their time is their own.
A huntsman's belongs to his master, and he must
be punctual to it. The same slow jog-trot pace
with his hounds must be maintained throughout to
the place of meeting ; and, again, after the business
of the day is over, through deluges of rain, snow-
storms, or sleet. However biting the cold, officials
have no chance of keeping themselves warm by in-
creased exercise, like other men ; all must be borne
with patience and fortitude until their game is on
foot.

But the most trying part of the whole day's work
is the journey home after a long run, leaving off
perhaps fifteen or twenty miles from the kennels,
with lame hounds and jaded horses. We have heard
of ** Patience on a monument smihng at grief;" but
we think a drenched huntsman, on a lame horse.

430 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

plodding his heavy way through muddy lanes, would
form a more appropriate illustration to that cardinal
virtue.

Strikes seem all the fashion of the day ; but it
strikes us that tailors have little cause to complain
of hard usage and low wages, as it appears from
statements in the papers that about two guineas per
week has been their usual pay, which is higher than
that received by the generality of huntsmen and
whippers-in throughout the provinces, and whose
time for work is not limited to twelve hours a day.
It is true that, during the vacation — commencing
w^ith the close of the hunting season, and extending
to the first day of cubhunting — huntsmen and whips
have no severe work to undergo ; and, fortunately,
it happens so to them, as well as to the horses and
hounds, that the bow is not always bent, that there
is some time for relaxation and recreation In some
countries, however, the respite is very short — where
they kill their May fox^ and begin cubhunting in
July.

Foxhunting is a very agreeable and exhilarating
amusement to those who can go out only when they
like and go home when they like ; and, although
there are many gentlemen who would hunt every day
in the week if they could, we doubt not that profes-
sionals would prefer four days to six, if permitted to
express their candid sentiments upon this point.

Irregular habits of living are denounced by
physicians as very detrimental to health ; and what
class of servants lives more irregularly than those
who contribute so much to our amusement in the

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 431

hunting-field? Barring breakfast, they have no
other meal during the day. Indoor domestics get
their snap luncheon at eleven, dinner at one, tea at
five, and supper at nine; in fact, it would appear
that doing a good deal of eating and drinking and a
very little work, is the chief purpose for which they
are hired and paid; whereas huntsmen and whips
are obliged to condense all their meals into one^ and
that taken at a very uncertain hour, varying from
six to nine in the evening, as they may happen to
return from hunting; and we know by experience
that long abstinence, coupled with hard work, is not
likely to improve a man^s digestive powers, or give
him an appetite for dinner. The late Assheton
Smith, after hunting, always indulged in a warm
bath before sitting down to dinner; but such a
luxury does not fall to the lot of Jem or Jack,
although they get plenty of cold ones.

In several large foxhunting establishments, of
ancient date and high renown, where the hounds are
handed down from father to son as heirlooms in the
family, it is the custom — which cannot be too highly
commended — of rewarding meritorious huntsmen,
when unfitted by age or accident for active service,
with a retiring pension. Unfortunately, however,
from the changes continually occurring in the master-
ships of the great majority, such customs are con-
fined to the few; and, as a general rule, huntsmen and
whippers-in must depend upon their own resources,
and whilst in health save what they can out of their
wages to soften the asperities of declining years.
This may be efi"ected to some extent by those who

482 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

hold first-class preferment for several seasons in
fashionable districts, but is not easy of attainment
by others located in the provinces, where the fields
are very select, and douceurs consequently scanty.

Huntsmen and whippers-in are generally regarded
in the light of public servants ; and where the ex-
penses of the establishment are borne by the master,
gentlemen who hunt regularly with his hounds deem
it imperative to assist the officials, who afi'ord them
so much amusement, without any other pull upon
their pockets. Members of a subscription hunt may
say with some justice, "We pay your master for
your services ; he charges us with all the expenses
incidental to his establishment — the maintenance of
servants, horses, hounds, and all etceteras ; therefore
you have no reason to expect extra remuneration
from us."

This, in many cases, is true enough; and we
have known instances where subscribers have as-
sumed a superiority over the master, by insisting
upon the dismissal of a huntsman or whipper-in
falling short of their requirements. Probably some
of my readers may have heard of the unenviable
position of a *^ toad under a harrow :" it is a very
old, though not very elegant, adage— supposed to be
a very accurate description, in a few words, of a
man labouring under distracting difficulties, tossed
about from pillar to post, as the unfortunate reptile
is from time to time by the implement over his
head.

If not actually obliged to perform the part of
toad, subscription masters are often accused of acts

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 433

of toadyism ; there is a difference in terms^ yet not
much distinction in reality. Men with ambitious
views are often led into unpleasant situations, from
which, when thoroughly committed, they find great
difficulty — moral courage we mean — in retrograding •
not exactly like the thin mouse who got through a
small chink into a corn-bin, and soon found his
carcase so expanded that he could not get out again.
Well, this is no concern of ours. If men choose to
take the management of a subscription country, we
can only pity them, and feel also commiseration for
servants required to please so many masters, which
is, .of course, a hopeless case.

When the master pays for all it is altogether of a
different complexion; and men of liberal ideas, having
their fun gratis, consider themselves bound to give
gratuities to the officials, more or less, according to
their means ; hence has arisen the practice of pre-
senting testimonials to those, on retiring from office
who have for many years exercised their best abilities
in promoting their sport.

F F

434 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

CHAPTER LI.

THE LAST OF HIS ENTRY.

We are instigated by no idle curiosity to inquire
what becomes of " the brave old hound^ the bonny
old hound/^ who has spent the best years of his
hard-worked life in the service of his master ; who
has been petted, and cheered — and painted too,
perhaps, in his prime — depended upon for his wel-
come note in later years, when, save for old Solon,
everything would have gone wrong. What, we ask,
is the fate of this old favourite and faithful hound
when his strength and power fail ? Is he rewarded
as he ought to be ? Does he retire, when unfitted
for active life, to enjoy some otium cum dignitate ?
Is not more often a halter provided for him than a
home ? Or is he nof bundled out of the kennel,
with what is called the old draft hounds, which have
done amiss, and shipped for the Continent or India,
to undergo tortures and ill-usage worse than death.
Evil-doers must, we know, be drafted, and some
hounds will go wrong, even in their fourth or fifth
season ; but, for the faultless and faithful, against
whom no other charge can be preferred except that
common to man as well as to any other animal in
the creation — old age, surely some consideration
ought to be found befitting a master's gratitude for

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 435

the fidelity and services of an old and well-tried
servant. To send such a one from his home, to be buf-
feted and knocked about by strangers and foreigners
in another land, is a blot — a crimson one — on the
escutcheon of any foxhunter, which nothing can
wipe out.

" Poor old fellow ! put him out of his misery ! "
which means, give him a charge of powder and shot
through his honest old heart ; a dose of strychnine
to paralyse those limbs for ever which have now
grown slow in his master's service ; or a blow from
the feeder's poleaxe to knock out those brains by
the aid of which the pack has been so often led on
to victory. Although not particularly thin-skinned
or over soft-hearted, we have ever borne in mind
that golden maxim — '^ Justice extends to the brute
creation; '' and we should as placidly think of com-
mitting suicide upon our propriam personam as of
handing over a faithful horse or hound to be pole-
axed or Calcrafted.

There may be a deal of fanciful imagination
entering into our mind when indulging such ex-
ploded sentiments ; perhaps we may be accused of
entertaining monomaniacal and eccentric notions
upon this subject. It is not the custom or fashion
of the day to exhibit feeling for anybody or any-
thing save our noble selves. Loving your neighbour
as yourself is regarded as a silly phantasy, origi-
nating in some weak-minded mortal, not as the
imperative command of the " Most High."

The life of a foxhound is a hard one — the life of
a hunter still harder. The first has to cater for

436 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

himself only — tlie last for self and master also. Yet
it so happens that the hound has done his work
nearly about the time that the horse has begun his
in earnest. At seven years old the hunter is in his
prime, whilst by the end of that period the career
of a foxhound is nearly, if not quite, brought to a
close ; double these years, and the hunter sees the
last of his season. Now, strictly speaking, as a
general rule, a dog of seven years, in any other
than a foxhunting establishment, is not a worn-out
helpless old animal. Some dogs enjoy the use of
all their faculties — speed, perhaps, excepted — until
they have reached double that age. In short, we
have known many dogs with their sense of hearing,
seeing, and scenting unimpaired until reaching their
sixteenth year; and we have been told of others
attaining the age of twenty-one before ordered out
for execution.

Dogs of all other denominations appear to be
endowed with greater longevity than foxhounds,
which, from their symmetry, bodily prowess, and
courage, might be supposed to surpass every other
variety of the canine species; and yet we find a
bandy-legged cur, without one single point of bodily
form in his favour, going on his beat of life years
after a foxhound of the same age has been contri-
buting to the growth of apples. How does this
happen ? Is the foxhound really a deceiver ? Have
we partially invested him with powers and endur-
ance beyond his nature ? Not so ; but the course
of his feeding is the cause of his failing. It has
been ascertained, and proved beyond contradiction.

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 437

that animals of the carnivorous kind never attain a
good old age — in other words, live the natural and
allotted years — upon farinaceous food only ; and we
know full well that oatmeal porridge, with the best
of broth, is not the diet to support man or hound
under severe labour. Bread has been called " the
staff of life ; '' yet to a very limited extent is it so.
The poor man, without his bit of bacon or fresh
meat occasionally — a sup of milk or buttermilk with
his potatoes, and a taste of dripping with his other
vegetables — would find bread alone unequal to sus-
tain him. We are too prone to put our faith of
sustenance upon bread alone.

In warmer climates farinaceous aliment may suf-
fice to keep body and soul together, where great
exertions under a tropical sun cannot be maintained
but in colder climates stronger fuel is necessary to
keep the furnace going. A visit to the Zoological
Gardens at feeding time will satisfy any sceptic that
lions, tigers, and animals of that class are not pre-
sented with a bowlful of porridge or soup for their
supper ; but, instead of this, a large bone of cow or.
horse, with little meat upon it, is thrown into their
dens, this being their only meal during the twenty-
four hours. Such was the course of feeding in the
days when we were in the habit of paying them fre-
quent visits. If, therefore, animal food in the most
indigested form is considered necessary to maintain
these animals in health without any exercise, save
that of pacing up and down their narrow dens, is it
not obvious that those of a like nature require the
greatest possible amount of nutritive food to support

438 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND

their natural constitutions under severe and continued
exertions?

We have had occasion to remark more than once
upon the useless incumbrance of a too numerous
body of hounds maintained in many large establish-
ments of the present day ; and although Mr.
Meynell, in his early career of M.P.H._, made that
greatest of all mistakes, in depending upon numerical
strength — taking nearly a hundred couples of hounds
into the field — by sowing his wild oats in this
manner he very soon became aware of the exceedingly
wild practice he had been pursuing. We need not
again quote the opinion of our hunting poet, Somer-
ville, upon this subject — who, by the way, must have
been well blooded to fox and hare to WTite as he has
so accurately upon all things appertaining to those
sports, entering also into details which we should
suppose no other than an experienced master of
hounds could be acquainted with.

The work of a foxhound is not more severe, in the
season, than that of a pointer^ setter, or spaniel, and
yet these latter are going on and doing their master
good service long after the former has been discarded,
simply because they have been better fed and cared
for. No man could be trained upon mutton broth
and porridge to win a prize fight or a boat race.
Liquids and farinaceous food will not alone suffice
for such purposes. Take thirty couples of foxhounds,
feed them twice a da}^, at the least, upon more flesh
— not raw, or over- boiled to rags — than meal, and
they will do more efficient work than double that
number usually treated by the general system of

SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 439

kennel diet. And there is another consideration of
far greater consequence than the support of a useless
number of hounds. Exyerientia docet. The longer
a foxhound can hold his place in the pack, the more
valuable he becomes. What a lot of teasers would
that prove, consisting of six and seven-year-old
hounds in their integrity ! No fox would be so
strong, no day so long, no scent so bad that these
veterans could not cope with ; and then the luxur}^
the complacency, the entire confidence with which
we regard their proceedings can be appreciated only
by those who have sat in a huntsman^s saddle.

My brave old hound, my bonny old bound,

Here's a health, here's a health to thee !
And as years roll round, may'st thou still be found

Alongside in the chase with me.
Many's the day we have hunted away,

And many's the track we have set ;
And now I am told, that thou'rt grown old —

But there's life in the old hound yet.

How oft has thy voice made the hunters rejoice,
When its deep mellow tones were heard ;

For well did they know that thy startled foe
Must go his best pace on the sward ;

Thou hast followed the chase with untiling pace
From morn till the sun has set.

Thou hast lain at my feet, when thy heart scarcely beat-
But there's life in the old hound yet.

Once did I think, when on the steep brink

Of a dark shining rock thou stood,
That thy race was run, that thy life was done,

As thou leapt o'er the yawning flood ;
When thou fell on the rocks with the beaten fox

I thought a hard fate thou hadst met ;
But we found thee below with thy conquered foe.

Aye — and life in the old hound yet.

440 SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING.

Thy coat is now grey, and thy strength doth decay,

But thy heart is as brave and as true
As when first we went forth on the hills in the north,

In pursuit of the fleet-footed crew.
Men are to be found, who would kill tbe old hound,

And his long years of sei'vice forget,
^But a hand I'll ne'er lend to destroy my old friend,

While there's life in the old hound yet.

There's many a lass I've loved is dead,

And many a friend grown old.
And unless with thee to the woodlands led,

This weary heart grows cold ;
But as o'er hill and dale I fly,

"With thy voice to madden my brain.
All, all's forgot, as I shout to thee,

" Yoicks ! have at him, old hound, again ! "

THE END.

Woodfall and Kinder, Printers, Milford Lane, Strand, W.C.

**

t:

Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine

Cumrnings School of Veterinary Medicine at

tufts University

200 Vv^estboro Road

North Grafton, MA 01536

(t^.