William Blane, William Somervile

“ Those who have not good Hare-finders, go commonly out, a number in company, on horseback; and, coming to a likely place, when they happen to start a Hare, let the greyhounds loose after her. But those, who are more diligent after the sport, go out on foot; and, if any one accompanies them on horseback, it is his business to follow the dogs when they run. ”

“ I myself often, when I have followed the course on horseback, and have come up time enough to save the Hare alive, have taken her from the dogs, and tied them up, and let her go: and sometimes, when I have come up too late to save her, I have not been able to avoid striking the dogs on the head for killing so good an antagonist. ”

“ Whoever has good greyhounds should never lay them in too near the Hare, nor run more than two at a time. For, though the animal is very swift, and will oftentimes beat the dogs, yet, when she is first started, she is so terrified by the hollowing, and by the dogs being very close, that her heart is overcome by fear, and, in the confusion very often the best sporting Hares are killed without shewing any diversion. ”

“ Those Gauls, who only course for the sport, and not to live by what they catch, never use nets. They have also a breed of dogs, not less excellent in running by the scent than the Carian and Cretan breed, but of a disagreeable and savage form; and they give their tongues, and open on the scent, in the same manner with the Carians; but they are more vehement when they find the scent. They are too eager on the trail, and so noisy, that I must condemn them, giving their tongues as freely on the trail as after the Hare is found ”

“ If many dogs are taken out, they should not be stationed promiscuously; for, when the Hare is started, no one will refrain from slipping his own dog, each being desirous of seeing his own dog run, and the Hare, confused and terrified by the noise and number of the dogs, will be taken without shewing any sport, and the diversion, which is the chief
object, will be spoiled. A person, therefore, should be appointed to take the command of the sport, and the greyhounds being in slips, two together, he should give these orders, "If the Hare takes this way, you loose yours, and no one else ”

“ It is not right to loose the greyhounds at a young Hare, which, according to the advice of [18] Xenophon, should be spared, and the finders, if possible, should be called off, which is very difficult, as they are not under good command, being eager through hunger; and so desirous are they of eating up what they catch, that it is hard to get them off even by beating them with sticks. ”

“ There's a good Orme! and so each by his name, for they love to be praised, as well as men of a generous spirit, If the dogs, through fatigue, let the Hare escape, they will nevertheless approach with pleasure and caress their master. It is then good for them to roll on the ground, as we fee horses do ”

“ In the first course, there is no objection to speaking to them as often as we chuse; but, in the second or third course, when they will probably be weakened, I do not think it right to call them too often by name, lest, through too eager a defsire to please their master, they should exert themfelves beyond their flrength, and hurt their inside, which has been the destruction of many a good dog; but they should be permitted to run as they please, for there is no greater contest than that between the Hare and the dog. ”

“ THE advantages that arise to mankind from Hunting, and how dear to the Gods, and honourable throughout Greece, those were esteemed who were instructed in this Art by Chiron, has been related by Xenophon, the son of Gryllus. ”

“ Those are the best Hares that are found in open and exposed places, for, being bold, they do not hide themselves, but seem as it were to challenge the dogs; and these, when they are followed, do not immediately try to avoid the danger, by running to woods and brakes, though they should happen to be near, but take over the open country; and, when they are contending in swiftness with the greyhounds, if the dogs that pursue them are not fleet, they moderate their own speed according as they are pressed. But, if they are very fleet, they then run as fast as they can ”

“ But, by this method, the course is irregular, and the Hare however stout she may be, is so much alarmed by the cry of the dogs, that, if she is not a considerable way before, she is so confused, that she will easily be caught; therefore, whoever lets slip a good dog, should not do it while she is astonished, but let her make her first ring before he looses him, unless he means to spoil the diversion. ”

“ They beat about, being drawn up in a regular rank; and, having proceeded in a direct line to a certain point, wheeling round, they turn about together towards the place from whence they set out by the fame way they came, leaving, as far as possible, no likely place unexplored. ”