The Sportsman [15]
the hare to be caught in her first ring, the huntsman has only to call in the hounds and beat up another. If not, his business is to follow up the pack full speed, and not give in, but on through thick and through thin, for toil is sweet. And if again they chance upon her in the chevy,[31] his cheery shout will be heard once more, "Right so! right so, hounds! forward on, good hounds!"
[31] {apantosi diokousai auton}, al. "come across the huntsman again."
But if the pack have got too long a start of him, and he cannot overtake them, however eagerly he follows up the hunt--perhaps he has altogether missed the chase, or even if they are ranging close and giving tongue and sticking to the scent, he cannot see them--still as he tears along he can interrogate the passer-by: "Hilloa there, have you seen my hounds?" he shouts, and having at length ascertained their whereabouts, if they are on the line, he will post himself close by, and cheer them on, repeating turn and turn about the name of every hound, and pitching the tone of his voice sharp or deep, soft or loud; and besides all other familiar calls, if the chase be on a hillside,[32] he can keep up their spirits with a constant "Well done, good hounds! well done, good hounds! good hounds!" Or if any are at fault, having overshot the line, he will call to them, "Back, hounds! back, will you! try back!"
[32] Or, "if the chase sweeps over a mountain-side."
As soon as the hounds have got back to (where they missed) the line,[33] he must cast them round, making many a circle to and fro; and where the line fails, he should plant a stake[34] as a sign-post to guide the eye, and so cast round the dogs from that point,[35] till they have found the right scent, with coaxing and encouragement. As soon as the line of scent is clear,[36] off go the dogs, throwing themselves on to it, springing from side to side, swarming together, conjecturing, and giving signs to one another, and taking bearings[37] they will not mistake--helter-skelter off they go in pursuit. Once they dart off along the line of scent thus hotly, the huntsman should keep up but without hurrying, or out of zeal they will overshoot the line. As soon as they are once more in close neighbourhood of the hare, and once again have given their master clear indications of the fact, then let him give what heed he can, she does not move off farther in sheer terror of the hounds.
[33] {prosstosi}, al. "whenever they check."
[34] Al. (1) "take a stake or one of the poles as a sign-post," (2) "draw a line on the ground."
[35] {suneirein}. Zeune cf. "Cyrop." VII. v. 6, "draw the dogs along by the nets." Blane.
[36] "As the scent grows warmer," the translator in "Macmillan's Mag." above referred to. Aristot. "H. A." ix. 44. 4.
[37] Lit. "fixing landmarks for themselves."
They meanwhile, with sterns wagging, tumbling and leaping over one another's backs,[38] at intervals loudly giving tongue, and lifting up their heads and peering into their master's face, as much as to say, "There is no mistake about it this time,"[39] will presently of themselves start the hare and be after her full cry, with bark and clamour.[40] Thereupon, whether the hare falls into the toils of the funnel net or rushes past outside or inside, whatever incident betide, the net-keeper must with a shout proclaim the fact. Should the hare be caught, the huntsman has only to begin looking for another; if not, he must follow up the chase once more with like encouragement.
[38] Or, "whisking their tails and frisking wildly, and jostling against one another, and leaping over one another at a great rate." Al. "over one obstacle, and then another."
[39] Or, "this is the true line at last."
[40] Al. "with a crash of tongues."
When at length the hounds show symptoms of fatigue, and it is already late in the day, the time has come for the huntsman to look for his hare that lies dead-beat; nor must he wittingly leave any patch of green or clod of earth untested.[41] Backwards and forwards he must try and try again
[31] {apantosi diokousai auton}, al. "come across the huntsman again."
But if the pack have got too long a start of him, and he cannot overtake them, however eagerly he follows up the hunt--perhaps he has altogether missed the chase, or even if they are ranging close and giving tongue and sticking to the scent, he cannot see them--still as he tears along he can interrogate the passer-by: "Hilloa there, have you seen my hounds?" he shouts, and having at length ascertained their whereabouts, if they are on the line, he will post himself close by, and cheer them on, repeating turn and turn about the name of every hound, and pitching the tone of his voice sharp or deep, soft or loud; and besides all other familiar calls, if the chase be on a hillside,[32] he can keep up their spirits with a constant "Well done, good hounds! well done, good hounds! good hounds!" Or if any are at fault, having overshot the line, he will call to them, "Back, hounds! back, will you! try back!"
[32] Or, "if the chase sweeps over a mountain-side."
As soon as the hounds have got back to (where they missed) the line,[33] he must cast them round, making many a circle to and fro; and where the line fails, he should plant a stake[34] as a sign-post to guide the eye, and so cast round the dogs from that point,[35] till they have found the right scent, with coaxing and encouragement. As soon as the line of scent is clear,[36] off go the dogs, throwing themselves on to it, springing from side to side, swarming together, conjecturing, and giving signs to one another, and taking bearings[37] they will not mistake--helter-skelter off they go in pursuit. Once they dart off along the line of scent thus hotly, the huntsman should keep up but without hurrying, or out of zeal they will overshoot the line. As soon as they are once more in close neighbourhood of the hare, and once again have given their master clear indications of the fact, then let him give what heed he can, she does not move off farther in sheer terror of the hounds.
[33] {prosstosi}, al. "whenever they check."
[34] Al. (1) "take a stake or one of the poles as a sign-post," (2) "draw a line on the ground."
[35] {suneirein}. Zeune cf. "Cyrop." VII. v. 6, "draw the dogs along by the nets." Blane.
[36] "As the scent grows warmer," the translator in "Macmillan's Mag." above referred to. Aristot. "H. A." ix. 44. 4.
[37] Lit. "fixing landmarks for themselves."
They meanwhile, with sterns wagging, tumbling and leaping over one another's backs,[38] at intervals loudly giving tongue, and lifting up their heads and peering into their master's face, as much as to say, "There is no mistake about it this time,"[39] will presently of themselves start the hare and be after her full cry, with bark and clamour.[40] Thereupon, whether the hare falls into the toils of the funnel net or rushes past outside or inside, whatever incident betide, the net-keeper must with a shout proclaim the fact. Should the hare be caught, the huntsman has only to begin looking for another; if not, he must follow up the chase once more with like encouragement.
[38] Or, "whisking their tails and frisking wildly, and jostling against one another, and leaping over one another at a great rate." Al. "over one obstacle, and then another."
[39] Or, "this is the true line at last."
[40] Al. "with a crash of tongues."
When at length the hounds show symptoms of fatigue, and it is already late in the day, the time has come for the huntsman to look for his hare that lies dead-beat; nor must he wittingly leave any patch of green or clod of earth untested.[41] Backwards and forwards he must try and try again