The Sportsman Part 5

(36) Reading {paraseiron}, perhaps "mottled"; vulg. {paraseron}. Al.

{parasuron}, "ecourtee," Gail.

(37) {upokharopoi}, "subfulvi," Sturz, i.e. "inclined to tawny"; al.

"fairly l.u.s.trous." Cf. {ommata moi glaukas kharopotera pollon 'Athanas}, Theocr. xx. 25; but see Aristot. "H. A." i. 10; "Gen.

An." v. 1. 20.

(38) Lit. "and those on the islands are for the most part of low alt.i.tude."

(39) e.g. Delos. See Strab. x. 456; Plut. "Mor." 290 B; and so Lagia, Plin. iv. 12.

(40) Lit. "As the inhabitants hunt down but a few of them, these constantly being added to by reproduction, there must needs be a large number of them."

The hare has not a keen sight for many reasons. To begin with, its eyes are set too prominently on the skull, and the eyelids are clipped and blear, (41) and afford no protection to the pupils. (42) Naturally the sight is indistinct and purblind. (43) Along with which, although asleep, for the most part it does not enjoy visual repose. (44) Again, its very fleetness of foot contributes largely towards dim-sightedness.

It can only take a rapid glance at things in pa.s.sing, and then off before perceiving what the particular object is. (45)

(41) Or, "defective."

(42) Al. "against the sun's rays."

(43) Or, "dull and mal-concentrated." See Pollux, v. 69.

(44) i.e. "its eyes are not rested, because it sleeps with them open."

(45) i.e. "it goes so quick, that before it can notice what the particular object is, it must avert its gaze to the next, and then the next, and so on."

The alarm, too, of those hounds for ever at its heels pursuing combines with everything (46) to rob the creature of all prescience; so that for this reason alone it will run its head into a hundred dangers unawares, and fall into the toils. If it held on its course uphill, (47) it would seldom meet with such a fate; but now, through its propensity to circle round and its attachment to the place where it was born and bred, it courts destruction. Owing to its speed it is not often overtaken by the hounds by fair hunting. (48) When caught, it is the victim of a misfortune alien to its physical nature.

(46) {meta touton}, sc. "with these other causes"; al. "with the dogs"; i.e. "like a second nightmare pack."

(47) Reading {orthion}, or if {orthon}, transl. "straight on."

(48) {kata podas}, i.e. "by running down"; cf. "Mem." II. vi. 9; "Cyrop." I. vi. 40, re two kinds of hound: the one for scent, the other for speed.

The fact is, there is no other animal of equal size which is at all its match in speed. Witness the conformation of its body: the light, small drooping head (narrow in front); (49) the (thin cylindrical) (50) neck, not stiff and of a moderate length; straight shoulder-blades, loosely slung above; the fore-legs attached to them, light and set close together; (51) the undistended chest; (52) the light symmetrical sides; the supple, well-rounded loins; the fleshy b.u.t.tocks; the somewhat sunken flanks; (53) the hips, well rounded, plump at every part, but with a proper interval above; the long and solid thighs, on the outside tense and not too flabby on the inside; the long, stout lower legs or shanks; the fore-feet, exceedingly pliant, thin, and straight; the hind-feet firm and broad; front and hind alike totally regardless of rough ground; the hind-legs far longer than the fore, inclined outwards somewhat; the fur (54) short and light.

(49) Reading {katophere (stenen ek tou emprosthen)}. See Lenz ad loc.

pp. 23, 24. Pollux, v. 69.

(50) Reading { (lepton, periphere)}.

(51) {sugkola}, al. "compactly knit."

(52) Lit. {ou barutonon}, "not deep sounding" = {ou sarkodes}, Pollux, ib.

(53) Reading {lagonas ugras lagaras ikanos}.

(54) {trikhona}, "the coat."

I say an animal so happily constructed must needs be strong and pliant; the perfection of lightness and agility. If proof of this lightness and agility be needed, here is a fact in ill.u.s.tration. When proceeding quietly, its method of progression is by leaps; no one ever saw or is likely to see a hare walking. What it does is to place the hind-feet in front of the fore-feet and outside them, and so to run, if running one can call it. The action prints itself plainly on snow. The tail is not conducive to swiftness of pace, being ill adapted by its stumpiness to act as a rudder to direct the body. The animal has to do this by means of one or other ear; (55) as may be seen, when she is on the point of being caught by the hounds. (56) At that instant you may see her drop and shoot out aslant one of her ears towards the point of attack, and then, apparently throwing her full weight on that pivot, turn sharp round and in a moment leave her a.s.sailants far behind.

(55) So Ael. "N. A." xiii. 14.

(56) Pollux, v. 71. For punctuation, see Lenz ad loc. p. 25.

So winsome a creature is it, that to note the whole of the proceedings from the start--the quest by scent, the find, the pack in pursuit full cry, the final capture--a man might well forget all other loves. (57)

(57) See Arrian, xvi. 6, his criticism. Schneid. cf. Plut. "Mor." 1096 C. Hermog. iii. 319, 11, ed. Walz.

Here it should be added that the sportsman, who finds himself on cultivated lands, should rigidly keep his hands off the fruits of the season, and leave springs and streams alone. To meddle with them is ugly and base, not to speak of the bad example of lawlessness set to the beholder. During the close season (58) all hunting gear should be taken down and put away.

(58) Al. "wahrend der Jagdferien," Lenz; "on Sundays," as we might say. See some remarks on S. 34 in "h.e.l.lenica Essays," "Xenophon,"

p. 349.

VI

The equipment of the dogs consists of collar straps, leashes, and surcingles, (1) and the collar should be broad and soft so as not to rub the dog's coat; the leash should have a noose for the hand, (2) and nothing else. The plan of making collar and leash all in one is a clumsy contrivance for keeping a hound in check. (3) The surcingle should be broad in the thongs so as not to gall the hound's flanks, and with spurs st.i.tched on to the leather, to preserve the purity of the breed. (4)

(1) {stelmoniai}, al. {telamonias}, broad belts or girths, corselets.

Pollux, v. 55.

(2) Pollux, v. 56.

(3) Lit. "since those who make the collar out of the leash do not keep hold (al. take care) of their hounds well."

(4) See "A Day with Xenophon's Harriers," "Macmillan's Mag." Jan.

1895, p. 183.

As to taking the hounds out to hunt, no hound ought to be taken out which refuses its food, a conclusive proof that the animal is ailing.

Nor again, when a violent wind is blowing, for three good reasons: the scent will not lie, the hounds cannot smell, (5) neither the nets nor hayes will stand. In the absence, however, of any of these hindrances, take them out every other day. (6) Do not let your hounds get into the habit of hunting foxes. Nothing is so ruinous; and just at the moment when you want them, they will not be forthcoming. On the other hand, vary the hunting-ground in taking them out; which will give the pack a wider experience in hunting and their master a better knowledge of the country. The start should be early in the morning, unless the scent is to fail the hounds entirely. (7) The dilatory sportsman robs the pack of finding and himself of profit. (8) Subtle and delicate by nature, scent will not last all day.

(5) "You cannot trust the hound's nose."

(6) "Every third day," {dia trites tes emeras}.

(7) Lit. "in order that they may not be deprived of following up the scent."

(8) Or, "a late start means the hounds will be robbed of a find and the huntsman of his reward."

The net-keeper should wear a light costume. His business is to fix the nets about the runs, (9) paths, bends, and hollows, and darksome spots, brooks, dry torrents, or perennial mountain streams. These are the places to which the hare chiefly betakes itself for refuge; though there are of course endless others. These, and the side pa.s.sages into, and exits from them, whether well marked or ill defined, are to be stopped just as day breaks; not too early, so that, in case the line of nets be in the neighbourhood of covert to be searched for game, (10) the animal may not be scared at hearing the thud close by. (11) If, on the contrary, there should be a wide gap between the two points, there is less to hinder making the net lines clear and clean quite early, so that nothing may cling to them. The keeper must fix the forked props slantwise, so as to stand the strain when subjected to tension. He must attach the nooses equally on the points; and see that the props are regularly fixed, raising the pouch towards the middle; (12) and into the slip-rope he must insert a large, long stone, to prevent the net from stretching in the opposite direction, when it has got the hare inside.

He will fix the rows of poles with stretches of net sufficiently high to prevent the creature leaping over. (13) In hunting, "no procrastination"

should be the motto, since it is sportsmanlike at once and a proof of energy by all means to effect a capture quickly. He will stretch the larger (haye) nets upon level s.p.a.ces; and proceed to plant the road nets upon roads and at converging points of tracks and footpaths; (14) he must attach the border-ropes to the ground, draw together the elbows or side ends of the nets, fix the forked props between the upper meshes, (15) adjust the skirting ropes upon the tops, and close up gaps.

(9) See Pollux, v. 35.

(10) Al. "of the game to be hunted up."