The Sportsman Part 7

Sometimes he runs among a flock of sheep, To make the cunning hounds mistake their smell, And sometimes where earth-delving conies keep, To stop the loud pursuers in their yell, And sometimes sorteth with a herd of deer: Danger deviseth s.h.i.+fts; wit waits on fear:

For there his smell with others being mingled, The hot scent-snuffing hounds are driven to doubt, Ceasing their clamorous cry till they have singled With much ado the cold fault cleanly out: Then do they spend their mouths: Echo replies, As if another chase were in the skies.

By this, poor Wat, far off upon a hill, Stands on his hinder legs with listening ear, To hearken if his foes pursue him still: Anon their loud alarums he doth hear; And now his grief may be compared well To one sore sick that hears the pa.s.sing-bell.

Then shalt thou see the dew-bedabbled wretch Turn, and return, indenting with the way; Each envious brier his weary legs doth scratch, Each shadow makes him stop, each murmur stay: For misery is trodden on by many, And being low never relieved by any.

VII

For breeding purposes choose winter, and release the b.i.t.c.hes from hard work; (1) which will enable them to profit by repose and to produce a fine progeny towards spring, since that season is the best to promote the growth of the young dogs. The b.i.t.c.h is in heat for fourteen days, (2) and the moment at which to put her to the male, with a view to rapid and successful impregnation, is when the heat is pa.s.sing off. Choose a good dog for the purpose. When the b.i.t.c.h is ready to whelp she should not be taken out hunting continuously, but at intervals sufficient to avoid a miscarriage through her over-love of toil. The period of gestation lasts for sixty days. When littered the puppies should be left to ther own dam, and not placed under another b.i.t.c.h; foster-nursing does not promote growth in the same way, whilst nothing is so good for them as their own mother's milk and her breath, (3) and the tenderness of her caresses. (4)

(1) Or, "Winter is the time at which to pair dogs for breeding, the b.i.t.c.hes to be released from hard work, so that with the repose so secured they may produce a fine litter in spring."

(2) Lit. "this necessity holds." Cf. Aristot. "H. A." vi. 20; Arrian, xxvii., x.x.xi. 3.

(3) Cf. Eur. "Tro." 753, {o khrotos edu pneuma}.

(4) Cf. Arrian, x.x.x. 2; Pollux, v. 50; Columella, vii. 12, 12, ap.

Schneid.

Presently, when the puppies are strong enough to roam about, they should be given milk (5) for a whole year, along with what will form their staple diet in the future, but nothing else. A heavy diet will distort the legs of a young dog, engender disease in other limbs, and the internal mechanism will get out of order. (6)

(5) See Arrian, x.x.xi.; Stonehenge, p. 264.

(6) Or, "the internal organs get wrong" ({adika}). Cf. "Memorabilia,"

IV. iv. 5.

They should have short names given them, which will be easy to call out. (7) The following may serve as specimens:--Psyche, Pluck, Buckler, Spigot, Lance, Lurcher, Watch, Keeper, Brigade, Fencer, Butcher, Blazer, Prowess, Craftsman, Forester, Counsellor, Spoiler, Hurry, Fury, Growler, Riot, Bloomer, Rome, Blossom, Hebe, Hilary, Jolity, Gazer, Eyebright, Much, Force, Trooper, Bustle, Bubbler, Rockdove, Stubborn, Yelp, Killer, Pele-mele, Strongboy, Sky, Sunbeam, Bodkin, Wistful, Gnome, Tracks, Dash. (8)

(7) Cf. Arrian, x.x.xi. 2; Oppian, "Cyn," i. 443; ap. Schneid.

(8) The following is Xenophon's list:--

{Psukhe} = Soul {Thumos} = Spirit {Porpax} = Hasp of s.h.i.+eld {Sturax} = Spike of spear at the b.u.t.t end {Logkhe} = Lance {Lokhos} = Ambush, or "Company"

{Phroura} = Watch {Phulax} = Guard {Taxis} = Order, Rank, Post, Brigade {Xiphon} = Swordsman {Phonax} = Slaughterer, cf. "King Death"

{Phlegon} = Blazer {'Alke} = Prowess, Victory {Teukhon} = Craftsman {'Uleus} = Woodsman, "Dashwood"

{Medas} = Counsellor {Porthon} = Spoiler, "Rob Roy"

{Sperkhon} = Hastener, "Rocket"

{'Orge} = Fury, Rage {Bremon} = Growler, Roarer {'Ubris} = Hybris, Riot, Insolence {Thallon} = Blooming, "Gaudy"

{'Rome} = Strength, "Romeo"

{'Antheus} = Blossom {'Eba} = Youth {Getheus} = Gladsome {Khara} = Joy {Leusson} = Gazer {Augo} = Daybeam {Polus} = Much {Bia} = Force {Stikhon} = Stepping in rank and file {Spoude} = Much ado {Bruas} = Gusher {Oinas} = (1) Vine, (2) Rockdove. See Aristot. "H. A." v. 13, 14; i. 3, 10; Ael. "N. A." iv. 58. = Columba livia = rockdove, the colour of ripening grapes; al. {oinas} = the vine.

{Sterros} = "Stiff," "King St.u.r.dy"

{Krauge} = Clamour. Cf. Plat. "Rep." 607 B.

{Kainon} = Killer {Turbas} = "Topsy-turvy"

{Sthenon} = Strong man {Aither} = Ether {'Aktis} = Ray of light {Aikhme} = Spear-point {Nors} = Clever (girl) {Gnome} = Maxim {Stibon} = Tracker {'Orme} = Dash. So Arrian ("Cyn." viii. 5) named his favourite hound.

For other names see Herodian, {peri mon. l} (on monosyllables), 12. 7; "Corp. Inscr." iv. p. 184, n. 8319; Arrian, v. 6, xix.; Colum. vii. 12, 13. According to Pollux, v. 47, Xenophon had a dog named {ippokentauros} (cf. "Cyrop." IV. iii. 17).

The young hounds may be taken out to the chase at the age of eight months (9) if b.i.t.c.hes, or if males at the age of ten. They should not be let loose on the trail of a hare sitting, (10) but should be kept attached by long leashes and allowed to follow on a line while scenting, (11) with free scope to run along the trail. (12)

(9) Cf. Pollux, v. 54; al. Arrian, xxv., xxvi.

(10) Pollux, v. 12.

(11) "The dogs that are trailing," Blane.

(12) See Stonehenge, "Entering of greyhound and deerhound, of foxhounds and harriers," pp. 284, 285.

As soon as a hare is found, provided the young hounds have the right points (13) for running, they should not be let loose straight off: the huntsman should wait until the hare has got a good start and is out of sight, then let the young hounds go. (14) The result of letting slip young hounds, possessed of all the requisite points and full of pluck, (15) is that the sight of the hare will make them strain too violently and pull them to bits, (16) while their frames are as yet unknit; a catastrophe against which every sportsman should strenuously guard. If, on the other hand, the young hounds do not promise well for running, (17) there is no harm in letting them go. From the start they will give up all hope of striking the hare, and consequently escape the injury in question. (18)

(13) For points see the same authority: the harrier, p. 59; the foxhound, p. 54.

(14) See Arrian's comment and dissent, xxv. 4.

(15) Lit. "which are at once well shaped and have the spirit for the chase in them."

(16) Al. "they will overstrain themselves with the hare in sight, and break a blood-vessel." See Arrian, x.x.xi. 4, {regnuntai gar autais ai lagones}.

(17) Or, "are defectively built for the chase."

(18) Or, "will not suffer such mishap."

As to the trail of a hare on the run, there is no harm in letting them follow it up till they overtake her. (19) When the hare is caught the carca.s.s should be given to the young hounds to tear in pieces. (20)

(19) Perhaps read {eos an thelosi}, "as long as they choose." The MSS.

have {elthosi}.

(20) See Stonehenge, p. 287, "blooded, so as to make him understand the nature of the scent"; ib. 284.

As soon as these young hounds refuse to stay close to the nets and begin to scatter, they must be called back; till they have been accustomed to find the hare by following her up; or else, if not taught to quest for her (time after time) in proper style, they may end by becoming skirters (21)--a bad education. (22)

(21) {ekkunoi}, cf. Arrian, xxv. 5.

(22) {poneron mathema}, ib. 9.

As long as they are pups, they should have their food given them near the nets, when these are being taken up, (23) so that if from inexperience they should lose their way on the hunting-field, they may come back for it and not be altogether lost. In time they will be quit of this instinct themselves, (24) when their hostile feeling towards the animal is developed, and they will be more concerned about the quarry than disposed to give their food a thought. (25)

(23) {anairontai} sc. {ai arkues}, see above, vi. 26.

(24) Or, "abandon the practice."

(25) See Stonehenge, p. 289 (another context): "... the desire for game in a well-bred dog is much greater than the appet.i.te for food, unless the stomach has long been deprived of it."

As a rule, the master should give the dogs their food with his own hand; since, however much the animal may be in want of food without his knowing who is to blame for that, it is impossible to have his hunger satisfied without his forming an affection for his benefactor. (26)

(26) Or, "If want in itself does not reveal to him the cause of his suffering, to be given food when hungry for it will arouse in him affection for the donor."