under the blind
of a stalking head, in imitation of which, many people have taught their
horses to stalk it, that is, to walk gently by the huntsman's side, to
cover him from the sight of the deer. Others cut down trees for the deer
to browse upon, and lie in wait behind them. Others again set stakes, at
a certain distance within their fences, where the deer have been used to
leap over into a field of peas, which they love extremely; these stakes
they so place, as to run into the body of the deer, when he pitches, by
which means they impale him; and for a temptation to the leap take down
the top part of the fence.

Sec. 88. They hunt their hares, (which are very numerous,) a foot, with
mongrels or swift dogs, which either catch them quickly, or force them
to hole in a hollow tree, whither all their hares generally tend when
they are closely pursued. As soon as they are thus holed, and have
crawled up into the body of the tree, the business is to kindle a fire,
and smother them with smoke, till they let go their hold, and fall to
the bottom stifled; from whence they take them. If they have a mind to
spare their lives, upon turning them loose, they will be as fit as ever
to hunt at another time; for the mischief done them by the smoke
immediately wears off again.

Sec. 89. They have another sort of hunting, which is very diverting, and
that they call vermin hunting; it is performed a foot, with small dogs
in the night, by the light of the moon or stars. Thus in summer time
they find abundance of raccoons, opossums and foxes in the corn fields,
and about their plantations: but at other times they must go into the
woods for them. The method is to go out with three or four dogs, and as
soon as they come to the place they bid the dogs seek out, and all the
company follow immediately. Wherever a dog barks, you may depend upon
finding the game; and this alarm draws both men and dogs that way. If
this sport be in the woods, the game, by the time you come near it, is
perhaps mounted to the top of an high tree, and then they detach a
nimble fellow up after it, who must have a scuffle with the beast before
he can throw it down to the dogs; and then the sport increases, to see
the vermin encounter those little curs. In this sort of hunting, they
also carry their great dogs out with them; because wolves, bears,
panthers, wild cats, and all other beasts of prey, are abroad in the
night.

For wolves they make traps and set guns bai