The gentlemans recreation in two parts : the first being an encyclopedy of the arts and sciences ... the second part treats of horsmanship, hawking, hunting, fowling, fishing, and agriculture : with a short treatise of cock-fighting ... : all which are collected from the most authentick authors, and the many gross errors therein corrected, with great enlargements ... : and for the better explanation thereof, great variety of useful sculptures, as nets, traps, engines, &c. are added for the taking of beasts, fowl and fish : not hitherto published by any : the whole illustrated with about an hundred ornamental and useful sculptures engraven in copper, relating to the several subjects.

The Stags taking Soil.

WHen he is quite spent, one of his last Suc∣cours is to take Soil, and when he once descends he swims down Stream to leave no Scent [ 10] behind him, and keeps in the middle for fear of touching the Boughs or other things that hang in the Water. In this case the Huntsmen must have an eye to the Blemishes where first he took Soil; for 'tis easie to discover by the breaking of the Wa∣ter, that is the place where he took Soil, and there you may soon perceive which way he makes head by the breaking down the Grass and Weeds, better than by the Slot, which at the first forsaking of the Soil is generally spoiled and de∣faced [ 20] by the Water that runs down his Legs. Somtimes he will not only descend, but conti∣nue in the Soil, hiding himself all except the tip of his Nose, as before taken notice of; and per∣adventure at a time, and in such a place, when and where you are unwilling to hazard your Dogs: In such Case procure a Boat, or else some of the Huntsmen must unstrip, and see to wound him with a Sword; or else to throw over a Rope about his Horns to noose him. But this is a des∣perate [ 30] attempt, and he had need be sure that the Hart is out of his reach of Ground, otherwise he will endanger his life, or spoiling. Nor is there less skill required at the last, when he is spent, and the Dogs are at Bay on Land, for then he endangers Horse and Man: You must therefore wisely go to work, for the chief glory in a Victory is to be without loss or hurt.