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.

CHAP. V. [ 10]

Of the Stalking-Horse, with seve∣ral Artificial Engines, for the getting near to Fowl to Shoot them. [ 20]

FOr as much as Fowl do frequently lye re∣mote from Shelters, so that the Fowler is deprived of a Shot; Therefore by the Assistance of a Stalking-Horse, he may command a Shoot at pleasure, and to that end observe these Di∣rections.

Let your Stalking-Horse be of the largest size, 'tis no matter how old he be, but he must be [ 30] well Trained up for your purpose, and be at ready command; and whereas there is some Art in Reclaiming a Horse, which by Nature is Wild and Fearful of Noise and Fire, such as that which a Gun makes, (especially at that nearest unto him) therefore get a strong Chain, and fasten it about his Head, then tye him up to a Tree, and Fire your Gun near him, giving him your Encou∣ragement by Voice and Hand, stroaking him, and so continue Shooting near him several times; and although he continue his kicking and caper∣ing, yet in about a Weeks Exercise after this [ 40] manner, he will become so Gentle, as to permit you to Shoot under his Neck, without the least reluctance or stiring. But some are of the Opi∣nion, that during this teaching▪ the Horse must be kept waking in the Nights, and to Shoot un∣der his Neck as well as in the Day.

Having thus brought him to endure the Noise of your Gun, your next business must be to Train him up to go as you would have him, moving gently [ 50] and Feeding as he goes; and to stand still and Feed when you would, which must be done by Practice, and his observing your Motions, and Checks.

Now for this Exercise your Horse must be Na∣ked, that is, without Bridle and Saddle (for that will fright the Fowl, and cause them to take Wing) only to have a small slip, about six or eight Foot long, tyed about his lower Chap, where∣with you may guide him as you see cause; and [ 60] remember to contrive your self so, as to go just level with his Shoulders, for thereby his Fore-feet will guid yours; and be advised to take your Level, from before his Breast, and not under his Belly, for that is too open and often lays you to the View of the Fowl, whereby you lose them. By this means you may gently, cause him to move up and down, to Stalk over Rivers, on the Sea-shoar, in Moorish Grounds, Dry Lands, Stub∣ble Fields, or the like places; and as he moveth he will Feed: You must Shelter your self, and Gun behind his Foreshoulder, bending your Bo∣dy low by his side, and keeping his Body always full betwixt you and the Fowl. Then having cho∣sen your Mark, take your Level from the fore∣part of the Horse, which is more safe and surer than under his Belly, and less perceivable; for the Shoulder of the Horse covereth the Mans Bo∣dy, and his Legs the Mans Legs.

You ought not to endeavour the coming near∣er the Fowl than your Piece will carry, nor to discharge out of Distance; for by the latter you are sure to miss, and by the former you hazard the disturbing them.

Some are of Opinion that to Shoot over the Horses Buttocks is the best way, and others are of the contrary, holding it best to Shoot over his Neck; but these ways I think not so good, yet leave them to your Judgment, and to use which way you find best.

You must upon no Account be without your Spaniel, which must be so exactly Trained up, that he may lye by your side until you have made your Shot; for if you appear in View, the Fowl will never permit you to come near them; and when once you have Shot, then give him your word of Command to fetch the Fowl unto you, especially those that you can't come at, which with practice he will soon be expert in, for they are Creatures of a great knowledge, and ready Ap∣prehension, and naturally inclined to the Sport.

And for as much as Stalking-Horses are charge∣able to keep, and that you can't always have one at command, I shall furnish you with other cheap∣er Inventions, with the help of which you may approach near enough, to make a Shoot at the most coy Fowl that are.

An Artificial Wheel-Barrow for Stalking.

TAke a Wheel-Barrow made of light Fir for the purpose, and build it about with Boughs and Bushes, so that you sit in it, and not be discerned, and when you come where the Fowl are, move it very gently, that the Fowl may not discern it to disturb them, then Level your Gun through the said Wheel-Barrow, and Shoot kneel∣ing, your Spaniel being always in readiness, and at command to fetch your Game. But this In∣vention is something troublesome, therefore I shall proceed to some others more commodious.

The Stalking-Tree and Bush.

THe Artificial Tree is thus made: Take small Wands, or thin Splinters, foulded to∣gether in the shape of the Body of a Tree, and so covered with Canvass, and painted like the Bark of the Tree it represents, that it may not be discovered by the Fowl; of which the Pop∣lar and Willow that grow by the Rivers sides are the best, as being most known to the Fowl, and so the less to be suspected.

[illustration]

STALKING

To the Hon^ble. S^r. Henry Goodricke of Ribston Parke in Yorkeshire Knight & Bar^t. his Majesties Envoy Extraor∣dinary to the King of Spain. Anno Dom••. 1682/3;.

This Plate is humble dedicated by Richard Blome

Arthur Soly fecit ••683

Having made the Boal of the Tree, as aforesaid, in certain Holes made on the Top for that pur∣pose, stick in the Boughs and true natural Branches of the Tree which you would make, in such sort as they grow at that Season, according to this fol∣lowing Figure. [ 10]

[illustration]

[ 20]

As for the Stalking-Bush, it must not be so [ 30] tall as the Tree, but much thicker, and may be made either of one Bush, or of several neatly entangled and made fast together, and about the [ 40] height of a Man; and in the midst of the bot∣tom must be a small Stake, with an Iron-point, to drive into the Ground to support the Bush whilst you take your aim. This way is so easie, that there needs no further explanation.

The Stalking-Hedge.

THe Stalking-Hedge should be two or three Yards long, and about a Yard and an half [ 50] high, and made in small Wands, and bushed out in the manner of a true Hedge, with certain Sup∣ports or Stakes, to bear it up from falling whilst you take your aim to Shoot. And this is to be carried before you for your Shelter from the Fowl.

[illustration]

[ 60]

These dead Engines, which carry not the shape of a living Creature, are not so necessary and useful to stalk with, as for a Stand; for their seeing a dead thing move will cause apprehension of fear and danger in them, as some design a∣gainst them; therefore I shall give some Exam∣ples of such living Shapes whose motion is not strange unto them; and first of the Horse.

An Artificial Stalking-Horse.

TAke some old Canvass, cut it into the true shape of a Horse with the Head as if feeding; then paint it like a Horse of a Brown colour, which is best. It must be made so por∣table, that it may be easily carried with one Hand, so that it may be moved in such manner as if it grazed as it goes, nor must it exceed the usual bigness of a Horse; and to make it so light, it may be stuft with Straw. In the midst let there be fixed a Staff, with an Iron-pick in it, to stick down in the Ground at pleasure, and to stand fast whilst you take aim to Shoot, as also to turn and wind any way for the advantage of the Wind, or the like. This Figure shews its form.

[illustration]

There are some of Opinion, that the stuffing the Canvass thus out is not so good as unstopt, being more troublesom to command; but if un∣stopt, it must be artificially painted, and very thick, lest in the turning it against the Sun it appears transparent, which will affright the Fowl; and it must be proportionable to a Horse, being stretched out upon Splents of Wood, or strong Wier, This is so easie to be made, that it needs no Figure to explain it; and it were not amiss, if you cut a little Hole through the Shoulder-part, to level your Gun.

Instead of this Artificial Stalking-Horse, you may make in Canvass (either stuft or unstuft) the shape or proportion of a Cow or Ox, which must be also very well painted to the life, and according to the usual colour of Cattle in those parts, and be very exact in the Horns, to make them suitable to the Breed of that sort of Cattle there usual; and thus by the change of your Engines you may make your Sport the longer to continue.

If you design these Artificial Stalking-Engines for Fowl that flock together, especially Water-fowl, they will soon grow too crafty for those unstuft; but for Pheasants, Woodcoks, and the like, there can't be a more useful and cheaper

way than the unstuft; for when you have made a Shot, you may roul up your Engine, and keep it for another occasion.

To conclude this Chapter, observe this Cau∣tion, That these several sorts of Engines are to be used early in the Morning, or late in the Even∣ing, and they are more proper for Water than Land-fowl; for when the Sun is up, its reflections sooner discovers the Imperfections in your En∣gine, which the Water better hideth. [ 10]