The Art and Practice of HawkingMichell, E. B. (Edward Blair)
History
The Art and Practice of Hawking
Michell, E. B. (Edward Blair)
Falconry
Rook-hawks which have been brought out to fly, but are not for the time
actually engaged, either because their turn has not come, or because
they have already flown and been fed up, are either carried about by a
cadger on the cadge, or made fast to a field-block in a well-sheltered
place, or consigned to perches rigged up in the inside of a van, which
can be drawn by a cart-horse. The latter plan is adopted by the Old
Hawking Club, by which more hawks are usually taken out than could be
accommodated on one cadge. It has the great merit of serving to protect
the inmates from the bitterly cold winds which often prevail in the
rook-hawking season, and also from the rain. Such a van should be well
provided with springs. Otherwise the jolting, while it passes over
rough ground, as it needs must, would do almost more mischief than the
wind or rain. In any case, whether you go singly with a single hawk on
your fist or with a whole cadge full or van full of hungry peregrines,
the hood will be worn. Nor will it be removed until the moment arrives
when the wearer is to be thrown off. But when any hawk is being carried
with a view to a flight the swivel will be detached from the jesses and
the latter held tightly in the fingers of the left hand. Some falconers
who use ring swivels in the field, take them off directly the hawk is
taken on the fist for the purpose of being flown, and then slipping
the leash through one ring of the swivel and afterwards through the
loops in the two jesses, are ready to pull it out quickly when there
is a rook in sight and it becomes possible that they may have to throw
off at any moment. Some also, when a flight is pretty sure to begin
shortly, loosen the hood's braces without taking it off, so that there
may be no delay in whipping it off at exactly the right moment. No one
has ever been able to explain how it is that peregrines can emerge
suddenly from utter darkness into the full glare of daylight, with
eyesight as good as ever, ready in the very first moment to catch sight
of a distant rook and to begin the chase. That they have this faculty
everyone knows who has ever seen a rook flown by a trained peregrine.
Fortunate for the falconer that it is so, as he can choose his own
moment for the throw-off.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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