The Art and Practice of HawkingMichell, E. B. (Edward Blair)
History
The Art and Practice of Hawking
Michell, E. B. (Edward Blair)
Falconry
yourself, nor go near any person who has a stiff hat or anything stiff
about his clothing. In short, never risk the accidental breakage of a
feather.
Carrying is therefore not quite such a simple matter as it at first
appears to be. But it must be persevered in without any intermission
until the hawk is thoroughly manned. For, all the time the hawk sits
contentedly on the fist, she is learning a lesson that must eventually
be taught her. Hawks are amongst the creatures most easily taught. They
learn any lesson skilfully and diligently taught them with an ease
that often astonishes the trainer himself; and, having once learnt it,
they are in no hurry to forget. The artificial habit, once grafted on
their nature, becomes almost a component part of it. But, as they learn
quickly to do well, so they also learn quickly how to do otherwise. If
you do not make a friend of your pupil, she will soon begin to regard
you as an enemy. And then farewell to any hope of making a good servant
of her.
"Manning" includes, of course, habituating her to the company not only
of men, but also of dogs, horses, and all other animals and things
which she is at all likely to meet with in her artificial existence of
the future. She must be gradually introduced into society; and, like a
young lady of fashion, her début will probably be made at nighttime.
Streets more or less frequented may be visited with advantage by
gaslight, or under the rather weird rays of the electric light. The
extent of the publicity courted must be graduated according to the
progress made by the débutante. If the main street is found too noisy
or exciting, walk away down the side street. If that is too monotonous,
stroll into an inn-yard or a billiard-room. When my lady shows signs
of shying at an approaching object, sheer off a little, and create a
diversion of some kind, perhaps by giving a pull at the meat under
her foot, or by stroking her gently on the breast with the forefinger
or a stick. If she strikes at the finger, do not snatch it away, but
let her see that no harm is meant. You may even tell her so in a
reassuring voice. She will partly understand. Then, when she can be
taken without trouble through a pretty well-filled street, or amongst
a group of people, she may be brought out by daylight. She may be
carried through the stables and across a courtyard in which dogs are
chained up. Then past a group of stable-boys, and along the side of
a kennel. Meal-times are the best for all these early lessons, which
must be advanced by easy stages. First the under-falconer will stand
by, perhaps with another hawk, as the pupil takes her dinner. Next day
he may be accompanied by a horse or a hound--of undemonstrative and
unemotional temperament. On the third day a group of children may be
playing at a short distance. Then the tutor himself may be mounted when
he takes off my lady's hood and produces the day's ration. At each sign
of real alarm the irritant object should be eliminated.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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