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diff --git a/17243-h/17243-h.htm b/17243-h/17243-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1436170 --- /dev/null +++ b/17243-h/17243-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1666 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=US-ASCII" /> +<title>Full Revelations of a Professional Rat-catcher</title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + H1, H2 { + text-align: center; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + } + H3, H4 { + text-align: left; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + } + BODY{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + .blkquot {margin-left: 4em; margin-right: 4em;} /* block indent */ + + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + + .pagenum {position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + color: gray;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> +</head> +<body> +<h2> +<a href="#startoftext">Full Revelations of a Professional Rat-catcher, by Ike Matthews</a> +</h2> +<pre> +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Full Revelations of a Professional +Rat-catcher, by Ike Matthews + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Full Revelations of a Professional Rat-catcher + After 25 Years' Experience + + +Author: Ike Matthews + + + +Release Date: December 6, 2005 [eBook #17243] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FULL REVELATIONS OF A PROFESSIONAL +RAT-CATCHER*** +</pre> +<p><a name="startoftext"></a></p> +<p>This eBook was prepared by Les Bowler.</p> +<h1><!-- page 1--><span class="pagenum">p. 1</span>Full Revelations +of a Professional Rat-Catcher,<br /> +after 25 Years’ Experience<br /> +by Ike Matthews.</h1> +<p style="text-align: center"> +<a href="images/title.jpg"> +<img alt="Title page image" src="images/title.jpg" /> +</a></p> +<h2><!-- page 2--><span class="pagenum">p. 2</span>Introduction.</h2> +<p>In placing before my readers in the following pages the results of +my twenty-five years’ experience of Rat-catching, Ferreting, etc., +I may say that I have always done my best to accomplish every task that +I have undertaken, and I have in consequence received excellent testimonials +from many corporations, railway companies, and merchants. I have +not only made it my study to discover the different and the best methods +of catching Rats, but I have also taken great interest in watching their +ways and habits, and I come to the conclusion that there is no sure +way of completely exterminating the Rodents, especially in large towns. +If I have in this work referred more particularly to Rat-catching in +Manchester that is only because my experience, although extending over +a much wider area, has been chiefly in that city, but the methods I +describe are equally applicable to all large towns.</p> +<p>Yours truly,</p> +<p>IKE MATTHEWS.</p> +<p>PROFESSIONAL RAT-CATCHER,<br /> + PENDLETON,<br /> + MANCHESTER.</p> +<h2><!-- page 3--><span class="pagenum">p. 3</span>PART I. HOW +TO CLEAR RATS FROM WAREHOUSES, OFFICES, STOREROOMS, ETC.</h2> +<p>In the first place my advice is—never poison Rats in any enclosed +buildings whatever. Why? Simply because the Rats that you +poison are Drain Rats, or what you call Black Rats, and you can depend +upon it that the Rats that you poison will not get back into the drains, +but die under the floor between the laths and plaster, and the consequence +is that in a few days the stench that will arise will be most obnoxious. +And there is nothing more injurious than the smell of a decomposed Rat.</p> +<p>Having had a long experience in Manchester I am quite sure of this. +As an instance, I remember a private house where I was engaged catching +Rats under a floor with ferrets. I went as far as possible on +my belly under the floor with two candles in my hands, and I saw <!-- page 4--><span class="pagenum">p. 4</span>the +ferret kill a large bitch Rat, about six yards from me against a wall, +where neither the dog nor myself could get at it. I finished the +job and made out my bill for my services, but in about two or three +weeks after they again sent for me, declaring they could not stay in +the sitting-room on account of the smell that arose from beneath the +flooring boards. They had in consequence to send for a joiner; +and as I knew the exact spot where the Rat was killed I ordered him +to take up the floor boards just where the dead Rat lay, and the stench +that arose from the decomposed Rodent was bad in the extreme. +I disinfected the place, and I was never sent for again. This +was under a cold floor, and it is much worse where there is any heat.</p> +<p>Now to deal with the different methods of catching Rats. The +best way, in my opinion, is,</p> +<h3>TRAPPING THEM WITH STEEL SPRING TRAPS.</h3> +<p>Whenever you are trapping, never on any consideration put bait on +the traps; always put traps in their runs, but you will find Rats are +so cunning that in time, after a few have been caught, they will jump +over the traps, and then you must try another way. A good one +is the following, viz.:—Get a bag of fine, clean sawdust, and +mix with it about one-sixth its weight of oatmeal. Obtain the +sawdust <!-- page 5--><span class="pagenum">p. 5</span>fresh from under +the saw, without bits of stick in, as these would be liable to get into +the teeth of the trap and stop them from closing. Where you see +the runs put a handful in say about 30 different places, every night, +just dropping the sawdust and meal out of your hands in little heaps. +That means 30 different heaps. Do this for four nights, and you +will see each morning that the sawdust is all spread about. Now +for four more nights you must bury a set trap under every heap of sawdust. +Thus you will have 30 traps, on each of which there is a square centre +plate; you must level the sawdust over the plate with a bit of stick, +and set each trap as fine as you can on the catch spring, so that the +weight of a mouse would set it off. They will play in the sawdust +as usual, and you will have Rats in almost every trap. You will +find that this plan will capture a great many of the Rodents. +I have trapped as many as 114 in one night in this way.</p> +<p>In time, however, the Rats will cease to go near sawdust. Then +you must procure a bag of fine soot from any chimney sweep, and you +will find that they will go at the soot just as keen as they did in +the first instance at the sawdust. When they get tired of soot +(which <!-- page 6--><span class="pagenum">p. 6</span>they will in time) +you must procure some soft tissue paper and cut it fine, and use that +in the same way as the sawdust and the soot. You can also use +light chaff or hay seeds with the like result.</p> +<p>I must not omit to tell my readers to always trap Rats in the night, +and to go very quietly about it, for if you make much noise they will +give over feeding. You must not go about with too big a light +whilst trapping. You should stay at the building from dark until +midnight, and every time a Rat is caught in the trap you should go with +a bull’s eye lamp, take it out of the trap or kill it, and then +set the trap again, as you have the chance of another Rat in the same +trap. From experience I can say that you need not stay in any +place after 12 o’clock at night, as I think that the first feed +is the best, and that the first three hours are worth all the other +part of the night. You can go home at 12 o’clock, and be +sure to be in the place by 6 or 7 a.m., for many a Rat caught in the +trap by the front leg will, if it gets time, eat off its leg and get +away again, and they are very cunning to catch afterwards.</p> +<h3>NEVER HAVE YOUR TRAPS SET IN THE DAYTIME.</h3> +<p>Handle them as little as possible. Always catch as many Rats +as you can in your <!-- page 7--><span class="pagenum">p. 7</span>buildings +in January and February, as they begin to breed in March, and every +bitch Rat means, on the average, eight more. Also get as much +ferreting done as possible before breeding time, for a young Rat can +get into the ends of the joisting under a floor, where a ferret cannot +get near it, and the consequence is that a ferret is unable to cope +with its task. The best thing I can advise for clearing young +Rats is a good cat, one that must not be handled nor made a pet of, +but allowed to live in almost a wild state. A good cat can do +as much, in my opinion, in one night, when Rats are breeding, as two +ferrets can do in a day, especially in a building where there are cavity +walls, as it is impossible for a ferret to follow a Rat in such walls.</p> +<p>This is all the information I am able to give on the trapping of +Rats—a method I have proved by 25 years’ experience to excel +all others. Still another way of clearing the pests is as follows:—The +majority of Rats are Black, or what we call Drain Rats; if they are +in a building they will in most cases come from a water-closet. +Sometimes you will see from the drain pipes in the water-closet, say, +a six-inch pipe fitted into a nine-inch pipe, and the joint covered +round with clay, through which the Rats eat and scratch and get into +<!-- page 8--><span class="pagenum">p. 8</span>the building in great +numbers in the night, but most of them return into the drains during +the day. Now, if it is the breeding season (about eight months +out of the twelve) they will do much damage to silk, cotton, leather, +lace, and, in fact, all other light goods. And one would be surprised +to see the quantity of cloth, paper, etc., they will procure for their +nests whilst breeding.</p> +<p>The way to get clear of these is to go in the day with two or three +ferrets and leave the drain pipe open. Ferret them all back into +the drain; don’t put a net over the drain for fear you might miss +one or two. If they got back into the building they would be hard +to catch, as they would not face the net again. Then, after ferreting, +make the drain good, and if there be an odd Rat or two left in the building +you will get them in a few nights by baiting the trap.</p> +<p>There is another way of catching the Brown Rat which breeds under +the floor in large buildings where there are no drains. They are +very awkward to catch. Always have a trap or two set, but do not +set them where they feed; place them in their runs. But there +are other methods for other Rat-infested places. For instance, +take a restaurant, where they feed in the cooking <!-- page 9--><span class="pagenum">p. 9</span>kitchen; +we will suppose they have eaten four holes through either floor or skirting +boards. The best way to catch these—however many holes they +have leading into the kitchen—is to block up (with tin or similar +material) all the holes with the exception of one, and let them use +that one for two nights. Then put a plateful of good food, such +as oatmeal and oil of aniseed, as far from the hole as you can in the +same kitchen; then run a small train of meal and aniseed from the hole +to the plate. Next drive two six-inch nails in the wall, with +a long piece of string tied to the nail heads. Put on these nails +a brick or piece of board right above the hole 2 inches up the wall. +Be sure the nails are quite loose in the wall over the hole, and leave +in that position for two nights, so that the Rats will get used to it. +On the night that you are going to catch them, before leaving the place +carry the string from the nail heads to the door or window; let the +door or window be closed within an inch, with the end of the string +outside. After the place has been quiet for thirty minutes return +to the door or window very quietly, and you will hear the Rats feeding. +Pull the string, the loose nails come out of the wall and the brick +or board drops over the hole. You can then go in, close the door, +turn up the gas and <!-- page 10--><span class="pagenum">p. 10</span>catch +or kill them at your leisure, as they cannot get back again.</p> +<p>By this method I may mention that I have caught a great number of +Rats, and it is quite possible to clear a place in this manner: that +is, if they do not come out of the drains. I have caught upwards +of 103 in six nights in this way. The best time to catch Rats +in any building is always at night, and always about half-an-hour after +the place has been closed, as Rats are generally more adventurous to +come for their first feed. Always go about as quietly as possible.</p> +<p>In some of the very old Manchester buildings that were built in the +days before drain plans had to be submitted to the corporation, one +finds under the cellar floors old-fashioned brick and flag drains (better +known as “spit” drains), that were left in when the place +was built. Once the Rats get in these disused drains all the professional +Rat-catchers in England could not clear them without pulling the building +down. The Rats have, by some means, got out of the main sewer, +probably by the bursting of a sewer into one of these disused dry brick +drains. It is then impossible to get underground to see where +they have got into the dry drain, and the only thing that can be done +in a case of this sort is to engage a <!-- page 11--><span class="pagenum">p. 11</span>professional +Rat-catcher occasionally, and keep two or three good cats to keep the +Rats down. These places as a rule are more plagued with them when +it is very wet weather and there are floods running. This is the +best time to catch them, as they are all under the floor of the building, +and are very easy to catch in the night with the traps.</p> +<p>As a rule the Black or Drain Rats feed only in the night, very rarely +in the day, as they are of a dirty nature, and prefer being in the drains. +In my opinion the Black Rat is more vicious than the Brown.</p> +<p>There is another Rat I call the Red Rat, which is akin to the Brown +Rat. You will always catch these at a tannery, or about kennels, +where hounds are kept, and they generally feed on horseflesh or offal. +Red Rats are the “gameist” Rats I know, for whatever kind +of Rats are put into the store cage, these Red Rats kill them the first +night they are left quiet.</p> +<p>I may describe another mode of catching Rats. In any Rat-overrun +warehouse, storeroom, or cellar, where there is a deal of rubbish such +as packing cases, wrappers, waste paper, etc., throw a lot of food, +say oatmeal or soaked bread, carelessly amongst the cases or rubbish +and let the Rats have a full week’s feeding at <!-- page 12--><span class="pagenum">p. 12</span>their +leisure, and then if you know the holes round the floor wherefrom they +come, go in some night as quick as possible, turn up the lights, run +to the three or four holes, and block them up with pieces of rag, etc. +Now as all the Rats will not run out of the packing cases or waste paper, +but will hide amongst the same, this is the time to take a good terrier +dog or two with you, and to have a bit of sport. Let one dog hunt +among the cases, etc., and hold the other, for the Rats will soon make +for the holes, but the rags preventing their escape you will catch and +kill a great many by this means.</p> +<p>It should be stated here that as Rats are very cunning, it takes +a lot of study, dodging, and experience to be able to rid them entirely. +When you are feeding Rats anywhere, never feed them with other than +soft stuff, which you can squeeze through your fingers, for if you feed +them with anything lumpy, they will carry pieces into their holes and +eat at their leisure.</p> +<h3>FERRETING.</h3> +<p>Ferreting is a very good plan for destroying Rats in cottage houses, +stables, hotels, etc., as it can be done in the day, but in buildings, +say five or six storeys high you cannot ferret very well as you cannot +tell where to set your nets. The only way to ferret a large building +is to ferret one floor at once, and always start at the <!-- page 13--><span class="pagenum">p. 13</span>top +storey first. The majority of floors are laths and plaster. +This is what the Rat likes, especially the Brown Rat, and there are +more nests found in these places than anywhere else. To ferret +thoroughly in such places you will require to have a board up at each +end of the floor: the two end boards that run crossways with the joist; +then you must have a man to put the ferret in at one end, and ferret +one joist at a time; have a net set at the other end. The best +way at the catching end is to have a long sheet net about a yard wide, +and the full length of the boards that are up, for sometimes under the +boards the Rats can get out of one joist into another, and if you use +the long net you can catch them whichever joist they bolt at.</p> +<p>Now we will suppose you are ferreting a seven-storey building, which +might occupy three or four days. If you have ferreted two stories +the first day, during the night the Rats that have not been ferreted +on the lower stories may get back again to the top storey.</p> +<p>How to prevent this happening I will give you a plan of my own, which +I don’t think any Rat-catcher but myself has ever employed. +The course of action—a rather expensive one I admit—is the +following: While you have the boards up you must go to the druggist +and get two shillings’ worth of cayenne pepper, and put <!-- page 14--><span class="pagenum">p. 14</span>it +into a pepper duster. Scatter the cayenne along the boards and +joist where you have had the long sheet net, and also along the other +end of the joist where you put the ferrets in, and you will find that +under no consideration will Rats face the cayenne pepper. Cayenne +is alright for any dry place and will last a long time, but it will +not do in any water closets or any damp places, as dampness takes all +the nature out of the cayenne.</p> +<p>After ferreting in any kind of building, always go carefully round +the outside, and see that there are no broken air grids, or broken cellar +windows, as these are likely ways that the Rats get into the building +at first. When ferreting always be careful how you set your nets, +and be extremely quick on the Rats when they bolt, for sometimes if +they get back they will face the ferret before they will bolt again; +then the ferrets kill them under the floors, and this as in the case +of poisoning them is liable to cause an abominable smell, more especially +where heat is near.</p> +<p>In the whole of my experience of Rat-catching, which is a lengthy +one, I never gave a guarantee to clear a place completely, in Manchester +or any other town where so many large buildings are so close together. +And let me show the reason for this. Take Cannon <!-- page 15--><span class="pagenum">p. 15</span>Street, +Manchester, as an illustration. Here are six or eight different +firms in one block of buildings. Now, suppose four of these firms +are suffering from the damage the Rats are doing. Well, one or +two of these firms may go to the expense of having the Rats cleared +away. But between the two buildings there may be a hardware business +or ironmonger’s shop, where Rats cannot do any harm to their goods. +The owners of these shops will not go to the expense of having Rats +caught, nor will they let us go into their shops at midnight; therefore +the result is the Rat-catcher in his trapping and ferreting is limited +to these two places, and all he can do is to catch some and drive the +rest into the hardware shop. When under the floors in such places +one finds there has been so many alterations made at different times +that one joist may be a foot or six inches below the other, and when +the Rats are completely driven out of these places it would require +joiners and bricksetters to work for weeks under the floors to stop +the Rats returning. And most firms will not go to this expense. +I only give my readers this as an illustration of what has often happened +with me, and to show why I never guarantee to clear Rats completely +in large towns. If they are in a private house, stable, greenhouse, +or any block <!-- page 16--><span class="pagenum">p. 16</span>of houses, +of say five or six, I might then, after looking through, give a guarantee +to clear them completely.</p> +<p>These are the fullest details I can give you, and if you will put +any of the ways I have mentioned into practice you will find that they +are all successful, especially the covering of traps. I can give +you just one more instance in Manchester, where I was engaged. +The workpeople had been tormenting the Rats with traps, not knowing +how to set them. They sent for me, and on my looking round the +place I knew there was a lot of Rats. I submitted my price to +do the job, and when I went down one night with 40 traps, dog, and two +ferrets I thought I should catch 20 or 30 Rats, but I found that they +had plagued them so much with their attempted trapping that I only caught +three in the whole night. This place belonged to a limited company, +and when I went before the committee the next morning they were not +satisfied. I told them that their own workpeople had tormented +the Rats so much with traps that the Rats would not go near one. +I then told the committee that I would still stick to my terms, but +I would leave the job over for a fortnight. Now during that fortnight +I went down a good many times, and laid the sawdust as I have <!-- page 17--><span class="pagenum">p. 17</span>already +described, and thus got the Rats used to it. The first night that +I went catching I took with me 33 traps. I had them all set by +8-30 p.m., and by 12-30 a.m. I had trapped 45 Rats; the next night 31 +Rats; and before I completed the job, with the trapping and the other +ways that I have mentioned, I caught 183 Rats! This I give merely +as an illustration to show the necessity of engaging an experienced +man to catch Rats—that is, if you want them caught. And +to confirm the statements above, I shall be most happy to supply privately +the name and place of the firm, and also to give a personal interview +if necessary.</p> +<p>And now a word or two respecting the different ways in which Rat-catchers +are treated. Many people think that a Rat-catcher is favoured +if they give him permission to catch Rats on their farms or round the +banks of their corn or wheat fields. Well, on some occasions I +grant this may be a favour, for I have seen when I have had an order +in hand for about 10 dozen Rats, and have had only a day or two in which +to get them. Such are the only times and circumstances when a +Rat-catcher gives his services gratis, and simply because he wants the +live Rats. Most farmers will send you word when they are <!-- page 18--><span class="pagenum">p. 18</span>threshing +their corn, and then the value of the Rats are worth the day’s +work to the Rat-catcher.</p> +<p>This is all right as far as it goes, but when one comes to consider +the yearly expenses of the Rat-catcher it will be found that they are +very heavy. Now, first of all it will cost, at the least, £5 +annually for the wear and tear of traps alone, then there is the wear +and tear of nets; two dog licences; always three or four ferrets to +keep (and ferrets are often lost down drains or killed by Rats); also +sundry other expenses, such as store cages, etc. Then, again, +the Rat-catcher always has to pay a man to help him.</p> +<p>I don’t call Rat-catching a trade only: I maintain that it +is a profession, and one that requires much learning and courage. +I have found this out when I have been under a warehouse floor, where +a lot of Rats were in the traps, and I could not get one man out of +50 to come under the floor and hold the candle for me, not to mention +helping me to take the live Rats out of the traps. I just relate +this because at some places where we go and where we catch perhaps 30 +Rats, the first thing they say when the bill is presented is “Why, +you have got 15s. worth of live Rats!” They don’t +think of the damage 30 Rats can do <!-- page 19--><span class="pagenum">p. 19</span>to +fancy goods, nor do they consider the evil smells that men have to tolerate +under the floors or from the bad drains.</p> +<p>I could relate many interesting anecdotes of what I have seen and +heard about Rats, but I fear its perusal might take up too much of my +readers’ time. There is, however, one thing I will mention. +I dare say you have heard of Rats running about in “swarms” +in the night. Do not believe it. In my whole experience +I have never been so fortunate as to meet a “swarm” of these, +when I have had an empty cage on my back, and an order for 12 dozen +live Rats at 5s. per dozen. When trapping at farms on a moonlight +night I have seen a train of Rats almost in single file going from a +barn to a pit or brook to drink, and then I have simply run a long net +all along the barn very quickly, sent my dog round the pit and caught +all the Rats in the net when they ran back to get in the barn. +For in these places you must be as cunning as the Rats to catch them. +The quickest way for a farmer to get rid of Rats is to run a long trail +of good oatmeal outside his barn doors, and shoot them on a moonlight +night. I have seen 11 killed at a shot in this way. They +will stay eating the oatmeal because they cannot carry it away. +At farms or out-houses you might <!-- page 20--><span class="pagenum">p. 20</span>poison +Rats round a pit or along brook sides where they go to drink, although +I don’t believe in poisoning, as one never knows where it ends—the +Rats being likely to carry the poisoned food about, and then dogs, hens, +pigs, pigeons, etc., may pick it up.</p> +<p>There may be a few more ways of catching Rats than I have enumerated, +but I think I have given the best ways in detail. Some people +think that to use</p> +<h3>THE MONGOOSE</h3> +<p>is very good, but I think that the mongoose is no better than a good +fox terrier dog or a good cat, the only advantage in the mongoose being +that all the Rats it kills it will bring back dead to its habitation, +and that stops the dead Rats from smelling under the floors. I +think that the mongoose is not half so sly or sharp as a good cat, and +a mongoose, moreover, has to be taught how to kill a Rat (just the same +as a dog). I am fortunate in having actually seen a mongoose and +a Rat put alive in a tub together, and the mongoose would not even look +at the Rat. And I maintain that the mongoose cannot compare with +the ferret anytime, for the simple reason that a small ferret can get +anywhere that a Rat can, whilst the mongoose must wait until the Rat +comes out to feed. For instance, if a board <!-- page 21--><span class="pagenum">p. 21</span>of +a floor be left up for a mongoose to get under the floor, it can only +get into one of the joists; but a ferret can follow a Rat wherever it +goes. Then again, the Rats can smell a mongoose even more strongly +than they can smell a cat. So these facts prevent my recommending +a mongoose on any account. I have also heard of people experimenting +with different sorts of</p> +<h3>DRUGS AND CHEMICALS</h3> +<p>for enticing Rats out of their holes. I hope none of my readers +will be attracted with this device. I hold that there is nothing +that will tempt a Rat from its hole like hunger. The nearest approach +that I have found to entice the Rodent out of its hole is oil of aniseed +or oil of rhodium, but the latter is expensive. I can rely best +on oil of aniseed, because I have often successfully tried it in experiment +upon the plate of a set trap. I have placed only three or four +drops of oil of aniseed upon the plate of a set trap without bait, and +often the trap has closed and trapped the Rat by the nose; so that it +will be seen that the Rat must have been licking the plate, or it could +not be caught in that manner. I have also frequently noticed when +I have set, say, 20 traps covered with meal and sawdust mixed, that +if I have put only two drops of oil of aniseed on half the <!-- page 22--><span class="pagenum">p. 22</span>traps +I should find next morning on looking at the traps that most Rats are +in those in which I had placed the aniseed. I think that oil of +rhodium and oil of aniseed are very good to drop on the traps after +setting, or to mix with the stuff with which the traps are covered.</p> +<p>There is also another way of bolting Rats. Sometimes when the +ferret is put under a boarded floor, all the Rats will run together +and pack themselves in a heap at the end of a joist. When the +Rats pack themselves on each other thus, the ferret on reaching them +will tackle only one at a time. You can always tell when this +happens by the ferret working a long time and bolting no Rats. +Now, immediately you notice this, put your mouth near the hole where +you have put the ferrets in, and make a squealing noise with your mouth +to imitate a squealing Rat. This causes the heap of Rats at the +end of the joist to disperse through fear, and when they get running +about they will bolt into the net. Many times I have not had a +bolt for half-an-hour and when I have squealed at the hole I have had +four or five Rats in the nets at once.</p> +<p>These are some of the methods of clearing Rats from various places, +and from experience I think they excel all others.</p> +<h2><!-- page 23--><span class="pagenum">p. 23</span>PART II. +HOW TO KEEP AND WORK FERRETS.</h2> +<p>The first necessity in ferret-keeping is that they shall be kept +in hutches or “cotes,” as they are commonly called. +Care must always be taken to have their places well swilled with carbolic +water, and then allowed to thoroughly dry before whitewashing the inside, +which is also essential to keep them healthy. This should be done +at least four times a year. Always have your hutches leaning from +the wall, so that wet or refuse will not lodge, for when the bottom +of a hutch is always wet it is liable to give the ferrets a disease +called foot rot, which is very frequent where ferrets are neglected. +Always keep the feeding part of the hutch well covered with sawdust.</p> +<p>In feeding ferrets for the purpose of Rat-catching, never do so before +going out with them; I think it is quite sufficient to feed them every +24 hours. If you feed them oftener they are liable to get too +fat, and also lazy and unwilling to work as they should. The best +food you can give them is bread and <!-- page 24--><span class="pagenum">p. 24</span>milk, +and occasionally a little raw liver. Mix the bread and milk with +a little hot water, stir well with a spoon or squeeze through your fingers, +so that the ferrets will have to eat it where you feed them; if not +they will carry the large pieces of bread that are wet into the corners +of the sleeping place, which would soon cause that part of the hutch +to smell very sour and become injurious to the health of the ferret, +especially where four or five are kept together, as they are of a very +perspiring nature. Always give them plenty of room to run about +when you can; if you don’t they are likely to take cramp.</p> +<p>Ferrets are usually subject to distemper. The first symptom +is the ferret’s neglect of its food. When you see this you +will observe a little matter at the corner of the eyes, and the ferret +will have a slight running at the nostrils. Immediately you see +these symptoms separate that ferret from the others, as this is, I think, +the worst disease one has to contend with.</p> +<p>In the whole of my ferret-keeping experience I have found distemper, +if caught in time, can be cured; but if it gets too far I know of no +cure for it. I have known a gamekeeper to have dogs with the distemper, +and he has not touched his ferrets or handled them at all <!-- page 25--><span class="pagenum">p. 25</span>during +the time his dogs were bad, yet a week afterwards his ferrets caught +the disease. He tried all the remedies he knew of, but in 14 days +12 hitherto good, strong, healthy ferrets died: all he had. This +will show at once that the disease is very contagious. The moment +you see signs of distemper coming on feed the ferret as little as possible. +Give it as little to eat as will just keep life in it, for in feeding +the ferret you also feed the disease. When you have kept the food +from it is the time to start curing if possible. Now, from experience +the first thing I recommend is to sweat the disease out of it, and I +find the best way to do this is as follows:—Get an old bucket +with a few one-inch holes bored in the bottom, and almost fill it with +good new straw horse-droppings; put a little hay on the top of the droppings, +and then put the ferret on the hay. Place or hang the bucket over +a boiler or on the mantelpiece, and let the kettle steam under the bucket, +say for 30 minutes, and you will find the steam and the ammonia from +the droppings will together sweat the disease out of the ferret; then +you can start feeding it again. Feed it with something substantial, +such as the jelly from stewed cowheels; give them the jelly only, not +the meat; and you will have a good result. Also give them a <!-- page 26--><span class="pagenum">p. 26</span>teaspoonful +of cream. This is the one and only cure for distemper.</p> +<p>Another disease in ferrets, especially young ones, is what I call +“red mange.” This starts always under the belly, and +you will find that the skin becomes very red and speckled. This +is easily remedied by the simple process of washing in lukewarm water +and rubbing with sweet oil and black sulphur. The same mixture +will answer for “foot rot” if rubbed well into the paws. +The general cause of this latter disease is neglect of the ferrets and +the hutches not being cleaned out regularly.</p> +<p>I think the best bedding for ferrets is good oat straw, fresh every +fortnight. Throw the straw in carelessly, and the ferrets will +make their own beds. When breeding ferrets, never go near them +more than you can help, as they are of a wild nature and liable to destroy +their young. When you know a Jill or bitch ferret has young, give +her a little extra good food, but don’t interfere with the young +ones on any account, and if you want to give her a little extra bedding +put the straw in the same place as the food, and she will take it into +the sleeping place herself. It is advisable not to touch the young +ones for five weeks, or better still leave them until they come out +to feed themselves; and when running about, if there <!-- page 27--><span class="pagenum">p. 27</span>be +a good number, say nine or ten, in the lot, it is a good plan to remove +them into a larger place for sleeping, as young ferrets are very liable +to catch the red mange, which arises from too many being together and +sweating very much.</p> +<h3>WHEN WORKING FERRETS FOR RAT-CATCHING</h3> +<p>always work them unmuzzled. Make as little noise as possible, +as Rats are very bad to bolt sometimes. Never grab at the ferret +as it leaves the hole, nor tempt it out of the hole with a dead Rat. +The best way is to let the ferret come out of its own choice, and then +pick it up very quietly, for if you grab at it, it is likely to become +what we call a “stopper;” and never on any account force +a ferret to go into a hole.</p> +<h3>WHEN WORKING FERRETS FOR RABBIT-SHOOTING</h3> +<p>always muzzle them. The old-fashioned style of muzzle is, I +think, the best, that is, made with string. I don’t approve +of wire muzzles, as they are liable to catch against tree roots and +bits of sharp stones, and from experience I find the ferret works much +better with the string muzzle.</p> +<p>There is one way of working ferrets when rabbit-shooting which, if +followed, I think would lead to a better day’s shooting. +You will often see the ferrets stick up with the <!-- page 28--><span class="pagenum">p. 28</span>rabbits. +Now, in most cases the gamekeeper or his man working the ferrets will +often cut open a dead rabbit and put the paunch to the burrow. +I quite agree as to the desirability of this to get the ferrets out, +but I say that the man using the ferrets ought never to touch the paunch, +as the ferrets will not work half so well after he has the smell of +the paunch on his hands.</p> +<p>Another bad plan is that of throwing a dead rabbit into the burrow +so that the ferret will follow it out. The best plan is to let +the ferret get clear of the hole, and then pick it up quietly. +If you will break your ferrets in in this manner you will never have +any trouble with them afterwards.</p> +<p>When ferrets are conveyed about for the purpose of rabbiting, boxes +are much better to use than bags, as the ferrets then get a better chance +of resting. If bags be used you disturb the ferrets’ rest +and position each time you remove one. Take care to observe this +and it will result in a good day’s sport.</p> +<p>Always take your ferrets home as quickly as possible after a day’s +work.</p> +<p>Ferrets kept only for rabbit-shooting should always be fed as soon +as the day’s work is over, but they must not have more food till +the same time the following day. If fed in <!-- page 29--><span class="pagenum">p. 29</span>this +way regularly you will find that they will work very well. It +is also advisable to let them drink at a stream when they have worked +about three hours.</p> +<p>When ferrets have been fast in a rabbit burrow, their paws may be +full of down with scratching at the rabbits. Always remove this +before placing them to another burrow. Each time you handle the +ferret see that the muzzle is alright, and in muzzling with string great +care should be taken to remove the long hair on the snout from under +the string; otherwise the ferret may experience a tickling sensation, +and not work so well as it should; see also that the string is tied +tightly around the ferret’s neck; if not it can easily pull off +the muzzle with its paws.</p> +<p>Whenever a ferret is severely bitten by a Rat the best course to +take immediately you get it home is to bathe the wound in clean luke-warm +water. See that all the dirt is removed, and then apply a few +drops of sweet oil to the wound. Repeat this every four hours, +until the wound is healed, but until then do not work the ferret lest +more dirt gets into the wound. My experience proves this to be +the best way to cure a ferret when it has received a severe Rat-bite.</p> +<p>It is also a good plan occasionally (say <!-- page 30--><span class="pagenum">p. 30</span>once +a fortnight) to skin a nice young Rat and give it to the ferret.</p> +<h3>SUITABLE DOGS.</h3> +<p>And now a word or two as to what is a good dog for waterside hunting, +or working with the ferrets. I recommend a cross-bred dog, but +I find that it is always better to have the pointer breed in it, whatever +other breed you get, because the pointer always has the nose or scent. +Pointer and Airedale would be very good, or pointer and Irish terrier. +I have often noticed that pure-bred dogs are not much good for hunting +in buildings or rivers. I have frequently seen a cross-bred dog +stand at one side of the river, and if the wind has been in his favour +he has winded his nose across the river, and I have sent him over and +he has turned a Rat out, bolted it into the water, and killed it.</p> +<p>The best precaution to take in breaking a dog to Rat-catching and +waterside hunting (especially if it be a puppy) is to never allow anybody +but yourself to have anything to do with it, it being the worst thing +possible to let a working dog have too many masters. Break it +in to the ferrets first, and then it is a good plan to go up the river +banks, with either a dead Rat or rabbit skin, letting the dog play with +it for a while, and then burying it about <!-- page 31--><span class="pagenum">p. 31</span>18 +inches in the river bank; or you may pull up a clod and put it under, +only you must not let the dog see where you place it. Then take +the dog with you near to where the rat or skin is buried, and you will +soon see that the dog knows its work. Do this a few times, and +you will see that once the dog finds the dead Rat or the skin it will +never forget. The younger the dog the better, the right age to +break a puppy this way being about four or five months. Break +it in for taking to the water at the same time. If you want a +good working dog always keep it on the chain when at home, and feed +it at the same time as the ferrets, but do not over-feed it; also give +it one dose of castor oil or syrup of buckthorn every 14 days. +I recommend this because you never know the nasty poisonous stuff that +the dog gets on its stomach from the dirty brook and river sides.</p> +<p>Let me add that all I have written about ferrets and dogs are not +given merely from hearsay, but are the facts derived from study and +experience during 25 years of dog and ferret-keeping.</p> +<h2><!-- page 32--><span class="pagenum">p. 32</span>PART III. +THE HABITS OF RATS.</h2> +<p>Rats breed very quickly. This I have often proved by visiting +a given haunt for many years together. I remember an instance +in point one June, when out with dog and ferrets. The dog made +a set under the root of a tree. I put the ferret in and it bolted +eight young Rats, nearly half grown, still suckling the bitch Rat. +When the old Rat bolted my dog killed it, and whilst the dog was shaking +it I found she was very heavy in young again. This, therefore, +will prove how quickly Rats breed.</p> +<p>Another result of my observation may be of interest to my readers. +After removing a lot of old rubbish when ratting I came upon a nest +of just-born Rats, and, in curiosity, I cut the tails off the lot, and +then put the young Rodents back, leaving the nest undisturbed. +When I returned next day, I found the old Rat had carried all her young +away, and, later, I found the same tailless lot in another part of the +building, and, after disturbing them again, I found the following day +that the bitch Rat had killed every one by eating off their heads. +<!-- page 33--><span class="pagenum">p. 33</span>This destruction of +the offspring I have witnessed on more than one occasion. The +old bitch Rat has always killed them in the same way by eating off their +heads.</p> +<p>I must not forget to tell you of the young Rat’s dread of the +ferrets. I have often seen when the ferrets have been put in the +hole the young Rats (not many days old and their eyes yet unopened) +creep out of the hole. This is a proof that the smell of the ferrets +has a tendency to bolt Rats, either young or old.</p> +<p>Old Rats are very bold whilst suckling their young. I have +seen them very venturesome to get to water, and more eager for water +than for food. I have often traced their runs a long way for water, +and noticed that when crossing a field to get to a pit or river they +never walk, but are always on the run; and in the summer, when they +reach the pit, they not only drink, but often swim about. I have +frequently watched them swimming on a moonlight night, but they generally +go back to the buildings in the early morning, especially in the winter +months.</p> +<p>Another habit I have often noticed. Take a farm, or any place +where there are many Rats, and it will be always found that when a Rat +gets very old it becomes very greyish in colour and rather scabbed, +and its hair comes <!-- page 34--><span class="pagenum">p. 34</span>off, +mostly on the back. The healthy Rats will then drive the old Rat +away, and these scabby old Rats may be caught by themselves in other +parts of the buildings; and, further, I often notice that if the ferrets +are bitten with these old Rats, they “take bad ways.” +I never put such Rats with the others nor allow my dog to kill them. +I would advise any gentleman having a dog he values never to let it +touch one of these old scabby Rats, as it may prove injurious to the +health of the dog.</p> +<p>It is surprising how far Rats will travel in the night. I have +traced their tracks from a stackyard over two or three fields to a farm +to get to their food. And you will always find that they have +one time for feeding, which is as soon as it is dusk, the young Rats +being the most venturesome for their food, always coming out first.</p> +<p>Rats, especially stackyard ones, are of a very clean nature. +You will find that after they have had their first feed they diligently +wash themselves. These Rats feed on nothing but good stuff, such +as wheat, corn, and meal; and from experience I find that if a man is +bitten on the hand by one of these Brown or Stack Rats it never “takes +bad ways,” but, if bitten by a dirty Drain Rat, then whether he +cauterises or bathes the wound is no matter, <!-- page 35--><span class="pagenum">p. 35</span>it +is sure to “take bad ways.” I think the reason of +this is because the Drain Rat, when it cannot get anything else to eat, +exists on the worms and slugs, and this, I think, causes the teeth to +become more venomous. When bitten in this way blood poisoning +is very likely to ensue. Indeed, you must understand that the +teeth of a full-grown Rat are quite half-an-inch long, and the jaw is +very strong, so that if you are bitten on the finger it is almost sure +to penetrate to the bone. I have known a good many cases of blood +poisoning through Rat-bites.</p> +<p>The damage Rats can do to property, commodities, etc., is almost +incredible. I have had so many examples of this that I scarcely +know which to submit as illustration. I think the worst case I +have seen was where they gnawed a hole half way through a 2¼ +inch lead pipe, and often I have known them to bite through a one-inch +lead pipe. The worst damage is done when they get under the flag +floors of cottage houses out of the drains. They scratch the soil +from beneath the flags, which then sink, and the consequent stench from +the drains is abominable, jeopardising the health of the tenants. +I have seen a great many of these cases in the poorer parts of Manchester. +The damage the Rats will do <!-- page 36--><span class="pagenum">p. 36</span>in +the silk and similar trades, to the goods of merchants, or in the grocery +business, is enormous, and not so much by reason of what they actually +eat as by what they carry away, which is often ten times as much as +they eat. I have often proved this when ferreting at a wholesale +grocery warehouse. When we have taken up the boards between the +laths and plaster we have found the ceiling almost full of lump sugar, +nuts, candles, etc., which have been there for years, hoarded by the +Rats. Now, this all means heavy loss, and that is why I say that +any business man so suffering ought to engage the services of a professional +Rat-catcher once a year in order to keep the Rats down, and catch as +many as possible before they begin breeding.</p> +<p>Another Rat habit may be noticed where the Rodents are accustomed +to have their holes and runs among flags and stones. If they find +any soft wood such as pine or white deal, they will nibble at it until +it is eaten through. I have often known them to eat right through +the legs of tables in the middle of cooking kitchens. This, I +think, they do simply to keep their teeth clean and in order; I have +known half-grown Rats to do the same.</p> +<p>Rats can exist a long time on herbage, if they can get nothing more +palatable. It is <!-- page 37--><span class="pagenum">p. 37</span>a +very common thing to find Rats in the rabbit burrows when ferreting; +in fact, I have seen, not once, but many times, Rats, rabbits, and weasels +all bolt from the same burrow. I have also unearthed a Rat and +a rabbit together out of one single burrow.</p> +<p>Now as to keeping Rats in store cages at home. Look well after +them, and I think it is possible to keep them alive for quite a year; +but if you keep, say, 20 in one store cage and neglect their feeding,, +you will find that when hungry in the night they will kill the weakest +of their number and eat it, sometimes even eating two or three in one +night, leaving the skin as clean as if a man had skinned them. +It is always the best plan to put the Rats in different cages, according +to their sizes. The young ones together, the old ones together, +and the middle-aged ones together, as they keep themselves much cleaner +when thus divided, and do not fight so much as they would otherwise. +They must also be kept in a warm place; if not, they soon have cramp. +Also keep them in a dark place and see that they have plenty of water; +sprinkle them now and then with it so that they will wash themselves. +It is astonishing what a hungry Rat will do. I have seen them +in the summer at dusk run at an old hen with her chickens under her, +<!-- page 38--><span class="pagenum">p. 38</span>and almost as quick +as I tell it, the Rat has snatched a live chicken and run with it under +a pigsty floor.</p> +<p>I have known them to take half-grown young ducks from the water side. +I remember once ferreting round a pit, near a barn, and when I put my +ferret in the hole, it pulled out two dead chickens and three middle-sized +dead ducks, and behind them, not more than a yard deep in the pit bank, +was an old Rat. I have also known them to get into the coops where +a gamekeeper was rearing his pheasants, and to kill nine young ones +in a single night all from under the same hen.</p> +<p>Rats are also fond of eggs. I have read of many ways in which +Rats take eggs, but in my quarter-of-a-century’s experience of +Ratting I never saw Rats take eggs save in one way, and that is, dragging +or rolling them along the floor with their front paws, until they get +them to the mouth of the hole. I remember one place where I was +ferreting. There was an old cellar, the door of which at the top +of the steps had to my knowledge been nailed up two or three years. +Out of the hen house the Rats had eaten a hole at each side of the cellar +door at the bottom. One day we burst open the door, went into +the cellar (where it was impossible for a hen to get whilst the <!-- page 39--><span class="pagenum">p. 39</span>door +was closed) and beneath the bottom step we caught two Rats. On +lifting the flag at the bottom of the steps, we found 15 whole eggs, +some good and some bad, all of which I am quite satisfied the Rats had +carried down those nine stone steps! How they had done so I cannot +explain, but content myself with stating only the plain facts of my +own personal observation.</p> +<p>Rats are also very cunning in the water, say a pit or a river. +Now, a Rat can exist in water for at most about seven minutes, and you +will find when a dog is swimming after a Rat that the Rat is watching +the dog all the time, for as soon as the dog gets within a yard of the +Rat the latter will dive under water and come to the surface again about +15 yards away. When the dog has tired the Rat out with swimming, +you will very often see the Rat dive again and come up very quietly +and just put its nose out of the water, or rest its head on a floating +leaf. It is so cunning that it will remain still there, and if +the leaf or reed gives way it will come up at the water side and just +thrust out its nose to breathe. By this means the dog loses full +scent of the Rat.</p> +<p>I have also noticed how useful are the Rat’s front paws and +tail. I have seen a Rat on the top of a swill tub at a pigsty, +when the <!-- page 40--><span class="pagenum">p. 40</span>swill has +been about ten inches from the top of the tub. The Rat was too +cunning to jump down on the wet swill and drown, but I saw it reach +as far down the inside of the tub as possible with its front paws and +scrape the grease from around the sides! I have also seen the +same Rat, when unable to scrape any further down the tub sides, turn +round, clutch the top of the tub with its front paws, dip its tail into +the swill, and then gain the top of the tub and commence licking its +tail.</p> +<p>I have also tried an experiment with the same tub, which consisted +of covering the top of the wet swill with bran, which floated on the +surface, and placing a bit of lumpy swill in the middle of the bran, +in the hope that the Rat would jump on the bran in the expectation of +getting at the swill in the middle. However, it did not do so, +no doubt instinctively guided against the danger.</p> +<p>I have also watched Rats run round a set wire or cage trap for a +full hour. I have seen them go half way in and out again, look +at the bait and never touch it, but go away and never return to the +same trap that night. These examples show the cunning instinct +of Rats.</p> +<p>There is, however, one power that the Rat is not favoured with, and +I am afraid if they were they would be a greater pest. It is the +<!-- page 41--><span class="pagenum">p. 41</span>ability of high jumping. +A Rat cannot, I think, jump higher than three feet six inches, and will +have to be very hungry before doing that to obtain food.</p> +<p>Many people may not know how fierce Rats are when fighting. +Let me instance. I have often taken, one in each hand, two good +Rats from my cage before a hundred spectators and set the Rats at each +other on the top of a table. To see them fight would be surprising. +They will fight like two bulldogs. When they have got a grip of +each other with their teeth I have taken away my hands, and they have +stuck and shook one another for at least half-a-minute, although you +must understand that the moment they are loose of one another they are +off if you don’t catch them again.</p> +<p>There are several other cunning ways of Rats which I can scarcely +explain. One must be amongst them regularly to know their wonderful +ways and habits. Yet another little incident, in conclusion, may +be of interest. I once called at a farm where they had been threshing +a wheat stack. A Rat-catcher had been there but without a dog, +and when I arrived two hours afterwards my dog made a set, and commenced +scratching amongst the old chaff left at the bottom of the stack, and +to the astonishment of myself and the farmer <!-- page 42--><span class="pagenum">p. 42</span>I +pulled out of the hole where the dog was scratching 73 live Rats! +The other Rat-catcher, who had been at the threshing all day, had caught +only 14 Rats. This will serve to show that a Rat-catcher must +not be without a good dog.</p> +<p>And now, respecting the ways and habits of Rats I think I have given +my readers interesting and varied illustrations of what I have seen +and experienced during my time.</p> +<h2><!-- page 43--><span class="pagenum">p. 43</span>PART IV. +LIFE OF THE RAT-CATCHER.</h2> +<p>This work will not be complete if I do not deal with the Rat-catcher’s +life. The profession is a peculiar and exciting one, but all right +if pursued in the right way. Although the calling takes one into +dirty and obnoxious places, there is no reason why the Rat-catcher should +not always appear respectable. The Rat-catcher has many temptations +to dishonest conducts, for instance, when Rat-catching on a farm or +private estate where there are numerous rabbits and game. It looks +rather hard lines for the Rat-catcher to come off a farm with his cage +full of Rats and see rabbits running about whilst he has all the requisites +in his possession for catching them; and yet he must not touch one, +but go home and merely reflect on what a good Sunday’s dinner +he is leaving behind. This I have experienced many a time, but +I have always found even from the business view-point that the old <!-- page 44--><span class="pagenum">p. 44</span>advice +still remains true, “Honesty is the best policy.” +Leaving the rabbits to themselves has always turned out to be the best, +for to take a rabbit worth a shilling, and get caught in the act, means +that you can never go on the same estate again. And from that +same estate you might have got 500 Rats in a year, worth four shillings +a dozen.</p> +<p>I must also put in a good word here for the gamekeepers. My +opinion is that if you go on a keeper’s ground and do what is +right, you will be able to go again, for in the whole of my experience +never having carried any nets but Rat nets when on private estates, +I have the consolation of knowing that I should always be welcome on +going again to such estates.</p> +<p>Of course there are inconveniences that the Rat-catcher has to put +up with. Whatever engagements he takes in a town, the only time +he can catch Rats with a good result is in the night. On one occasion, +when going round with my bull’s-eye lamp to examine the traps, +I was taken for a burglar by the policeman on the beat, and he doubted +me so much that he would not release me until I had shown him my cage +with Rats in and my traps set all over the place. Then he took +almost as much interest in the catching of Rats as myself, and also +brought in the other policemen who were <!-- page 45--><span class="pagenum">p. 45</span>outside +waiting for me to attempt an escape. Ever after that, when I had +a night’s engagement in any town, I always went to the police +station to tell the man on that beat where I was.</p> +<p>It behoves the Rat-catcher to be always attentive to his customers, +those, I mean, who want live Rats wherewith to try their dogs. +Amongst mine I have the honour to include clients of highest rank and +position, barristers, magistrates, solicitors and a host of sporting +gentry. If the Rat-catcher’s efforts commend themselves +to such gentlemen, and he always maintains a respectable appearance, +he will obtain some very nice outings in the country. Oft-times +a party of gentlemen have sent for me in the summer, having arranged +with me to bring four or five ferrets and Ratting appliances, and we +have gone 50 miles up the country. They would bring their terrier +dogs, and we would hunt all along the brooks and rivers, and round the +corn and wheat fields, putting the Rats we caught into the cage, and +after lunch, taking the Rats to a meadow and coursing them with their +dogs, which I think it real good sport. We would put up at the +best hotels and repeat the procedure next day, very often taking a drag +or coach, and driving ten or a dozen miles farther up the country.</p> +<p><!-- page 46--><span class="pagenum">p. 46</span>I can assure my +readers that the Rat-catcher is well remunerated for the trouble he +undertakes in these cases, and moreover this is the class of people +he requires to fraternise with. There is always a plentiful supply +of “refreshments” on these outings, and I would therefore +advise the Rat-catcher not to indulge too freely.</p> +<p>The foregoing is, of course, a brief sketch of the pleasantest part +of a Rat-catcher’s life, and to complete the picture I may as +well describe some of the other features, and the way he has to rough +it sometimes. Well, Rat-catchers are generally called upon to +supply Rats for the Rat coursings usually held at beerhouses, etc., +on Saturday afternoons, which one often sees advertised. Now, +if he binds himself to supply a coursing at a certain date, the bills +announcing the event are printed and posted, all of which means expense. +Then you are bound to secure the live Rats, whatever be the weather. +In doing this I always followed the threshing machine to the bays and +stacks. (Anyone that catches Rats regularly can tell by looking +at the bays or stacks whether there are many Rats in or not.) +I remember many times when the men have started threshing a bay of wheat +in which were a great many Rats, and by dark they <!-- page 47--><span class="pagenum">p. 47</span>have +threshed only half of the bay. At such times the Rat-catcher must +not leave the remaining half, no, not for half-an-hour throughout the +whole night, for if he does the Rats will run out. To stop the +Rats from leaving, the Rat-catcher has to lie on the top of the bay +or go about every thirty minutes and beat the bottom with sticks until +daylight, in order to keep the Rats in. Then, after the machine +re-starts, and the bottom of the bay is reached, the Rat-catcher will +be well paid for his trouble, for he may get, say, 150 good Rats for +the coursing, at six shillings per dozen. The reason I call them +good coursing Rats is because they have not been handled, and that enables +them to run well.</p> +<p>Now, when you go to these coursings (which are mostly in the colliery +districts) you will find about 60 dogs entered. It is the Rat-catcher’s +business to measure and handicap the dogs, and a very unpleasant job +it is. He has also to be the referee at these coursings, and if +it is a “near thing” with two dogs running at one rat, and +you decide to award the victory to a given one, then the owner of the +other dog will probably accuse you of wrong-doing and favouritism. +Then is the time the Rat-catcher has to be prepared to pull off his +coat and start fighting before, <!-- page 48--><span class="pagenum">p. 48</span>perhaps, +500 spectators. This has often occurred with me. This, I +can assure my readers, is what I call “roughing it.”</p> +<p>Of course, what I have just related occurred a few years ago, but +when the Muzzling Order came into force, the authorities practically +stopped Rat coursing, for they would not let a dog run at a Rat unless +the dog was muzzled. This was about the worst thing that the authorities +could do for Manchester and district, for at that time I was supplying +for coursings about 100 Rats per week, and at the same time sending +50 Rats a week into Yorkshire, and all the Rats I supplied were caught +within 15 miles of Manchester. This in my opinion, speaks very +bad of the Muzzling Order, which I think is nothing but a farce, for +at the very time I was going ratting, dogs were muzzled in some parts +of the country but not in others. My opinion of dog muzzling is, +muzzle all or muzzle none.</p> +<p>You will see by what I have said respecting these coursings, etc., +that the Rat-catcher has plenty of work to supply so many live rats, +and he has also to mix with company high and low. He also sometimes +experiences difficulties in travelling on the railway. I have +often entered an empty third-class carriage, sent my dog under the seat, +and <!-- page 49--><span class="pagenum">p. 49</span>put the Rat cage +there also. The carriage would fill with passengers, and upon +reaching my destination I would take from under the seat my cage full +of live Rats, to the amusement of some and the disgust of others.</p> +<p>I have also entered a railway carriage with my cage of rats when +there were passengers in, one or two of whom would generally object +to live Rats being in the same compartment, and on enquiring of the +railway officials, I have found that any one travelling with live Rats +is expected to put them in the guard’s van.</p> +<p>I have also had a few good customers in my business, one or two in +particular. Gentlemen have often sent me post-cards instructing +me to take six or twelve Rats to their residences. I would run +them out on the lawn in front of the house with their dogs, and generally +I have received good remuneration for my trouble. These are the +customers who should be looked well after, for they are the sportsmen +who do not consider expense, though of course there are others who are +just the opposite.</p> +<p>Further, Rat-catching is a business in which one is not called upon +to allow credit. It is all a ready-money trade, and as there is +not much competition, the Rat-catcher can command a good price for his +work. He has always one resource open to him when he has <!-- page 50--><span class="pagenum">p. 50</span>finished +a job according to contract (catching say 40 or 50 Rats), should there +be a dispute about the price and the people decline to pay the bill, +then he has the expedient of letting the Rats at liberty again in the +place where he had caught them. Most people will pay the price +you send in rather than have the Rats turned loose again.</p> +<p>Although I am showing how the Rat-catcher can always have the advantage +of stubborn payers, I may as well assure my readers that in all my experience +such an occurrence as the above has never happened with me, simply because +I always make my arrangements beforehand, which course I always find +the best and most satisfactory all round.</p> +<p>Another matter I may mention. If any one could find out a sure +way of catching Rats so that he could give a guarantee to clear large +buildings, my opinion is that he would make a fortune in a very short +time; for I know firms in Manchester alone that would pay almost any +amount to be rid of the Rats; not only because of what they consume, +but more for the damage they do to their goods.</p> +<p>I have referred to the Rat-catcher obtaining good pay. The +reason he commands such a big price for his work at the present time +is because there is not much sale for live Rats. <!-- page 51--><span class="pagenum">p. 51</span>The +trade is not what it was some years ago when Rat-pits were allowed. +I think it was one of the worst things they ever did for this country +when the authorities stopped the Rat pits, for when Rat killing was +allowed in pits, it was a common thing for a Rat-catcher to receive +an order for 100 Rats, all to be killed at one time; then the Rat-catcher +would get the Rats and wherever he got them from he was ridding that +district of a nuisance. But when the authorities stopped Rat-pits +and Rat-coursing, the consequence was that the Rat-catcher left the +Rats to breed in thousands. Rats being vermin, I don’t see +why they should not be killed 50 or 100 at a time in the pit, but the +Humane Society maintain that it is cruelty to dogs to put them in a +pit with a lot of Rats. I don’t see where the cruelty comes +in, but from what I have seen of Rat-pits during my time I approve of +them, and I think if they were in existence again there would be a clearing +of many thousands of Rats. Some 15 or 20 years since, I supplied +400 Rats in one week, all to be killed in Rat-pits.</p> +<p>Many of my readers may not understand what a Rat-pit is, and so I +will just give an outline as well as I can.</p> +<p>The Rat-pit is of circular construction, say ten feet diameter, and +about four feet six <!-- page 52--><span class="pagenum">p. 52</span>inches +deep, the sides being perfectly smooth to prevent the rats climbing +up and making their escape. A certain number of Rats are placed +in the pit according to the arrangements made with the owner of the +dog. Then the dog is put in the pit with the rats to kill them, +which a good dog does very quickly.</p> +<p>The reason the pit is built circular is so that the Rats will keep +running round, for if it were square they would all run in a corner, +one on the other, and then the dog would have no difficulty in killing +them. It is better to have the pit fairly deep; if not, the rats +might escape.</p> +<p>I think the best dog, within my recollection, that I have seen was +a bull and fox terrier, which killed 40 good Rats in three minutes and +21 seconds. I have read and heard of dogs doing better feats, +but I am only writing of what I have myself seen. I may say that +the records for Rat-killing in Rat-pits are held by a dog called Jacko, +which killed 200 Rats in 14 minutes and 37 seconds, and 1,000 Rats in +less than one hour and 40 minutes.</p> +<p>The Rat-catcher has also some very dirty jobs to do sometimes. +Often he has to go under all sorts of cellar floors, both wet and dry, +but the majority of places are very wet and dirty, for the Rats nearly +always come out <!-- page 53--><span class="pagenum">p. 53</span>of +some filthy drain, and very often near a water-closet, the abominable +smell arising from these places being sufficient to cause a fever.</p> +<p>I remember being once employed at a hospital, and I was paid at the +rate of 5s. per visit for trapping Rats. Well, I found that 5s. +per visit did not pay me (I had about 120 traps set all over the place), +so I went before the committee and requested 8s. per night. The +committee said they thought 5s. per visit was enough, and one or two +of them said they thought 8s. per night was above a Rat-catcher’s +pay. Now, as I was not depending on that particular job at the +time, I turned round and told them what I thought. I told them +I considered Rat-catching was a skilled occupation, and I also offered +any of them a five-pound note if they would only follow me under the +floors at midnight, not to speak of taking the live Rats out of the +traps in the dark; but I can assure you that none of these gentlemen +would venture to undertake the task.</p> +<p>Now, if any of these gentlemen had to do this a few times they would +not refuse to pay the Rat-catcher the sum he asks, viz., 8s. per night.</p> +<p>I remember more than once in big places <!-- page 54--><span class="pagenum">p. 54</span>such +as bonding warehouses, when I have been under the floors, my candle +or lamp has gone out through being knocked over with grabbing at Rats, +and I have not had a match in my pocket, and have had to grope about +in the dark trying to find the trap-door where I have got under the +floors, more often than not putting my hand in a set trap. It +would be of no use shouting for a light simply because I have been alone. +It is always better for a Rat-catcher to have assistance for night work, +but I have done it myself very often.</p> +<p>Now, the expenses of travelling come very heavy sometimes, for wherever +the Rat-catcher goes he always has to pay railway fare for himself and +his dog.</p> +<p>Another thing I must tell you. Often when I have gone to inspect +a small building I have found that there were a great many Rats in, +but I have also known, after inspecting the place, that they have all +come from the one place, out of the drain. Well, if I have contracted +to do this job for a lump sum, I could easily clear this place and not +catch an odd Rat, simply by ferreting them all back into the sewer in +the daytime, and then making it good; but in most of these cases they +do not like to pay your bill because you have caught no Rats. +Still, you have <!-- page 55--><span class="pagenum">p. 55</span>driven +them all down the drains, and after making the drain good they cannot +get back again into the building.</p> +<p>Now, in a case like this I always trap them two or three nights and +catch a few, just to give satisfaction to those engaging me.</p> +<p>Sometimes gentlemen will write inviting me to meet them at a certain +farm, and bring my ferrets and a good supply of nets, alleging that +there are “hundreds of Rats in the stacks.” I just +relate this to indicate how anyone not regularly amongst Rats can easily +be deceived as to their numbers, for a couple of Rats on the thatch +of a stack, especially when they have young ones, will probably have +twelve holes eaten in the thatch and underneath the stack, and anyone +not understanding their habits would think there were a lot of Rats +in it.</p> +<p>And it is much the same with workpeople; if they chance to see two +or three Rats at once, they will say there are “scores” +of them. You would also be surprised to see the awful dread that +tenants have of the Rat-catcher in private houses. When ferreting +these places they think that if a Rat-catcher has once put his ferrets +under the floor they will never see another Rat in the place; but depend +upon it they are very bad to catch in these places.</p> +<p><!-- page 56--><span class="pagenum">p. 56</span>I have often had +much trouble respecting houses, warehouses, etc., to know whose duty +it would be to pay the Rat-catcher for his work, the landlord’s +or the tenant’s, but I think that the landlord should pay. +I have had many engagements to catch Rats in newly-built houses before +they were tenanted. The time the Rats get into these places is +whilst the workmen are putting the drains in the back yards, leaving +the drains open at nights. Thence the Rats come out and get under +the floors, sometimes having to stop there, too, simply because the +next day the joiners board up the floors and thus block the Rats in +underneath, and then the Rats can always get into the kitchens up the +back of the fireplace. Most property owners would do well to take +note of this fact.</p> +<p>I must tell my readers, especially those having large shops, etc., +that it is a good plan, if possible, to turn off the gas and water every +night and week-end, for I have seen a good many cases where the Rats +in the night-time have eaten through a water-pipe, and the place has +been flooded by morning. It is just the same with a gas-pipe, +and my opinion is that it is quite possible for fires to be caused by +Rats in the night-time. Rats are very fond of nibbling and scratching +at soft wood, and <!-- page 57--><span class="pagenum">p. 57</span>it +would be an easy matter at a grocer’s shop for a Rat to bite or +scratch through the package of a gross of matches and ignite them, and +the same cause may prove disastrous with any other inflammable goods.</p> +<p>Respecting the conveyance of live Rats, the Rat-catcher should always +be particular to have good strong cages and bags, because if he had +a number of Rats in an unserviceable bag which happened to break open +at a railway station or in the street, I think he could be summoned +for the damage the escaped Rats might do. Still, I have not in +my time had or heard of a case of this sort.</p> +<p>Speaking of bags, a good many people seem to think that if a man +puts his hand into a bagful of Rats they will bite him, but I can assure +you that a child could do the same thing and not be bitten. Should +there be only two or three in the bag, then they will bite, but not +in the event of there being a good number. The same rule applies +to Rats stored in a cage, where there is open daylight—if there +be 40 or 50 Rats together, it is then the habit of the Rats for all +to cling together, and they will let you handle them anyway if only +you will have sufficient courage.</p> +<p>It is very good sport for gentlemen who want a good day’s outing +to go to farms when <!-- page 58--><span class="pagenum">p. 58</span>threshing +is on, and also to go hunting and ferreting round the corn and wheat +fields, and I think many sporting gentlemen who have not seen such sport +would indulge in it freely after they had once witnessed it. I +think it is much better and healthier sport than rabbit-shooting, especially +in the summer when the farmers are cutting their corn and wheat.</p> +<p>When catching Rats as a regular pursuit, one is surprised at the +queer places in which he finds them. I recollect ferreting seven +full-sized Rats from under the floor of a built dog kennel not above +four yards square, where a large mastiff and a terrier dog slept every +night, only a ¾-inch board dividing them from the Rats, and the +Rats having eaten holes through the boards in the kennel! I have +also found at an out-house an old bitch Rat and nine young ones in an +old tin trunk without a lid. I have also caught Rats and taken +young ones out of the nest from under railway sleepers where trains +have been running and shunting operations carried on every day. +And I have even taken old and young ones in their nest from a pile of +Cheshire cheese, at a wholesale cheese and bacon factor’s!</p> +<p>And mentioning cheese in this connection reminds me that once I discovered +that Rats had scratched and eaten a hole direct through <!-- page 59--><span class="pagenum">p. 59</span>the +bottom lot of cheese in a pile which had only been there three weeks.</p> +<p>A word or two about what a Rat will do with a ferret. I have +often seen a Rat run a ferret out of the hole, and then wait with its +head out of the hole until the ferret has come to it again. I +remember once ferreting at a hencote, and put the ferret behind the +hen nest, whereupon the Rat attacked the ferret, which then jumped back +and died in five minutes, the Rats having given only one bite behind +the ferret’s ear! Of course this is a very rare occurrence. +True, I have had many ferrets killed by Rats in my time, but it has +always occurred through the poisonous bite first swelling and then “taking +bad ways,” the ferret dying in probably a week or so.</p> +<p>You must understand that if you put a Rat and a ferret together in +a tub the ferret would kill the Rat in nine cases out of ten, the nature +of the Rat being to get away from the ferret if possible; but if it +cannot it will fight, and I think a Rat, for its size, is of a very +vicious nature, for I have often seen when trying a puppy at killing +a Rat in a pit, that a game Rat will run the puppy all round the pit. +The best way to try a pup to kill a Rat is to draw the teeth of the +first Rat it secures for sometimes if a pup gets a severe bite from +a Rat <!-- page 60--><span class="pagenum">p. 60</span>it will never +look at another. It is a very bad plan to let a pup play with +a Rat too much, for this causes the pup never to put a hard mouth on +the Rat. When this latter occurs it is the best plan not to allow +the same pup to see another Rat until it is a month or two older. +If you will take care and trouble with a pup you can bring it up to +your own liking, and to do anything you want. I have worked seven +years with a curly-coated retriever bitch, and when ferreting a brook +she would stand in the water and catch the Rats that escaped from the +nets into the brook and bring them to me alive in her mouth. I +have sold hundreds of Rats she has caught in this manner, and to show +you how the dogs can be brought up with the ferrets I need only mention +that this bitch would lie down and let two ferrets kill a Rat on the +curly coat of her back.</p> +<p>Farmers know too well of the many restless nights the cows and horses +experience through Rats. I have seen when trapping all night at +a farm the Rats running over the cows and horses whilst sleeping: and +when horses have been working in the field all day they want better +rest in the night. I have known when farmers would not let the +Rat-catcher ferret their buildings gratis, simply because they have +<!-- page 61--><span class="pagenum">p. 61</span>a few hens sitting. +They don’t consider that when the hens have hatched the eggs the +Rats will take the chickens. Whenever a farmer has refused to +let me ferret at his farm I have passed that farm ever afterwards. +To show you the different dispositions of farmers I have met, I may +mention that when once ferreting at a farm, we caught nine rats and +lost the ferret, and two days afterwards the ferret was found on the +farm, and I sent for it, but the farmer demanded two shillings of me +for the ferret’s keep. This same man I may add farmed about +two hundred acres.</p> +<p>Of course, there are other farmers just the opposite, who will not +only pay you for your trouble, but take great interest in helping you +to catch the Rats. I relate these facts and incidents to show +you the contrast in the disposition of different people one meets in +this business.</p> +<p>I don’t think the Rat-catcher’s life is one of the worst +if he looks well after his business, for he has a few advantages over +other occupations. In the first place, he is his own master, and +need only doff his coat when he chooses, there being for him no such +summons to work as a factory bell. And if he fancies a day’s +outing in the country he can always take his dog and ferrets with him, +and make a <!-- page 62--><span class="pagenum">p. 62</span>day’s +pleasure into a remunerative business, by reason of the income from +the Rats, and I find from experience that the best friends he has are +his dog and ferrets, if he will look well after them and treat them +kindly, for I think that a Rat-catcher in the country without a good +dog might walk over scores of Rats and never know they were there, so +you will see that his dog is chiefly what he has to trust to.</p> +<p>And now, in conclusion, let me express the hope that this book will +prove instructive, entertaining, and profitable to my readers, inasmuch +as I have endeavoured to make it so to the best of my ability and within +the somewhat limited scope and sphere of a Rat-catcher’s calling. +Of course, I might have made the narrative portion of the book more +startling and exciting, had I drawn upon my imagination, but I have +thought it best to adhere to cold fact and actual experience.</p> +<h2><!-- page 63--><span class="pagenum">p. 63</span>HINTS ON RABBIT +SHOOTING.</h2> +<p>Always have your gun made at your gunmaker’s to your own liking.</p> +<p>Always be prepared for the worst of weather, and be sure to have +good strong boots.</p> +<p>Never have your gun on full cock while walking about, especially +whilst going through a fence.</p> +<p>Never stand too close to a burrow, and don’t be too eager to +shoot.</p> +<p>Always have your gun pointed upwards to the clouds or down to the +ground.</p> +<p>Never shoot at a rabbit as it sits on the top of the hole, or you +might shoot the ferret. Always stand so that all the shooters +can see one another.</p> +<p>Never remove from where the gamekeeper places you.</p> +<p>Never have your gun barrels up while it is raining.</p> +<p>When you go out in the country always provide yourself with refreshments +before starting.</p> +<p>If you miss an easy shot don’t blame the gun.</p> +<p>Don’t be too excited, and get well on the rabbits before you +pull.</p> +<p>If the keeper’s dog is retrieving rabbits never attempt to +take one from it.</p> +<h2><!-- page 64--><span class="pagenum">p. 64</span>AUTHOR’S +NOTES.</h2> +<p><span class="smcap">Ike Matthews</span> is prepared to go out Ratting +with parties of gentlemen or their gamekeepers on their private estates +during the summer, supplying dog, ferrets, and nets, at moderate charges. +Arrangements may be made by post.</p> +<p><span class="smcap">Ike Matthews</span> is also willing to go out +rabbit-shooting with gentlemen during the season, and will supply and +work ferrets at reasonable charges. He is also prepared to break +dogs and puppies to ferreting and Ratting on reasonable terms.</p> +<p>Any number of live Rats and rabbits supplied at a few days’ +notice.</p> +<p>All orders promptly attend to.<br /> + Undeniable +References.<br /> + +Yours truly,<br /> + +IKE MATTHEWS.</p> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FULL REVELATIONS OF A PROFESSIONAL +RAT-CATCHER***</p> +<pre> + + +***** This file should be named 17243-h.htm or 17243-h.zip****** + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/7/2/4/17243 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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