42 THE HUNTING FIELD 



if he is capable, the Master is to blame by interfering ; 

 for, consequently, the man will be ever thinking 

 what does Master think? and will not gain that 

 independence of thought and action so necessary to 

 be a match for a fox on most occasions ; for instance, 

 at a check there are many apparently trifling ideas 

 and thoughts in a Huntsman's head, which he cannot 

 explain to his Master, if asked why he does this or 

 that ; but, instead of answering, drops his bridle 

 hand and listens to his Master, although he has made 

 observations of trifles which are often all he has for 

 his guidance, and frequently are sufficient to recover 

 his fox ; but probably no other person noticed them 

 such as this : The pack is running best pace ; he 

 sees one hound turn his head, and fling to the right 

 or left a pace or two. Shortly after there is a check 

 (say 500 yards) ; when he has made the usual casts 

 he recollects the hound turning his head, and then 

 goes back so far, and hits off the scent ; but he could 

 or could not tell any one why he was going back. It 

 is such like trifling observations that Huntsmen profit 

 by, though unnoticed by others. 



It is the want of decision that makes committees 

 such deplorable things. There is so much hesitation, 

 so much stopping, so much debating, so much 

 chopping and changing, that the indecision of the 

 Masters communicates itself to the field. We never 

 see a lot of committee-men clubbing heads with the 

 Huntsman without being tempted to ask for the 

 " ballot-box." Give us a good absolute monarchy ! 

 None of your three or four Kings of Brentford, all 

 smelling at the same nosegay ! Gentlemen who 

 navigate the Thames cannot fail to have observed a 

 notice " not to speak to the man at the wheel," and 

 in addition to the excellent hint Mr. Smith gives to 

 " Masters," it would be very desirable to inculcate 

 some such precept as the steam-boat one upon the 

 field at large. A Huntsman, at all events, after he 



