FAMOUS SERVANTS OF THE HUNT 



" I set off wide of the hounds," says Will, " and 

 managed to head him at a small spinney a little way 

 before he reached the forest. But the fox being 

 determined to make his point, got away, going one 

 field to the left, which gave me a chance of scoring 

 on him again, and I met him on Ramsden Heath, 

 and there bothered him so that he lay down until 

 the hounds got nearly up to him and he jumped up 

 in view. I still kept on between him and the forest, 

 turning him from his point, and at last forcing him 

 into the green kennel yard at Heythrop, and in that 

 yard we killed ; the Duke (sixth) remarking to 

 Philip Payne, * If the young pack enter as well as 

 the young whipper-in, there won't be much the 

 matter next season.'" 



In another letter Long contrasts the work done 

 by whippers-in in his time with their more fortunate 

 lot at the present day. " During the whole time I 

 was whipper-in I did, first of all, two horses every 

 morning, then went hunting, and assisted for an 

 hour and a half in cleaning my horse be the hour 

 what it might when we got home. On our hunting 

 days did the earth stopping, dressing my horse when 

 I returned, with the addition of having all my hunt- 

 ing clothes, boots, etc., to clean ; but being fond of 

 hunting, it so stimulated me, or I could not have got 

 through the work." 



The long, hard and faithful service had its reward 

 at last, and Will Long received the horn from Philip 

 Payne and became master where he had been man. 



155 K 



