HUNTSMAN 3 



previous to which, on all occasions, it would be best 

 if the master of the hounds was to arrange with 

 him which covers should be drawn first, etc. It 

 rarely happens that two men think exactly alike, 

 and unless he is capable of judging for himself 

 after the above arrangement (which had much 

 better be made overnight), the master is to blame 

 in keeping him ; but if he is capable, the master 

 is to blame for 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 on most occasions 

 to be a match for a fox. 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, when asked why 

 he does this or that. Instead of answering, he 

 drops his bridle-hand and listens to his master, 

 although he has made observation of trifles, which 

 are often all he has for his guidance and frequently 

 are sufficient to recover his fox, though 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 and finds that the fox has headed back 



