6 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



on it, if, as in a neighbouring country, the laws 

 of fox-hunting do not allow a whipper-in to stop 

 it. But it is no uncommon thing when a fox 

 heads back in this way to an earth, if the 

 whipper-in gets there first, for the fox to be 

 killed immediately on the earth, so very nearly do 

 they calculate their remaining strength. This 

 knowledge and recollection of the fox having 

 passed over earths which are supposed to be 

 open, will be a guide for a huntsman to make a 

 cast, if beaten out of scent, by cold hunting back. 

 In the first place, it will be necessary to find 

 your fox, which you will best do by drawing up 

 wind, or he will find you, and be off, if a good 

 one, before you are aware of it ; and this, was 

 there no other, would be a sufficient reason. 

 Hounds naturally draw up wind to any scent or 

 drag of a fox, and early in the season it is of the 

 greatest consequence to young hounds, if, when 

 some are running riot, most likely down wind, 

 behind the huntsman, they can hear his voice, 

 and then a rate and a smack of the whip from 

 the whipper-in sends them on to him at once ; 

 but if the huntsman was down wind of iheniy 

 though they may stop at the rate, not hearing 

 him go at it again, they would probably be left 

 to run riot for the day. Even if the pack have 

 found and went away they would not hear it, 



