HUNTSMAN 13 



by hounds, or that there is no wish to kill him ? 

 or can it be the same pleasure to be always riding 

 the same line of country ? Therefore it is right to 

 kill when you can. 



That a huntsman should be a bold rider is proved 

 by every check the hounds come to when he is 

 away ; for even when he is present, he will have 

 enough to do to prevent overriding. But, unless 

 he can ride at the head and see the very spot 

 on which they throw up, he will be puzzled to 

 know whom to apply to of those forward, and must 

 often use his own judgment ; in short, the greatest 

 use he can be of, when there is a good scent, is to 

 prevent men doing mischief. Therefore he must 

 have nerve to ride well up, and equal to any man 

 in the kingdom ; for, unless he can be forward 

 enough to look men in the face, and request them 

 to hold hard, he may ride behind and call after 

 them till he is hoarse, and they will not turn their 

 heads — probably believing that jealousy alone is 

 the cause, and they go the faster for it ; but if he 

 is in his place, none but a madman will do mischief 

 if requested to pull up ; even the hard riders 

 from the universities (that is, if they can stop 

 their horses) will do so. But if a huntsman feels 

 obliged to speak on these occasions, it should be 

 at them rather than to them ; thus — " Hold hard ; 

 pray, black horse, hold hard ! " Few men like 



