42 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



is generally the best. But if only one whip, this 

 one will be better employed the early part of the 

 season (till Christmas) in keeping near the hounds, 

 as the young ones will be apt to run riot, and until 

 this time two whips are better than one. But 

 if they have been active up to this time, one 

 whipper-in the remainder of the season is generally 

 all that is required. The surest way to get a run 

 before December is to take every method to get 

 away with the first fox that breaks cover. When 

 in the chase, and the hounds are going through 

 a large cover, if there are two whips out, the first 

 should not follow the huntsman if there is another 

 ride equally likely, or nearly so ; the other whip 

 should go the line the huntsman does, in case of 

 accidents. 



A whipper-in should not ride as if he was riding 

 for amusement or credit, but should have his eye 

 to the hounds without distressing his horse, which 

 is a great recommendation to every master of 

 hounds. The greatest fools generally ride the 

 hardest ; the proof of their being so, is that they 

 forget they must go on till night, but men who 

 hunt with hounds only can go home when they 

 please. A proof of a clever whipper-in is, that 

 he is always up at a check, without ever being 

 seen in front except by accident, and no one else 

 there ; but it is his duty to hold in, and by that 



