SPORTSMAN 49 



On arriving at the place of meeting, men had 

 better say all they have to say to the master of the 

 hounds, or to the huntsman ; for if they attempt it 

 after they have thrown off, they may fancy they 

 have not been treated with common civility. 

 Nothing is more annoying than for either of these, 

 particularly the huntsman, to feel obliged to answer 

 questions of any sort after throwing off ; for 

 although he may appear not to have anything 

 on his mind, he either is, or ought to be, thinking 

 how to show a good day's sport. For instance, he 

 has just drawn a cover blank, and is waiting for a 

 hound or two left back, or some other cause, and 

 appears then to be at leisure to talk or answer 

 questions : not so, his mind is, or ought to be, 

 occupied in thinking which is the next cover likely, 

 which the best way to it, so as to get the wind, 

 and at the same time to enable him to get to the 

 best laying in it for his fox ; or he may be considering 

 how such or such a hound behaves, whether fond 

 of riot, or what not ; or waiting to give some order 

 to the whipper-in. No huntsman is free to think 

 of anything else ; and therefore, when any person 

 asks him a question, he must not be surprised 

 if he does not get a correct answer. Nothing is 

 more often done, or more unfair, than to ask him 

 where he is going to next after drawing one cover, 

 for many circumstances may occur to induce him 



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