SOME MASTERS OF HOUNDS 263 



various seasons with his pack, I never saw him ; but 

 I beHeve he was present at Carmarthenshire Steeple- 

 chases when I was riding there. Like John Law- 

 rence's huntsman, Mr Powell's Jack Rees was a 

 character, but of another sort, for he might have 

 been, and probably was, a churchwarden. In the 

 field he was an aristocrat. I still remember my 

 surprise at hearing him ride up to the only member 

 of the family out, and say : " I'm going home now, 

 miss." A still greater character was his humpbacked 

 whipper-in ; and I shall not readily forget seeing this 

 worthy's horse put his foot in a hole, and the torrent 

 of (Welsh) profanity that proceeded from the little 

 bundle of humanity lying on the horse's neck, and 

 clawing the mane. It was irresistibly funny. On 

 one occasion a friend of mine entered a local tailor's 

 and found the whip being fitted for his *' pink," and 

 apparently very dissatisfied. Snip appealed to the 

 gentleman : 



" It is not a good figure, look you, sir. There shall 

 be a boomp somewhere," running his hand over the 

 little man's deformity. 



Another Welsh Master of the best — I must, I think, 

 call him Welsh, for since those days he has taken a 

 Welsh title — was "Johnny" Rolls of the Monmouth- 

 shire. The kindest and cheeriest of men, as a 

 Master he was an optimist. It was all "capital" — 

 "Capital day!" "Capital fox!" "Capital run!" 

 Indeed, this is the very best spirit for a Master. 

 It makes things otherwise indifferent " Capital," 

 whereas a sour-faced M.F.H. gives the day a bad 

 name at the start. 



Mr Rolls had as huntsman one of the trio of 

 brothers whom I think the very best professionals 



