Frank Beers ^ Huntsman. 91 



The hounds were kept at Whittlebury, until the 

 new kennels were built. It was a great ordeal for 

 so young a man to take the horn with a new pack. 

 The trial was so great to a sensitive mind, that I 

 thought for a long time he would give it up. On 

 the third day on which Beers hunted his first 

 whipper-in had a fall, and, happening at a time 

 when he was not in good health, inflammation set 

 in and he died. A young huntsman is sure, if he 

 be good for anything, to be anxious. Beckford 

 never said a truer thing than that " A huntsman 

 must be a genius." There are people who think 

 that if a man can ride, halloo, and blow a horn, 

 he is perfect ; and really that huntsmen are 

 heaven-born. Upon the same principle, I sup- 

 pose, they would take a young man, just called to 

 the bar, and make a judge of him ! There is a 

 certain amount of experience required, and a 

 routine to be gone through, which, combined with 

 science and intelligence, conduce to make a 

 huntsman. 



Frank Beers had hunted wolves, which are 

 found in the valleys, and run straight for the 

 hills. The change to a fox of course bothered 

 him. However, he was fairly successful through 

 cub-hunting ; but when he went into the open 

 things did not go very smoothly. The old 



