AMATEUR AND PROFESSIONAL 57 



huntsman to be always hopping in and out of his 

 kennel to acquire the affection of and that mastery- 

 over his hounds which is, I contend, a heaven-born 

 gift. 



When Frank Beers hunted the Grafton Hounds his 

 residence was a considerable distance from the kennel ; 

 but even when out cub-hunting, with thirty couple 

 of hounds, in the great woodlands of Whittlebury 

 and Salcey, his control over them was, I thought, 

 marvellous, though he was certainly well supported 

 by the best 'pair of whippers-in I ever saw. 



The handiness of the Meath Hounds to Mr. John 

 Watson has often been noticed, and I have been 

 amused, when riding home from hunting with him, 

 and the talk fell vipon some particular hound in the 

 pack, to see how the animal would spin round when 

 his name was even quietly pronounced by the Master ! 

 There were seventy couple of hounds at Bective, and 

 Mr. Watson had his time pretty fully occupied all the 

 year round, so this control was somewhat remarkable. 



It was my lot once to see a pack of hounds of some 

 celebrity take the field under new ownership, the pack 

 having been purchased in early autumn. It was a 

 curious experience, and I am under the impression that 

 several hounds took the opportunity to resign their 

 connection with the establishment, and were never 

 seen again ; yet they were said to have been a handy 

 pack under other management. 



I have heard it said that the professional is more 

 likely to be interfered with than the amateur by 

 the crowding of the field when hounds are getting 

 away, or when he is making his cast, because he does 



