AND THEIR CAUSES 67 



would employ a professional huntsman, and the com- 

 mittee must be strong indeed to stem or disregard 

 the tide of dissatisfaction that is very sure to set in. 



" The ideal hunting establishment," said a very great 

 ex-M.F.H. to me the other day (somewhat to my 

 astonishment), "is, of course, a first-rate Master with 

 a first-rate professional under him." Now, the speaker 

 has always been regarded as one of the best huntsmen 

 ever seen, so I could not help expressing my surprise 

 at hearing such a sentiment from him. 



" Yes," he said, " over and over again I have felt 

 that it would be far better for the hunting of the 

 country if I had a professional under me ; there is 

 so much to see to, so many things to direct, so much 

 to be done in connection with each day's sport, that 

 I defy a man who is hunting hounds to do properly. 

 Why, I hardly ever went out hunting in my life that 

 I did not want to get hold of somebody to talk and 

 consult with over something connected with hunting: 

 perhaps about that day's draw, perhaps about some- 

 thing that happened the last day, or wanted looking 

 after for the next day, and I couldn't do it properly 

 riding in the middle of a pack of hounds." 



Be that as it may, there is no doubt that in the 

 present day many Masters would not accept the posi- 

 tion if they were not allowed to carry the horn ; and, 

 though I admit that it is trying supporters rather high 

 to let a co7nplete tyro experimentalise and take up 

 the position previously filled by some huntsman who 

 has made his mark, yet I cannot suppose that any 

 one who had not proved himself to be a sportsman 

 and a lover of hunting and of hounds would be lightly 



