1 66 FOX-HUNTING 



I will continue. Take heed, you who are ancient 

 in wisdom and experienced in the craft, that my 

 notes are only for the beginner and not for you, 

 whose knowledge must be greater than mine. 



Most packs begin the regular season the first 

 week in November, but there is generally some 

 special day in every hunt that is hallowed by 

 custom as the opening of the season, and I need 

 hardly tell you in this matter to follow the 

 example of your predecessors. Your hounds 

 should now, after a successful cub-hunting time, 

 have full confidence in both you and themselves. 

 They are quite as determined as you to kill every 

 fox they find, and that is the proper spirit in 

 which to go hunting, though it is needless to 

 say you will not always attain that end ; still, you 

 will do it often enough to make you confident 

 of accomplishing it on the next occasion. Nothing 

 succeeds like success with hounds, and a pack 

 that is in blood is certain to show sport. 



Have your servants well mounted on handy 

 horses that can gallop and jump. You cannot 

 expect your whip to be on the spot when he is 

 wanted if he is riding cattle that do not know 

 their business, and are always falling. Never 



