The Master of Hounds 



opinion, and stick to it. He will let his hounds 

 alone as much as possible : they will know more 

 than he does about making their own cast first ; 

 and should they fail to recover the scent, then 

 let him try what he can do ; he should remember 

 foxes seldom wait, and he should make up his 

 mind quickly what he means to do. The worse 

 the scent, the quieter he will be with his hounds ; 

 full well he knows that if he once gets their heads 

 up, it will take him all his time to get them down 

 again. He must have his eyes everywhere, and 

 so he will quickly detect what has probably headed 

 the fox — a man ploughing, a flock of sheep, or a 

 herd of bullocks." 



Hounds are often overridden by an impatient 

 or unsportsman-like field of horsemen, or galloped 

 to holloas by an ignorant huntsman. 



^^ How often have we seen a fox, who, to all 

 appearance, was as good as killed, unaccountably 

 lost owing to impatience. Either the huntsman 

 has viewed the fox away, or the shepherd has who is 

 holloaing him ; thus he begins to blow his horn and 

 cheers on his hounds at best pace. Unluckily their 

 heads go up, and the fox is lost. He can't make 

 out why, neither can half the field, who don't 

 care much, and ride home satisfied they have 

 had a gallop and a jump, and think the fox a 

 good one ; in fact, they are glad he is spared for 

 another day. But the sporting M.F.H. knows 



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