96 Recollections of the Vine Hunt. 



number of hares or rabbits, though they said nothing 

 about it, and never pursued them. 



There were always two whippers-in in the field ; but, 

 when Mr. Warde was out, one of them was a good deal 

 occupied in attending on him with his second horse ; 

 for though he no longer rode hard, yet his weight 

 was such as to render this relief very acceptable to his 

 horses. The men wore green coats, with black velvet 

 caps, and were hardly so smart in their appointments 

 as would be expected in these days. The huntsman 

 was generally well mounted, but the whips badly. 

 Their horses, like everything else in the establish- 

 ment, were of a large size ; but generally under-bred, 

 and sometimes nearly worn out. Will Hidden, the first 

 whip, rode a huge creature above seventeen hands 

 high, called by the appropriate name of ' Hill-top.' 1 

 remember that one of his horses fell down dead in 

 Chadleworth Wood one day, before the hounds had 

 found ; and when Will appeared, wading through the 

 underwood, with the saddle and bridle on his arm, 

 and announced the event, Mr. Warde coolly observed, 

 'Well, I have no right to be surprised; to my know- 

 ledge, he was twenty-three years old.' Will Hidden 

 was an uncouth-looking fellow, with an ugly face, an 

 awkward figure, and a cracked voice. He could halloo 

 so as to be heard all over the Welford Woods, but could 

 scarcely speak so as to be understood. He was a very 

 good whipper-in, but was the only good kennel servant 

 I ever knew who did not like his business. He said 

 that, as it was the only work that he had learned to 

 do, he must stick to it for a livelihood; but that, for his 

 part, he would rather, any day, go to plough. 



The huntsman was about fifty years old : his name 



