SPORTSMEN AND SPORTING MEN 269 



from seeing them draw for and find their fox in a true 

 sporting style, racing and hunting their game, and 

 finally killing in the most perfect manner, assisted by 

 a clever huntsman; or whether he merely comes out as 

 an almost unobservant, unobtrusive addition to the 

 group, so that he conducts himself with propriety, not 

 in any way interrupting sport or doing mischief by 

 heading foxes and overriding hounds, he ought to be, 

 and I think is, invariably welcomed at the covert side, 

 even if he merely comes there to show himself ; and he 

 ought also to be numbered as one participating in and 

 patronising the sports of the field. 



There are, however, many excellent sportsmen, who 

 may be easily recognised by a stranger, attendant upon 

 all the popular packs of the day. They may be seen, ere 

 they have exchanged the horses they have ridden to 

 covert for their hunters, scrutinising the pack, and 

 making anxious inquiries of the huntsman and whips, 

 by whom they are received with civility, attention, and 

 respect ; but if a snob approaches he is greeted with a 

 request not to bring his horse among the hounds, lest he 

 should kick them. At the same time a great number 

 of those who have arrived will be seen in groups at a 

 distance from the pack, evidently careless and pro- 

 bably ignorant of the condition of hounds, and appar- 

 ently apprehensive of approaching too near. Some- 

 times that caution arises from a consciousness 

 of mischievous riding on a previous day and the 

 expectation of receiving a merited remonstrance from 

 the master of the hounds. Many of those who hunt 

 constantly do not care one jot how a fox is found, or 

 how the pack performs the duties ; neither do they 

 think or care whether a gallop is the effect of chance or 

 the scientific management of the master and huntsman. 

 They may only go out to ride, or perchance from a less 

 ostensible motive — for the sake of saying they hunt ; 

 but still the numerical force proclaims the fact that as 

 a national amusement fox-hunting is held in the 

 highest estimation. 



