18 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



little higher. " D n it, X," was the next 



peremptory mandate, " ivill you go back, or I'll 

 take the hounds home at once." This ultimatum 

 at last had the desired effect, but the want of 

 tact and courtesy that required a threat of using 

 the last resource permissible to an M.F.H. was 

 much to be reprehended, and was commented 

 on severely by the whole field. X, it was con- 

 sidered, instead of showing himself to be a great 

 man, had proved himself a foolish one. 



Though the M.F.H. is for the time being a 

 commander-in-chief, he must ever remember 

 that it is only through courtesy that he rules, 

 and that his authority is but unquestioned so 

 long as he wields it with discretion. He should 

 remember also that he is expected to comport 

 himself as a gentleman, and that it is no longer 

 the fashion to make use of expletives that were 

 common enough half a century ago, both in the 

 hunting-field and on parade, but are now as 

 much out of date in the one place as on the 

 other. 



Mr. J. G. Elsey — a particularly keen sportsman 

 — has kindly sent me a criticism, evolved from 

 his experience, which has a considerable bearing 

 on this question, and which is as follows : — 



" I have noticed in some countries a gentleman 

 hunting his own hounds, and a top-sawyer at the 

 game, expect the field and his whips to know 

 equally as much as himself, even to knowing 

 what is passing in that clever gentleman-hunts- 

 man's own mind ! And if by bad luck, in many 

 cases through no fault of their own, some 

 unlucky wights should go a bit contrary to the 

 huntsman's wishes, he will give them such a 

 shouting-scolding, if, indeed, worse language is 



