56 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



and if these comprise such products as belong 

 more especially to the departments under the 

 care of the wife and daughters, such as eggs, 

 fowls, butter, and similar articles, the sympathies 

 of the ladies may be secured and they may be- 

 come powerful auxiliaries in the good cause. 



The large fields that now come out in fashion- 

 able countries are difficult to control, and interfere 

 considerably with their own sport, chiefly from 

 too great eagerness and the fear of being crowded 

 out when the hounds again hit off the line after 

 a check ; and a very interesting letter from the 

 famous Bramham Moor huntsman, Tom Smith, 

 points out clearly how such conduct interferes 

 with the huntsman at the moment when he 

 requires to concentrate his mind on the problem 

 of what has become of the fox. Referring to 

 some remarks on hunting by Mr. J. G. Elsey, 

 the whilom celebrated steeplechase trainer (men- 

 tion of which will appear further on in this 

 work), he remarks : — 



" He lives in a good hunting country, and has 

 plenty of chances of seeing the craft of hunting. 

 I quite agree with a lot of his remarks, and feel 

 sure he must take notice of hounds and their 

 work, which I am sorry to say the present-day 

 sportsman does not. It is all ride and boast 

 about their doings, as soon as hounds come to 

 a check after what we may term a quick burst ; 

 you can hear them talking about having jumped 

 such and such a place, instead of standing still 

 and keeping as quiet as possible until hounds 

 have made their cast ; and afterwards, when the 

 huntsman (upon hounds failing to hit off the line 

 themselves) begins to cast them, the field, as a 

 rule, instead of standing still, will ride after him 



