58 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



control in his absence, but he must be very- 

 careful in doing this or much jealousy may result. 



" When a hound needs correction the whipper- 

 in should, if possible, steal up to him and give 

 him the thong first, and the rate afterwards. It 

 is of little use to rate a hound well from a dis- 

 tance and then endeavour to get within reach 

 to hit him. 



" Similarly, when hounds have to be stopped, 

 or turned, it is wiser to get to their heads first, 

 and then speak to them, than to ride holloaing 

 after them, which often seems only to confirm 

 them in holding on, if they think they can do 

 so with impunity." 



During the course of a run, while the first 

 whipper-in keeps near the huntsman to act 

 according as he directs, the second should be 

 rather behind, watching the trend of events, and 

 ready to assist at any moment by going to a 

 holloa, heading the fox from a drain or other 

 stronghold, or obtaining a view when required. 



When the huntsman is casting the hounds at 

 a check the whippers-in must exercise discretion 

 in moving hounds on after him, and should, as a 

 rule, leave them quite alone. Many a run is lost 

 on a bad scenting day by an officious whipper-in 

 hurrying on a tender-nosed hound, who halts for 

 a moment when trotting after the huntsman, 

 thinking it has detected a whiff of scent. Many 

 a run, too, is lost when a too-zealous youth races 

 after and stops a hound that has cast itself rather 

 far from the main body and picked up the scent, 

 perhaps in the next field. He has probably had 

 it dinned into his ears that a hound getting away 

 by itself spoils the scent for the others, and must 

 therefore be stopped till the main body catches it 



