RIDING AFTER HOUNDS 225 



leave the hard high road, these gentlemen manage 

 to see a great deal of sport. And for a good reason. 

 They are of a very different type from the casual 

 hunting man on wheels who goes to see the show. 

 They go to see the sport, and two or three or even 

 more days a week I have known some of them 

 turn out, taking no heed of weather. They are 

 old sportsmen, these friends of ours, who in their 

 day have gone well over the country of their 

 choice, and who for one reason or another can 

 now no longer ride. There is no need to give 

 them any hints ; they are men who can, and often 

 do, teach others. May they have the best of luck 

 and see plenty of the sport which they have loved 

 so well and of which they have been in their time, 

 and indeed are yet, distinguished ornaments. 



It now remains to mention a few matters 

 which apply equally to all classes of hunting 

 men. First and foremost it must be borne in 

 mind and that not vicariously as is too often 

 the case with the beginner, especially if he has 

 been most of his life '' in populous cities pent," 

 that he is indebted for his sport to the goodwill 

 of the farmer. It is therefore his duty — it is his 

 interest as well, and where duty and interest are 

 combined it is strange that there should be so 

 much shortcoming as there is in this respect — 

 to become personally acquainted with as many 

 farmers as possible in the country in which he 

 gets his sport. By this I mean that he should 

 know something more of them than just to ad- 

 dress them by name, *' How do, Mr. Smith ? " 

 15 



