66 THE COMPLETE FOXHUNTER 



about fifteen. He then asked an influential member of 

 the hunt what was wrong, and at last he realised the 

 situation. He at once changed his tactics, and as he 

 was showing wonderful sport his field began to come 

 back. Still it took him the best part of two seasons to 

 live down his early mistakes, though on a certain public 

 occasion he took the opportunity of explaining how he 

 had begun his mastership on a wrong system, and how 

 sorry he was that he had unwittingly given offence. 



In the field, unless there is constant overriding of 

 hounds, the master's lines may or may not be cast in 

 pleasant places, nearly everything depending upon the 

 style and custom of the hunt. In a country where there 

 is no question about the fox supply, where every covert 

 may be visited at the master's option, and where, in 

 fact, game preservation is not unduly insisted upon, the 

 carrying out of the prearranged programme of each 

 day's sport is perhaps the most important matter which 

 has to be considered. Where the field is well behaved 

 and not likely to do anything stupid the master is, of 

 course, well aware of the fact, and can devote himself to 

 the pleasure which the sport affords. He is able to 

 watch hounds, instead of being obliged to keep his eye 

 on such members of the field as are likely to get into 

 mischief, and he is in point of fact able to participate 

 in the sport, instead of having to do mounted police- 

 man's duty. 



And before we go any further it should be mentioned 

 that masters of hounds may be divided into several 

 classes, each of which, though preserving the same 

 broad principles, varies in some degree from the 

 others. Briefly, then, there are the master who hunts 

 the country at his own expense ; the master of a pack 

 which has so large a subscription that the hounds — as 



