THE MASTER OF HOUNDS 69 



be drawn much oftener than those which are on the 

 borders of the hunt, but a preconcerted plan of action, 

 providing for all coverts being drawn regularly, is of 

 paramount importance from the master's point of view, 

 and the members of the hunt should always back up a 

 master who determines to work the country on method- 

 ical lines. 



It is easy enough to write what should and what 

 should not be done in the matter of giving each and 

 every part of a country its fair share of hunting, but 

 in these days it is not always such a simple affair as 

 it appears to be, and much depends upon ancient 

 custom, upon local surroundings, and upon the covert 

 owners and masters. In old days the covert owners 

 were all sportsmen ; many were hunting men, and 

 those who did not follow hounds were interested 

 in the sport, and were perfectly willing that all the 

 arrangements with regard to drawing the coverts 

 could safely be left to the master of hounds. That 

 gentleman, then, worked the country on a fixed plan, 

 and it was only when exceptional circumstances 

 occurred that a change in the regular routine took 

 place. Hounds were in one portion of the country 

 on one day of the week, and in another district on 

 another day, and so forth. If the country was a 

 large one with a four-days-a-week pack, it was appor- 

 tioned into quarters, and hounds were taken into each 

 quarter in turn. If a two-days-a-week hunt it was 

 divided, and if hunting took place on three days 

 hounds would probably have one day in either end, 

 and a third in the centre of the country. That was 

 the general idea, and the same plan is adopted in 

 these days when the master has a free hand. But 

 unfortunately the free hand is often wanting, and not 



