114 THE COMPLETE FOXHUNTER 



can be raised for a hunt subscription, and which are 

 therefore practically maintained by a wealthy master, 

 or have a continuous struggle to keep their heads above 

 water. 



But there are, on the other hand, countries where 

 double the subscription which is required could be 

 obtained were it necessary. The whole thing is a 

 matter of wealth. In a good residential district money 

 is generally forthcoming freely enough, but there are 

 hunting countries where hunting men and women are 

 limited in number, and few of them are even moderately 

 rich. In such districts the hunt is carried on somehow, 

 and of course there cannot be much smartness about 

 the establishment. The men are not so well mounted 

 as they might be, and horses have to come out twice a 

 week ; there may easily be a shortage of both horses 

 and hounds, but if the members of the hunt are imbued 

 with a true sporting spirit the hunt will continue to 

 struggle on, and very often these struggling establish- 

 ments show wonderful sport. The difficulty generally 

 occurs when a new master is required, for men who are 

 able and willing to pay largely for the prestige of mas- 

 tership are generally anxious to take a country which 

 stands well before the world, and where the society may 

 be considered good. It happens, then, that the very 

 provincial country, no matter how good it may be, is 

 often obliged to fall back upon a local master, and 

 though a local master is, as a rule, the best master, if 

 none of the local men can afford the expense the 

 services of a stranger are requisitioned. 



Half a century ago it used to be broadly stated that 

 certain masters lived out of the hounds, and doubtless 

 many attempted to, but failed, while it is possible that 

 some few did succeed in actually paying their ordinary 



