LETTER VII. 71 



them to be indifferent about a bad scent. Expecting 

 assistance either from a halloo or a cast forward, they will 

 give themselves little trouble in working out the line of 

 scent over bad ground, and I have seen them looking up 

 at their huntsman, as much as to say, " There, we have 

 done enough; now you must help us." Let these hounds 

 change masters, and receive no assistance, they would 

 soon put their noses down, and although at first make 

 but a poor fight with a flying fox, they would soon work 

 through difiiculties, and learn to depend upon their own 

 exertions. Well bred hounds will always get forward 

 with the scent, and make the most of it when it is fail- 

 ing. A little assistance will go a long way, but it never 

 should be given until absolutely required, which is very 

 seldom. 



It does not necessarily follow that a first-rate whipper- 

 in will make a first-rate huntsman — very often the re- 

 verse A really good whipper-in sometimes makes a 

 wretched huntsman. Their duties are widely different, 

 and their genius or talents are to be employed in a very 

 different direction. I knew a capital whipper-in who 

 refused to accept a huntsman's situation, and his reason 

 was not a bad one. " I have been now," he said, 

 " many years in my present place as first whipper-in, and 

 am proud to say have given satisfaction to my master and 

 the gentlemen, and know my business tolerably well ; 

 but if I took a huntsman's place, and failed, which is 

 very likely, I should not like to go back again to be 

 whipper-in." This man reasoned rightly, and knew him- 

 self better, perhaps, than he then thought. It so hap- 

 pened that the establishment in which he had acted so 

 satisfactory a part as whipper-in was soon afterwards 



