LETTER XI. 113 



remain in covert. The duties of a second whipper-in are 

 by no means very agreeable, but he must be content to 

 perform them, and the better they are done the more 

 pleasure he will derive himself, and render himself more 

 eligible for advancement in his own or any other esta- 

 blishment. By being quick and active in getting the 

 hounds out of covert, he will soon overtake the huntsman, 

 and see as much of the fun as any one else ; should, 

 however, his business be done slovenly, and any hounds 

 be left behind, he will have to return and bring them on 

 This being enforced by the huntsman, Jack will take 

 more pains for the future. 



When the hounds go away with their fox, the first 

 whipper-in will be with them, ready to assist the hunts- 

 man, or attend to any directions he may give. Should 

 the hounds come to a check before the huntsman gets 

 up, he will let them make their own cast, but he is 

 not to interfere with them further unless the huntsman 

 is quite out of sight. Many first whips think it high 

 fun to get away with the hounds at first starting, and 

 hurry them on, to show their own cleverness in having a 

 burst without the huntsman. On this account there is 

 often great jealousy between the two. It is impossible, 

 in some cases, for the huntsman to be with the hounds 

 when they first break covert, and the whipper-in has 

 therefore an advantage over him in this respect, of which 

 some are not slow to avail themselves, to the prejudice 

 of the huntsman. For instance, when hounds are run- 

 ning in a large covert, it is the duty of the huntsman to 

 be with them ; and when the fox breaks, it is impossible 

 for him sometimes to be close to the hounds, having, 

 perhaps, to crash through several acres of underwood, or 



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