ENGLISH DRIVING 203 



I must repeat, with even greater emphasis, what I have 

 said in the volume on the ' Partridge ' concerning 

 wind ; but you are far more in the hands of your head 

 man and his drivers on this point than in any partridge 

 drive. The latter have often to foot it some miles, 

 even before you are out of your bed, to get to the 

 remote point whence they will start the first drive. 

 This involves organisation, since, living possibly some 

 distance apart, they will not all start from the same 

 place, and probably consist of two parties, each of 

 which must be under a responsible lieutenant who 

 thoroughly knows the ground. Consequently, should 

 it be advisable to change the beat for the day on 

 account of wind, or even the method of beating the 

 ground, you must be able to rely absolutely upon the 

 judgment and decision of your head man. 



It is almost indispensable that he should be a moor- 

 land man, born and bred, though I admit that I have 

 come across one or two notable exceptions to this. If 

 he doesn't know the moors, literally up hill and down 

 dale, every turn of the wind, every habit of the grouse, 

 and every dodge of the driver, he is of no use to you 

 in Yorkshire. He will command neither the confi- 

 dence nor the obedience of his drivers, who, being 

 nil dalesmen who have travelled tin; moors and fells 

 all their lives, know a good deal on their own account, 



