BEASTS OF THE CHASE. THE STAG. 51 



place in the run proper, by getting to the bottom of his horse 

 through keeping the tufters together, so that special arrange- 

 ments should be made by the master to provide the necessary 

 additional aid to the huntsman. 



Considerable judgment is required in selecting head- 

 quarters for the pack. A barn or some convenient part of a farm 

 homestead generally affords all the accommodation required. 

 But such homesteads as are accessible only at one or two points 

 are unfit for the purpose ; since, if the tufters should run their 

 deer into the open on the side of the farm buildings to which 

 there is not a ready access, a serious waste of time must be 

 occasioned in bringing the pack to the point where the tufters 

 were stopped. 



When once deer take the open their habit is to move on, 

 whether pursued closely or not, until they take soil, or run to 

 herd in a cover. It is perfectly evident, therefore, that nothing 

 can compensate for a want of smartness in bringing the pack to 

 the huntsman. If the pack should be, as it ought to be when 

 the tufters are at work, left under the direction of the master, his 

 second horseman should be told off to keep the huntsman in 

 view, so as to be ready to gallop back to his master imme- 

 diately the tufters are stopped, or when the huntsman signals for 

 the pack. It is surprising with what dash staghounds when 

 liberated will race to meet the huntsman. The reason of 

 their liberation is very soon grasped by every hound in the pack,, 

 so that the services of the whipper-in are not much needed. 

 It cannot be pointed out too frequently that unless the hunts- 

 man is a man of experience, dash, nerve, and is thoroughly 

 acquainted with the habits of deer, he will fail to show good 

 sport on the Exmoors whatever his merits may be in the ken- 

 nel and saddle. Staghounds cannot be hunted on the 'let 

 alone ' principle, which would mean ' a rest-and-be-thankful ' 

 existence for the deer. When the pack reaches the huntsman, 

 he should clap them on the line and drive them, so long as they 

 are on the line, as fast as his horse can carry him. By this 

 method he may succeed in driving them till they get on good 



E 2 



