133 HOBSES AXD ^0T:^1>s. 



dogs : with tlie former it inyariably proves fatal, and is very 

 contagions. Of the dnties of hnnt^men and wliippers-in in my 

 next j what thev sJiould, and what they sJiould n':>t be. 



CHAPTER XX. 



On t'-- -■-;^ ---—■' ari obiracter of a t'onrsmas — iC^takes of young 

 1 — > ^-'-'i Ti:s; of hoTHids -will kill foxes by themselves — 

 G f-^n rn^e bad hxmrsmen — Laid up ilL and mj 

 Tr_.-:Tr-^:i snan — Field pleased at first — Sc<:'n wanted my 



rfrj!r:i — ~ir - reg-jmrnj mv place — ^Anecdote oi John Ward — 



A i:':i- r^:-c:^ : ..riied whipper-in — Jack and the Gh«5St. 



A HI M sww who is to be entrusted with the chief direction 

 and management of the pack, which is very mnch the custom 

 in the pr^ni day, I need scarcely remark, should be a man of 

 undoubted g<x)d character, and strictly sober. He should be 

 young, active, and intelligent, with natural talent for his busi- 

 ness : quick, without ever being in a hurry : quiet, but decisive. 

 A good horseman he of course must be. Tnis does not mean a 

 hard ?iarei/ dar^y rider, but one who. without distressing his 

 horse, can always be where he ought to be — with his hounds. 

 If he has a g<>jd voice so much the better ; but a noisy fellow is 

 my abomination. He should be good-tempered and quiet with 

 his hounds, giving them time always to make their own ca.st 

 ;irst. before he at^mpts to interfere. We mtist make all due 

 'allowances for the esciiement inseparably connected with a 

 fox-chase, and it is therefore more re^^uisite to have a man with 

 a cool head at that most critical peric*d, the first check. I have 

 seen huntsmen &3 flurried at an unexp>ected check, that they 

 were all abroad, catching hold of the hounds in their hurry, 

 without allowing them time to make their own cast, and carry- 

 ing them off at once, to make a scientific display of their mis- 

 called genius. Others, who are jealous of being overtaken 

 when having a good start, will commit the same blunder by 

 over haste, and in trying to beat the field only beat themselves. 

 More haste less sr^eed, 



I once heard of a very dashing huntsman, who hunted a pack 

 of hounds near one of our learned Univemties, and whose field 

 was often greeted by the sons of Alma Mater. These young 

 gentlemen being out for the day, and reqtiiring a good gallop to 

 digest their Latin and Greek, generally tipped the huntsman 

 pretty freely, and they had their burst accordingly; for Joe 



