40 THE HUNTING FIELD 



independence of thought and action so necessary to be a match 

 for a fox on most occasions ; for instance, at a check there are 

 many apparently trifling ideas and thoughts in a Huntsman's 

 head, which he cannot explain to his Master, if asked why he 

 does this or that ; but, instead of answering, drops his bridle 

 hand and listens to his Master, although he has made observa- 

 tions of trifles which are often all he has for his guidance, and 

 frequently are sufficient to recover his fox ; but probably no 

 other person noticed them — such as this : The pack is running 

 best pace ; he sees one hound turn his head, and fling to the 

 right or left a pace or two. Shortly after there is a check (say 

 500 yards) ; when he has "made the usual casts he recollects the 

 hound turning his head, and then goes back so far, and hits off 

 the scent ; but he could or could not tell any one wh}- he was 

 going back. It is such like trifling observations that Huntsmen 

 profit b}', though unnoticed by others." 



It is the want of decision that makes committees such 

 deplorable things. There is so much hesitation, so much 

 stopping, so much debating, so much chopping and changing, 

 that the indecision of the Masters communicates itself to the 

 field. We never see a lot of committee-men clubbing heads 

 with the Huntsman without being tempted to ask for the 

 "ballot-box."' Give us a good absolute monarchy! None of 

 your three or four Kings of Brentford, all smelling at the same 

 nosegay ! Gentlemen who navigate the Thames cannot fail 

 to have observed a notice " not to speak to the man at the 

 wheel," and in addition to the excellent hint Mr. Smith gives 

 to " Masters," it would be very desirable to inculcate some such 

 precept as the steamboat one upon the field at large. A Hunts- 

 man, at all events, after he leaves the meet, has something else 

 to do than receive and exchange the compliments of the morn- 

 ing, talk of the weather, the state of the countrj-, or the filth of 

 the roads. He should be running over the day's work in his 

 mind's eye, thinking what he did when he was last at the cover 



