HUNTSMAN 151 



account of his fox if he can. And if he wishes to 

 have plenty, he must kill them ; for, however 

 strange it may appear, it is the only way to ensure 

 a stock in the country ; and at the same time you 

 secure the support and assistance of the farmers, 

 and those keepers who are not maliciously disposed, 

 when it is known that you do kill all you can, and 

 do not go home satisfied by saying, " Oh ! we have 

 had a good run, and he will show us another " ; then 

 they will not kill them. But how can it be sup- 

 posed that any farmer will hke the thought of 

 seeing the same ground and fences ridden over con- 

 stantly, owing to one particular fox being too stout 

 to be killed by hounds, or that there is no wish to 

 kill him ? or can it be the same pleasure to be 

 always riding the same line of country ? Therefore 

 it is right to kill when you can. 



That a huntsman should be a bold rider is proved 

 by every check the hounds come to when he is 

 away ; for even when he is present, he will have 

 enough to do to prevent overriding. But, unless 

 he can ride at the head and see the very spot 

 on which they throw up, he will be puzzled to 

 know whom to apply to of those forward, and must 

 often use his own judgment ; in short, the greatest 

 use he can be of, when there is a good scent, is to 



