284 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



regulation reduced according to their deserts ; but 

 they will be as well satisfied as before, because 

 they will have a regular salary, and very little to 

 do for it, instead of being expected to be out all 

 weathers when ordered, according to the old plan. 

 The pay of an earth-stopper, notwithstanding this 

 arrangement, can, at the master's option, be in- 

 creased if he produces a litter of cubs in the woods 

 which he looks over ; and if he has a sovereign for 

 every earth he has to stop and open in this way he 

 will be satisfied. Some have two or three earths or 

 more ; but it must be left to the judgment of the 

 master of the hounds. In the two countries hunted 

 by the writer, the men were all satisfied although 

 they did not get so much money ; which was paid 

 to them at an annual dinner in the centre of the 

 country — ^generally fixing on some old earth-stopper 

 to supply it, who keeps a public-house — at the rate 

 of two shillings for dinner, and one shilling for 

 drinking, each man. 



The advantages gained by this plan are so 

 numerous, that it has always appeared most strange 

 that it has not been known to have ever been 

 adopted by any other master of hounds. But it 

 only requires to be made known, to become gener- 

 ally adopted ; and as good sport was the great 



