1 62 THE MASTER OF HOUNDS 



peripatetic journalist, who, by his adulatory reports, 

 causes non-subscribing strangers to follow his hounds. 

 Thus, in Yorkshire, at Farnley Hall, Otley, Mr. Fawkes 

 founded a new pack of hounds, at the beginning of the 

 1902-1903 season, with the rule that his fixtures would 

 not be advertised, and that cards would be sent only to 

 landowners and farmers. The late Lord Willoughby 

 de Broke regarded the journalist in much the same 

 light as Mephistopheles is supposed to have viewed 

 "holy water." Still, Masters of Hounds must re- 

 member that they hold a public position and are as 

 liable to criticism as are his Majesty's Ministers. Why 

 should they shrink from the criticism ? Surely, it is 

 better to be told of your faults than to be suddenly 

 asked to resign your mastership ? There are few, if 

 any. Masters of Hounds who are cognisant of the 

 prejudices of all the occupiers of land in their hunting 

 country, and so are often apt to give unintentional 

 offence. Surely, it is the duty of the members of the 

 Hunt to warn the Master in regard to their prejudices ? 

 There is one complaint, which I have constantly 

 heard made against the Master of Hounds, namely, 

 his neglect to sound his horn when a fox breaks covert 

 with hounds on good scenting terms with him. His 

 usual defence is that his followers should know what 

 hounds are doing. Now, where there are no "rides" 

 in the covert, the followers are not supposed to enter 

 the covert. They should remain outside. If the fox 

 steals away from the far corner with hounds close to 

 his brush, the major portion of the field can know 

 nothing of the fact, unless they hear the sound of the 



