134 NOTITIA VENATICA. 



and although I must beg to differ with that universally acknowledged 

 oracle in hunting matters, in considering that it is impossible for a 

 huntsman to know too much, or to be too aufait at liis business, yet as 

 my opinion with regard to the knowledge and acquirements of a whipper- 

 in so exactly agrees Avith the ideas of that great man, I will give them 

 in his own words, omitting such parts as I may consider immaterial : — 

 " I must, therefore, remind you," says he, " that I speak of my own 

 country only, a country fidl of riot,* where the covers are large, and 

 whore there is a chase fuU of deer and full of game. In such a country 

 as this, you that know so well how necessary it is for a pack of fox- 

 hounds to be steady and to be kept together, ought not to wonder that I 

 should prefer an excellent whipper-in to an excellent huntsman. No one 

 knows better than yourself how essential a good adjutant is to a regiment: 

 believe me, a good whipper-in is not less necessary to a pack of fox- 

 hounds. But I must beg you to observe, I mean only that I could do 

 better with mediocrity in the one than in the other." And again he 

 says, " I cannot but think genius may be at least as useful in one as in 

 the other ; for instance, while the huntsman is riding to his headmost 

 hounds, the whipper-in, if he have genius, may show it in various ways : 

 he may clap forward to any great earth that may by chance be open ; 

 he may sink the wind to halloo, or mob a fox when the scent fails ; he 

 may keep him off his foil ; he may stop the tail-hounds and get them 

 forward ; and has it frequently in his power to assist the hounds, with- 

 out doing them any hurt, provided he may have the sense to distinguish 

 where he may be chiefly wanted. Besides, the most essential part of 

 fox-hunting, the making and keeping the pack steady, depends entirely 

 on him. In short, I consider the first whipper-in as a second huntsman, 

 and to be perfect he should be not less capable of hunting the hounds 

 than the huntsman himself." When hounds divide into two parts, the 

 whipper-in should invariahhj stop to the huntsman's halloo ; but if tliey 

 are in doubt which is the hunted fox, those which are furthest down 

 Aviud should be stopped, as they can hear the others soonest ; moreover, 

 the down wind fox is most likely to be a fresh one which has been dis- 

 turbed by the hounds. Mr. Beckford goes on to say: " Most hunts- 

 men, I believe, are jealous of the whipper-in ; they frequently look on 

 him as a successor, and therefore do not very readily admit him into the 

 kennel ; yet, in my opinion, it is necessary he should go thither, for 

 he ought to be well acquainted with the hounds, who should know 

 and follow him as well as the huntsman.! To recapitulate what 

 1 have already said, if 'your whipper-in be bold and actice, be a 

 f>-ood and careful horaeman, have a good car and a clear voice ; 



* In these days, owing to the increase of game preserves, all countries are full of 

 riot. 



t An extraordinary instance of a quarrel between a huntsman and first whipper-in 

 is related of Dick Foster and Shayer (commonly called Sawyer), who both lived with 

 Mr. Villebois so many years. Foster having been led to suppose that Shayer wished 

 to su])j)lant him in his office of huntsman, resolved to cut him, and consequently no 

 intercourse took place between these two men for three years, excepting in their bu- 

 siness relative to liunting ; nevertheless the work in the field was conducted in first- 

 rate style, and without any apparent jealousy or bad feeling. 



