NOTITIA VENATICA. 135 



if he be a very Mungo, here, there, and everywhere, having at the 

 same time judgment to distinguish where he can be of most use ; 

 if, joined to these, he be above the fooHsh conceit of kilhng a fox, Avith- 

 oixt the huntsman, but, on the contrary, be disposed to assist him all he 

 can, he then is a perfect whipper-in. " Added to these qualifications, 

 he should be fond of work, and habitually sober. There can be but one 

 opinion upon the vice of drunkenness in any man ; and the second fault 

 in either a huntsman or whipper-in ought to be the last to be overlooked. 

 Many of my readers may have, I have no doubt, been disgusted in tlie 

 course of their lives, by such an outrage ; but to see a whipper-in drunk on 

 champagne would be rather a novel sight. I recollect once meeting at the 

 house of a jolly good fox-hunter " of the olden time," Avho shall here be 

 nameless, where he had a most splendid breakfast set out upon the oc- 

 casion ; and our worthy host, not being content with giving his guests 

 plenty of that exhilirating beverage, absolutely sent a bottle out to the 

 men who were waiting Avith the hounds upon the lawn ; the result may 

 be imagined. Upon remonstrating afterwards Avitli the elder of the two 

 upon this most disgraceful occurrence, the answer was, that he was 

 sorry for what had happened, but that he thought there could be no harm 

 in the contents of the bottle, as he had seen a lady drinking some of 

 the same kind, through the window, just before. This man had but one 

 fault in the world ; in other respects, he was a most excellent and trust- 

 worthy servant, and one of the quickest and best sportsmen I ever saw 

 handle a Avhip ; ho had lived twenty years in two of the most noted 

 hunting establishments in England, but gin became his ruin. 



A few rules for a whipper-in, which the more he attends to, the more 

 he will please the Duke of Grafton. — 'The following rules were put to- 

 gether by the late Duke of Grafton, for the guidance of his whippers-in; 

 and as they are most excellent, I shall insert them without further com- 

 ment or apology :• — • 



" The Duke of Grafton's system of hunting is to have everything 

 done as quietly as possible, and never with hurry, bustle, or noise. Be- 

 fore finding — that is, in drawing — the Duke of Grafton is against 

 driving, Avhipping, or scolding hounds into cover ; but he is for encou- 

 raging them as quietly and with as little noise as possible ; but Avhen 

 hounds are running in cover, skirters ought to be drove and whipped to 

 cry, especially in furze covers, but in such a way as not to disturb those 

 hounds that are working. When a hound is from behind running for 

 the head, the Duke of Grafton holds that this is not skirting, but Avliat 

 every good hound ought to do. In drawing cover, or in rating hounds, 

 nothing can be more to the duke's liking than .Tohn Randall's present 

 method. Wlien Tom Rose or the Duke of Grafton are forward with the 

 leading hounds, the wliipper-in's great attention sliould bo turned to get 

 up the tail-hounds, and never (if it can possibly be helped) leave a single 

 hound behind in cover. The Duke of Grafton would have the huntsman 

 alone (if he is up) speak to the hounds, while trying at fault ; and the 

 whipper-in should be at the head (but not amongst them), ready to turn 

 any who do not come to the huntsman's call. At hunting, particularly 

 at cold-hunting, the Duke of Grafton would have the hounds allowed 



