136 NOTITIA VENATICA. 



their own try, and not put ofF from it by the wliip, unless they showed a 

 wildness in such try. When hounds go aAvay, and the Duke and hunts- 

 man are hoth left back with another parcel, the whipper-in is to stop 

 them, and bring them to the others v:ithout fail. When hounds are 

 behind, and stopped from another scent, the Duke of Grafton would 

 have them brought up quietly, without hurry, and no faster than they 

 may hear the hounds forward, jjarticularly when in cover. The Duke 

 of Grafton is of opinion that the usual method of capping and screaming 

 them on at a full gallop makes them Avild, brings them up blown, and in 

 the end makes them slack under difficulties. Nothing is more desired 

 by the Duke of Grafton to be attended to, than to prevent the hounds 

 being divided during the chase, which, from the nature of the two coun- 

 tries he hunts, requires much active observation and attention from the 

 whipper-in. On finding, or touching, even when the hounds are per- 

 fectly known as to steadiness or otherwise, our system is not to be too 

 hasty in rating, for a young hound may find a fox ; nor should any one 

 be encouraged or spoke to too quickly, excepting it be to such as are 

 quite sure. 



" It is unnecessary to say that a whipper-in, who is a good horse- 

 man, never drives his horse without occasion, spares him when he can 

 over deeji and bad ground, and takes no great leap when a good way 

 through is at hand. " 



In giving a description of what an efficient whipper-in shoidd be, be- 

 fore we attempt to emimerate the various qualifications of an accom- 

 plished lumtsman, it may appear to some of our readers like delivering 

 the epilogue before the commencement of a play ; but it must be remem- 

 bered that, according to the regular notion of the thing, a man ought to 

 learn to whip-in before he presumes to catch hold of a pack of hounds 

 to hunt them ; and I have no hesitation in saying, that all ouv Jirst-ratc 

 pcrfortncrs as amateur huntsmen (to let alone the professionals) had 

 made it their study to know what the duties of an efficient whipi)er-iii 

 were, as well as of a huntsman, long before they attempted to exhibit 

 their own prowess in the hunting-field. The life of a huntsman is one 

 of great labour, trust, and liability to accidents in the chase (healthful 

 as the pursuit of hunting undoubtedly is) from falls and other disastei's ; 

 yet the generality of men of that calling usually live to a good old age. 

 Amongst the many extraordinary and disastrous mishaps may bo re- 

 corded the accident Avhicli occurred to Joe Maiden, the late huntsman to 

 the Cheshire hoimds, about fifteen years ago, when he Avas whipper-in 

 to Mr. Chadwick, Avho at that time hunted the Sutton-Coldfield country, 

 which lies partly in the counties of Stafford and Warwick. Being sliort 

 of hands in the boiling-house, Joe Maiden was assisting in ])lrtcing a 

 large piece of fiesh in the co])per, and to carry out his intentions with 

 greater facility, lie Avas standing upon the greasy edge of the boilei-, 

 when he unfortunately slip])ed in nearly up to his middle in the boiling 

 broth. Although inuncdiately extricated, he Avas .scalded in a most 

 dreadful manner ; and being carried to his bed-room, he laid for many 

 weeks in a most dreadful and jiitiable condition. After a certain time, 

 suppuration came on to such an extent that it was found necessary to 



