308 HUNTING. 



before entering the expensive school of experience, it 

 would be wise, before we hunt, to study certain com- 

 plaints which experienced hunting men have published 

 anent our sisters in the field. Mr. Otho Paget says : 

 '' I am not one of those who think that women are 

 in the way out hunting, and in my experience I have 

 always considered they do much less harm than the 

 men, but the time when they do sin is at a check. 

 They not only talk themselves, but they encourage 

 men to talk as well, and I have repeatedly seen a 

 woman lead a whole field over ground where the pack 

 intended to cast themselves. The woman, instead of 

 attending to what hounds are doing, enters into a 

 conversation with a man and together they talk on 

 w^ithout paying heed to the damage they may do. 

 My dear sisters, forgive me for calling you to order, 

 but if you would only keep silent when hounds are 

 at fault, and stand quite still, you perhaps might 

 shame your admirers into better behaviour, and 

 thereby be the means of furthering the interests of 

 sport." This rebuke means that when a gallop is 

 suddenly stopped by hounds losing the scent of their 

 fox and being obliged to puzzle out the line, the ladies 

 of the hunt should remain silent, should pull up and 

 not impede the huntsman who will do his best to aid 

 his hounds in recovering the lost scent. Mr. Paget's 

 remark about the lady who led the field over ground 

 where the pack intended to cast themselves, means 

 that the hounds were trying to recover the lost scent 

 without the assistance of the huntsman, but their 



