n8 THE SPORT OF KINGS 



man. Beckford was of opinion that a really clever 

 whipper-in was more indispensable to a pack of 

 hounds than a really clever huntsman, and he was 

 undoubtedly right. But it by no means follows 

 that a good whipper-in makes a good huntsman. 

 I have known several who were marked failures 

 when they came to carry the horn. I have also 

 known many who had no ambition to rise above 

 the rank they occupied. " I would sooner be one 

 of the best whippers-in in England than one of the 

 worst huntsmen," said one of them to me when I 

 spoke to him about a huntsman's place. 



