38 A GOOD FEEDER ESSENTIAL. 



obey any orders you may give, as well with 

 regard to the management, as to the breeding of" 

 the hounds ; and should not be solely under the 

 direction of your huntsman. It is true I have 

 seen it otherwise : I have known a pack of 

 hounds belong, as it were, entirely to the hunts- 

 man — a stable of horses belong to the groom — 

 whilst the master had little more power in the 

 direction of either, than a perfect stranger. This 

 you will not suffer. I know you choose to keep 

 the supreme command in your own hands : and 

 though you permit your servants to remonstrate, 

 you do not suffer them to disobey. He who 

 allows a huntsman to manage his hounds as he 

 pleases, without control, literally keeps them for 

 his amusement. You desire to know what is 

 required of a feeder : I will tell you as well as 

 I can. 



As our sport depends entirely on that exqui- 

 site sense of smelling, so peculiar to the hound, 

 care must be taken to preserve it ; and cleanli- 

 ness is the surest means. The keeping your 

 kennel sweet and clean cannot therefore be too 

 much recommended to the feeder, nor should 

 you, on any account, admit the least deviation 

 from it. If he sees you exact, he will be so 

 himself. This is a very essential part of his 



