OF HUNTSMEN. 249 



as much notice of it as he can to his hounds, or 

 he will leave many of them behind him ; and 

 should he turn down the wind, he may see no 

 more of them. 



I should be sorry that the silence of my 

 huntsman should proceed from either of the fol- 

 lowing causes. — A huntsman that I once knew 

 (who, by the by, I believe is, at this time, a 

 drummer in a marching regiment) went out one 

 morning so very drunk, that he got off his horse 

 in the midst of a thick cover, laid himself down, 

 and went to sleep. He was lost ; nobody knew 

 what was become of him; and he was at last 

 found in the situation I have just described. 

 He had, however great good luck on his side ; 

 for, at the very instant he was found, a fox was 

 hallooed ; upon which he mounted his horse, 

 rode desperately, killed his fox handsomely, 

 and was forgiven. 



1 remember another huntsman silent from a 

 different cause ; this was a sulky one. Things 

 did not go on to please him ; he therefore 

 alighted from his horse in the middle of a wood, 

 and, as quietly as he could, collected his hounds 

 about him. He then took an opportunity, 

 when the coast was clear, to set off silently, and 

 by himself, for another cover : however, his 

 M 3 



