THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 211 



chance, be open; he may fink the wind to halloo, 

 or mob a fox, when the fcent fails ; he may keep 

 him off his foil ; he may flop the tail hounds, 

 and get them forward ; and has it frequently in 

 his power to aflill: the hounds without doing them 

 any hurt, provided he fhould have fenfe to dif- 

 tinguifh where he may be chiefly wanted. Be- 

 lides, the moil elTential part of fox-hunting, the 

 making and keeping the pack fteady, depends 

 entirely upon him ; as a huntfman fliould feldom 

 rate, and never liog a hound. In fliort, I con- 

 iider the firfl whipper-in as a fecond huntfman ; 

 and, to be perfect, he fhould be not lefs caj^able 

 of hunting the hounds than the huntfman hiinfelf. 



You cannot too much recommend to your 

 whipper-in to get to the head of his hounds, be- 

 fore he attempts to flop them. The rating behind 

 is to little purpofe, and if they fliould be in 

 cover, may prevent him from knowing who the 

 culprits are. When your hounds are running a 

 fox, he then fliould content himfelf with flopping 

 fuch as are riotous, and fhould get them forward. 

 They may be condemned upon the fpgt, but the 

 punifhment fhould be deferred till the next day, 

 when they may be taken out on purpofe to com- 

 mit the fault, and fufFer the punifliment. I agree 

 with you, that young hounds cannot be awed 

 too much ; yet fufFer not your punifhment of 



P 2 them 



