236 WITH HOUND AND TERRIER. 



beauties, push him out," he went on to some 

 hounds that were feathering on a Kne. Then 

 turning again to the now amused sympathiser, 

 " Very sad, sir, but we must all expect it," and 

 pulling out his horn, he exclaimed, " They have 

 found," and galloped away. 



While a good method of using a horn is the 

 greatest possible assistance to those who follow 

 hounds, the indiscriminate way in which some 

 huntsmen make use of the same blast on every 

 occasion gives you no help whatever. You cannot 

 tell whether the huntsman is making a cast or 

 wants hounds stopped or put to him ; in fact, 

 unless you actually see for yourself, there is 

 nothing in the monotonous note to tell you 

 what is going on. Happily this want of method 

 is the exception rather than the rule, and when- 

 ever I go into a new country the first thing I 

 try to master is the huntsman's manner of using 

 his horn. 



One of the most curious methods with the horn 

 I ever heard was with a pack of harriers with 

 which I was once out. As I came to the meeting- 

 place I heard the horn being blown vociferously, 

 and consequently hurried on, thinking the hounds 

 were already running. Following the sound, I 

 came upon the Master — who was also the hunts- 

 man — sitting quietly on the top of a hill, with his 

 pack grouped carelessly round him and paying not 

 the slightest attention to the noise he was making. 

 I was quite taken aback and inquired what was 



