HUNTING DIRECTORY. 147 



Duty of the Huntsman. 



too fond of displaying them till necessity calls them forth. 

 He should let his hounds alone whilst they can hunt, and 

 he should have genius to assist them when they cannot" 

 The above qualifications will, however, rarely be found 

 united in the same person. Good temper is a most de- 

 sirable quality in a huntsman, as circumstances frequently 

 occur where it is put to a very severe trial : — when, for 

 instance, a fox is found, imprudent sportsmen are apt to 

 ride over the scent, as well as to head him back. If the 

 cover be small, so that the fox cannot go away unseen, 

 heading back may not perhaps be of very great conse- 

 quence ; but the case is frequently very different, and 

 very vexatious ; but to ride over the scent is, I think, 

 more provoking. When a fox has just broke cover, and 

 before the hounds have got settled to the scent, how 

 often have I seen the scent ridden over ! and that too in 

 the most vexatious manner : — it certainly is not to be 

 wondered at, however it may be regretted, if, on such 

 occasions, the huntsman should forget the respect due 

 to his superiors. On the 7th of last January (1826) I 

 met the hounds of Hugo Meynell, Esq. at Radborne, 

 about three miles from the town of Derby. A fox was 

 found in a cover, called the Pasture : he was well viewed 

 away ; in fact, he went off in such a manner as to enable 

 a number of thoughtless and highly reprehensible sports- 

 men to ride before the hounds — they rode over the 

 scent : the hounds endeavoured to pick it out from among 

 the horses' legs ; but the country presenting no formi- 

 dable fences, the mercurial spirits above alluded to were 

 enabled to head the hounds repeatedly, so that they 

 could not get settled to the scent ; and we ultimately lost 



