148 GOING TO COVERT. 



of restoring order immediately. It is much more 

 difficult to find a good whipper-in, thoroughly up 

 to his business, than a good huntsman ; and 

 without intending to detract from the merits of 

 the latter, there are quite as many, if not more, 

 opportunities for the display of genius presented 

 to the former. He should be a man of few words 

 and deep thought ; when hounds are running riot, 

 rapid and silent in his descent upon them ; when 

 a young hound speaks to a scent, he will have the 

 sense to wait and see what he is doing before 

 interference, as the most vicious and determined 

 hare-hunters may sometimes be right, and he will 

 take care that the delinquent is within his reach 

 before he attempts to punish him ; a word of 

 caution or rate, if the hound is in high covert, 

 where he cannot get at him ; but if he can get 

 at him, the blow should fall first, and the rate 

 after. 



In going to covert, that is, when the troops are 

 in marching order, the place generally assigned to 

 i\iQ first whipper-in is a long distance in advance 

 of the huntsman ; and to the second, a short dis- 

 tance behind him and the pack. This was, and 

 is still, I believe, the orthodox rule on such occa- 

 sions ; but I shall take the liberty of reversing it, 

 by placing the first man a short distance before, 



