. HARBOURING AND TUFTING. 141 



The deer duly harboured, the next thing Is to rouse 

 him, and him only, and force him to break cover. 

 But there may be many more deer in the wood which 

 we do not want, that might be roused were we to draw 

 for him with the pack; so to avoid if possible the 

 division of the pack after a dozen deer, two to six 

 couple of hounds, called "tufters," are selected, and the 

 rest of the pack shut up till wanted. The harbourer of 

 course keeps the whereabouts of his stag a secret from 

 all but the huntsman and master, and Immediately on 

 their arrival he Is, or should be, ready with his report, 

 and advice as to avoiding other deer known to be In the 

 same cover. The tufters are drawn ; not necessarily 

 old hounds, or young hounds, or middle-aged hounds. 

 Those which are known to be good drawers and of 

 strong constitution are taken most frequently, but all 

 must have their turn, for the tufters have a longer 

 day's work than the rest. The whip has his orders 

 and gallops off to some well-known point, and away 

 trot huntsman, master, and tufters, with the harbourer 

 at their head. " Here he passed yesterday morning," 

 says the harbourer, showing the print of his foot 

 where he trod out the stale slot, " and here I slotted 'un 

 over the road, and here he came in over the fence Into 

 the combe, and I made It good the other side." And 



