Related article: fore it is evident that, in the
judgment of irresponsible critics,
neither master nor huntsman can
possibly know anything about
otter-hunting. Exhaustive know-
ledge of otter-hunting is not ex-
pected of the casual visitor ; but
while he can do much towards
making or marring the success of
a day, he is prone to err through
ignorance. A hunt with a well-
conducted field is a pleasure to
the master and huntsman who are
anxious to see and show good
sport, but a hunt with an excited
and — must I say it? — unruly
crowd behind, and as often as no
before, them makes a pain of
pleasure.
The average supporter of a pack
of hounds would earn the gratitude
of more enthusiastic sportsmen,
if he could prevail upon himself
to get up earlier. In the district
in which I usually hunt, for in-
stance, the Rizatriptan 10mg meets are generally at
eight. Very often they might
easily be at seven, and, when at
the kennels, at six. The master
would like to have it so, as would
the huntsman and all good sports-
men. But there are among us
weak - kneed brethren such as
those apostrophised by Solomon,
men who won't get up early, and
the hour fixed must be one to suit
their convenience, otherwise there
would be a danger of losing their
subscriptions, which the pack
could ill aflford. You know, Buy Rizatriptan oh,
sleepy one, that hounds will speak
to a drag twenty-four hours old,
and the later the meet the further
down the river the trail must
have floated ; that the chances of
a kill are decreased in ratio with
the lateness of the start. But I
don't think you quite realise that
your preference for an extra
hour or two in bed of a morn-
ing goes a long way to spoil
sport.
Certain people, especially ladies,
have weird ideas as to otter-hunt-
ing. They, assert, with much
confidence, that it is detestably
cruel, and ask where the sport
comes in. I once met a man who
couldn't see the fun of Gilbert's
operas. I made an effijrt — an
honest struggle — to help him, but
had to give it up. I give up the
other conundrum, too. If people
cannot appreciate the sport of
hunting on their own account,
nobody else can help them. Hu-
I20
BAILY S MAGAZINE.
lAUGUST
mane people have every right to
their own opinion, of course ; but
it occasionally happens that those
opinions are forced upon others to
the disadvantge of the latter.
It was on a river up in the
north. The otter, which had
been twice worried, had got into
a deep pool, and there was danger
of its drowning from exhaustion,
and so being lost and left to
putrefy at the bottom. At this
moment a boat came in sight, and
we hailed it as enthusiastically
as did the Ancient Mariner the
phantom ship. I confess that, as
the boat drew slowly, very slowly
nearer, my heart sank as did the
heart of that interesting seaman.
In the stem were seated two girls
of solemn aspect ; the rower was
clad in black — black boots, black
trousers, black waistcoat, black
frock-coat, black bootlace for a tie
round his blackish collar, blackish
neck and black top-hat. He was
a very crow among humans, and
looked as much at home as a
crow in the boat. I think we all
took in the hopelessness of the
situation at a glance. Of course
that black, black man would not
let us have the boat.
One of the girls asked con-
temptuously the old sphinx-like
question, ** Where does the sport
come in ? '* and I had politely
begun an elementary sketch of
the life habit of the otter, laying
special stress on the mischief it
did a salmon river, when, thank
goodness, there came a ** tally-ho,"
and the course of instruction had
to be indefinitely postponed.
The first thing Rizatriptan Benzoate for the follower
of otter-hounds to consider is
equipment. It is always advis-
able, if going far from your own
headquarters, to have a change of
clothes ready at the most con-
venient hotel. If you have, as I
had once in my " salad days," to
wait for over an hour at a railway
station, wet nearly to the waist,
and then' travel for three-quarters
of an hour, you will probably pay
heavily for the experience with a
chill, and one of the many maladies
sired by a chill to follow.
For a man, the ordinary knicker-
bocker suit is the best. Strong
boots, are, of course, essential,
and I should recommend half-
gaiters. Even if it is not neces-
sary to wade, the grass is so wet
with dew that one's stockings are
bound to get drenched, and a slap
across the wet shin from a bramble
is not a thing to be desired. A
pole, if taken, should be for use,
not for show. Let him also carry
a flask of whisky, neat (there is
always plenty of water in the
river), and very many more sand-
wiches than he requires for his
own consumption. A large per-
centage of visitors who ought to
know better go out unprovisioned,
and it is not pleasant when you
see a lady completely done up and
qualifying for a splitting head-
ache, to be unable to give her
a sandwich and a stifif dose of
that whisky which experience has
taught you to bring, and set her
on her feet again.
It is more difficult to advise a
lady about her dress, as I do not
understand very much about these
matters. Perhaps the best thing
I can do is to describe an outfit I
once saw, which appeared to me
to be a model one.
The boots were thick-soled and
stout, reaching to the calf, to keep
off the dew. The skirt, of coarse
serge, was short and lined at the
bottom with leather. This last
provision was wise indeed. It not
only prevents the cloth from tear-
ing and ravelling out, it also keeps
the skirt from clinging, and from
information received I understand
that a wet, clinging skirt is not
comfortable. The upper works
were, I think, a blouse of sorts.
I900.]
OTTER-HUNTING.
121
and a neatly rolled waterproof
slung over the back — very useful
this is in case it comes on to rain,
and also for sitting on, if the grass
is damp ; it generally is. The
lady wore a straw hat adorned
with a Jock Scott. Some affect a