WHIPPER-IN
—is an assistant subordinate to the huntsman in every hunting establishment, which, if upon a well-regulated scale of any magnitude, is never considered complete with less than two. One of these has a shade of superiority, and is called the first; the other, the second, whipper-in. The first, upon all and every occasion, is considered as a second huntsman, empowered to act with his authority upon every emergency, and at all times during temporary separation in the chase, or unavoidable absence. Notwithstanding this delegation of power, it is his duty to remain strictly obedient to the huntsman, and to execute all his injunctions with the most cheerful alacrity; and however largely he may be qualified in other respects, it is impossible he can ever become a good whipper-in, if he is in possession of a bad temper. It is absolutely indispensible that he should be a natural philosopher in respect to patience and self-denial, as it is so peculiarly his province to act an inferior part, unless when circumstances occur to bring him more forward upon the canvass; the moment which cease, he must contentedly retire again from the front, to his former station in the background of the picture.
Mr. Beckford, after a profusion of the most observant experience, admitted an excellent whipper-in to be preferable to an excellent huntsman; and as the opinion he believed was entirely new, he felt himself in some degree called upon to explain it. He had no doubt but he should have better sport, and kill more foxes, with a moderate huntsman, and an excellent whipper-in, than with the best of huntsmen without such assistance. For he considered, that, in general sporting acceptation, it might probably be conceived, that a good huntsman might always make a good whipper-in; not such, however, as he meant; his talent must be born with him. His reasons were, that good hounds (and bad he would not keep) oftener need the one than the other; and genius, which, in a whipper-in, if attended by obedience, (his first distinguishing requisite,) can be productive of no ill, is, in a huntsman, a dangerous though a desirable quality; and if not accompanied with a large share of prudence, blended with humility, will oftentimes retard and spoil the sport, as well as tend materially to hurt the hounds.
It has been erroneously conceived, by some theoretic and newly-entered sportsmen, that it is the business of a whipper-in to attend closely upon the huntsman, to receive his commands, and execute his orders; which is by no means the case. If he is on the opposite side of the covert to the huntsman, he is in his proper place; and if within hearing of his halloo, he is near enough; for that is the signal it is the province of the whipper-in to obey. The second whipper-in may occasionally attend upon the huntsman, to act as a field aid de camp, when he is not required by circumstances to be active elsewhere. The first whipper-in should of course be qualified to hunt the hounds, if necessary: nothing can be better calculated to keep a huntsman within the bounds of decency and good manners; as they in general are by no means deficient in the assumption of imaginary consequence, when once they have imbibed an opinion of their own superiority.
When hounds are taken from the kennel, it is the place of the first whipper-in to go before, and of the second to come at some distance behind them. If permitted to follow too near, however great the necessity may be, the poor animals will never be allowed time to empty themselves; for these juvenile whippers-in, upon their initiation, conceive it their proper element to be always in a gallop, and incessantly whipping the hounds whenever they can get at them. The first whipper-in should be of light weight, great agility, quick conception, of much personal fortitude, and an excellent horseman. With these qualifications, he has it always in his power to exert and display his ability to advantage. While the huntsman slicks close to his headmost hounds, the whipper-in can give proof of his judgment in various ways: he can clap forward to any great earth that may be open; he may sink the wind, to view and halloo a fox when the scent fails, or keep him off his soil: he may avail himself of the first opportunity to stop the tail hounds, and get them forward; and he has it constantly in his power to assist the hounds, if he has penetration to discover where, and at what time, it is most wanted. The making and keeping a pack steady, depend entirely upon him; as it is not the province of a huntsman either to rate or flog a hound, if it can consistently be avoided.
During the chase, whenever it may be necessary to stop the hounds, the whipper-in should always be at their head before he begins to make the attempt. Rating behind can effect but little; and if they are running riot in covert, it may prevent him from knowing which are the aggressors. Whippers-in are frequently in the extreme, and continue rating long after they find that rating will not avail: a hound should never be struck, unless he is first made sensible what it is for: if they were a little less hasty, and more disposed to reflection, they would never strike a hound that did not deserve it, and would strike those hard who do. In fact, the experience of every additional season affords ample conviction, that a whipper-in seldom distinguishes sufficiently the degrees of offence which a dog may have committed, to proportion his punishment accordingly; and such is the prevalence of custom, that when only riding a hound, to turn him after the huntsman, he is rated (if not flogged) as severely as if he had been guilty of the greatest possible offence.
A whipper-in is generally so exceedingly pleased with his own powers of vociferation, that he is incessantly rating some one hound or another, and then as industriously endeavours to flog him; without asking himself the question, whether it is likely a hound thus rated will not naturally feel inclined to avoid the whip. It is certainly the most consistent, whenever a hound may deserve correction, to whip him first, and to rate him afterwards. The getting forward the tail hounds is a material and necessary part of the chase, in which a whipper-in, of energy and judgment, can always give proof of his ability. Where there are two whippers-in, the first is often justified in getting forward, when the huntsman, from accident, or unforeseen and unavoidable obstructions, may be prevented from being up with the hounds; but the second has no right whatever to be forward, so long as a single hound is known to have been left behind. Most huntsmen cast an eye of jaundiced jealousy at a whipper-in, particularly if his merits have attracted the attention of his employer; upon a presumption he may have a rival in his subordinate, who may, upon any indiscretion or disobedience of his own, have a fair chance of becoming his successor; a circumstance that sometimes a little cankers the basis of unanimity. After these accumulated remarks upon the personal qualifications and official efforts of a whipper-in, it may with truth be affirmed, if he is innately bold, active, and energetic; a prudent, careful, and steady horseman, with a quick ear, and clear voice; with attentive knowledge, and observation to distinguish where he can be the most useful; not possessing the simple conceit of killing a fox without the huntsman, but, on the contrary, feel disposed to assist him all he can; such a one may be considered completely perfect in his department, and will seldom or ever be long out of employment.