OF CASTING 213 



when it is easy to make a regular cast round them, is, 

 in my judgment, very unnecessary ; it is wilfully losing 

 time to no purpose. I have, indeed, been told, that 

 hounds at no time should be taken off their noses : I 

 shall only say, in answer to this, that a fox-hound who 

 will not bear lifting, is not worth the keeping ; and, I 

 will venture to say, it should be made part of his 

 education. 



Though I like to see fox-hounds cast wide and 

 forward, and dislike to see them pick a cold scent 

 through flocks of sheep to no purpose ; yet I must 

 beg leave to observe, that I dislike still more to see 

 that unaccountable hurry, which huntsmen will some- 

 times put themselves into the moment their hounds 

 are at fault. Time ought always to be allowed them 

 to make their own cast ; and, if a huntsman be 

 judicious, he will take that opportunity to consider 

 what part he himself has next to act : but, instead 

 of this, I have seen hounds hurried away the very 

 instant they came to a fault ; a wide cast made ; and 

 the hounds at last brought back again to the very 

 place from whence they were so abruptly taken ; and 

 where, if the huntsman could have had a minute's 

 patience, they would have hit off the scent them- 

 selves. It is always great impertinence in a huntsman, 

 to pretend to make his cast before the hounds 

 have made theirs. Prudence should direct him to 

 encourage, and I may say, humour, his hounds, in 

 the cast they seem inclined to make, and either to 

 stand still, or trot round with them, as circumstances 

 may require. 



