OF CASTING 223 



me, " that, if he should not, what then becomes of their 

 suppose!' Better, surely, would it be, to make a short 

 cast forward first ; they then might be certain the 

 hounds were wrong, and, of course, could make their 

 own cast with greater confidence : — the advantage, 

 next to that of knowing whither the fox is gone, is 

 that of knowing with certainty whither he is not. 



Most huntsmen like to have all their hounds 

 turned after them when they make a cast : I wonder 

 not at them for it, but I am always sorry when I see 

 it done ; for, till I find a huntsman that is infallible, I 

 shall continue to think the more my hounds spread the 

 better : as long as they are within sight or hearing, it 

 is sufficient. Many a time have I seen an obstinate 

 hound hit off the scent, when an obstinate huntsman, 

 by casting the wrong way, has done all in his power to 

 prevent it. Two foxes I remember to have seen killed 

 in one day by skirting hounds, while the huntsman 

 was making his cast the contrary way. 



When hounds, running in cover, come into a road, 

 and horses are on before, let the huntsman hold them 

 quickly on beyond where the horses have been, trying 

 the opposite side as he goes along: — should the horse- 

 men have been long enough there to have headed 

 back the fox, let them then try back. Condemn me 

 not for suffering hounds to try back when the fox has 

 been headed back : I recommend it at no other time. 



When your hounds divide into many parts, you had 

 better go off with the first fox that breaks. The 

 ground will soon get tainted ; nor will hounds like 

 a cover where they are often changing. 



