OF CASTING 119 



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. 



I have seen huntsmen make their cast on bad ground, when they 

 might as easily have made it on good ; I have seen them suffer their hounds 

 to try in the midst of a flock of sheep, when there was a hedge near, where 

 they might have been sure to take the scent ; and I have seen a cast made 

 with every hound at their horse's heels. When a hound tries for the scent, 

 his nose is to the ground ; when a huntsman makes a cast, his eye should 

 be on his hounds ; and when he sees them spread wide, and try as they 

 ought, his cast may then be quick. 



When hounds are at fault, and the huntsman halloos them off the 

 line of the scent, the whippers-in smacking their whips, and rating them 

 after him ; if he should trot away with them, may they not think that 

 the business of the day is over ? Hounds never, in my opinion (unless in 

 particular cases, or when you go to a halloo), should Jbe taken entirely off 

 their noses ; but, when lifted, should be constantly made to try as they 

 go. Some huntsmen have a dull, stupid way of speaking to their hounds : 

 at these times little should be said, and that should have both meaning 

 and expression in it. 



When your huntsman makes a cast, I hope he makes it perfect one way, 

 before he tries another ; as much time is lost in going backwards and for- 

 wards. You will see huntsmen, when a forward cast does not succeed, 

 come slowly back again : they should return as fast as they can. 



When hounds are at fault, and it is probable that the fox has headed 

 back, your cast forward should be short and quick ; for the scent is then 

 likely to be behind you : too obstinate a perseverance forward, has been 

 the loss of many foxes. In heathy countries, if there be many roads, 

 foxes will always run them in dry weather : when hounds, therefore, over- 

 run the scent, if your huntsman return to the first cross-road, he probably 

 will hit off the scent again. 



In large covers where there are several roads ; in bad scenting days, 

 when these roads are dry ; or, after a thaw, when they carry it is necessary 

 that your huntsman should be near to his hounds, to help them, and hold 

 them forward. Foxes will run the roads at these times, and hounds cannot 

 always own the scent. When they are at fault on a dry road, let not your 

 huntsman turn back too soon ; let him not stop, till he can be certain that 

 the fox is not gone on. The hounds should try on both sides the road at 

 once : if he perceive that they try on one side only, let him try the other 

 on his return. 



When hounds are running in cover, if a huntsman should see a fox 

 come into a road, and cannot see which way he turns afterwards, let him 



