426 THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 



'' Ha ! a check. Now for a moment's patience. We 

 press too close upon the hounds ! — Huntsman, stand 

 still : as yet they want you not. How admirably they 

 spread ! — how wide they cast ! Is there a single 

 hound that does not try ? If such an one there be, 

 he ne'er shall hunt again. There, Trueman is on the 

 scent ! — he feathers, yet still is doubtful : 'tis right ! 

 how readily they join him ! See those wide-casting 

 hounds, how they fly forward to recover the ground 

 they have lost ! Mind Lightning how she dashes ! 

 and Mungo, how he works ! Old Frantic, too, now 

 pushes forward j she knows as well as we the fox is 

 sinking. 



On ! yet she flies, nor yields 



To black despair. But one loose more, and all 

 His wiles are vain. Hark ! through yon village now 

 The rattling clamour rings. The barns, the cots. 

 And leafless elms, return the joyous sounds. 

 Through ev'ry homestall, and through ev'ry yard, 

 His midnight walks, panting, forlorn, he flies ; 



Th' unerring hounds 



With peals of echoing vengeance close pursue. 



" Huntsman, at fault at last ! How far did j^ou 

 bring the scent ? Have the hounds made their own 

 cast? — Now make yours. You see that sheep-dog 

 has been coursing the fox ! — get forward with your 

 hounds, and make a wide cast. 



" Hark ! that halloo is indeed a lucky one. If we 

 can hold him on, we may yet recover him ; for a fox, 

 so much distressed, must stop at last. We now shall 

 see if they will hunt, as well as run ; for there is but 

 little scent, and the impending cloud still makes that 

 little less. How they enjoy the scent ! see how busy 

 they all are, and how each in his turn prevails. 



" Huntsman, be quiet ! Whilst the scent was good, 

 you pressed on the hounds ; — it was well done Your 



