THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 187 



any part of it. If, on the contrary, the fox is reported 

 to have been viewed, holding on his course, as straight 

 as could have been desired, there will be no end to 

 the talk of the wonders which might have been en- 

 acted ; nor can you forgive yourself, or even be forgiven, 

 for doubting the bravery and stoutness of the fox. You 

 have no right to suppose a fox beaten, unless the pace, 

 and the time you have been running him, warrant the 

 conclusion. If you fancy that he has taken refuge 

 under ground, or in some outhouse, or rick yard, it will 

 be time enough to search, and determine this point, 

 after you have ascertained that he is not still shewing 

 his heels to you. He may have gone to the very mouth 

 of a drain, may have passed under a barn, over a house, 

 to which points the hounds will run, and no further ; but 

 it does not absolutely follow that he is not progressing ; 

 he may not have taken sanctuary, you may have a whip- 

 per-in to see that he does not steal away, but still you 

 should make a cast all round the premises before com- 

 mencing a search. Hounds will bay, as a matter of course, 

 at a drain, especially if they are in the habit of running 

 to ground, and the fox has tried it ; but many a recovery 

 has ultimately been made forward, after a most useless 

 waste of time and labour, in the upturning of faggots, 

 routing the gardens, poking under the laurels, &c. &c., 

 every one swearing he can be nowhere else but there, 

 because they remember a similar finish to some particular 



