HUNTSMAN 157 



from a sudden turn the hounds make that he is 

 afraid to go on, and begins to head back. If, on 

 occasions of this sort, he beats them out of scent 

 and all hunting is at an end, the best plan is to 

 finish with trotting back to the cover where he was 

 found ; most hkely he will be got there, unless you 

 go back with the hounds too quickly, for a fox often 

 stops and Hstens when he finds he is not pressed, 

 and should he hear the huntsman, or get wind of 

 the pack on their way back, he will bear off, or lie 

 down, which is one reason why he is not more 

 easily beaten. If instead foxes were to go on 

 straight, best pace, they could not stand it as 

 they do, therefore it requires judgment in not 

 getting back to the cover too quickly. This 

 may be called, though unfairly so, Hfting hounds ; 

 but it is not so, for it would not be done until 

 every other cast had been made. The question 

 therefore is this, if the hounds cannot hunt 

 or feel a scent, will you adopt this plan, or go 

 home ? Some may say, neither, but go and find a 

 fresh fox. By all means do this, if the pack have 

 not done much and another can be found quickly ; 

 but in most countries it is easier said than done, 

 and when doubtful, it is better to give the hounds 

 this chance of recovering their first fox, or probably 



