250 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



properly making his cast forward, after the pack 

 had been held on by the side of the road for some 

 distance, and no touch of a scent. At this time a 

 couple and a half of old hounds were seen cantering 

 back, lashing their sterns on the very Hne they had 

 gone forward, and were coming straight to the 

 cover, occasionally turning round to listen if the 

 pack was running. When at length they got 

 nearly to where the whipper-in and writer were, 

 that is, close to the large wood, he was in the act 

 of smacking his whip and rating them on, when the 

 wiiter requested him to be quiet and see the result, 

 which was that, as soon as they got back to the 

 cover-side, they hit off the scent, the fox having 

 come back the line he went. On which the whip 

 held up his cap, gave a view-halloo, and brought 

 the pack back ; after which the fox made the same 

 point over a fine country and was killed. But the 

 cause of the fox heading back was a waggon and 

 horses, which the writer could see up the road, but 

 which the huntsman was not aware of ; and it must 

 have been exactly opposite the spot where the fox 

 would otherwise have crossed the road, at the time 

 he got there, and headed back. 



