MR. MEYNELl's opinions AND PRACTICE. 395 



that the steam of the horses could not interfere 

 with the scent. It is true, hounds should not be 

 cast, if they can do the work themselves ; and if 

 the authority of !Mr. Meynell could restrain a Lei- 

 cestershire field of horsemen to keep aloof when his 

 hounds were at check, more time may have been 

 given them to make their own cast ; but it must 

 be recollected that, when the hounds are at fault, 

 the fox is not.'"* Again, " when his hounds came 

 to a check, every encouragement was given to them 

 to recover the scent, without the huntsman getting 

 amongst them, or whippers-in driving them about, 

 which is the common practice of most packs. The 

 hounds were holloaed back to the place where they 

 brought the scent, and encouraged to try round in 

 their own way, which they generally did success- 

 fully, avoiding the time lost in the mistaken prac- 

 tice of castino" hounds at the heels of the huntsman. 

 ^Vhen the hounds were cast, it was in two or three 

 difterent lots, by Mr. iSIeynell, his huntsman, and 

 whipper-in ; and not driven together in a body, 

 like a flock of sheep. They were allowed to spread, 

 and use their own sagacity, at a very gentle pace ; 

 and not hurried about in a blustering manner. It 

 was Mr. MeynelPs opinion, that a great noise, and 

 scolding of hounds, made them wild. Correcting 

 them in a quiet way was the most judicious method. 

 Whippers-in also should turn hounds quietly, and 

 not call after them in a noisy, disagreeable manner."" 

 In all the foregoing remarks we coincide with the 

 opinions of these two celebrated sportsmen. We 

 think a huntsman should never be nearer than from 



