258 HINTS TO THE HUNTSMAN. 



made. The trotting away with hounds, to 

 make a long and knowing cast, is a privilege 

 which a new huntsman cannot pretend to : an 

 experienced one may safely say a fox has made 

 for such a cover, when he has known, perhaps, 

 that nine out of ten, with the wind in the same 

 quarter, have constantly gone thither. 



In a country where there are large earths, a 

 fox that knows the country, and tries any of 

 them, seldom fails to try the rest. A huntsman 

 may take advantage of this ; they are certain 

 casts, and may help him to get nearer to 

 his fox. 



Great caution is necessary when a fox runs 

 into a village : if he is hallooed there, get 

 forward as fast as you can. Foxes, when tired, 

 will lie down any where, and are often lost 

 by it. A wide cast is not the best to recover 

 a tired fox with tired hounds ; they should 

 hunt him out, inch by inch, though they are 

 ever so long about it, for the reason I have just 

 given, that he will lie down any where. 



In chases and forests, where high fences are 

 made to preserve the coppices, I like to see 

 a huntsman put only a few hounds over, enough 

 to carry on the scent, and get forward with the 

 rest : it is a proof that he knows his business. 



