HUNTING MAXIMS. 263 



direct his cast. When such hounds follow- 

 unwillingly, he may be certain the rest of the 

 pack are running without a scent. 



When he casts his hounds, let him not cast 

 wide, without reason ; for of course it will take 

 more time. Huntsmen, in general, keep too 

 forward in their casts ; or, as a sailor would 

 say, keep too long on one tack. They should 

 endeavour to hit off the scent by crossing the 

 line of it. Two parallel lines, you know, can 

 never meet.* 



When he goes to a halloo, let him be care- 

 ful lest his hounds run the heel, as much 

 time is lost by it. I once saw this mistake 

 made by a famous huntsman : after we had 

 left a cover, which we had been drawing, a 

 disturbed fox was seen to go into it: he was 

 hallooed, and we returned. The huntsman, 

 who never inquired where the fox was seen, 

 or on ivhich side the cover he entered, threw 

 his hounds in at random ; and, as it happen- 

 ed, on the opposite sid^: they immediately 

 took the heel of him, broke cover, and hunt- 

 ed the scent back to his very kennel. 



* By attending to this, a huntsman cannot fail to make 

 a good cast ; for, if he observe the point of the fox, he may 

 always cross upon the scent of him. 



