The principal objects are to remember what has been played; and when no
pairs or combinations can be made, to clear the hand of court cards,
which cannot be combined, and are only of service in pairing or in
gaining the final sweep: but should no court cards be left, it is best
to play any small ones, except aces, as thereby combinations are often
prevented.
In making pairs and combinations a preference should generally be given
to spades, as obtaining a majority of them may save the game.
When three aces are out, take the first opportunity to play the fourth,
as it then cannot pair; but when there is another ace remaining, it is
better even to play the little cassino, that can only make one point,
than to risk the ace, which may be paired by the opponent, and make a
difference of two points; and if great cassino and an ace be on the
board, prefer the ace, as it may be paired or combined, but great
cassino can only be paired.
Do not neglect sweeping the board when an opportunity offers; always
prefer taking up the card laid down by the opponent, and as many as
possible with one card; endeavour likewise to win the last cards or
final sweep.
While great or little cassino is in, avoid playing either a ten or a
deuce.
When you hold a pair, lay down one of them, unless when there is a
similar card on the table, and the fourth not yet out.
Attend to the adversaries’ score, and, if possible, prevent them from
saving their lurch, even though you otherwise seemingly get less
yourself, particularly if you can hinder them from clearing the board.
At the commencement of a game, combine all the cards possible, for that
is more difficult than pairing; but when combination cannot be made, do
not omit to pair, and also carefully avoid losing opportunities of
making tricks.—_Hoyle._
CAST, _v._ To admit of a form by casting or melting; to warp, to
grow out of form; to direct the hunting of a dog.
When hounds are at fault, staring about and trusting to their eyes and
ears, a forward cast is the least likely to regain the scent; the place
where they left is the most probable spot for them to hit the scent, and
hounds knowing where they left the scent, will there try to recover it,
nor is a wide cast often to be made without good reason; the scent
should be tried to be retrieved by crossing the line of it, and a
huntsman, by attending to this, will not fail to make a good cast, if he
observes the point of the fox. When hounds cannot hit off a fault by
themselves, the first cast should be speedy; the scent is then good, and
hounds not likely to go over it. Every huntsman should adopt these
rules; with a good scent his cast should be quick, with a bad scent,
slow, and when hounds are picking along a cold scent, he is not to cast
them at all.
* * * * *
Hounds that are all well taught will cast forward to a hedge of their
own accord. Time ought always to be allowed them to make their own cast;
it is impertinence in a huntsman to prevent them, and prudence should
induce him to humour his hounds in the cast they seem inclined to make,
and either to stand still, or trot round with them, as circumstances may
point out. Different countries require different casts; in an open
country, wide casts are always necessary; in casting round a flock of
sheep, the whipper-in ought to drive them the other way, lest they keep
running on before the hounds; in every cast a huntsman should make it
perfect one way, before he tries another.—_Daniel._
CAST, s. The act of casting or throwing; a throw; state of any thing
cast or thrown; the throw of dice; chance from the cast of dice;
a mould, a form; a shade, or tendency to any colour; manner,
air, mien; a flight of hawks.
CASTER, _s._ A thrower, he that casts.
CASTILE SOAP, _s._ A kind of soap.
CASTING-NET, _s._ A net to be thrown into the water by hand.
The casting-net may be successfully employed in a certain depth of
water, viz. gudgeon net at four, and large meshed casting net from six
to eight feet: in the making great attention must be paid to putting in
the widenings, or the net will never open freely, however skilful the
person that throws it. In preparing it for casting, it must not be taken
upon the shoulder so short as to prevent the leads having their proper
swing, which is to be aided by the corresponding turn of the caster’s
body, at the exact moment of delivering it from his arm; and the first
object is, to let the leads all break the surface at once. Many persons
jerk one part of the net high in the air (which assists the spreading),
whilst the other part of the lead line drops close to the caster’s foot,
making a variation of some seconds in the fall of the different leads
into the water: fish must be very crowded, or extremely sleepy, if they
remain within the curtailed range and slow sinking of a net so cast. The
nicety of the art is, to be able to cover any particular spot, and to
shape the net accordingly; and no one can be deemed a proficient, unless
he is an ambidexter, and throws from either shoulder, as the turning and
holes in a river may require.
For carp or large fish, the mesh should be an inch and three quarters,
and the circumference of the lead line not less than twenty-four yards,
and from that to twenty-eight; if made of silk, it will sink more
speedily, and of course will admit to be thrown with success in deeper
water and more weeds. By baiting a place in ponds with grains, worms, or
graves, the fish may be collected, and the casting-net thrown over them:
should there be much mud, let the net remain quiet some minutes, and the
fish will rise from the mud, into which they may have sunk themselves at
the noise of the net.
* * * * *
N.B.—A piece of crumb of bread put into the stomach of either carp or
tench suspected to be tainted with the mud, will absorb all the
disagreeable taste, and should be taken out before they are sent to
table.
CASTLE, _s._ _Vide_ CHESS.
CASTOR OIL, _s._ Oil made from the beaver.
A useful laxative in cases where it is necessary to open the bowels, and
at the same time avoid irritation: it is therefore extremely proper in
fevers accompanied with costiveness, particularly when there appears to
be pain and irritation in the bowels, and may be given with four or six
ounces of Epsom salts.