out of Whinfield Park in the county of Westmoreland, and was pursued by
the hounds till, by accident or fatigue, the whole pack was thrown out
with the exception of two dogs which continued the chase. Its length is
uncertain, but the chase was seen at Red Kirk near Annan in Scotland,
distant by the post road about forty-six miles. The stag returned to the
park from which he had set out, so that considering the circuitous route
which it pursued, it is supposed to have run over not less than one
hundred and twenty miles. It was its greatest and last achievement, for
it leapt the wall of the park and immediately expired; the hounds were
also found dead at no great distance from the wall which they had been
unable to leap. An inscription was placed on a tree in the park, in
memory of the animals, and the horns of the stag, the largest ever seen
in that part of the country, were placed over it."
The Fox-Hound.
"In giving a description of the various breeds of dogs," says Mr. Jesse,
"everyone must be aware, that by crossing and recrossing them many of
those we now see have but little claim to originality. The fox-hound,
the old Irish wolf-dog, and the Colley or shepherd's dog, may perhaps be
considered as possessing the greatest purity of blood." Mr. Jesse then
refers to a picture of a pack of hounds in Wilkinson's "Manners and
Customs of the Egyptians," a picture which was copied from a painting
found in one of the tombs of the Pharaohs, in which "every individual
hound is characteristic of the present breed." If this be so, as Mr.
Jesse says, "this breed must be considered of a much more ancient date
than is generally supposed." The Fox-hound is described by Colonel Smith
as "somewhat lower at the shoulders and more slenderly built" than the
stag-hound. His colour is "white, but commonly marked with larger clouds
of black and tan, one on each side the head, covering the ears, the same
on each flank and one at the root of the tail." The Fox-hound has great
strength and endurance, and will run ten hours in pursuit of the fox.
The Fox-hound's Tenacity.
Many extraordinary stories are told of the Fox-hound's ardour for sport.
According to Mr. Jesse, a bitch was on one occasion taken in labour
while in the hunting field, and after giving birth to a pup took it in
its mouth and pursued the chase. Another bitch, whose eye had been
struck from the socket accidentally by the lash of the whipper-in who
did not believe her challenge, pursued the fox alone for a great
distance with her eye pendant, until the rest of the pack came up and
the fox was killed. Perhaps one of the most remarkable instances of
tenacity of purpose in an animal is that quoted by Mr. Jesse from the
supplement to Mr. Daniel's "Rural Sports." "The circumstance took place
in the year 1808, in the counties of Inverness and Perth, and perhaps
surpasses any length of pursuit known in the annals of hunting. On the
8th of June in that year, a fox and hound were seen near Dunkeld in
Perthshire, on the high road, proceeding at a slow trotting pace. The
dog was about fifty yards behind the fox, and each was so fatigued as
not to gain on the other. A countryman very easily caught the fox, and
both it and the dog were taken to a gentleman's house in the
neighbourhood, where the fox died. It was afterwards ascertained that
the hound belonged to the Duke of Gordon, and that the fox was started
on the morning of the 4th of June, on the top of those hills called
Monaliadh, which separate Badenoch from Fort Augustus. From this it
appeared that the chase lasted four days, and that the distance
traversed from the place where the fox was unkennelled to the spot where
it was caught, without making any allowances for doubles, crosses, etc.,
and as the crow flies, exceeded seventy miles."
The Harrier.
"The Harrier," says Colonel Smith, "so called from being usually applied
to hare hunting is smaller than the fox-hound, not exceeding eighteen
inches at the shoulder. It is entirely an artificial breed and is often
confounded with the beagle."
The Beagle.
The Beagle is called by Mr. Jesse, "a Fox-hound in miniature," and he
adds nothing can well be more perfect than the shape of these small
dogs. "In Queen Elizabeth's reign," says Colonel Smith, "the fanciers
bred a race so small, that a complete cry of them could be carried out
to the field in a pair of panniers. That princess had little singing
beagles which could be placed in a man's glove! At present they are
about twelve or fourteen inches at the shoulders, stout and compact in
make, with long ears, and either marked with a bright streak or spot of
white about the neck on a dark brown coat, or white with spots like a
harrier, of black and red. They are slow but persevering, and are
sufficiently sure of killing their game."
The Dalmatian Dog.
Colonel Smith places the Dalmatian dog with the hounds on the ground of
similarity of general structure. Elegant in form and beautiful in making
it is said to be less keen in scent and less sagacious than other dogs.
Sagacious or not, it was one of these dogs that Lord Maynard found
awaiting him at his house in England after having lost him in France.
The Turnspit.
"The Turnspit," says Captain Brown, "derived its name from the service
in which it was engaged before the invention of machinery to do the same
work, and, what is remarkable, now that the office is extinct, so also
has nearly become the species which used to perform it." "I have now in
my kitchen," said the Duke de Laincourt, to M. Descartes, "two turnspits
which take their turns regularly every other day in the wheel: one of
them, not liking his employment, hid himself on the day he should have
wrought, when his companion was forced to mount the wheel in his stead;
but crying and wagging his tail, he intimated that those in attendance
should first follow him. He immediately conducted them to a garret,
where he dislodged the idle dog, and killed him immediately." Another
instance is recorded by Captain Brown as follows: "When the cook had
prepared the meat for roasting, he found that the dog which should have
wrought the spit had disappeared. He attempted to employ another, but it
bit his leg and fled. Soon after, however, the refractory dog entered
the kitchen driving before him the truant turnspit, which immediately of
its own accord went into the wheel." It is easy to see from these
stories that the occupation was not a popular one and it is well that it
is no longer a necessary one.
The Pointer.
The pointer (_Canis avicularis_) as resembling the race of hounds, more
than any other of the shooting or gun dogs is placed next to them in the
classification of Colonel Smith, who says: "In their present qualities
of standing fixed and pointing to game, we see the result of a long
course of severe training; and it is a curious fact, that by a
succession of generations having been constantly educated to this
purpose, it has become almost innate, and young dogs of the true breed
point with scarcely any instruction: this habit is so firm in some that
the late Mr. Gilpin is reported to have painted a brace of pointers
while in the act, and that they stood an hour and a quarter without
moving." A smooth dog, resembling the fox-hound in his markings, though
sometimes entirely black, the pointer is used by sportsmen to point them
to the spot where the game is to be found. "It ranges the fields," says
Mr. Wood, "until it scents the hare or partridge lying close on the
ground. It then remains still as if carved in stone, every limb fixed,
and the tail pointing straight behind it. In this attitude it remains
until the gun is discharged, reloaded, and the sportsman has reached the
place where the bird sprang."
The Pointer as a Sportsman.
The pointer is a keen sportsman and will "point" without tiring while
worthily supported by the gun, but many stories are told of his disgust
at a bad shot and his refusal to "point" for unskilful sportsmen. The
following amusing story is told by Captain Brown and is quoted as
follows by Mr. Jesse: "A gentleman, on his requesting the loan of a
pointer-dog from a friend, was informed by him that the dog would behave
very well so long as he could kill his birds; but if he frequently
missed them, it would run home and leave him. The dog was sent, and the
following day was fixed for trial; but, unfortunately, his new master
was a remarkably bad shot. Bird after bird rose and was fired at, but
still pursued its flight untouched, till, at last, the pointer became
careless, and often missed his game. As if seemingly willing, however,
to give one chance more, he made a dead stop at a fern-bush, with his
nose pointed downward, the fore-foot bent, and his tail straight and
steady. In this position he remained firm till the sportsman was close
to him, with both barrels cocked, then moving steadily forward for a
few paces, he at last stood still near a bunch of heather, the tail
expressing the anxiety of the mind by moving regularly backwards and
forwards. At last out sprang a fine old blackcock. Bang, bang, went both
barrels, but the bird escaped unhurt. The patience of the dog was now
quite exhausted; and, instead of dropping to charge, he turned boldly
round, placed his tail between his legs, gave one howl, long and loud,
and set off as fast as he could to his own home." The pointer has been
known to lie down without bidding beside game which has been dropped
from a bag, after a long day's shooting, and watch it faithfully until
relieved on the following day, when the missing birds were searched for
and found.
The Setter.
The Setter (_Canis Index_) divides with the pointer the duty of
attending the sportsman on his shooting expeditions. According to
Captain Brown he was "originally derived from a cross between the
Spanish pointer and the large water spaniel and was justly celebrated
for his fine scent." Many crossings have considerably varied the breed,
of which the Irish is now considered purer than the English and Scotch
breeds. "In figure," says Colonel Smith, "they participate of the
pointer and the Spaniel, though larger than the latter. In England they
are white, or white with black or brown marks." They are intelligent,
affectionate and docile, and often show great sagacity outside the
domain of sport.
The Scent of the Setter.
Col. Hutchinson says, "I was partridge-shooting the season before last
with an intimate friend. The air was soft, and there was a good breeze.
We came upon a large turnip-field, deeply trenched on account of its
damp situation. A white setter, that habitually carried a lofty head,
drew for awhile, and then came to a point. We got up to her. She led us
across some ridges, when her companion, a jealous dog (a pointer), which
had at first backed correctly, most improperly pushed on in front, but,
not being able to acknowledge the scent, went off, clearly imagining the
bitch was in error. She, however, held on, and in beautiful style
brought us up direct to a covey. My friend and I agreed that she must
have been but little, if at all, less than one hundred yards off when
she first winded the birds; and it was clear to us that they could not
have been running, for the breeze came directly across the furrows, and
she had led us in the wind's eye. We thought the point the more
remarkable, as it is generally supposed that the strong smell of turnips
diminishes a dog's power of scenting birds."
The Setter's Sagacity.
Mr. Huet tells the following story of the sagacity of the setter. "The
gamekeeper had, on one of the short days of December, shot at and
wounded a deer. Hoping to run him down before night, he instantly put
the dog upon the track, which followed it at full speed, and soon was
out of sight. At length it grew dark, and the gamekeeper returned home,
thinking he should find the setter arrived there before him; but he was
disappointed, and became apprehensive that his dog might have lost
himself, or fallen a prey to some ravenous animal. The next morning,
however, we were all greatly rejoiced to see him come running into the
yard, whence he directly hastened to the door of my apartment, and, on
being admitted, ran, with gestures expressive of solicitude and
eagerness, to a corner of the room where guns were placed. We understood
the hint, and, taking the guns, followed him. He led us not by the road
which he himself had taken out of the wood, but by beaten paths half
round it, and then by several wood-cutters' tracks in different
directions, to a thicket, where, following him a few paces, we found the
deer which he had killed. The dog seems to have rightly judged that we
should have been obliged to make our way with much difficulty through
almost the whole length of the wood, in order to come to the deer in a
straight direction, and he therefore led us a circuitous but open and
convenient road. Between the legs of the deer, which he had guarded
during the night against the beasts of prey that might otherwise have
seized upon it, he had scratched a hole in the snow, and filled it with
dry leaves for his bed. The extraordinary sagacity which he had
displayed upon this occasion rendered him doubly valuable to us, and it
therefore caused us very serious regret when, in the ensuing summer, the
poor animal went mad, possibly in consequence of his exposure to the
severe frost of that night, and it became necessary for the gamekeeper
to shoot him, which he could not do without shedding tears. He said he
would willingly have given his best cow to save him; and I confess
myself that I would not have hesitated to part with my best horse upon
the same terms."
The Spaniel.
There are many varieties of the Spaniel of which the Water Spaniel, the
King Charles Spaniel, the Blenheim and the Maltese Spaniels are the best
known. The Water Spaniels figure on some of the later monuments of Rome
and so prove their antiquity. Colonel Smith describes the Spaniel as a
small setter, with silky hair and fine long villous ears; black, brown
pied, liver coloured, white and black-and-white, the water spaniel
differing from the other species chiefly in his readiness to hunt and
swim in the water and the hair being somewhat harder to the touch. The
spaniel has a great affection for his master and is never tired of
testifying his appreciation of his kindness. Colonel Smith mentions a
dog allied to the spaniel race, who at the time of his writing (April
1840) had been lying on the grave of his mistress for three days,
refusing all food, and was on that day being forcibly removed. Spaniels
are often very intelligent, displaying the same sagacity as other and
larger dogs and in the same way. Mr. Jesse mentions a King Charles
spaniel who was locked by his master in a room in Vere St. Clare Market,
one afternoon about half past five, while he went with his family to
Drury Lane theatre. About eight o'clock in the evening the dog escaped
his confinement and found his way to the theatre where he discovered his
master in the midst of the pit, though it was crowded at the time. The
Blenheim spaniel is similar to the King Charles breed, though somewhat
different in its markings, fuller about the muzzle and shorter in the
back. Blenheims have been known to show great intelligence and
affection. A story is told of one who upon being attacked by two cats,
obtained the assistance of a third cat, waylaid his enemies one at a
time and, with the assistance of his friend, taught them better manners.
The Maltese dog is another favourite species, much admired and petted by
ladies.
The Sagacity of the Water Spaniel.
Captain Brown gives the following from a letter written by a gentleman
at Dijon in France, to his friend in London, dated August 15, 1764:
"Since my arrival here a man has been broken on the wheel, with no other
proof to condemn him than that of a water-spaniel. The circumstances
attending it being so very singular and striking, I beg leave to
communicate them to you. A farmer, who had been to receive a sum of
money, was waylaid, robbed, and murdered, by two villains. The farmer's
dog returned with all speed to the house of the person who had paid the
money, and expressed such amazing anxiety that he would follow him,
pulling him several times by the sleeve and skirt of the coat, that, at
length, the gentleman yielded to his importunity. The dog led him to the
field, a little from the roadside, where the body lay. From thence the
gentleman went to a public-house, in order to alarm the country. The
moment he entered, (as the two villains were there drinking), the dog
seized the murderer by the throat, and the other made his escape. This
man lay in prison three months, during which time they visited him once
a-week with the spaniel, and though they made him change his clothes
with other prisoners, and always stand in the midst of a crowd, yet did
the animal always find him out, and fly at him. On the day of trial,
when the prisoner was at the bar, the dog was let loose in the
court-house, and in the midst of some hundreds he found him out (though
dressed entirely in new clothes), and would have torn him to pieces had
he been allowed; in consequence of which he was condemned, and at the
place of execution he confessed the fact."
The Terrier.
There are many varieties of terrier including numerous celebrated
breeds. The English, Scotch, Skye, Bull and Fox terriers being the best
known. Innumerable stories of the intelligence and sagacity of the
various breeds might be told if space permitted, but it must suffice to
say that for sportsmanlike qualities, for general intelligence and
sagacity, and for affection for his master, the terrier of whatever
breed will hold his own against any other dog. Dogs are said to have
natural antipathies, and that of the Bull-dog for the bull is an obvious
illustration. An equal antipathy is shown by the English terrier for the
rat and by the Fox-terrier for the cat, though the latter is perhaps as
much a matter of education as of nature. Terriers are, however, among
the best known of dogs and therefore need the less description.
The Mastiff.
The Mastiff is said to be of an original breed indigenous to England,
whence some were exported to Italy in the days of the Roman emperors.
The breed has since been crossed by stag and blood hounds and the
present is a magnificent animal of great power and noble character. The
ancient breed was brindled yellow and black, the present is usually
deeper or lighter buff with-dark muzzle and ears. The mastiff is
sometimes twenty-nine or thirty inches in height at the shoulder.
The Mastiff's Fidelity.
The Mastiff is the best of watch dogs, for he brings an intelligence to
bear upon his duty which is in the highest degree surprising. He has
been known to walk by the side of an intending thief "forbidding his
laying hands upon any article, yet abstaining from doing him any bodily
harm, and suffering his escape over the walls," but leaving his master's
property intact. A mastiff who had been left by his master, who was a
sweep, in charge of his bag of soot in a narrow street in Southampton,
refused to leave it either for coaxings or threats, and rather than
desert his duty allowed himself to be run over and killed.
The Mastiff's Discrimination.
The mastiff has a powerful scent, and remarkable skill in discovering
the lost property of his master. Captain Brown gives the following
extract from a letter from St. Germains: "An English gentleman some time
ago came to our Vauxhall with a large mastiff, which was refused
admittance, and the gentleman left him in the care of the body-guards,
who are placed there. The Englishman, some time after he had entered,
returned to the gate and informed the guards that he had lost his watch,
telling the sergeant, that if he would permit him to take in the dog, he
would soon discover the thief. His request being granted, the gentleman
made motions to the dog of what he had lost, which immediately ran about
amongst the company, and traversed the gardens, till at last he laid
hold of a man. The gentleman insisted that this person had got his
watch; and on being searched, not only his watch, but six others, were
discovered in his pockets. What is more remarkable, the dog possessed
such a perfection of instinct as to take his master's watch from the
other six, and carry it to him."
The Mastiff as Protector.
Mr. Jesse gives the following story which he reprinted from a
contemporary newspaper:
"A most extraordinary circumstance has just occurred at the Hawick
toll-bar, which is kept by two old women. It appears that they had a sum
of money in the house, and were extremely alarmed lest they should be
robbed of it. Their fears prevailed to such an extent, that, when a
carrier whom they knew was passing by, they urgently requested him to
remain with them all night, which, however, his duties would not permit
him to do; but, in consideration of the alarm of the women, he consented
to leave with them a large mastiff dog. In the night the women were
disturbed by the uneasiness of the dog, and heard a noise apparently
like an attempt to force an entrance into the premises, upon which they
escaped by the back-door, and ran to a neighbouring house, which
happened to be a blacksmith's shop. They knocked at the door, and were
answered from within by the smith's wife. She said her husband was
absent, but that she was willing to accompany the terrified women to
their home. On reaching the house, they heard a savage but half-stifled
growling from the dog. On entering they saw the body of a man hanging
half in and half out of their little window, whom the dog had seized by
the throat, and was still worrying. On examination, the man proved to be
their neighbour the blacksmith, dreadfully torn about the throat, and
quite dead."
The Bull-Dog.
The Bull-dog (_Canis Anglicus_), is said to be an original English
breed, and Colonel Smith suggests that this dog rather than the mastiff
was the one which flourished in England in Roman times. Not indeed the
breed as it at present exists, but "one little inferior to the mastiff,"
"but with the peculiar features of the bull form more strongly marked."
"The bull-dog," says Colonel Smith, "differs from all others, even from
the mastiff, in giving no warning of his attack by his barking, he
grapples his opponents without in the least estimating their comparative
weight and powers. We have seen one pinning an American Bison and
holding his nose down till the animal gradually brought forward its hind
feet and crushing the dog to death tore his muzzle out of the fangs,
most dreadfully mangled. We have known another hallooed on to attack a
disabled eagle; the bird unable to escape, threw himself on the back,
and as the dog sprang at his throat, struck him with his claws, one of
which penetrating the skull, killed him instantly, and caused his
master the loss of a valued animal and one hundred dollars in the
wager." "The bull-dog is possessed of less sagacity and less attachment
than any of the hound tribe; he is therefore less favoured, and more
rarely bred with care, excepting by professed amateurs of sports and
feelings little creditable to humanity. He is of moderate size, but
entirely moulded for strength and elasticity." He never leaves his hold,
when once he has got it, while life lasts, hence he has become the type
of obstinate pertinacity; and unflinching courage.
The Poodle Dog.
The Poodle dog while possessing many natural qualities which endear it
to its owner, is capable of great cultivation and is for this reason
much affected by those who train dogs for public performances. Of the
clever tricks the poodle has been trained to perform many stories are
told, among which the following from M. Blaze's "History of the Dog," as
quoted in Mr. Jesse's "Anecdotes of Dogs," is one of the most amusing.
"A shoe-black on the Pont Neuf at Paris had a poodle dog, whose sagacity
brought no small profit to his master. If the dog saw a person with
well-polished boots go across the bridge, he contrived to dirty them, by
having first rolled himself in the mud of the Seine. His master was then
employed to clean them. An English gentleman, who had suffered more than
once from the annoyance of having his boots dirtied by a dog, was at
last induced to watch his proceedings, and thus detected the tricks he
was playing for his master's benefit. He was so much pleased with the
animal's sagacity, that he purchased him at a high price and conveyed
him to London. On arriving there, he was confined to the house till he
appeared perfectly satisfied with his new master and his new situation.
He at last, however, contrived to escape, and made his way back to
Paris, where he rejoined his old master, and resumed his former
occupation."
Weasels, Otters and Badgers.