"Ah! gallant Snowball! what remains,
Up Fordon's banks, o'er Flixton's plains,
Of all thy strength--thy sinewy force,
Which rather flew than ran the course?
Ah! what remains? Save that thy breed
May to their father's fame succeed;
And when the prize appears in view,
May prove that they are Snowballs too."
The perfection to which the greyhound has been brought by persevering
care and attention to its breed, distinguishes it alike for beauty,
shape, and high spirit, while its habits are mild and gentle in the
extreme. These dogs were brought to this great perfection by the late
Lord Orford, Major Topham, and others. Snowball,--perhaps one of the
best greyhounds that ever ran,--won four cups, couples, and upwards
of thirty matches, at Malton, and upon the wolds of Yorkshire. In
fact, no dog had any chance with him except his own blood. In the
November Malton coursing-meeting in 1799, a Scotch greyhound was
produced, which had beat every opponent in Scotland. It was then
brought to England, and challenged any dog in the kingdom. The
challenge was accepted, and Snowball selected for the trial of speed;
after a course of two miles, the match (upon which considerable sums
were depending) was decided in his favour.
Another dog, which belonged to Sir Henry Bate Dudley, won seventy-four
successive matches, without having been once beaten.
Various have been the opinions upon the difference of speed between a
well-bred greyhound and a racehorse, if opposed to each other. Wishes
had been frequently indulged by the sporting world, that some
criterion could be adopted by which the superiority of speed could be
fairly ascertained, when the following circumstance accidentally took
place, and afforded some information upon what had been previously
considered a matter of great uncertainty. In the month of December,
some years ago, a match was to have been run over Doncaster
race-course for one hundred guineas; but one of the horses having been
drawn, a mare started alone, that by running the ground she might
ensure the wager, when having run about one mile in the four, she was
accompanied by a greyhound bitch, which joined her from the side of
the course, and emulatively entering into the competition, continued
to race with the mare for the other three miles, keeping nearly head
and head, and affording an excellent treat to the field by the
energetic exertions of each. At passing the distance-post, five to
four was betted in favour of the greyhound; when parallel with the
stand, it was even betting, and any person might have taken his choice
from five to ten: the mare, however, had the advantage by a head at
the termination of the course.
The courage and spirit of these dogs is very great. A greyhound ran a
hare single-handed and raced her so hard, that, not having time to run
through an opening at the bottom of some paling, she and the greyhound
made a spring at the same moment at the top of the pales. The dog
seized her at the instant she reached it, and in the momentary
struggle he slipt between two broken pales, each of which ran into the
top of his thighs. In this situation he hung till the horsemen came
up, when, to their great surprise, he had the hare fast in his mouth,
which was taken from him before he could be released.
I saw a hare coursed on the Brighton Downs some years ago by two
celebrated greyhounds. Such was the length of the course, some of it
up very steep hills, that the hare fell dead before the dogs, who were
so exhausted that they only reached to within six feet of her. This
was one of the severest courses ever witnessed.
On another occasion, two dogs ran a hare for several miles, and with
such speed as to be very soon out of sight of the coursing party.
After a considerable search, both the dogs and the hare were found
dead within a few yards of each other; nor did it appear that the
former had touched the hare. Mr. Daniel, in his "Rural Sports," states
that a brace of greyhounds, in Lincolnshire, ran a hare from her seat
to where she was killed, a distance, measuring straight, of upwards of
four miles, in twelve minutes. During the course there was a good
number of turns, which must have very considerably increased the space
gone over. The hare ran till she died before the greyhounds touched
her.
In the year 1798, a brace of greyhounds, the property of Mr. Courtall
of Carlisle, coursed a hare from the Swift, near that city, and killed
her at Clemmell, seven miles distant. Both greyhounds were so
exhausted, that unless the aid of medical men, who happened to be on
the spot, had been immediately given, they would have died, and it was
with difficulty they were recovered.
In the year 1818, a black greyhound bitch, the property of Mr. John
Heaton, of Scarisbrick, in Lancashire, left her master, forsook the
habitation where she had been reared, betook herself to the fields and
thickets, and adopted a life of unlimited freedom, defying all the
restraints of man. In this state she killed a great number of hares
for food, and occasionally made free with the sheep; she, therefore,
very soon became a nuisance in the neighbourhood. She had taken her
station at the distance of two miles from her master's house, and was
generally found near this spot. In consequence of her depredations,
many attempts were made to shoot her, but in vain. She eluded, for
more than six months, the vigilance of her pursuers. At length she was
observed to go into a barn that stood in a field which she frequented.
She entered the building through a hole in the wall, and, by means of
a rope-snare, was caught as she came out. On entering the barn, three
whelps were found about a week old; so that in her savage state she
had evidently been visited by a male of her own species. The whelps
were (foolishly enough) immediately destroyed. As the bitch herself
evinced the utmost ferocity, and, though well secured, vainly
attempted to seize every person that approached, she was taken home,
and treated with the greatest kindness. By degrees her ferocity
abated, and in the course of two months she became perfectly
reconciled to her original abode. The following season she ran several
courses. There continued a wildness in her look; yet, although at
perfect liberty, she did not attempt again to stray away, but seemed
quite reconciled to her domestic life.
Few facts can show the high courage of the greyhound more than the
following:--
As a gamekeeper of Lord Egremont's was leading a brace of greyhounds
in couples, a hare accidentally crossed the road in view. This
temptation proved so irresistible, that the dogs, by a joint effort,
broke suddenly from their conductor, and gave chase, shackled as they
were together. When they got up and gave the hare the first turn, it
was evidently much to her advantage, as the greyhounds were so
embarrassed that it was with great difficulty they could change the
direction. Notwithstanding this temporary delay, they sustained no
diminution of natural energy, but continued the course through and
over various obstructions, till the object of their pursuit fell a
victim to their invincible perseverance, after a run of between three
and four miles.
In addition to the beauty, elegance, high spirit, and speed of the
greyhound, may be mentioned his mild and affectionate disposition, as
well as his fidelity and attachment to those who treat him with
kindness. They will also show sometimes considerable sagacity, of
which the following is an instance:--
Two young gentlemen went to skate, attended only by a greyhound. About
the time they were expected home, the dog arrived at the house full
speed, and by his great anxiety, by laying hold of the clothes of some
of the inmates, and by his significant gestures, he convinced them
that something was wrong. They followed the greyhound, and came to the
pond. A hat was seen on the ice, near which was a fresh aperture. The
bodies of the young gentlemen were soon found, but life was extinct.
In this instance the sagacity of the dog was extraordinary. Had he
possessed the power of speech, he could scarcely have communicated
what had taken place more significantly than he did.
I have received the following anecdote from a friend, on whose
veracity I can depend:--In the year 1816, a greyhound bitch in pup was
sent from the neighbourhood of Edinburgh by a carrier, _via_ Dumfries,
to the neighbourhood of Castle Douglas, in the stewartry of
Kirkeudbright. She brought up her litter of pups there, and in the
following year was returned by the same route to Edinburgh, from
whence she was sent by way of Douglas and Muirkirk to the
neighbourhood of Cumnock, in Ayrshire. After remaining there five or
six months, she found her way across the country to the house near
Castle Douglas where she had brought up her pups. The fact of her
crossing the country was ascertained by shepherds, who saw her,
accompanied by a pointer-dog. She arrived, accompanied by this dog,
who left her almost immediately, and found his way home again. The
bitch was bred in East Lothian, and had never been previously either
in Ayrshire or Dumfriesshire.
A small Italian greyhound in Bologna, which used at nights to have a
kind of jacket put on, to guard him from the cold, went out generally
very early in the morning to a neighbouring house, to visit another
dog of the same breed which lived there. He always endeavoured, by
various coaxing gestures, to prevail upon the people of the house to
take off his night-jacket, in order that he might play more at ease
with his companion. It once happened, when he could not get any one to
do him this service, that he found means, by various contortions of
his body, rubbing himself against tables and chairs, and working with
his limbs, to undress himself without any other assistance. After this
trial had succeeded, he continued to practise it for some time, until
his master discovered it, who after that undressed him every morning,
and let him out of the house. At noon, and in the evening, he always
returned home. Sometimes, when he made his morning call, he found the
door of the house in which his friend dwelt not yet open. In these
cases he placed himself opposite to the house, and by loud barking
solicited admittance. But as the noise which he made became
troublesome both to the inhabitants of the house and to the
neighbours, they not only kept the door shut against him, but
endeavoured also to drive him away from the house by throwing stones
at him from the windows. He crept, however, so close to the door, that
he was perfectly secure against the stones, and now they had to drive
him away with a whip. After some time the dog went again to the house,
and waited without barking till the door was opened. He was again
driven away, upon which he discontinued his visits for a long time. At
length, however, he ventured to go once more to the house, and set up
a loud barking; placing himself in a situation where he was both
secure against the stones, and could not be seized by the people of
the house when they opened the door.
After a considerable time, he one morning saw a boy come to the house,
lay hold of the knocker, and strike it against the door, and he
observed that upon this process the door was opened. After the boy had
been let in, the dog crept along the side of the house to the door,
and took his station upon the spot where the boy had stood when he
knocked, and where no one who stood close to the door could be seen
from within. Here he leaped several times at the knocker, till he
raised it and made it strike the door. A person from within
immediately called, "Who is there?" but receiving no answer, opened
the door, upon which the dog ran in with tokens of great delight, and
soon found his way to his friend. Often after this he availed himself
of the fortunate discovery which he had made, and his ingenuity was so
much admired that it procured him thenceforward free access to his
companion's habitation.
While on the subject of greyhounds, I cannot resist the insertion of
the following account of one extracted from Froissart:--
When Richard II. was confined in the Castle of Flint, he possessed a
greyhound, which was so remarkably attached to him, as not to notice
or fawn upon any one else. Froissart says,--"It was informed me Kynge
Richard had a grayhounde, called Mathe, who always waited upon the
kynge, and would know no one else. For whenever the kynge did ryde, he
that kept the grayhounde did let him lose, and he wolde streyght runne
to the kynge and fawne upon him, and leape with his fore-fete upon the
kynge's shoulders. And as the kynge and the Erle of Derby talked
togyder in the courte, the grayhounde, who was wont to leape upon the
kynge, left the kynge and came to the Erle of Derby, duke of
Lancaster, and made to hym the same friendly countenance and chere he
was wont to do the kynge. The Duke, who knew not the grayhounde,
demanded of the kynge what the grayhounde would do. 'Cosin,' quod the
kynge, 'it is a great good token to you, and an evil sygne to me.'
'Sir, how know ye that?' quod the duke. 'I know it well,' quod the
kynge: 'the grayhounde maketh you chere this daye as kynge of
Englande, as ye shall be, and I shall be deposed; the grayhounde hath
this knowledge naturally, therefore take hym to you: he will follow
you and forsake me.' The duke understoode well those words, and
cheryshed the grayhounde, who would never after followe Kynge
Richarde, but followed the Duke of Lancaster." It is not, however,
improbable, that the dog thus mentioned was the Irish wolf-dog, as the
fact related is more characteristic of that noble animal.
The mild, affable, and serene aspect of the greyhound, constitutes no
drawback to its innate sagacity, or grateful attention to its
protector, of which the unfortunate king Charles I. was so observant,
that the remark he made during his troubles is on record, and strictly
just as applicable to the instinctive fidelity of the animal. He said
the greyhound possessed all the good nature of the spaniel without the
fawning.
Washington Irving mentions, that in the course of his reading he had
fallen in with the following anecdote, which illustrates in a
remarkable manner the devoted attachment of these dogs to their
masters:--
"An officer named St. Leger, who was imprisoned in Vincennes (near
Paris) during the wars of St. Bartholomew, wished to keep with him a
greyhound that he had brought up, and which was much attached to him;
but they harshly refused him this innocent pleasure, and sent away the
greyhound to his house in the Rue des Lions Saint Paul. The next day
the greyhound returned alone to Vincennes, and began to bark under the
windows of the tower, where the officer was confined. St. Leger
approached, looked through the bars, and was delighted again to see
his faithful hound, who began to jump and play a thousand gambols to
show her joy. He threw a piece of bread to the animal, who ate it with
great good will; and, in spite of the immense wall which separated
them, they breakfasted together like two friends. This friendly visit
was not the last. Abandoned by his relations, who believed him dead,
the unfortunate prisoner received the visits of his greyhound only,
during four years' confinement. Whatever weather it might be, in
spite of rain or snow, the faithful animal did not fail a single day
to pay her accustomed visit. Six months after his release from prison
St. Leger died. The faithful greyhound would no longer remain in the
house; but on the day after the funeral returned to the castle of
Vincennes, and it is supposed she was actuated by a motive of
gratitude. A jailor of the outer court had always shown great kindness
to this dog, which was as handsome as affectionate. Contrary to the
custom of people of that class, this man had been touched by her
attachment and beauty, so that he facilitated her approach to see her
master, and also insured her a safe retreat. Penetrated with gratitude
for this service, the greyhound remained the rest of her life near the
benevolent jailor. It was remarked, that even while testifying her
zeal and gratitude for her second master, one could easily see that
her heart was with the first. Like those who, having lost a parent, a
brother, or a friend, come from afar to seek consolation by viewing
the place which they inhabited, this affectionate animal repaired
frequently to the tower where St. Leger had been imprisoned, and would
contemplate for hours together the gloomy window from which her dear
master had so often smiled to her, and where they had so frequently
breakfasted together."
The natural simplicity and peaceable demeanour of the greyhound may
have sometimes induced a doubt of its possessing the sagacity,
fidelity, and attachment of other dogs; but when he is kindly treated
and domesticated, he is capable of showing them to an equal degree
with any of the canine race.
Some of the best coursing in England takes place on the Wiltshire
Downs, where it is no uncommon sight to see a hare run away from two
good dogs without a single turn. Nearly three hundred years ago, Sir
Philip Sidney referred to this sport on the Wiltshire Downs in one of
his poems, in which he remarks:--
"So, on the downs we see, near Wilton fair,
A hasten'd hare from greedy greyhounds go."
The following account of the Persian greyhound appeared in the "Book
of Sports:"--
"The Persian greyhound is much esteemed in its native country, where
the nobles, who are excessively fond of the chase, keep a great number
of them at a considerable expense, the best and most favoured dogs
frequently having their collars and housings covered with precious
stones and embroidery.
"These greyhounds are employed in coursing hares in the plains, and in
chasing the antelope. As the speed of the antelope is greater than
that of the greyhound, the Persians train hawks for the purpose of
assisting the dog in this kind of chase. The hawks when young are fed
upon the head of a stuffed antelope, and thus taught to fly at that
part of the animal. When the antelope is discovered, the hawk is cast
off, which, fastening its talons in the animal's head, impedes its
progress, and thus enables the greyhounds to overtake it. The chase,
however, in which the Persians chiefly delight, and for which those
greyhounds are most highly valued, is that of the ghoo-khur, or wild
ass. This animal, which generally inhabits the mountainous districts,
is extremely shy, and of great endurance, and is considered by the
Persians as one of the swiftest of all quadrupeds. These qualities,
and the nature of the ground over which it is usually chased, render
the capture of the wild ass very uncertain, and its pursuit extremely
hazardous to the sportsman.
"When the Persians go out to hunt the wild ass, relays of greyhounds
are placed at various distances in the surrounding country, in such
directions as are most likely to be traversed by the object of
pursuit; so that when one relay is tired, there is another fresh to
continue the chase. Such, however, is the speed and endurance of the
ghoo-khur, that it is seldom fairly run down by the greyhounds; its
death generally being achieved by the rifle of some lucky horseman.
The Persians evince great skill and courage in this arduous sport;
riding, rifle in hand, up and down precipitous hills, over stony
paths, and across ravines and mountain streams, which might well daunt
our boldest turf-skimming Meltonians.
"Though several Persian greyhounds have at different times been
brought to this country, the breed can scarcely be considered as
established here. The specimen, however, (a female), from which Mr.
Hamilton painted the picture from which our engraving is taken, was
bred in this country. She was then supposed to be the only Persian
greyhound bitch in England."
The Persian greyhound is very handsome. "One of the finest species of
dog I have ever seen," says an interesting writer, "is a sort of
greyhound which the Persians rear to assist them in the chase. They
have generally long silken hair upon their quarters, shoulders, ears,
and tail; and I think them as handsome, and considerably more powerful
and sagacious, than our own greyhounds. I have sometimes seen a
spirited horse break loose, and run away at full speed, when one of
these dogs has set after him like an arrow, and soon getting ahead of
him, taken an opportunity of seizing the bridle in his teeth, which he
held so firmly, that though he was not strong enough to stop the
horse, yet, as he was dragged along, he continued to pull and confine
the horse, so as to impede him very much, till some person was able to
overtake and secure him."
Col. Hutchinson says, that "In Persia and many parts of the East
greyhounds are taught to assist the falcon in the capture of deer.
When brought within good view of a herd the bird is flown, and at the
same moment the dog is slipped. The rapid sweep of the falcon soon
carries him far in advance. It is the falcon who makes the selection
of the intended victim--which appears to be a matter of chance--and a
properly-trained greyhound will give chase to none other, however
temptingly close the alarmed animals may pass him. The falcon is
instructed to aim at the head only of the gazelle, who soon becomes
bewildered; sometimes receiving considerable injury from the quick
stroke of its daring adversary. Before long the gazelle is overtaken
by the greyhound. It is not always easy to teach a dog to avoid
injuring the bird, which is so intent upon its prey as utterly to
disregard the approach of the hound. Death would probably be the
penalty adjudged to him for so heinous an offence; for a well-trained
falcon is of great value. You can readily imagine that neither it nor
the greyhound could be properly broken unless the instructor possessed
much judgment and perseverance. The sport is very exciting; but the
spectator must be well-mounted, and ride boldly, who would closely
watch the swift, varying evolutions of the assailing party, and the
sudden evasions of the helpless defendant."
[Illustration]
[Illustration: THE POINTER.]