In his beautiful monograph of the pointer, Mr. W. Arkwright, of Sutton
Scarsdale, has given to us material and research which settles many
things, and enables us to make up our minds with sufficient certainty
for our own satisfaction upon many more. That is to say, any of us who
take the trouble to refer to Mr. Arkwright’s pages will be able to form
a judgment for ourselves upon the origin of the breed, as well as upon
the tendency of breeders, for the last century. The author does not
propose to quote, as he would like to, from those pages. The pointer is
only one small item in a general book on shooting, and this is what the
author is bidden to write by his publisher.
A great deal was known about the pointer before Mr. Arkwright took pen
in hand, and the views about to be expressed are considered opinions
after reading that author’s work, and passing in mental review the breed
as it has been known for the last half-century.
The author became possessed of his first pointer about 1860. It was a
gift, and came originally from the kennels of the Lord Derby of that
time. It was a coarse dog with a coarse stern, so that if Devonshire men
introduced foxhound blood in the seventies they were not responsible for
the coarse sterns, or not entirely.
[Illustration:
THE FAMOUS FIELD TRIAL WINNER SHAMROCK BELONGING TO MR. ARKWRIGHT
]
[Illustration:
MR. W. ARKWRIGHT’S SOLOMON’S SEAL AND SEALING WAX TRYING TO GET UP
HIGHER TO FEEL THE SCENT
]
[Illustration:
LEADER
]
[Illustration:
DESPATCH
]
[Illustration: