1892-93-] The Dumfriesshire Otter-Hounds. 51 



the whole hunt makes off up the riverside for some distance 

 till they suddenly come to a standstill. It is no go. His 

 ottership has been out for a morning stroll, and has then 

 taken a bath, and evidently remained in it, as no further 

 trace of him is found. Another hour is pleasantly spent in 

 trying both banks of the river for a mile or two farther up, 

 but nothing is done in the way of getting a " start." After 

 retracing our steps " doon the water," we come upon a mill- 

 lade, along which the water races swiftly. Dewdrop, one of 

 the best of the pack, stops at an overhanging tree-root, and 

 begins to scrape. " Keep your eye on Dewdrop," cries one of 

 the hunt ; " he makes no mistakes." Suddenly another mem- 

 ber of the hunt, who has been on the watch farther down, 

 makes the woods echo with his view-halloa. His ottership, 

 annoyed at Dewdrop's attentions at his citadel, had slipped 

 out into the water unobserved, and, after swimming beneath 

 the surface for some distance, had put up his head to " vent " or 

 breathe, and so had got " spotted." Instantly the whole pack 

 — huntsmen and spectators — are on his track. Compelled to 

 leave the mill-lade, he plunges into the river, and now comes 

 the exciting time. The otter tries to evade his pursuers by 

 disappearing beneath the surface of the water and doubling 

 back, but in vain. Hunters standing on the bank mark his 

 dodge, and head him up, as the object is to drive him to an 

 open spot and force him to leave the water at a shallow place. 

 Again and again he tries, by doubling back or sneaking un- 

 observed behind tree -roots or drain openings, to elude his 

 pursuers, but all is useless, as the hunt spread themselves out 

 along the banks and keep a watchful eye on the bottom of the 

 river. Matters are now very exciting. There is an echo in 

 the glen, and, as the deep rich baying of the dogs is mingled 

 with the notes of the huntsman's horn and the view-halloas of 

 the sportsmen, the sounds given back by the echo are very 

 stirring. Whenever a hound " spots " his game he plunges 

 over the head after him, but the otter is too 'cute. Suddenly 

 we are taken round the bend of the river to a spot where 

 broken trees and brushwood have been heaped up and fastened 

 in to prevent the river from washing away its banks. The 

 otter is evidently making for here as a haven of rest, and 

 here he eventually reaches. After righting unsuccessfully to 



