224 MEMOIR OF 



constitution of each individual hound being so 

 well-known to him, he could tell to a scruple the 

 proportion of broth, or flesh, which should be 

 given to one and not to another. That, in fact, 

 was the great secret of their killing and endur- 

 ing powers ; they were always up to the mark, 

 and consequently far superior in condition to 

 the wild animal they were called upon to hunt. 



" I was in the kennel with him on one 

 occasion," records an old curate, ''when, pointing 

 to a hound with a long face and a high crown, 

 called Gainer, he said, 'That hound has been 

 injured in the stifle, but he's so good on the 

 line that I can't afford to draft him ; hre is the 

 only remedy, and the sooner it's done the 

 better." 



" So, suiting the action to the word, he 

 ordered Will Rawle to couple up the hound 

 and lead him to a post in the courtyard. On 

 that post, about four feet from the ground, was 

 a strong iron ring, through which the chain- 

 couple was passed, and the hound hauled up 

 till he stood almost erect on his hind legs, w4th 

 his head close to the post, around w4iich the 

 couple was then secured. The iron being 

 quickly heated, Russell caught the hound by the 

 hind foot, straightened the leg, and performed 

 the operation with the most artistic skill in 

 something less than one minute. The scoring 

 was perfect, and he went through the whole 



