246 WOLF-HUNTING. 



yards of the granite clitter over which the wolves had passed in 

 the gloom of that early morn. 



Never could the sense of discrimination evinced by these 

 hounds have been better tested, nor the steadiness with which 

 they cleaved to the grosser game more admirably displayed. Not 

 for one instant did they appear perplexed by the double scent, 

 for whenever a divergence of the two lines occurred, the savage- 

 manner of the hounds and the angry tones in which they spoke, 

 indicated, as truly as the piqueur's tracking eye, the line taken by 

 the wolves. Then what a real hunting treat it was to see them, 

 when at fault, casting themselves to recover the scent, with heads 

 and bodies lowered to their work, how they twisted and turned 

 like snakes over the ground ; and then, the hound that caught 

 it, how he dashed ahead ! and what a struggle it created to catch 

 him again ! A neck-and-neck race between horses, be it on the 

 Downs of Epsom or the Curragh of Kildare, gives, to my mind, 

 but a faint and artificial picture of emulation, compared with the 

 ardour of hounds struggling for a lead on a scent they love. 

 With these, Nature is the jockey ; but with the other, steel and 

 whalebone are too often needed to bring their heads to the front 

 of the fray. 



Happily, it was most of it open moorland between Callac and 

 the forest of Dualt, or, fairly mounted as we were, little should 

 we have seen of many an interesting passage in that rapid drag. 

 The pile of rocks was now gained, some of which, great granite 

 slabs, stood on end, like giants on guard, barring access to the 

 forest beyond ; while the mass lay recumbent, forming natural 

 cromlechs and dolmens of mighty size and grotesque shape. 

 Over these the hounds clambered without difficulty, in full swing 

 and melodious cry ; but for the horses to follow them was now 

 simply impracticable. A little detour, however, down-wind, in 

 which Keryfan undertook the pilotage, soon brought us within 

 ear-shot, though rarely within sight of the leaders of the chase 



