HUNTING WITH HOUNDS. 



'55 



Usually, however, the antelopes escaped. 

 The bucks sometimes made a good fight, but 

 generally they were seized while running, 

 some dogs catching by the throat, others by 

 the shoulders, and others again by the flank 

 just in front of the hind-leg. Wherever the 

 hold was obtained, if the dog made his spring 

 cleverly, the buck was sure to come down with 

 a crash, and if the other dogs were anywhere 

 near he was probably killed before he could 

 rise, although not infrequently the dogs them- 

 selves were more or less scratched in the con- 

 tests. Some greyhounds, even of high breed- 

 ing, proved absolutely useless from timidity, 

 being afraid to take hold ; but if they got ac- 

 customed to the chase, being worked with old 

 dogs, and had any pluck at all, they proved 

 singularly fearless. A big ninety-pound grey- 

 hound or Scotch deer-hound is a very formid- 

 able fighting dog ; I saw one whip a big mas- 

 tiff in short order, his wonderful agility being 

 of more account than his adversary's superior 

 weight. 



The proper way to course, however, is to 

 take the dogs out in a wagon and drive them 

 thus until the game is seen. This prevents 

 their being tired out. In my own hunting, most 

 of the antelope aroused got away, the dogs 

 being jaded when the chase began. But really 

 fine greyhounds, accustomed to work together 

 and to hunt this species of game, will usually 

 render a good account of a prong-buck if two 

 or three are slipped at once, fresh, and within 

 a moderate distance. 



