THE BREEDING OF DEER-HOUNDS. 95 



run on, and the strength of the animal they pursue, all com- 

 bine to make them show symptoms of old age at an earlier 

 time of life than most other hunting dogs. In rearing these 

 dogs it is absolutely necessary that they should have nearly 

 constant liberty, without which they neither come to their 

 full strength nor development. At the same time they are 

 sadly inclined to sheep killing and other mischief : most dogs 

 learn this fault at first by being allowed to go about amongst 

 very young lambs, which are invariably tempting objects of 

 pursuit to wild and mischievously disposed puppies. 



I am much inclined to crossing the deer-hound with the 

 mastiff or fox-hound. The former I prefer as giving strength 

 and determination in seizing arid holding a stag. This cross, 

 too, imparts to the disposition of the dog a kind of blood- 

 thirstiness, which is invaluable in tracking and pursuing 

 wounded deer, and this is the principal use of all deer- 

 hounds. No forest will bear too frequent coursing ; the deer 

 will take themselves off to quieter ground without fail, being 

 far more effectually scared away by the hound than by the 

 rifle. 



CHAPTEE XL 



Agriculture in Sutherlandshire Facilities of Reaching the County Cale- 

 donian Canal Travelling in Sutherland Inns, Excellent Management of 

 Lairg Tongue Durness Scowrie Inchnadamph Inveian Con- 

 clusion of Sutherlandshire. 



I WILL now finish my sketches (hurried and imperfect as 

 they are) of Sutherlandshire by recommending my readers, 

 who may wish for a week's enjoyment, to follow my example 

 and travel round that county ; there are few w r ho would not 

 derive much pleasure and amusement by doing so. The 

 agriculturist and improver of land would be interested by 

 seeing the different stages of husbandry in the county, from 

 the perfectly cultivated farms and cattle of the southern 

 parts, to the rude and primitive method of raising small 

 crops of oats amongst the rocks of the north and north-west, 

 where the ground is turned up by ancient and quaintly- 

 shaped substitutes for spades ploughing being quite imprac- 

 ticable in many places; at the same time that about Tongue, 

 near as it is to the extreme northern point of Britain, both 

 the mode of cultivation and the crops would do credit to 

 many a southern county of England. 



