58 COURSING. 



were of distinguished breeding, the produce of a Swaffham 

 sire, and compared with my cousin's, appeared descended 

 from a giant-stock. His, certainly, were beautiful dimi- 

 nutives ; but as I conceived, very unequal to compete with 

 animals of such superior strength and size as mine yet 

 the result proved how correctly my wild companion judged. 



Our first start was on hard, firm ground and here my 

 dogs outstripped my kinsman's, although they displayed 

 uncommon fleetness. Being hard pressed, puss crossed a 

 morass and ran into an unsound bog. Then were my guide's 

 predictions verified. From their own weight, my dogs sank 

 and floundered in the swamp ; while my cousin's topping 

 the surface with apparent ease, turned and killed the hare, 

 while their larger companions were struggling through the 

 mire. 



On the second start puss left the moor, and took to the sea- 

 shore, always a favourite run of island hares. Rushing head- 

 long through rocks, arid running over pointed pebbles, the 

 English dogs were speedily disabled. But my cousin's, 

 accustomed to the beach, ran with caution till they cleared 

 the rocks, then taking advantage of the open strand, killed 

 without a scratch, while my unpractised dogs were rendered 

 unserviceable for a fortnight. 



Generally speaking, the large and high-bred English 

 greyhound is not adapted for Irish coursing. There he 

 will encounter a soft and difficult surface, instead of the fine 

 firm downs he has been accustomed to in his native country. 

 And any plains on which he could exert his powers and 

 prove his superiority, are, with few exceptions, in the posses- 

 sion of some pack, and of course preserved as hunting- 

 grounds, and grey-hounds rigidly prohibited. 



On returning to the estuary where I had left the fishing- 

 party, I found the tide had fallen, and in a little time we 

 were enabled to secure the spoil. We had enclosed upwards 

 of a hundred mullets, weighing from four to ten pounds 

 each. While embarking our nets and poles I observed 

 several boats filled with men row towards us from a distance ; 

 and, after a short reconnaissance, return to the place from 

 whence they came. The evening breeze blew fresh, and in 

 our favour ; the boatmen hoisted a large square sail ; my 

 kinsman took the tiller, and with wind and tide along with 



