296 The Dog Book 



yet it does not hence follow that this kind of dog is generally appropriate 

 to the use here made of it. 



"So Toomer (formerly one of the King's keepers in the New Forest, 

 and afterward gamekeeper to Sir Henry Mildmay) actually broke a black 

 sow to find game and to back and stand. Slut was as staunch as any pointer, 

 still nobody has since thought it worth while (which, by the way, is some- 

 thing surprising in this age, and present rage for novelty) to be accom- 

 panied by a brace of pig pointers." 



The story of the pig pointer is told in full by Daniel as follows: "Of 

 this most extraordinary animal will be here stated a short history, to the 

 veracity of which there are hundreds of living witnesses: Slut was bred 

 in, and was of that sort which maintain themselves in the New Forest 

 without regular feeding, except when they have young, and then but for 

 a few weeks, and was given when about three months old to Mr. Richard 

 Toomer by Mr. Thomas, both at that time keepers in the Forest. From 

 not having young she was not fed, or taken very little notice of until about 

 eighteen months old. She was seldom near the Lodge, but chanced to be 

 seen one day when Mr. Edward Toomer was there. The brothers were 

 concerned together in breaking pointers and setters, some of their own 

 breeding, and others which were sent to be broke by different gentlemen. 

 Of the latter, although they would stand and back, many were so indiffer- 

 ent that they would neither hunt nor express satisfaction when birds were 

 killed and put before them. The slackness in these dogs first suggested 

 the idea that by the same method any other animal might be made to 

 stand, and do as well as these huntless and inactive pointers. At this 

 instant the sow passed by and was remarked as being extremely handsome. 

 Robert Toomer threw her a piece or two of oatmeal roll, for which she 

 appeared grateful and approached very near. From that time they were 

 determined to make a sporting pig of her. The first step was to give her 

 a name, and that of Slut given in consequence of soiling herself in a 

 bog she acknowledged in the course of a day and never afterward forgot. 



"Within a fortnight she would find and point partridges and rabbits, 

 and her training was much forwarded by the abundance of both near 

 the Lodge. She daily improved, and in a few weeks would retrieve birds 

 that had run as well as any pointer; nay, her nose was superior to any 

 pointer they ever possessed, and no two men in England had better. 

 They hunted her principally on the moors and heaths. Slut has stood 



