138 Horse and Hound, 



the English hound, though the present American 

 hound — judged by the National Fox-hunters' As- 

 sociation standard — more closely resembles the 

 English. 



As far back as the Revolutionary War, the 

 chief sport and pastime of the South was fox- 

 hunting, and while no regularly organized hunts 

 were established, every Southern gentleman of 

 means had his hounds and was as proud and jeal- 

 ous of their reputation as of those of his horses 

 and of his own family. While at this period no 

 tabulated pedigrees were kept nor hounds regis- 

 tered — no stud book having been established — 

 each owner was as careful in the breeding of his 

 hounds to good performers only, as he was of his 

 racers. 



In the North, at this period, a few straggling 

 individual hounds were owned, not to chase the 

 fox, but to drive him and deer within range of a 

 ten-bore gun waiting to perforate their pelts with 

 buckshot. 



Among the earlies settlers of Maryland was 

 Robert Brooke, a son of the Earl of Warwick, 

 who brought over a pack of English hounds with 

 him. The breeders and admirers of the Brooke 

 strain of hounds, so well and favorably known in 

 Maryland, claim they are the direct descendants 

 of the hounds brought over by Robert Brooke. 

 Allowing for the many outcrosses during all these 

 years, there is still resemblance enough to justify 



