174 PKAIRIE AND FOKEST. 



yards' range a chance which I was not slow to 

 avail myself of. With the report, pug turned head 

 over heels, but quickly picked himself up, forgetting 

 however his prey, and made for the timber. Hurriedly 

 I gained the bird small consolation for my disap- 

 pointment; but my hopes were again revived, for 

 my little cur dog took up the scent, and waking the 

 echoes with his insignificant bark, went off as if he 

 intended work. At the best pace I could command I 

 followed, singing every few strides a word of encou- 

 ragement to my trusty companion. Farther and 

 farther into the woods I advanced, but soon it was so 

 dark that at length, with barked shins and sundry 

 tumbles, I was obliged to give up the pursuit. Several 

 times in the chase I came to a stand- still, and as often 

 as I did so, Prince's voice appeared as if he had brought 

 the foe to bay. Halting for the last time the same 

 thing occurred, and as the dog did not appear to be 

 much over a hundred yards distant, I determined to 

 make another effort, which resulted in no better suc- 

 cess. This le.d me to believe that my dog came up 

 with the fox, and brought him to bay, but as the latter 

 was the larger, Prince was afraid to lay hold, and on 

 my advancing too close to the belligerents, pug would 

 make off again, to stop when he thought himself out 

 of harm's way. 



Next morning I instituted a search, which was un- 

 successful; but a week afterwards, when shooting wood 

 grouse in the same vicinity, I accidentally came across 

 the carcass of a dead black fox, partly immersed in 

 a pool of stagnant water, which had utterly destroyed 

 what must have been a most perfect and prime 

 pelt. 



