30 British War Dogs 



ways of escape across the bogs were known to these 

 desperate ruffians, who were called Moss Troopers, on 

 account of their place of residence, and also because they 

 wore clothes, the dull-brown colour of the moss-land. 

 This made them very invisible, and made escape easy at 

 all times, and especially so at night. In this adoption of 

 nature-colouring for clothes, we see the first hint of khaki, 

 and, indeed, the Moss Troopers' conduct in no way differs 

 from that of the modern Bolsheviki. This state of affairs 

 became so serious in the sixteenth and seventeenth cen- 

 turies, that vigorous measures had to be taken by the 

 Crown, to protect the peaceful country people. There 

 was a system of beacon fires arranged, whereby on any 

 warning of a raid, these fires were ignited, and the country 

 people were drawn together to unite against the common 

 foe. It was ordered, that tracking dogs were to be kept 

 in the various districts, to assist the Crown forces in 

 locating the marauders across the treacherous swamps. 



Leslie, Bishop of Ross, in a volume printed in 1578, 

 states : 



" There is also another kind of scenting dogs (I am not 

 speaking of the common sort which pursues hares and roe- 

 bucks), far different from the other; it is for the most 

 part red, marked with black spots, or vice versa. These 

 are endowed with so great sagacity and fierceness, that they 

 pursue thieves in a direct course without any deviation ; 

 and this with such ferocity of nature that they tear them 

 to pieces even by chance lying down in company with many 

 others : for from the first scent the dog perceives (with his 

 master following), although other men meet, come behind, 

 or cross him, he is not at all confused, is not in the least 

 diverted, but constantly sticks to the footsteps of his 

 departing prey. Only in passing rivers they are at a loss, 



