Historical 35 



usually require assistance in such a dilemma, and during 

 the delay occasioned by crossing and taking up the trail 

 again, the scent is all the time becoming fainter. 



Another, and much more serious trick for stopping the 

 pursuit, was for the fugitive to spill blood on the trail. 

 The strong smell of this would completely destroy the 

 fine scenting qualities of the hounds. In some of the 

 punitive expeditions of the northerners, a captive was 

 sacrificed to this end. 



Jesse, commenting on the work of bloodhounds in the 

 Middle Ages, mentions that " Henry the Minstrel tells us 

 a romantic story of Wallace founded on this circumstance. 

 The hero's little band had been joined by an Irishman 

 named Fawdon, or Fadzean, a dark, savage and suspicious 

 character. After a sharp skirmish at Black Erneside, 

 Wallace was forced to retreat with only sixteen followers. 

 The English pursued with a border sleuth bratch, or blood- 

 hound. In the retreat, Fawdon, tired, or affecting to be so, 

 would go no further. Wallace having in vain argued with 

 him, in hasty anger struck off his head, and continued the 

 retreat. When the English came up, the hound stayed 

 upon the dead body." 



It will be seen that the authorities placed considerable 

 value on the services of these tracking dogs. In the wild, 

 untrodden country of that period and neighbourhood, 

 the hounds would have every chance to follow the trail 

 successfully, and the moist nature of the ground, would also 

 be of great assistance in retaining the scent for a consider- 

 able time after the fleeing bands had passed, especially if 

 theywere driving herds of animals. 



At this early period the War Dog and the Police Dog 

 were one and the same, but later on, as the country became 

 more settled, and the bands of marauders were broken up, 



3' 



