COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 415 



beast, forming a semicircle round him, and receiving 

 his charges hither and thither in the most gallant 

 manner. After some little time the huntsman and 

 the field came up, and for upwards of half an hour 

 every endeavour was made to whip off the pack, 

 as the greatest fears were felt for their safety, 

 especially as it was noticed that many of them were 

 already severely wounded. Some few of the hounds 

 were got together, but nothing would induce many of 

 that thoroughbred little pack to leave their quarry 

 until a gentleman who had succeeded in obtaining 

 a rifle discharged it at the animal. The report had 

 hardly been heard and the smoke had not cleared 

 off, before every one of the pack which had hitherto 

 been most forward in the attack had trotted quietly 

 out of the copse in the most dignified way and re- 

 joined the huntsman, evidently considering that if 

 guns were to be used their business was at an end. 

 It was stated at the time, by an eye-witness, that 

 there was an air of calm contempt about the whole 

 demeanour of these hounds, even to the manner in 

 which they carried their sterns and ears, as they 

 trotted out of the wood when the gun was fired, 

 which was most amusing to watch. On an examin- 

 ation of the pack it was found that the whole thirteen 

 couple were alive, and only some three couple severely 

 injured, though many of the others were bitten or 

 scratched. The number and dash of the assailants 

 seems to be the only explanation of such an escape 

 from so powerful and savage an animal, as one stroke of 

 his paw would have undoubtedly killed the strongest 



