122 Modern Dogs. 



sport they showed, and there is nothing unreason- 

 able in supposing that those provided for the 

 purpose above mentioned at Cowdray were in 

 reality deerhounds. However, whether my supposi- 

 tion be correct or otherwise, there is no gainsaying 

 the fact that this mention in the Scottish history 

 is the earliest I have met with where the deer- 

 hound is actually alluded to. 



Later on he became popular enough, and that he 

 was highly valued by the clans or chieftains of 

 his native country may be judged from the follow- 

 ing story given by Raphael Holinshead, whose 

 "Chronicles" were published about 1577. He 

 says that many of the Pictish nobility repaired to 

 Craithlint, to meet the King of Scots to hunt and 

 make merry with him, where they found the Scottish 

 dogs far excelled their own in "fairness, swiftness, 

 and hardness, and also in long standing up and 

 holding out." The Scottish lords gave their guests 

 both dogs and bitches of their best strains ; but 

 they, not contented, stole one belonging to the king 

 from his keeper; and this the most esteemed hound 

 in the lot. The master of the leash being informed 

 of the robbery, pursuit was taken after the thievish 

 Picts, who, being overtaken, refused to give up the 

 royal favourite, and in the end slew the master of the 

 leash with their spears. Then the Scots mustered a 



