246 THE SPORTING WORLD. 



following him, I should set him down as at 

 best equivocal as to pursuit if not of character ; 

 but let me see him with a bull dog in one of 

 their collars and slip with its brass ornaments, 

 I should set him down as far gone beyond 

 redemption. Bear and Badger Baiters, the 

 better taste of the present times, aided by the 

 laws, have, I think and trust, totally put 

 down, or at least their • brutal pursuits if carried 

 on at all are done so very rarely and so 

 secretly as not to obtrude on the public eye. 

 If the dogfighter is still a knowing low black- 

 guard, the bear and badger baiter was a 

 hardened ferocious character, bearing about him 

 the indication of his brutal habits, but he is 

 gone and let us hope we 



** Shall not look upon his like again." 



THE RAT PIT. 



We must feel it a relief to turn from characters 

 that have called forth feelings of reprehension. 



