82 GAMEKEEPERS AND GILLIES 



in pointers has been gained in retrievers, which are now 

 of a number and excellence unknown of old. But the 

 change was a sore trial to John Pace, who was past 

 middle life when it began. His patience, never very 

 elastic, was sorely tried by the introduction of breech- 

 loaders. From the ingenious mechanism he could not 

 withhold admiration, for he loved a pretty gun ; but he 

 used to wax very indignant at the pressure entailed upon 

 his dogs. ' Down charge ! ' was no unmeaning observance 

 no mere feature of disciplinary parade ; it provided a 

 valuable breathing-time for animals that had been racing 

 at top speed, perhaps under a burning sun among suffo- 

 cating turnips. Many a time have I marked mute 

 chagrin depicted upon his honest features when young 

 fellows pressed before the dogs at a point, and sent in 

 their retrievers to gather the slain, without a thought for 

 the gallant creatures that had found the game for them. 

 Many a time has he unbosomed to me his indignation 

 afterwards ; vainly, I fear, for I was young and keen, and 

 took pride in the performance of my own retriever. Year 

 by year the pressure became greater, as first the fashion 

 of walking in line, then of driving, established themselves 

 more firmly in favour ; until at last men voted pointers 

 a bore, and the old order of things passed away for 

 ever. 



I recollect a fine old black-and-white pointer called 

 Rake, which proved too much altogether for the nerves of 

 a friend who came to shoot with me. Rake had a queer 

 habit when drawing upon game of looking round and 

 glaring in the face of the shooter with appalling 

 solemnity. ' I wish you would tie that dog up,' exclaimed 

 my friend, after letting fly ineffectually at a covey ; ' he 



