HUNTING 211 



It is very extraordinary to see the implicit 

 confidence and obedience which this pack of 

 great headstrong dog-hounds displays towards 

 Mr. Thursby. They know that he is ever among 

 them, watching every turn, and that they can 

 look to him to give them unfailing assistance 

 towards killing their deer, the object they both 

 have in view. 



It is most interesting to watch the demeanour 

 of these hounds when, after running with a keen- 

 ness and dash that left nothing to be desired, 

 the line of the hunted deer suddenly brings them 

 into the scent of fresh deer which have moved 

 at the approach of the hunt, and have perhaps 

 been joined by the hunted quarry. 



While the young hounds, ignorant and puzzled, 

 try to push on and chance recovering the true 

 line, it is quite touching to see the way that 

 the old hounds acknowledge the difficulty, and 

 even come back to their master as if to report 

 the trouble and ask for his aid. The whole 

 energy of the chase seems to be suspended, and 

 the hounds show it first. But directly when, 

 by a successful cast, the line of the hunted 

 buck is recovered, after he has left his freshly 

 roused mates for they never stay long together 

 the dash and drive with which the hounds, 

 especially the old ones, recognise the scent of 



