72 WILD SPORTS OF THE WEST. 



instantly looked another way. He was armed with a 

 new carbine ; and his whole bearing and appearance 

 were so singular and alarming, that more than once 

 I wished my kinsman had allotted me some other guide. 



My companion was, however, shrewd and intelligent 

 — and he appeared fond of field sports, and perfectly 

 conversant with the arcana of shooting and coursing. 

 He enumerated with the science of a connoisseur the 

 points, and praised the beauty of a pair of English 

 dogs I had brought with me ; but told me '' the master's 

 (my kinsman's usual title) would outrun them here.'' 

 I differed with him in opinion. Mine were of distin- 

 guished breeding, the produce of a S waff ham sire, 

 and compared with my cousin's, appeared descended 

 from a giant stock. His, certainly, were beautiful 

 diminutives ; but, as I conceived, very unequal to 

 compete with animals of such superior strength and size 

 as mine — yet the result proved how^ correctly my wild 

 companion judged. 



Our first start was on hard, firm ground — and here 

 my dog's outstripped my kinsman's, although they 

 displayed uncommon fleetness. Being hard pressed, 

 puss crossed a morass and ran into an unsound bog. 

 Then were my guide's predictions verified. From their 

 own weight, my dogs sank and floundered in the swamp , 

 while my cousin's, topping the surface with apparent 

 ease, turned and killed the hare, while their larger 

 companions were struggling through the mire. 



On the second start puss left the moor, and took to the 

 seashore, always a favourite run of island hares. 

 Rushing headlong through rocks, and running over 

 pointed pebbles the English dogs were speedily disabled. 

 But my cousin's, accustomed to the beach, ran with 



