58 HARE-HUNTING AND HARRIERS 



in the vicinity of the Enghsh Channel, the hare, 

 being hard pressed, took to the sea and was killed 

 actually in salt water. I find such another instance 

 in Daniel. " In October 1792 a hare, after a chase 

 of sixteen miles by the Seaford Hounds, took to the 

 sea near Cuckmere, in Sussex, and swam a quarter 

 of a mile from shore before she was overtaken." The 

 Bexhill Harriers have also in recent years killed hares 

 which had taken to the sea. Mr. P. H. Trew, Master 

 of this pack, tells me that it has happened several 

 times since he has had these hounds. On one occasion 

 they ran a hare into the sea at Galley Hill, near Bexhill, 

 and a hound named Manager swam out some fifty 

 or sixty yards and brought her back, laying her at 

 the feet of the whip, who was the only one up at the 

 moment. On another occasion a coastguard went 

 out in his boat and brought the hunted hare in from 

 the sea. These, and another case mentioned in the 

 chapter on Basset hounds, are the only instances 

 of the kind with which I am acquainted, and all, 

 save one, curiously enough, happened on the coast 

 of Sussex. 



The good brown hare has always had a great 

 attraction for the Briton, rich or poor, whether he 

 pursues it with hound or shot-gun, or, if he be a poacher, 

 with lurcher or the deadly wire. A curious instance 

 of this attraction happened in one of the battles of 

 the Peninsular War — Sabugal. A rifleman, named 

 Flinn, took aim at a Frenchman and was in the very 

 act of pulling trigger. At that moment a hare sprang 

 from her form just in front of him. The shot was 

 too tempting, and Flinn swung his aim from the French 

 soldier and shot the hare. After the action, one of 

 his officers reproached him for having thus wasted 

 his cartridge. " Sure, your Honour," said the ready 



