OTTER HUNTING EXTRAORDINARY 359 



His comrade, a plucky little Skye terrier, rose to the surface 

 some seconds later thoroughly exhausted, and the poor little 

 chap was barely rescued from being torn to pieces by the 

 swarm of dogs which, urged on by the excitable crowd on 

 the bank, mistook him for the otter in his sodden and altered 

 appearance. 



The banks were now lined with eager hunters, and when the 

 water had cleared from the first commotion, which had stirred 

 up the muddy bottom, the quarry was viewed, and a most 

 uncanny object he looked swimming for dear life close to 

 the bottom, going at a tremendous pace down stream. The 

 crowd followed shouting, hooting and gesticulating. 



Having gone sixty or a hundred yards the otter was 

 compelled to rise to the surface for air, when the crowd, how 

 excited almost to madness, again hooted and threw every 

 missile that they could lay their hands on at its head as it 

 showed just above the surface of the water. For a second it 

 was seen taking in a breath of air through its twitching, 

 dilated nostrils, its eyes glaring with indescribable ferocity 

 at its tormentors, and its fierce moustaches glistening in the 

 sunlight ; then the pack of blood and mongrel dogs of every 

 variety of breed went for it en masse. Raising its head 

 and showing its formidable teeth, it dived again, swimming 

 with marvellous celerity. This was repeated three or four 

 times, but at length, unable to hold out any longer, it was 

 brought to bay and floated at the surface, filling its lungs for 

 the final struggle, its nose puckering with rage, and its long 

 white teeth showing sharp as needles. 



An Irish terrier was the first up. Instantly the dog was 

 seized and dragged by the otter under water. When they 

 reappeared two other dogs rushed in to join the fray, the 

 long, brown, sinuous body of the hunted animal writhing and 

 twisting in the water with snake-like motions as it attempted 

 to drown its assailants by forcing them below the water. 

 It was a splendid conflict. The terrier, gamest of the game 

 in spite of the powerful plunges of the otter, held on like 

 grim death, fixing its fangs more firmly at every opportunity. 



