OTTER-HUNTING 



Yet the advent of otter-hounds and of hunters used to the 

 chase of these creatures proved incontestably that in 

 these very waters otters had long existed. And first-rate 

 hunting has been enjoyed in many of these quiet mid- 

 land streams, where until quite lately any countryman 

 would have scoffed at the idea of such an outlandish 

 beast being found at all. It is, in truth, indubitable 

 that there are far more otters in this country than most 

 people imagine. Even upon the crowded highway of 

 the Thames otters can and do exist. In the year 1880 

 I well remember, while bathing at early morning, see- 

 ing one of these animals swim quietly across the mouth 

 of the Ember stream, just at its junction with the 

 Thames near Hampton Court. 



In some respects otter-hunting has changed during 

 more recent times. When Landseer painted that fine 

 picture, "The Death of the Otter," many years ago, it 

 was still the custom to use the spear. In this picture 

 the otter writhes upon the tall spear held aloft by the 

 red-coated huntsman, surrounded by the pack of rough- 

 coated, ravening hounds. But the spear has gone out 

 of fashion, and the otter usually meets his end, as does 

 the fox, by the teeth of the hounds. 



Somervile, in his well-known poem, The Chace, shows 

 conclusively that he was well acquainted with the pur- 

 suit of the otter as well as of fox and hare. He hunted 

 all three indifferently, amusing himself with the chase 

 of the otter in summer-time, and returning to the pur- 

 suit of the hare and fox in winter. In his time, as I 

 have shown in Chapter XXII., the spear was commonly 

 used. 



The ancient rough-coated otter-hound seems to have 

 been derived from a cross between the old Southern 

 hound and a large rough terrier. Of this strain the 

 hardy Welsh hound is, no doubt, a lineal descendant. 



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