THE BLOODHOUND 81 



The Bloodhound, from the nobler pursuit of heroes and 

 knights, came in later years to perform the work of the more 

 modern detective ; but in this also his services were in time 

 superseded by the justice's warrant and the police officer. 

 We find it recorded about 1805, however, that " the Thrapston 

 Association for the Prevention of Felons in Northamptonshire 

 have provided and trained a Bloodhound for the detection of 

 sheep-stealers." 



The reputation it obtained for sagacity and fierceness in the 

 capture of runaway slaves, and the cruelties attributed to it in 

 connection with the suppression of the various negro risings, 

 especially that of the Maroons, have given the animal an 

 evil repute, which more probably should attach to those 

 who made the animal's courage and sagacity a means for the 

 gratification of their own revolting cruelty of disposition. It 

 has been justly remarked that if entire credence be given to 

 the description that was transmitted through the country 

 of this extraordinary animal, it might be supposed that the 

 Spaniards had obtained the ancient and genuine breed of 

 Cerberus himself. 



Coming again to this country, we find the Bloodhound 

 used from time to time in pursuit of poachers and criminals, 

 and in many instances the game recovered and the man 

 arrested. 



There is no doubt that the police in country districts, 

 and at our convict prisons, could use Bloodhounds to ad- 

 vantage ; but public sentiment is decidedly against the idea, 

 and although one of His Majesty's prisons has been offered 

 a working hound for nothing, the authorities have refused 

 to consider the question or give the hound a trial. 



Half a century ago the Bloodhound was so little esteemed 

 in this country that the breed was confined to the kennels 

 of a very few owners ; but the institution of dog shows induced 

 these owners to bring their hounds into public exhibition, 

 when it was seen that, like the Mastiff, the Bloodhound claimed 

 the advantage of having many venerable ancestral trees to 

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