126 WITH HOUXD AND TEKRIER. 



It was the 12th of May 1888 that I made a 

 start, and from that time — with the exception of 

 the season of 1890 — I hunted the tributaries of 

 the Lyd till the end of the season of 1892, when 

 Mr Courtenay Tracy took possession of the country. 

 The first year I was out four times, but we never 

 succeeded in findinsf an otter, thoucrh the terriers 

 had great fun with the rats and moor-hens, and we 

 were all getting to know the waters, and laying 

 up experience that was to be useful to us in the 

 future. The terriers took to the water like ducks, 

 with the exception of Sharper, who on the first day 

 nearly paid with his life for his first plunge into 

 the new element. He spied a large rat swimming 

 across the Hazlebury mill - pond, and plunged 

 after it from the bank into the very middle of the 

 deep water. I was soon attracted to the perform- 

 ance which followed by excited cries that Sharper 

 was drowning. When he came to the surface, 

 instead of striking out, the dog began splashing 

 violently with his forelegs in the air, till he fell 

 backwards and disappeared. This he repeated 

 over and over ao;ain till he became so exhausted 

 that we thought each time he went under we 

 should not see him again. It was impossible to 

 reach him, but at last, by the aid of a long pole 

 which we managed to push out to him so that 

 he might support himself by it, we succeeded in 

 drawing him to the bank and landing him. 



After this I tested every dog at swimming, and 

 found that all, even the puppies, could do it easily. 



