212 EXTRACTS FROM NOTE-BOOKS. CH. XXXIII. 



Some of the grooms, who found out the robbery at 

 an early hour in the morning, having heard that 

 bloodhounds would hunt men, took the dog out, 

 and put him on the footsteps, which at that hour 

 were plainly visible on the dewy grass. The dog 

 immediately took up the scent, the servants fol- 

 lowed, and, after a run of twelve miles, came to a 

 cottage, where both the thieves and the harness 

 were discovered. It appeared that the thieves had 

 waded through a tolerably broad but shallow stream : 

 the dog scarcely came to a check here, the scent 

 appearing to remain in the morning mists, which 

 were still hanging on the surface of the water. He 

 went straight across, and at once took up the scent 

 on the opposite side of the river. 



One of the most singular uses to which dogs are 

 put is truffle hunting. I well remember, in my 

 younger days, a curious old fellow in Sussex who 

 gained his living, ostensibly^ by this pursuit. Ac- 

 companied by four or five quaint-looking, currish 

 poodles of a small size, he used to follow his trade, 

 and generally hunted out a considerable number of 

 these mysterious but excellent roots. 



The Skye terrier, though so much prized by our 

 English visitors, has by no means the determined, 

 blind courage of the English bull-terrier. Never- 

 theless there is much quiet intelligence and character 



