A COUPLE OF STEADY HOUNDS. 49 



down of two toes, and therefore, as far as speed and 

 endurance went, done for. All the French hounds, 

 except one old rascal called Musto, or some name 

 like it, were either cripples or attenuated worn-out 

 skeletons, save one powerless dog, liver-coloured and 

 white, with a stump tail, for it could not be called a 

 stern. He was in fair flesh, though very mangy, 

 but without exception as powerless, ill-grown, and 

 ugly a thing as ever ran on four bad legs ; I think 

 they called him Papajeau. Out of this strange 

 collection I had to choose two couple of steady old 

 foxhounds, the more recently imported from England 

 the better, and I asked to be shown those purchased 

 from George Carter. Only two of these were fit to 

 go. Blossom and one other ; so I had to take tw^o 

 able young foxhound bitches. 



Wishing to make my otter pack up to three couple, 

 I then asked them to point out to me a couple of 

 their surest, most truthful, and steadiest hounds, on 

 whom they could rely ; when they selected one of the 

 old worn-out black-pied French hounds, and a smooth 

 French dog, who looked to have in him a cross of 

 the harrier. Both were old, each was hideous, and 

 I saw that neither could run a yard ; but, as they 

 were recommended to me by my friends as remark- 

 able for truth and steadiness, I accepted their services, 



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