WANT OF CAUTION IN THE KENNEL. 105 



the most artistic fashion, his blood being of the hue 

 and consistency of very bad thick black ink. 



" Well," I said, *' there is no saving this hound's 

 life ; but, as he is utterly useless, why, so much the 

 better." 



Having now had experience of the way hounds are 

 treated in the French kennels, and the manner in 

 which the kennel establishment is abandoned from 

 the last dav of the hunting season to the first of the 

 next season's commencement, I am in utter astonish- 

 ment, taking into consideration the warmth of the 

 summer in France, how whole establishments, men 

 and hounds, have escaped that terrible and fatal dis- 

 ease the hydrophobia. When the poor hounds are no 

 longer of immediate use, it seems to me as if, like 

 furniture, they were thrown aside in some lumber- 

 room or corner, to be simply taken out and dusted 

 when wanted to be used again. As I saw proved in 

 this kennel, hounds might lie in their straw for days 

 together, without touching a morsel of food or water, 

 and no notice would be taken of it; add to which 

 they might all be as thin as whipping posts, and 

 blinded in their eyes with matter, and not a soul 

 attempt to counteract the visible evil. Used to hounds 

 and dogs as I had been all my life, I shuddered to 

 think of what might have been the consequence had 



