THE BLOOD-HOUKD. 2\g 



also sometimes employed in discovering Deer- steal- 

 ers, whom they infallibly trace by the blood that 

 issues from the wounds of their. victims. 



A person of quality, (says Mr. Boyle,) to mf.le 

 trial whether a young Blood-hound was v/ell in- 

 structed, caused one of his servants to walk to a 

 town four miles off, and then to a market tov^n three 

 miles from thence. Tlie Dog, without seeing the 

 man he was to pursue, followed him by the scent 

 to the above-mentioned places, notwithstanding the 

 multitude of market-people that went along the 

 same road, and of travellers that had occasion to 

 cross it ; and when the Blood-hound came to the 

 chief market-town, he passed through the streets 

 without taking notice of any of the people there ; 

 and ceased not till he had gone to the house where 

 the man he sought rested himself, and v^'here he 

 found him in an upper room, to the wonder of 

 those who had accompanied him in this pursuit *. 



The Blood-hounds are very tall, most beautifully 

 formed, and superior to every other kind in activity, 

 speed, and sagacity. They seldom bark, except in 

 the chace. They are usually of a reddish, or brown 

 colour. — Somerville has finely described their mode 

 of pursuing the nightly spoiler : 



Soon the sagacious brute, his curling tail 

 Flourish'd in air, low bending, plies around 

 His busy nose, the steaming vapour snulls 



* Bovle, i. 4?9- 



