THE STAG-HOUND. 
691 
middle of the night, when all my people have been asleep 
around a fire, have I stood to contemplate these faithful ani¬ 
mals lying by their side, and have learnt to esteem them for 
their social inclination to mankind. When wandering over 
pathless deserts, oppressed with vexation and distress, at the 
conduct of my own men, I have turned to these as my onbp 
friends, and felt how much inferior to them was man, when 
actuated only by selfish views. It is impossible for the 
naturalist, when taking a survey of the whole animal crea¬ 
tion, not to feel the conviction, that this friendship between 
two creatures so different from each other, must be the re¬ 
sult of the laws of nature ; nor can the humane and feeling 
mind avoid the belief, that kindness to those animals, from 
which he derives continued and essential assistance, is part 
of his moral duty/' 
SECTION I.—DOGS OF THE CHASE. 
THE STAGHOUND. 
The staghound is now the largest and most powerful of all 
the dogs which go under the general denomination of hound. 
He is held in higher estimation than any other dog of the 
chase, and has a most commanding and dignified aspect. 
The staghounds exclusively devoted to that sport, in 
the royal establishment in this country, it is well known, 
are an improved breed, produced by a cross between the old 
English southern-hound, and the fleeter foxhound, grafted 
upon the bloodhound. 
It has been asserted by the most celebrated naturalists, 
that the hound, harrier, turnspit, water-dog, and spaniel are 
all sprung from the same race ; and there seems to be strong 
reasons for believing this to be the case, as their forms and 
instinctive properties are nearly allied in all these kinds: 
