hunting the grisly and other sketches-第20章

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nevertheless　has　its　merits；　as　the　man　must　walk　and　run　well；　shoot
with　some　accuracy；　and　show　considerable　knowledge　both　of　the
country　and　of　the　habits　of　the　game。

During　the　last　score　of　years　an　entirely　different　type　of　dog　from
the　fox…hound　has　firmly　established　itself　in　the　field　of　American
sport。　This　is　the　greyhound；　whether　the　smooth…haired；　or　the　rough…
coated　Scotch　deer…hound。　For　half　a　century　the　army　officers　posted
in　the　far　West　have　occasionally　had　greyhounds　with　them；　using　the
dogs　to　course　jack…rabbit；　coyote；　and　sometimes　deer；　antelope；　and
gray　wolf。　Many　of　them　were　devoted　to　this　sport；General　Custer；
for　instance。　I　have　myself　hunted　with　many　of　the　descendants　of
Custer's　hounds。　In　the　early　70's　the　ranchmen　of　the　great　plains
themselves　began　to　keep　greyhounds　for　coursing　（as　indeed　they　had
already　been　used　for　a　considerable　time　in　California；　after　the
Pacific　coast　jack…rabbit）；　and　the　sport　speedily　assumed　large
proportions　and　a　permanent　form。　Nowadays　the　ranchmen　of　the　cattle
country　not　only　use　their　greyhounds　after　the　jack…rabbit；　but　also
after　every　other　kind　of　game　animal　to　be　found　there；　the　antelope
and　coyote　being　especial　favorites。　Many　ranchmen　soon　grew　to　own
fine　packs；　coursing　being　the　sport　of　all　sports　for　the　plains。　In
Texas　the　wild　turkey　was　frequently　an　object　of　the　chase；　and
wherever　the　locality　enabled　deer　to　be　followed　in　the　open；　as　for
instance　in　the　Indian　territory；　and　in　many　places　in　the
neighborhood　of　the　large　plains　rivers；　the　whitetail　was　a　favorite
quarry；　the　hunters　striving　to　surprise　it　in　the　early　morning　when
feeding　on　the　prairie。

I　have　myself　generally　coursed　with　scratch　packs；　including　perhaps
a　couple　of　greyhounds；　a　wire…haired　deer…hound；　and　two　or　three
long　legged　mongrels。　However；　we　generally　had　at　least　one　very　fast
and　savage　doga　strike　dogin　each　pack；　and　the　others　were　of
assistance　in　turning　the　game；　sometimes　in　tiring　it；　and　usually　in
helping　to　finish　it　at　the　worry。　With　such　packs　I　have　had　many　a
wildly　exciting　ride　over　the　great　grassy　plains　lying　near　the
Little　Missouri　and　the　Knife　and　Heart　Rivers。　Usually　our
proceedings　on　such　a　hunt　were　perfectly　simple。　We　started　on
horseback　and　when　reaching　favorable　ground　beat　across　it　in　a　long
scattered　line　of　men　and　dogs。　Anything　that　we　put　up；　from　a　fox　to
a　coyote　or　a　prong…buck；　was　fair　game；　and　was　instantly　followed　at
full　speed。　The　animals　we　most　frequently　killed　were　jack…rabbits。
They　always　gave　good　runs；　though　like　other　game　they　differed　much
individually　in　speed。　The　foxes　did　not　run　so　well；　and　whether　they
were　the　little　swift；　or　the　big　red　prairie　fox；　they　were　speedily
snapped　up　if　the　dogs　had　a　fair　showing。　Once　our　dogs　roused　a
blacktail　buck　close　up　out　of　the　brush　coulie　where　the　ground　was
moderately　smooth；　and　after　a　headlong　chase　of　a　mile　they　ran　into
him；　threw　him；　and　killed　him　before　he　could　rise。　（His　stiff…legged
bounds　sent　him　along　at　a　tremendous　pace　at　first；　but　he　seemed　to
tire　rather　easily。）　On　two　or　three　occasions　we　killed　whitetail
deer；　and　several　times　antelope。　Usually；　however；　the　antelopes
escaped。　The　bucks　sometimes　made　a　good　fight；　but　generally　they
were　seized　while　running；　some　dogs　catching　by　the　throat；　others　by
the　shoulders；　and　others　again　by　the　flank　just　in　front　of　the
hind…leg。　Wherever　the　hold　was　obtained；　if　the　dog　made　his　spring
cleverly；　the　buck　was　sure　to　come　down　with　a　crash；　and　if　the
other　dogs　were　anywhere　near　he　was　probably　killed　before　he　could
rise；　although　not　infrequently　the　dogs　themselves　were　more　or　less
scratched　in　the　contests。　Some　greyhounds；　even　of　high　breeding；
proved　absolutely　useless　from　timidity；　being　afraid　to　take　hold；
but　if　they　got　accustomed　to　the　chase；　being　worked　with　old　dogs；
and　had　any　pluck　at　all；　they　proved　singularly　fearless。　A　big
ninety…pound　greyhound　or　Scotch　deer…hound　is　a　very　formidable
fighting　dog；　I　saw　one　whip　a　big　mastiff　in　short　order；　his
wonderful　agility　being　of　more　account　than　his　adversary's　superior
weight。

The　proper　way　to　course；　however；　is　to　take　the　dogs　out　in　a　wagon
and　drive　them　thus　until　the　game　is　seen。　This　prevents　their　being
tired　out。　In　my　own　hunting；　most　of　the　antelope　aroused　got　away；
the　dogs　being　jaded　when　the　chase　began。　But　really　fine　greyhounds；
accustomed　to　work　together　and　to　hunt　this　species　of　game；　will
usually　render　a　good　account　of　a　prong…buck　if　two　or　three　are
slipped　at　once；　fresh；　and　within　a　moderate　distance。

Although　most　Westerners　take　more　kindly　to　the　rifle；　now　and　then
one　is　found　who　is　a　devotee　of　the　hound。　Such　a　one　was　an　old
Missourian；　who　may　be　called　Mr。　Cowley；　whom　I　knew　when　he　was
living　on　a　ranch　in　North　Dakota；　west　of　the　Missouri。　Mr。　Cowley
was　a　primitive　person；　of　much　nerve；　which　he　showed　not　only　in　the
hunting　field　but　in　the　startling　political　conventions　of　the　place
and　period。　He　was　quite　well　off；　but　he　was　above　the　niceties　of
personal　vanity。　His　hunting　garb　was　that　in　which　he　also　paid　his
rare　formal　callscalls　throughout　which　he　always　preserved　the
gravity　of　an　Indian；　though　having　a　disconcerting　way　of　suddenly
tip…toeing　across　the　room　to　some　unfamiliar　object；　such　as　a
peacock　screen　or　a　vase；　feeling　it　gently　with　one　forefinger；　and
returning　with　noiseless　gait　to　his　chair；　unmoved；　and　making　no
comment。　On　the　morning　of　a　hunt　he　would　always　appear　on　a　stout
horse；　clad　in　a　long　linen　duster；　a　huge　club　in　his　hand；　and　his
trousers　working　half…way　up　his　legs。　He　hunted　everything　on　all
possible　occasions；　and　he　never　under　any　circumstances　shot　an
animal　that　the　dogs　could　kill。　Once　when　a　skunk　got　into　his　house；
with　the　direful　stupidity　of　its　perverse　kind；　he　turned　the　hounds
on　it；　a　manifestation　of　sporting　spirit　which　roused　the　ire　of　even
his　long…suffering　wife。　As　for　his　dogs；　provided　they　could　run　and
fight；　he　cared　no　more　for　their　looks　than　for　his　own；　he　preferred
the　animal　to　be　half　greyhound；　but　the　other　half　could　be　fox…
hound；　colley；　or　setter；　it　mattered　nothing　to　him。　They　were　a
wicked；　hardbiting　crew　for　all　that；　and　Mr。　Cowley；　in　his　flapping
linen　duster；　was　a　first…class　hunter　and　a　good　rider。　He　went
almost　mad　with　excitement　in　every　chase。　His　pack　usually　hunted
coyote；　fox；　jack…rabbit；　and　deer；　and　I　have　had　more　than　one　good
run　with　it。

My　own　experience　is　too　limited　to　allow　me　to　pass　judgment　with
certainty　as　to　the　relative　speed　of　the　different　beasts　of　the
chase；　especially　as　there　is　so　much　individual　variation。　I　consider
the　antelope　the　fleetest　of　all　however；　and　in　this　opinion　I　am
sustained　by　Col。　Roger　D。　Williams；　of　Lexington；　Kentucky；　who；　more
than　any　other　American；　is　entitled　to　speak　upon　coursing；　and
especially　upon　coursing　large　game。　Col。　Williams；　like　a　true　son　of
Kentucky；　has　bred　his　own　thoroughbred　horses　and　thoroughbred　hounds
for　many　years；　and　during　a　series　of　long　hunting　trips　extending
over　nearly　a　quarter　of　a　century　he　has　tried　his　pack　on　almost
every　game　animal　to　be　found　among　the　foot…hills　of　the　Rockies　and
on　the　great　plains。　His　dogs；　both　smooth…haired　greyhounds　and
rough…coated　deer…hounds；　have　been　bred　by　him　for　generations　with　a
special　view　to　the　chase　of　big　gamenot　merely　of　hares；　they　are
large　animals；　excelling　not　only　in　speed　but　in　strength；　endurance；
and　ferocious　courage。　The　survivors　of　his　old　pack　are　literally
seamed　all　over　with　the　scars　of　innumerable　battles。　When　several
dogs　were　together　they　would　stop　a　bull…elk；　and　fearlessly　assail　a
bear　or　cougar。　This　pack　scored　many　a　triumph　over　blacktail；
whitetail；　and　prong…buck。　For　a　few　hundred　yards　the　deer　were　very
fast；　but　in　a　run　of　any　duration　the　antelope　showed　much　greater
speed；　and　gave　the　dogs　far　more　trouble；　although　always　overtaken
in　the　end；　if　a　good　start　had　been　obtained。　Col。　Williams　is　a　firm
believer　in　the　power　of　the　thoroughbred　horse　to　outturn　any　animal
that　breathes；　in　a　long　chase；　he　has　not　infrequently　run　down　deer；
when　they　were　jumped　some　miles　from　cover；　and　on　two　or　three
occasions　he　ran　down　uninjured　antelope；　but　in　each　case　only　after
a　desperate　ride　of　miles；　which　in　one　instance　resulted　in　the　death
of　his　gallant　horse。

This　coursing　on　the　prairie；　especially　after　big　game；　is　an
exceedingly　manly　and　attractive　sport；　the　furious　galloping；　often
over　rough　ground　with　an　occasional　deep　washout　or　gully；　the　sight
of　the　gallant　hounds　running　and　tackling；　and　the　exhilaration　of
the　pure　air　and　wild　surrounding；　all　combine　to　give　it　a　peculiar
zest。　But　there　is　really　less　need　of　bold　and　skilful　horsemanship
than　in　the　otherwise　less　attractive　and　more　artificial　sport　of
fox…hunting；　or　riding　to　hounds；　in　a　closed　and　long…settled
country。

Those　of　us　who　are　in　part　of　southern　blood　have　a　hereditary　right
to　be　fond　of　cross…country　riding；　for　our　forefathers　in　Virginia；
Georgia；　or　the　Carolinas；　have　for　six　generations　followed　the　fox
with　horse；　horn；　and　hound。　In　the　long…settled　Northern　States　the
sport　has　been　less　popular；　though　much　more　so　now　than　formerly；
yet　it　has　always　existed；　here　and　there；　and　in　certain　places　has
been　followed　quite　steadily。

In　no　place　in　the　Northeast　is　hunting　the　wild　red　fox　put　on　a　more
genuine　and　healthy　basis　than　in　the　Geneseo　Valley；　in　central　New
York。　There　has　always　been　fox…hunting　in　this　valley；　the　farmers
having　good　horses　and　being　fond　of　sport；　but　it　was　conducted　in　a
very　irregular；　primitive　manner；　until　some　twenty　years　ago　Mr。
Austin　Wadsworth　turned　his　attention　to　it。　He　has　been　master　of
fox…hounds　ever　since；　and　no　pack　in　the　country　has　yielded　better
sport　than　his；　or　has　brought　out　harder　riders　among　the　men　and
stronger　jumpers　among　the　horses。　Mr。　Wadsworth　began　his　hunting　by
picking　up　some　of　the　various　trencher…fed　hounds　of　the
neighborhood；　the　hunting　of　that　period　being　managed　on　the
principle　of　each　farmer　bringing　to　the　meet　the　hound　or　hounds　he
happened　to　possess；　and　appearing　on　foot　or　horseback　as　his　fancy
dictated。　Having　gotten　together　some　of　these　native　hounds　and
started　fox…hunting　in　localities　where　the　ground　was　so　open　as　to
necessitate　following　the　chase　on　horseback；　Mr。　Wadsworth　imported　a
number　of　dogs　from　the　best　English　kennels。　He　found　these　to　be
much　faster　than　the　American　dogs　and　more　accustomed　to　work
together；　but　less　enduring；　and　without　such　good　noses。　The　American
hounds　were　very　obstinate　and　self…willed。　Each　wished　to　work　out
the　trail　for　himself。　But　once　found；　they　would　puzzle　it　out；　no
matter　how　cold；　and　would　follow　it　if　necessary　for　a　day　and　night。
By　a　judicious　crossing　of　the　two　Mr。　Wadsworth　finally　got　his
present　fine　pack；　which　for　its　own　particular　work　on　its　own　ground
would