hunting the grisly and other sketches-第27章

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after　bear　or　deer。

Many　of　the　southern　planters　have　always　kept　packs　of　fox…hounds；
which　are　used　in　the　chase；　not　only　of　the　gray　and　the　red　fox；　but
also　of　the　deer；　the　black　bear；　and　the　wildcat。　The　fox　the　dogs
themselves　run　down　and　kill；　but　as　a　rule　in　this　kind　of　hunting；
when　after　deer；　bear；　or　even　wildcat；　the　hunters　carry　guns　with
them　on　their　horses；　and　endeavor　either　to　get　a　shot　at　the　fleeing
animal　by　hard　and　dexterous　riding；　or　else　to　kill　the　cat　when
treed；　or　the　bear　when　it　comes　to　bay。　Such　hunting　is　great　sport。

Killing　driven　game　by　lying　in　wait　for　it　to　pass　is　the　very
poorest　kind　of　sport　that　can　be　called　legitimate。　This　is　the　way
the　deer　is　usually　killed　with　hounds　in　the　East。　In　the　North　the
red　fox　is　often　killed　in　somewhat　the　same　manner；　being　followed　by
a　slow　hound　and　shot　at　as　he　circles　before　the　dog。　Although　this
kind　of　fox　hunting　is　inferior　to　hunting　on　horseback；　it
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