The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1848-01-07
A0ll9ga 40lAes

tractAbiiity IN swine OF which we
have heard, is Of a sow trained to
hunt, an &C count Of wlAsh is given
in the following extract from Dan
isl's Rural sports:
"Toomer formally one of the king s
keepers In the new forest, afterwards
pame keeper to Sir Henry Mildmay
broke a black sow to find game, and
to back and stand. Slut was bred in,
and was of that sort which maintain
themselves in tile new forest without
regular feeding, except when they
have Young, and then but for few
weeks, and was given VIXEN about
three months old, to be breeding
SOW, by Mr.. Thomas to Mr.. Richard
Toomer, both at that time keepers in
the forest. From having no young
she was not fed or taken much no.
tice of, and, until about eighteen
months old, was seldom observed
near the lodge, but CHANGED to be
seen one day when Mr.. Edward
Toomar was there. The brothers
were concerned together in break
ing pointers and settlers, some of
their own breeding, and others sent
to be broke by different gentlemen
of the latter, although they would
stand and back, many were 50 indiff-
erent that they would neither humt,
nor, express any satisfaction when
birds were killed and laid before
them. Tile slackness Of these dogs
first suggested the idea that by the
same method, any other animal might
be made to stand, and do as well as
any of those huntless and inactive
pointers. At this instant the sow pas
sed BY, and was remarked as being
very handsome. r. Toomer threw
her piece or two Of oatmeal roll,
for which she appeared grateful, and
approached very near; from that
time they determined TO make a spor-
ting pig other. The first step was
to give her name, and that Of Slut
(given in consequence OF soiing her
self in bog) she acknowledged in
the course OF the day, and never af-
forwards forgot. Within fortnight
she would find, and point cartridges
or rabbits, and her training was much
forwarded by the abundance ofAoth
which were near the lodge she
daily improved, and in few weeks
would retrieve birds that had run, as
well as the best pointer nay, her
nose was superior to the best pointer
they ever possessed, and no two men
in England had better. She hunted
principally on the moors and heaths.
Slut has stood partridges, black
game, pheasants, snipes. and rabbits,
in the same day, but was never
known to point hare. She was
seldom takan by choice more than a
mile or two from the lodge, but has
frequently joined them when ont with
their pointers, and continued with
them for several hours. She has
sometimes stood a jacksnipe wi ~ all
the pointers had passed by it; she
would back the dogs when they poin
ted, but the dogs refused to back her
until spoke to, their dogs being train
cd to make general halt when the
word was given, whether any dog
pointed ornot, so that she has fire.
quently been standing in the midst
ofafeld ofpointers. In consequence
Of the dogs not liking to run where
she was with them, for they dropped
their sterns and showed symptoms o!
jcalousy,) she did not very often ac-
company them, except for the nov.
city or when she accidentally joined
them in the forest. Her pace was
mostly trot, was seldom known to
gallop except when called to go on,
shooting; she would then come home
off the forest at full stretch, for she
never was shut up but to prevent
her being out Of the sound Of the
whistle when party of gentleman
had appointed to see her out next
day, and which call she obeycd as
regularly as dog, and was as much
elated rs dog, upon being shown q
gun. She always expressed grea,
pleasure when game, either dead OIL
alive was placed before her. She
hasfrequontly stood a single partridge
at forty yards distance, her nose ir
exact line, and would continue in
that position until the game was mo,
we'd; if it took wing she would come
up to the place and put her nose
down two or three times but i
bird ran of, she would get up anc
so to the place, and draw slowly of
ter it, and when the bird stoppe,
she would stand it as before. TIL,
two Mr.. TONERS lived about sever
mics apart, at Rhinssiicld and Broo
mey lodges;-Slut has many time
gone by herself from one lodge t
the other, as if to court the being ia