The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-07-31
fir the l'lo1lte Qtirele.
washington a Sportsman.
s.Leonidas and. Washington,

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ssLeonidas and Washington,
Whose every battlefield is. holy ground,
Which breathes of nations saved not worlds nndone
How sweetly on the, ear such echoes sound !'
The time which Colonel Washington
could spare from his building and agricul-
tural improvements between the years
1859 and 1774, was devoted to the chase.
He was neither-to- use an Americanism
-"a gunner nor, disciple zof old .lzaak
Walton; but was passionate lover OF
fox hunting, and which sport, being of q
bold and animating character, suited we'll
with the temperament ofthe slusty prime.
of his age, and accorded peculiarly with
his fondness for equestrian exercises. His
kennel was situate about q hundred yards
south of the family vault, in which, at
present, rest his venerated remains.
The building was rude structure, but
afforded comfortable quarters for the
hounds, with large inclosure paled In,
having in the center spring of running
water. The pack was very numerous
and ,seleet--the colonel visiting and in
specting his kennel morning and evening,
after the same manner as be did his sta
bles. It was his pride, and proof Of his
skill in hunting, to have his pack SO criti-
cally drafted, both as tozspeed and bot
tom, that in full cry, to use sporting
phrase, you might cover them with a
sheet. During the hunting season Mount
Vernon, to which he applied tho punnihg
motto-yar non semper foret-had many
distinguished guests from the neighbor-
hood, from Maryland, and elsewhere. The
visits of these Nimrods were not of days,
but of weeks and they were entertained
in the good old style Of Virginias ancient
hospitality.
Washington, always splendidly mount
ed, took the field at dawn of day, with
his huntsman, Will Lee, his friends and
neighbors5; and none rode more CALAMITY
to hounds, nor with voice more cheerfully
awakened in the woodland, than he who
was afterwards destined, by voice and ex-
ample, to cheer his countrymen in their
struggle for independence and empire.
Such was the establishment at Mount
Vernon prior to the revolution. We now
come to the events Of late times. After
the peace of 1888, the hunting establish
ment which had declined dnring the war,
was renewed by the arrival of a pack OF
French hounds, sent by the Marquis de 10
Fayette. These chiens de chasse were OF
great sizes
..Bred out of the Spartan kind,
So few'd so sanded and their heads are hung
With ears that sweep away the morning dew
Dewlapp'd like Thessalian bulls;
Matched in mouth like bells.n
Indeed, by their strength they were
fitted, not only to pull down the stately
stag, but, in fierce combat, to encounter
the wolf or boar, or even to grapple with
i the lordly lion. These hounds, from their
fierce disposition, were generally kept
confined but woe to the stranger who
might be passing their kennels after night.
fall. Should the gates be Enclosed, his
fate would be sealed, unless he could climb
some friendly tree, or the voice of the
huntsman or whipper-in came speedily to
the rescue. The habit was to hunt three
times week, weather permitting. Break
fast was served on these mornings by
candle light, the general always breaking
his fast with an Indian corn cake and a
bowl of milk, and ere the stearly village
{. cock" had ndone salutation to the morn"
the whole cavalcade would have left. the
house, and the fox frequently be unken-
nelled before sunrise. Those who have
seen Washington on horseback admit that
he was themost accomplished of ofcavaliers,
in the true sense and perfection OF the
character; he rode as he did everything,
with ease, elegance and power. The
vicious propensities of horses of no mo-
ment to so skillful and daring a rider. He
always said that he required but one good
quality in horse; that of being able to
go along at a good pace, and ridiculed the
idea of it's being even possible that he
should be unhorsed, provided the animal
kept on his legs-indeed, the perfect and
sinewy frame of this admirable man gave
him such q perfect seat that's horse might
as soon disencumber itself of the saddle
as of such rider. Tho general usually
rode horse called Blueskin, dark iron
gray approaching to blue-hence his name
"a fine, but rather fiery animal, and of
great endurance in a long run.
Will, the huntsman, better known in
revolutionary lore, as Billy, rode horse
called Chinkling, surprising leaper, and
made very much like its rider, low but
sturdy, and of great bone and muscle.
Will had but one order-he was to keep
with the hounds somewhat difficult one
to accomplish in such stiff country.
Mounted on Chinkling, with French
horn at bis back, this fearless rider would
rush through brake and tangled wood,
over hedge and ditch, in style worthy
of modern Meltonian There were
roads cut through the woods in various
directions, by which aged and timid riders
and ladies could enjoy the exhilarating
cry without risk Of life or limb. But
Washington himself was no shirker, but
rodo gallantly to his hounds through all
the dangers and difficulties of the coun-
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