Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-03-28
ANOTHER HUNT.

The goal was a shaded hollow deeT
dark curve in the river over which the
boughs dipped lowly. A certain hole
in the bank was suspected of harboring
the object of all attention. Accord
ingly a trio Of gentlemen stood immedi-
ately above this hole, Joined hands, and
leaped light, sportive leaps into the air,
in the hope of ~dislodging the otter, who
was, however, too much accustomed to
every sort Of ground and lofty tumbling
on the part of his hunters to be at all
disturbed by this means. Then Romu-
lus was called upon to exert himself
Romulus, by reason of his being the
only thoroughbred otter hound IN
the pack, the Others being picked fox
hounds, was frequently called upon to
exert himself) and after a few determined
dives on his part, and a few frantic digs
from the long pole Of a man (Who Is
devoted enough to the sport to have
obtained the Sgubriquet Of Otter
appended to his surmane,O a harrassed,
slippery looking, brown skinned, mild
eyed creature shot from his hiding place
and swan, in evident distress, down the
river into shallower water. Huntsmen
and hounds alike rushed along the
banks in a line with the prey, whose
hard fight for life was nearly over now.
Now and again his pretty soft brown
head was raised above the surface of the
stream as he still swan on Justify, and
his wild, soft, pleading eyes were turned
beseechingly on his pursuers. He could
not seek another sheltering hole. The
feeling that the game was not worth the
candles was upon him, 1 am sure. He
swan off with palpably increasing
feebIeness, oppressed on every side.
Now he was tailed by a man, now he
was torn by a hound. Suddenly the
whole pack we're upon him, fighting
over him, performing wonderful feats Of
strength and sayagery upon their little
worn out foe. Chilly he escaped from
the Jaws of death, and glided on more
YEARLY than ever to some remembered
bourne which he was never destined to
gain. During that period Of his fight,
and his ultimate vanquishment l did
successfully what time-seryers are fire.
q%uently accused of trying to do. l
hunted with the hounds and ran with
the otter. That is to say, my sympathies
were much engaged by the two opposing
parties. I could not wish that otter to
be killed at the same time l could not
wish that admirable ROmUlus and his
to be disappointed. The otter
was too much like the seal who used to
excite emotions of tenderness in the
bosom Of the fashionable crowd who
throng the Geological Gardens on Sun
days, by the gentle exhibitions he suf-
himself to make Of his love for his
attendant-the otter was far too like
that seal in expression for me TO wish
other than well, Still, for all my
good wishes toward him, l could not
help getting as close to the performers
in the last act as | might. The poor
little otter, the little brown king of the
the king with the mild eyes,
who very properly destroys all the
geese he comes across, was at bay.
Undirected by me my horse took me
into the water, up to the very spot where
the death struggle commenced and
The little otter, who had swan
md bitten and hidden with vigor for
MS life during all those hours, was at
he extremity. He came to the surface
or the last time, and he cast such a
look about him that l " ran
With the hounds no longer" Then the
men and the dogs closed in promiscu-
,1sly [ heard the otter sigh such a
Ugh 1t told of how all his life long he
lad foreseen this moment, and prepared
o meet it bravely, as became one of
,entle otter blood. And still my horse
.arried me nearer and nearer, and still
saw more and more of the otter's last
moments, the river redeemed with blood,
be hungering after his little brown
,ody which the hounds exhibited, and
asst of all, a wet, mutilated, dead mass,
Ield aloft by the damp and enthusiastic
.otary of the sport who had gained a
The poor little otter had
into numbers and subtlety,
nd my heart was very sore for him.
But " he is the cause, he is the cause"
f such a pretty gathering that l shall
to see the last of all his brethren
Tho are destroyed during the season.
Magaziae.