The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1873-01-11

hhHttAa AtIt ia manu- AhttH' A'AoNANH'-1AJ
upon the game, as the stealthy, cushion
footed panther creeps upon his prey. No
notice is given to the intended victim of
the approach of lurking and deadly foe.
Assassin-like, he surprises and Stays him,
without the slightest warning of his inn
pending fate. This is not sport; it is muir
der, and like all other murder, should be
outlawed- -frowned on--I mean as cal
umny upon genuine sport--a libel on the
hunters name.
The other method of hunting is far the
manlier and nobler style. 1t consists of
the animating and exciting "driye,' the
exhilarating and spirit-stirring chase. The
whole party, having first partaken of an
appetizing snip and a savory breakfast Of
hot coffee and luscious yenison steak,
aanked by broiled teal and snipe fresh
from the Goals, is ready at sunrise for the
mount
The tramp of the well-trained steeds, the
yell Of the impatient pack, and clear and
ringing notes of ''the huntsmans mellow
horn, all conspire to quicken the pulse,
flush the cheek, and impart unwontcd vigor
to the frame Go is the word, and at it
We 60 with an energy and vim that defies
disappointment, and challenges and com
pels success. Each hunter, armed with
trusty double-barrel, cerefully charged,
strives, by bold, fearless and rapid riding
through the pathless woods, to keep as
near as possible to the laundering chase, to
catch sight of the flying quarry, and,
either at the'jump" or in some of the
succeeding doubles, . to "cut il down" as
it dashes and darts impetuously along.
To perform this proud and triumphant feat
he is forced to keep pace with the feetest,
gamest, and most musical pack of black
and-tan thoroughbreds that ever opened
upon scent of game or made track on terra
frma
Our hunt, though pleasant as good
company, good cheer, and good weather
(save the excessive dryness) with good
living on various kinds of excellent game
could make it, compared with previous
years, was hardly satisfactory success
This was attributable, in great part, to the
effects of protracted drouth, baking the
ground, rendering it hard and rough, i'm
pairing the scenting powers of the dogs
and causing footsoreness, which interfered
with the running Of some. The visible
scarcity of mast, too, affected the condition
of some of the deer that fell bofore our
guns. Interruptions also occurred from
the temporary unavoidable recall from
camp Of the best and most active hunters
of the party. But, Notwithstanding these
drawbacks, besides bagging quantity Of
smaller game, such as ducks, squirrels, &c.
exclusive of number of deer killed and
wounded, which we were so unfortunate
as not to retrieve and bring in, we strung
up, in ten days hunt, twenty-one deer.
A moderate proportion Of these were fine,
and some magnificent bucks, huge in size,
ponderous in the matter of avoirdupois,
kindney covered with fat, richly favored,
and in every respect, for cuisine purposes
and qualities, equal to any that ever tickled
the palate of an epicure or gnced the table
of a prince. None Of them were s'fudged
on" in the "still hunters phrase and
style, or surprised and slaughtered ION the
sly" They were tumbled over, mostly at
long range, with Jtne ,ohistlers, discharged
from well-tried muzzle-loaders, bounding
through timber at headlong speed, brushed
and crowded by fiery riders and feet-footed
dogs. Some scenes were worthy the
painters brush.
Had the hero of Walter Scots charm
ing poem, on that fatal day, and in that
heady chase so beautifully described by
the bard, instead of bestriding his gallant
gray" been mounted on one of our clear
winded, clean -limbed, hard-bottomed and
untiring natives, he would not have been
forced to lament, in a single days deer
hunt, the loss of his favorite steed. Low
land, if not Highland eagle" would cer-
tainly be allowed TO feed, very soon, on
the carcass of worthless slug who would
lie down and die of exhaustion from one
days hard ride. We expect our hunting
stock to Give out the chase, no matter
how long, or how hot, or what the rate of
going, and when the deer is killed to pack
deer and rider into camp And they do il,
and can repeat every day in the week.
Should the Russian Grand Duke Alexis
ever take fancy to return to our land, and
try his hand in another camp hunt, signify
to our club, we viii give him commission
of brevet amateur, and at the right season
We can introduce him to sport which,
both for skillful shooting and riding, for
daring adventure and intrepid dash, as far
eclipses the slaughter old cows and young
calves, with horse-pistols, on the Plains, as
grand theatrical performance surpasses a
monkey show in Barnum's travelling men,
agerie and museum. Church HU, Mss,
Dec. re, 1879.
The death of Viscountess Beaconsfeld
removes one of the most remarkable wo-
men in England Her husband, the Right
Honorable Benjamin Disraeli, enjoys the
honor Of having derived from her not only
the social rank which gratifed his patri-
clan temperament, but the inspiration Of