Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-05-28
Gales AND Sketfbts.


a week or two with him in distant cOun-
". Fred was agent To Squire Althrope,
who owned pretty nearly the whole of the
parish in which lie lived; and as the
squire spent Il good part Of his time away
from home. I knew I should be able to
roam about the place very much as liked.
and should, therefore. have ample oppor-
iunities of adding to my collection Of but
terfiies and other insects. Fred and had
been at school together, and were much
more intimate than Is usually the case
with relations hut we had somehow lost
sight OF each other since, and on my part
l was very glad 81 an opportunity Of re-
newiDg the old friendship.
At the time Of nv visit 10 Blankshire
the squire was away on the continent: and
on the morning after my arrival. Fred,
having some leisure time at his disposal
proposed that we should take a ramble
round the park and finish up by visiting
the squirrels kennels. The park was a
magnificent place. fully six hundred acres
in extent, and well wooded. Grand old
oaks, graceful lines. and handsome chest
nuts " ere dotted here and there with pic
turesque irregularity; while on each side
Of the hall were clumps OF the finest elm
trees had ever seen. on which, for ages
past, vast numbers Of rocks had built
their nests. A certain portion oil the park
ITSELF about third Of the whole extent,
was surrounded with high iron ratings,
put down to keep the deer of which there
were about one hundred. Within the
park was a small lake. about twenty or
thirty acres in extent, teeming with fish.
surrounded on all sides by giant trees and
fringed with beds OF waving reeds; " lille
farther out into the water we're patches of
lilies, yellow and white. whose blossoms
fioated placidly on the unruflled surface.
On the other side Of the park, stretch
ing far away inland. was an extensive
heath, gently undulating, and covered
here and there with patches of gorse and
rough grass, which afforded cover for
numerous partridges and hares and rab
bits. Altogether the estate was Il sports
mans paradise. while for the naturalist it
offered unusual attractions. as being the
home OF many different kinds of plants
and flowers. and supplying food and shell
ter to insects of every kind.
As for the dogs saw at the kennel,
have never forgotten them. Each breed
had its own special department. and an
assistant to see after it. Much AS the set
tiers and spaniels interested me-for am
bit of n sportsman rs well az natural
ist-l must confess that a pack of splendid
bloodhounds struck me most of all. Their
wise, solemn-looking faces. with their
gracefully pendulous ears, as fine and as
soft as silk. were indeed study. The
pack, / was told. was not only celebrated
for its appearance, but also for its work.
They were trained to follow a trail. of
biped rs well as quadruped, with the most
undertaking certainty, and their presence
i'm the squire's kennels did more to check
poaehing than an army of gamekeepers.
While we were admiring the hounds. the
kennel man told us several tales in illus
tration OF this fact.
A few months after our visit to the ken
nels. Fred told me. rs we sat at breakfast,
that he had some estate business to transact
at town few miles of. which would
require him to be from home nearly the
whole day. | could come with him. he
said. il ! choose but once at the town. he
must leave me to my devices; and he
opined that I should find it very dull.
With thanks for his offer. told him that
would much prefer an chronological ex-
petition by myself on the heath to hanging
about the town: hut at the same time |
suggested that would gladly sacrifice my
own comfort to his. With laugh. he
said that should only be in the way if
came with him. and we settled the matter
there and then.
After breakfast Fred's horse was brought
round by the door. and with parting in
functions to me to 90 where | liked. he
rode OFF
Shortly after his departure. armed with
my bbtterfly-net. and with a goodly store
Of collection-boxes for the reception of nv
spoils, too started for long solitary
ramble across tho heath had been gone
suppose. rather more than y couple of
hours. and had been wandering abont here
and there. in an apparently aimless
fashion in pursuit of specimens, visiting
two or three old pits and the various hol-
lows in the heath, rs | came to them.
when, on mounting some rising ground.
the deep notes of bloodhound was borne
family to me by the gentle breese that
was blowing from the direction of the
kennels. As | listened. the sound APP
pcared to grow trihe more distinct and
then entirely died away. Thinking that
the pack was out after an escaped deer.
did not pay much attention to what heard,
hut proceeded on my way to the next bit
of high ground, which. from its elevation.
would give me an opportunity of observ-
ing in the distance the movements of the
dogs. A brisk walk sufficed to brink me
to the top of this spot. and here the deep,
mellow voices of the hounds We're heard
more distinctly. and. as it seemed to me,
sounded much nearer than on 4 privious
occasion. They are coming this way.
thought to myself. and straining my eyes
in the direction from which the sounds
came l tried TO distinguish the pack. This
was not an easy matter. tor the hounds
were Of color not readily visible in the
distance and on the burned grass of the
heath. However. I perceived that they
were alone, This surprised me. for Fred
had mentioned that the kennelman always
them when they were out
for exercise. for when they were being
used to drive hack any deer that had sue
ceeded in getting over the high ratings
hat surrounded this part of the park.
As l watched them. they appeared to
he slowly approaching in my direction.
and to my astonishment they seemed. As
nearly rs could tell. to be taking exact
ly the same course. which was a very
cratic one. As had DONE Spell bound.
watched them disappear in one of the
pits had visited and rs they vanished