The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1881-07-08
TRACKED BY sLooDHouNDs.
How :Fameus Pedestrian Had to Foot it For
His Life.

Apropos of the death of "Old Mountjoy,"
the pedestrian, a correspondent of London
sporting paper relates the following story,
which he says he heard from Mountjoy'sow
lips:
Hearing Lord W boast that his blood
hounds could track any living thing by scent
alone, Colonel A. wagered 100 guineas
that they would not track man, and asked
Mountjoy 10 win the wager for him, assuring
the startled pedestrian there was no danger
Of the dogs catching him, as they were slow
runners, and he would take care that suffi-
cient start was allowed him. The trial duly
came off over three miles of ground around
Hampstead Heath.
After the dogs had shifted at Mountjoy's
le;ys he made his way leisurely for half the
couIse, when the flag was dropped and the
hounds set loose. They tracked their quarry
splendidly, but were six hundred yards be-
hind when Mountjoy reached the inn at the
end of the course aid shut the door upon
them, outside which they howled their dis
satisfaction until removed by their keep.
ers.
Disbelevers in the bloodhound's scent
were still unconvinced, and to settle the
point another match was made, to be run at
night, the distance to be but a mile and a
half. Unsuspicious of foul play, Mountjoy
went gaily on his way, but had not accom-
plshed more than two-thirds of the distance
allowed by the conditions when his hair
stood on end, as the cry of the dogs hot upon
his trail reached his ears. They had been
purposely slipped before the proper time
without any warning.
"For one second" said he, 81 stood stock
still, as If had been frozen, and then DASH
ed away as had never done before and have
never done since. was in perfect training
and condition, but the cold sweat broke from
every pore and poured down my body, while
my legs seemed like lead and trembled all
over. Still kept desperately on, while
nearer and nearer came the deep, hoarse bay
Of the hounds, as the scent grew warmer and
they knew they were running up to their
prey. thought | was lost. Those few Sec
onds were like weeks, and wondered wheth-
er they would catch me by the leg or fy
at my throat. Luckily, did not lose my
head, and after the first mad burst settled
down and raced at pace which | knew
would last the distance; but still closer and
closer came the horrible cry that sounded
like my death knell and, In sheer despera-
tion put on all the speed could. At last
saw the lights Of the lonely little inn, but
at that very instance the brutes broke out
into fierce, savage pell that told me they
had sighted me at last. There was asmall
garden In front of the house, aud as l flew
up to II / saw the gate was shut. How | did
it, l never knew, but, blown and exhausted
with terror and the pace | was travelling, l
cleared IL, darted through the door, which
fortunately stood open, and, slamming ittoo,
stood with my back against IL. The lock had
scarcely closed, when bangl bangl against
the panels came my terrible pursuers, and
then they laid down aud yelled savagely at
fading themselves baked of their hum.l
prey
As soon as he felt himself safe, rage took
the place of fear, and, seizing hold Of bot
tie, Mouutjoy swore he would brain Lord
W if he entered the place-a threat he
would have fulfilled had not those present
got him out Of the room in time to prevent q
justifiable homicide.