Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-06
NOVEL RABBIT HUNT.
Ferrets, Dogs and Unarmed Men Chase
the Fame.


Hunting rabbits with ferrets, after the
English custom, was successfully accom-
plished yesterday near Quakert"wn by
Two amateur spOrtsmen Of this city.
Twenty-sIx animals were bagged between
9 in the morning and IN the afternoon,
without the use OF firearms. The sport Is
comparatively new in America, hut has
been followed for number Of years in
England where rabbits are so numerous
as IN be absolute pests. Hunting with
fprrets has been found 10 be the most ef-
f.ctuaI and inexpensive means of eXter-
minati0n, and, at the same time, 4 rather
exciting sport.
Yesterdays hunt differed slightly
from the English style, inasmuch as two
breeds of dogs were used, while in Eng
land a single rabbit hound is generally
considered sufficient IN addition to the
ferret. The hunters took with them two
Basset hounds and two fox terriers. The
hounds are very sh0rt-legged, having
been bred from natural selections pur-
pOsely to produce slow travellers that
would not hole the rabbit too quickly.
Their sense of smell is wonderfully keen,
and they detect trail where many other
animals would be at fault. The terriers,
on the contrary, are selected simply for
their powers Of vision, quick ear and
speed. They act as Brer Rabbits eXecu-
TONERS. All four dogs had been assOcia-
ted with the ferret tor some days preyi-
Ously, in order to create something of a
friendly feeling and prevent the terriers
from killing Master Ferret by mistake. A
patch of woods three miles above Quaker
town was selected as the hunting
ground. The sport~men separated, one
going ahead with the hounds, and the
other keeping a hundred yards back, with
the terriers in leash. Ten minutes after
getting i'm the shade of the trees the bow
legged Bassett hounds struck a tran.
Pressing their noses close to the ground,
off they scurried. with the hunter close
behind. As the trail grew warmer the
dogs increased their speed, and then be-
gan baying simultaneously. This was
the signal to let the terriers 20, and off
they went bounding over fallen tree
trunks, pushing through the underbrush
until they caught uD with their canine
companions. Just at that moment the
quarry was sighted leaping rapidly over
the ground a hundred yards in advance.
The next instant the hounds had ''hOled"
Master Rabbit under an old stump. One
Of the hunters put his hand in his over
coat pocket, and took out the ferret. The
1.-THE little animal was placed on the
ground near the aperture where the rab-
bit had entered. \ moment later, and
the sinuOus and snake-like body had
wTigged out Of sight. There was
scramble among the dried leaves and then
the frightened rabbit appeared on the
other side Of the stump, yainly endeavOr-
ing 10 shake off bis bloodthirsty little
enemy, who was clinging tenaciOusly to
his hind leg. The fox terriers were on the
alert and waiting. When the rabbit APP
peared one of them seized it by the neck,
gave it shake and then, forgetting pre-
YiOUs instructions, made a jump ST the
ferret. The rabbit gasped once Or twice,
and then turned up its toes. One Of the
hunters seized the ferret, pOcketed HIM,
and the dead rabbit was deposited in the
gamc-bag,
Twenty minutes was wasted on a dead
trail, until the hounds scented a fresh
rabbit-path, and started off under full
cry. The terriers were lo0sed again, and
the rabbit was Tun TO earth under pile
Of underbrUsh. When the ferret was put
on the ground he worked his way in easily
and seized the unfortunate rabbit by the
neck. 1t became necessary to remove the
brush 10 secure the game, which Was
then dead The third, fourth and fifth
rabbits were similarly captured, and from
then on the dogs began TO work more in
unison. The tenth rabbit very nearly es-
capped. because the ferret lost his grip and
the terriers were not prepared for sud
den leap, which carried the animal nearly
out of reach, but in seeking cover second
time the ferret fastened 10 bis haunCh.
and thu. canine eXecutiOners performed
their duty with dispatch. Not a single
rabbit escape,,' after being trailed, and
when the hunte.s, tired Of the sport,
ceased at 4O'cIOck, they counted twenty
six good, fat rabbits.
Hunting with tho =
1nsportsmanlike in the western counties
of the State, but east of the Alleghenies
it is a comparatively novel innovation,
and may last until the game becomes
scarcer and more valuable.
WHAT THE COLOR OF BUOYs
MEANS.
a Short and Useful Lesson in sea Craft.
Ne,r York Sun.
4 Sandy Hook pilot and young man
stood on the bow of 4 Staten Island ferry
boat the other day as she passed q buoy
of peculiar color in the water.
Z" will tell you something about paint
ing buOys." said the pilot. = w hen you
enter any harbOr in the world where the
channel is marked by buOys you Will find
that those on your right as you pass in
are painted red, and those on your
left painted black. Ii you should see one
painted in red aud black horizontal bands
the ship should run as close to it as posi-
Die. because that indicates the centre of
narrow channel. BuOys with red and black
vertical stripes always mark the ends of
spits and the outer and inner ends Of eX-
teGsive reefs, where there Is a channel on
each side. When red and black checkers
are painted on a buoy it marks either a
rock in the open sea or an obstruction in
the harbOr Of small extent with a chan
mel all around. If there are two such OBJ
structiOns and a channel between them,
the buoy on the right of you will have red
and white checkers. and the one on your
left will have black and white checkers"
"SupposIng a wreck Obstructs the chan
nelg'
"A green buoy will be placed on the
sea side of the wreck, with the word
Wreck plainly painted on it in white
letters, provided there is clear channel
all around 1t. Otherwise an even number
will be painted in white above the word
wreck when the buoy is on the right side
Of the channel, and an odd number if the
buoy is on the left"
SEEKING LOST TREASURE.
: Legal Question Raised in Connection
with the Search for Fortune BeIIev-
ed to be Buried In East River.
WASHINGTON. d. c., Jan. 2.--The So
l0licitOr of the Treasury was notified to-
dav that there had been submitted % him
certain legal questions recently arisen in
connection with the work Of recovering
+l- froo crtr0 crnpnCaJ m 40 lNying in tho