The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-02-13

wlno' memorable rs late, following the
track of the convict as true as his own
shadow. Across the tracks of hundred:
OF Others, along high roads, over fields,
through herds of cattle, by other con.
victs that smiled grimly as they passed,
the hounds went, holding the track Of
the flying convict where it had been
laid as lightly as a thistle on the firm
EARTH, but where it left its tell-tale
scent all the same. Nothing could
shake them of-nothing check their
furious rush. Over other tracks made
by convicts wearing shoes from the
same last and same box they went
without hindrance, led by some intsng.
IDLE miracle Of the air, straight on a
single trail.
"Now we'll see them wind his scent
fifty yards away" said Williams, as
we neared a patch Of forest. Close to
this was a squad of convicts. These
we had sent through the woods an hour
before. We had made "trusties,"
walking singiy, touch every bush and
tree. Then the convict we were trail
ing was run through, making a half
circle, with at least fifty yards radius.
The hounds entered the forest at a
hustling pace, a small red dog leading.
Suddenly the leader faltercd for an in.
slant, with nose in air, then burst with
fierce cry to the left, ran obliquely for
fully fifty yards, with head up, when he
took up again the track of the convict,
and lowered his head to the ground.
He had simply made a short cut across
the semicircle, having caught scent of
the convict OF the bushes more than q
hundred feet away. I am aware that
this is incredible to those who have
never seen it. l can not explain what
it is that the flying man, clad and shod
as a hundred others, fed on the same
food, chained daily to the same chain,
and sleeping in the same hunks at
nights, imparts scent to a yielding
twig touched by his clothes so that it
attracts a hound fifty yards away. But
it certainly does just that thing.
The last test was now coming. We
were moving a squad of convicts at
work in a cotton field. We had sent
the fugitive convict through this squad.
We had then made them walk in a
double circle around him. They then
crossed and recrossed his tracks, many
OF them wearing exactly such shoes as
he wore. One hour later the hounds
this point. There was not an
instant's pause. There was no devia-
no let up in the pace. Through
labyrinth of tracks the hounds went,
as swallows through the air, hurrying
Inexorably OF the one track they had
The end was now The convict
run his race was seen leaning
against a tree, and watching the hounds
'lunging toward him. won't he
limb the tree" / asked. "No, the
are trained to simply
the convicts when they come
p with them. Otherwise the convicts
would kill them" By this time the
.ounds had sighted him. They halted
bout twenty yards away from the tree
gainst which he stood and bayed
.nriously. Pretty music they made,
nd not deeper than I have heard often
nd again under a 'possum tree. Mr..
Willard called them off, and the convict
anne forward. Dem puppies is doin'
lightly we'll, Cap'n," he said, grinning
s he lazily swung by on his way to the
:ockade.
These dogs are not bloodhounds-
doubt if there is q bloodhound in
eorSia-though two are reported near
artersville, descended from a pair
wned by Colonel jeff johnson in the
ays of slavery. The Oldtown dogs
foxhounds of the Redbone breed, .
aimed fer several generations to hunt
Ell. They + never tempted by
her game. They are neither fierce nor t
'werful, and are relied on solely to {
nil the convict and lead his pursuers q
his lair.-Atlanta (Ga.) Constitution.