The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-06-21
THE TRUE BLOODHOUND,
A Descendant Of the Deer Hounds Of Old
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

A Descendant OF the Deer Hounds Of Old
acknowledgements.
The u bloodhound originated from
the old Talbot breed of Northern England.
From these deer hounds Of old England
the modern Texas bloodhound is de-
scended. OF course there are other spe-
cies of bloodhounds, viz, the Siberian
bloodhound, which is an immense ami
NAL. and too entirely ferocious to use in
the pursuit of any human being, and the
Cuban OF Spanish bloodhound, which is
nearly akin to the one just named. These
latter were used by the Spanish colonists
to track Indians, and in later times to re.
claim fugitive slaves, but they have
rarely, if ever, been used by any n in
he United Stats. They are, besides, an
ntirely different breed of dogs.
The Cuban bloodhound is a combina-
ion of the deer hound, the ferocious
nastiff and the Russian Tor Siberian)
;reyhound. They thus unite the uner-
ing scent of the deer hound, the savage
,loodthirstiness of the mastiff and the
leetness of the greyhound. They will
rack a fugitive, and, having ''bayed''
lin, will tear him in pieces,
Far different from this terrible animal
$ the genuine Texas bloodhound. The
,ame blood" hound is, in fact, in a GER
hin sense, a misnomer. The Texas
found is not a savage animal, save when
Wounded, or when resistance is made.
hey are true descendants of the splen-
id animals which made such royal sport
or the Norman kings and mobiles. Gen
Ie, patient, untiring and magnificent in
trength, they are at once the patricians
If their race and the favorites of their
masters. The cruel admixture of blood
Which gives the Cuban hound his devil
+l hatred Of a fleeing foe is, happily,
.bsent from the physical development of
lur American hounds. Indeed, public
opinion would not for a moment tolerate
he use of the Cuban hound in pursuit Of
'riminals. even of the most desperate
~lrtracter. The object to be attained by
he Use of bloodlounds is not the death
II mangling of the man pursued, but his
-apture, and the hound is. therefore,
allied into requisition not or account OF
his powers Of destruction, but because
mis- unerring instinct will guide him
straight and true on the path the culprit
has taken, even though twenty-four
hours may have elapsed and rains have
fallen and winds have blown to render
the scent cold and faint and ~perplexing.
These noble animals have inherited all
the instincts of their forcfathers, who
gave back the deep and mellow echo Of
their bay in English glades in response
to the notes blown by royal lips.
When Coaur de Lion and his noble
5rain pursued the fleeing stag through
sunny Sherwood's forest aisles they knew
by the note of the hound that the ant
Tered foe, arrow stricken and bleeding
was bayed by the faithful pack, but only
bayed. Tie painting animal did not at,
tempt to slake his thirst in the blood Of
his majestic prey, as the Cuban hound
would have done, but sore and furnishing
as lie was, he kept the buck on the de-
fensive until the hunters arrived, and it
was only VIXEN the arm of his royal OF
noble master had driven home the sharp
steel blade that he ventured to feast on
the rich. red current which flowed from
the stricken throat of the gallant foe
which had led him many a weary mile
that Gay over bog and moor, mountain
stream and bosky thicket.
And in this power of restraint consists
the great, the true value Of the Texas
bloodhound. He responds faithfully to
the inherited instincts Of his race. Trained
to track a stag, he will follow him until
he has bayed him. and will leave the
victim unframed until the arrival of the
hunter. Trained tt track man, he will
do the same thing exactly. Hence, as
sheriffs do not desire the death but the
capture of criminals, it will easily be
seen how far superior the Texas hound is
to his Cuban. cousin, and how much
better adapted to the Iseds of a humane
and civilized people.
1t may be taken as an absolute fact
that no fugitive need fear harm from a
Texas bloodhound if, when brought to Q
stand, he will remain quiet until his
captors come. If he offers resistance,
continues his fight or wounds the hound,
why, then the hound viii do just as his
master would do under similar circum.
stances, and resort to extreme measures
to defend himself. Galveston Cor. Globe
Democrat.