The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-25
CUBAN sLooDHoUNDS.
Introduced in the South TO Hunt Slaves.
A Pair Sometimes Worth $500.

Introduced in the South to Hunt Slaves.
Pair Sometimes Worth $500.
The first Cuban bloodhounds landed
upon this continent were imported two
hundred years ago by Spanish plant
ers of Louisiana, then Spanish terri
tory. We all knew that the dons We're
about 100. Negroes We're cheaper then.
ana III slave gave trouble it did not
much matter that the bloodhound's
hold upon his throat was broken only
by the tearing of the flesh and tendons.
Many times in those days the fugitive
negro did not live after his capture If
ne succeeded in gaining tree, his
olive-skinned masters shot him out as
they would a squirrel. If on the ground
when caught the dogs killed him, some
times before the arrival of the horse
men, who had ridden hard to be in at
the death.
The Cuban hound was a valuable dog
and he was well treated. In some of
the old court records of Louisiana are
bllls OF sale of him. In instances the
prices ran as high as $500 a pair. The
breed spread all through the South, al
though L have never heard of the dogs
being used as man-hunterS in the upper
tier of Southern states. / doubt that
one has ever been laid upon the trail of
a negro in Virginia, North Carolina or
Maryland.
AS a matter of course the planters of
this century We're careful to protect
their slaves as far as possible from at
tacks by the animals. This was gener-
ally easy. The runaway slave invaria-
bly, made for the swamp al the back of
the plantation. 1t contained many
streams and lagoons, which aided him
in throwing the dogs off the scent. If
the worst came to the worst he could
always climb tree. / have no doubt
that the ancient anecdote of the coon
IL Il, ,,x,I,a, i
gun, Don't shoot, mister; m going to
come down." had it's origin in some
runaway hand" perched in a cypress
and gazing down at his irate master,
but preserving always the negros sense
of humor. Indeed, this story is loved
and venerated in every quarters"
south of Mason's and Dixon's line, and
is always good for laugh. The plant
ers care in this matter was dictated
more by policy than by humanity. 1t
did not pay to have a $1,000 negro
chewed up by a $50 dog.
The bloodhound is now used only in
the pursuit of criminals. Every South
ern penitentiary has a brace or more of
them. They are not infrequently a part
of the sheriff's outfit. The breed is not
always pure, but the dogs serve their
purpose better than fairly we'll. Their
keenneSs of scent is one of the most re-
markable things in nature, though it is
of value chiefly in the more thinly set
tied region. 1t seems Incredible that
the mere temporary pressure of
mans boot or shoe upon the ground
should leave a traceable scent for "a
hours, providing that there has been no
rain, but there is no doubt that it does
Some times in the South a murderer
breaks jail Until the universal intro
ducticn of chilled steel cages this was
not a difficult matter. Dogs are tele-
graphed for at a distance probably of
$50 miles. They arrive a day after the
escape. They are lead in leash to the
point where the criminal is supposed to
have made his exit and uncoupled.
They take UP the scent instantly and
and follow it rapidly. The man must
have crossed much water or confused
his trail with the hurrying footsteps of
of dozens of others to throw them Off.
Always supposing that "a hours is the
extreme limit of the Law" allowed the
fugitive, the bloodhounds are the best
means of affecting his capture HaV-
ing far to travel, they do not bay. They
have no breath to waste.
In The first canto of The Lady OF the
Lake" Scott remarks that the deep
mouthed bloodhounds mellow bay re-
sounded up the rocky way That was
the English bloodhound. The English
bloodhound, or the bloodhound of the
continent for that matter, not only
BAYS but has remarkable SonOrouS
and beautiful voice. He "opens" as 1t
is technically termed, upon cold trail
and keeps it up until the quarry is
sighted or run down.
He is of great size, deep chest, pow
erful shoulders, massive head, droop-
ing laws and long ears, a remarkab bly,
sagacious and affectionate animal, cou-
rageous though not especially savage.
and one of the best friends man ever
had. This hound is known in the old
prints as the "sleuth' hound, or slot
hound, taken from the old sleuth or
.'slot"-otherwise trail of the deer.
He is called the bloodhound, not be-
cause he is particularly fond of blood
as q matter of diet. but because, hav-
ing once found the blood-trail of a
wounded animal he follows 1t with
wonderful stanchness. He Will In tac'
unless taken off by force. follow It UNI
til he drops. and rising will stagger
along until he falls again. The only
English bloodhounds | have ever seen,
outside of few strolling Uncle Tom
theatrical companies, were Kept mere
~ as ornaments. and | do not think
that they would have been of value IN
chasing the deer.
The English bloodhound IS not used
in the South. That is where Mrs
Stoves error was made. The dog there
is the Cuban bloodhound. He differs
materially from his English cousin. He
is larger, fiereer and Swifter, with more
of a bulldog cut about his head. He
is probably a descendant of bull
cross He is invariably mute until his
quarry is sighted. Almost any dog viii
give tongue when he comes withi1
view of the object of his pursuit after
a long chase. This dog is not snap
per as is the English. He is pinnlns
dog, which comes probably from his
bull strain. Once his teeth are locked
they can be disengaged only by the in
eerious method of grasping his nostrils
and shutting off his breath.
Rnrrin.. The EnrciCners.