Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-29
CUBAN BL OODHOUNDS
They Were introduced in the Sorth
to Hunt Slaves.
4 PAIR SOMETIMES WORTH $500
They Do Not Bay Like the Eng
Iish Hounds.
REM INST1NC CT

H. s. Garfield in the Chicago Times-Herald.
The first Cuban bloodhounds landed upon
this continent were imported two hundred
years ago by Spanish planters of Louis
lana, then Spanish territory. We all know
what the dons were. about 100 Negroes
were cheaper then, and if slave gave
trouble Ii did not much matter that the
bloodhound's hold upon his throat was
broken only by TIE tearing of the flesh and
tendons. Many dimes in those days the
fugitive negro did not live after his cap
ture. If he succeeded in gaining a tree, his
olive-skinned masters shot him out as they
would a squirrel. If on the ground when
caught the dogs killed him, sometimes be-
fore the arrival of the horsemen, who had
ridden hard to be in at the death.
The Cuban hound was valuable dog,
and he was well treated In some Of the
old court records of Louisiana are bills of
sale of him. In instances tine prices ran
as high as $500 a pair The breed spread
all through the south, although / 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 Car
DINA or Maryland.
As a matter of course. the planters of
this century were careful to protect their
slaves as far as possible from attacks by
the animals. This was generally easy. The
runaway slave invariably made for the
swamp at the back of the plantation. 1t
contained many streams and lagoons, which
bided him in throwing the dogs off the
scent If the worst came to the worst ne
could always Climb tree. 1 have no doubt
That the ancient anecdote of the coon which
remarked to the man with the gun Don't
shoot, mister; I'm going to come down."
mad It's origin in some runaway hand"
perched in a cypress and gazing down at
mis- irate master. but preserving always
the neSro's sense of humor. Indeed, this
story is loved and venerated in every
quarters south of Mason ard Dixon's
hne. and is always good for a laugh. The
planters care in this matter was dictated
NOR by policy than humanity. 1t did not
pay to have $1,000 negro chewed up by a
SO dog.
Only for Criminals.
The bloodhound Is now used only in the
pursuit of criminals. Every southern peni-
Tertiary has a brace or more of them
They are not infrequently part of the
sheriff's outfit. The breed is not always
pure, but the dogs serve their purpose bet
ter than fairly we'll. Their keenness of
scent Is one of the most remarkable things
in nature. though it is of value chiefly in
the more thinly settled region. 1t seems
incredible that the mere temporary pres
sure of a mans boot or shoe upon the
ground should leave traceable scent for
twenty-four hours, providing that there
has been no rain, but there is no doubt
that it does. Sometimes in the south
murderer breaks Jail. Until the universal
introduction of chilled steel cages this was
not a difficult matter. Dogs are tele-
graphed for at distance probably of $50
miles. They arrive a day after the escape.
They are led in leash to the point where
the criminal is supposed to have made his
exit and uneoupled. They take up the
scent instantly and follow 1t rapidly The
man must have crossed much water or
confused his trail with the hurrying foot
steps of dozens of others to throw them
on. Always surprising that twenty-four
hours is the extreme limit of law allow
ed the fugitive, the bloodhounds are the
best means of effecting his capture. Hay
ing far 10 travel, they do not bay, They
have no breath to waste
In the first canto of 1.-The Lady of the
Lake; Scott remarks that the deep
mouthed bloodhound's mellow bay resound-
cd up the rocky way That was the Eng
ish bloodhound. The English bloodhound,
or the bloodhound of the continent for that
matter. not only bays, but has remark
ably sonorous and beautiful voice. He
"Opens, as it Is technically termed, upon
cold trail and keeps 1T up until the quar-
~ Is sighted or run down.
The Old-T1me Sleuth.
He is of great size, with deep chest,
powerful shoulders, massive head, droop-
ing jaws and long ears. remarkably sa-
gacious and affectionate animal, cour-
aseous. 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
traiP-of the deer. He Is called the
bloodhound. not because he is particularly
FOND OF blood as a matter of diet, but be-
cause. having once found the blood-trail of
a wounded animal. he follows 1t with won.
derful stanchness. He will, in fact unles.
taken on by force. follow 1t until he
drops, and rising will stagger along until
ne rails again. The only English blood
hounds 1 have ever seen, outside of a few
stroliing Uncle Tom theatrical COM
panies, were kept merely as ornaments.
ana do not think that they would have
been OF value in chasing the deer
The English bloodhound is not used I'm
the south That Is where Mrs Stoves err
Tor was made. The dog there Is the en-
Dan bloodhound. He differs materiaIIv
from his English cousin. He is larger.
mercer and swifter, with more of a bulldog
cut ABOUT his head He is probably a de.
scendant OF bull cross He is inyariahlv
mute until his quarry is sighted. Almost
any DOG will give tongue when he comes
within view OF the object of his pursuit
AFTER long chase. This dog is mot a
snapper, as Is the English. He is a min
ping dog, which comes probably from his
Dun strain. Once his teeth are locked
.hey can be disengaged only by the in
senouS method of grasping his nos,riIs
ana shutting OF his breath.