Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1899-05-31
DOG WAS A SURPRISE.


and either finds his quarry or surrenders
TO exhaustion. lie is gentleness itself to his
master and yet as tenacious as a hungry wolf
when following his prey.
The old hunters never tire Of telling Of
the proves Of tn, ir iavorite deerhounds in
the days before the law placed a ban on
them, and many Of the most exciting stories
OF the woods have these noble dogs for cen
trail figures.
l admit the responsibility Of having in.
troduced a new and better strain into many
Of the doerhounds in northern Michigan.
Their occupation is gone, but, like an inn
poverished nobility, they still retain their
pride and the evidences Of good breeding
/ brought this sire from the east to the
Alpena district in 1884. lie was blood
hound, fresh from the kennel, and a very
uncertain quantity in the minds Of sports
men who passed judgment He was a
handsome specimen of his kind, tall, strong
limhed with fine coating and with ears
that measured 20 inches from tip to tip.
II was the unanimous vio, Of the local
huntsmen that had made foolish in
vestmont They pooh-poohed the idea OF
man-chaser being deer-ehaser. There
were more specific objections, such as that
was too finely bred and lot of'other cx-
captions TO my dog, such as are always 70
be encountered when radical innovation
is proposed.
/, however, had faith in Ranger and
was determined to give him a trial But
decided that it should be a secret trial, so
that the skeptics should not triumph over
me in the event of failure started early
/ a. a ~. l. I'D
/ Chippewa friend, Neswassoha, our means
of transportation being rangey horse that
could make good time over our sandy
route, and a blackboard, the best light
vehicle for such roads as we had 10 travel.
We drove straight for the hermitage OF q
retired lake captain whose command on the
inland seas had been a sailing vessel de.
voted largely to coaatwise trade. He was
then hunter and trapper, his cabin in a
! little clearing hemmed by vast depths of
unbroken forest. The old salt was not at
home, but we knew the laws Of hospitality
in that part of the world. Neswassoba
entered through window with the clever.
ness Of a burglar, opened the door from
within, and by the time the salt returned
there was a cheerful fire glowing, while we
were RECALLING ourselves from his lardor.
]
announcement of his return. GLAD to sec
you. That's right make the harbor snug
and don't slight the rations" After us the
captain at once noticed our dog. "Whew!
he exclaimed, big fellow, hain't he? Reg
ular three decker. l wonder if he'll run, il
you pub him on a courseY Where did you
get him.'
proudly produced the dogs pedigree,
IL.
TO convince the gruif captain that the dos
would run down deer But he was to b'
/ given the benefit of fair trial, for IN,
captain knew all about the runways and
was glad to give US the benefit Of his
| knowledge l was surprised at the Indian
after we had been discussing the dog foi
some time. He pulled Ranger to him by
the ears, took his paws in his hands am
whispered something that was all the more
\ mysterious because in the Chippewa
tongue am sure that it was some sort Of
i a "pow.wow," for Neswassoba turned e
us with solemn air of conviction ant
said. Heap good dog Him never leav,
trail. Him outrun swiftest deer and hin
never get tired"
have never been charged with supersti
ton, but the assurance Of the Indian gave
me great deal Of confidence and / wal
afterwards inclined to believe that Mes
wassoba knew all about the BLOODHOUND
and the glories that were to come to hi
progeny.
The next morning we had our breakias
and the captain had given us our place
on the runaway by the coming of daylight
My stand was just by the edge of
= slashing, and from it l could see back to
III. l. N.NN IL L..
fore me was the water for which the dee
/ would make if so hard pressed that ID
e could not shake the dog of. 1t is tn
! last resort. had scarcely seated mysel
on a log and filed my pipe when l hear
+ Ranger give tongue. O, what voice
/ clear and musical as a bell. Here was
K point in his favor, but would he stick
A lit the pipe, confident that there would b
4 q long run before the deer would be force
TO the water The bay of the hound toll
y that he was coming nearer, and coming lil'
!. the wind / felt sure that but for the gra
mist of the morning could see the dog an
his game.
. A shoe rang out from the upper end Of III
slashing There was brief silence, then II
y powerful voice of the hound. My PHI
dropped from my mouth and my Winchest.
= went 70 my hhoAluNl III response 10 an II
4 stinctive impulse Not eight rods ava
. from me there went bounding by one Of Il
2 largest does ever saw. She seemed ilas
4 propelled by springs Of steel, and 1t was plai
that sine was SO hard pushed that she WI
6 seeking the shortest way TO safety.
"Bangl bang" Yes ] have her She
down, but up again. Twice more the VII
= chester speaks and the quarry is mine.
3 have just time to DO the blood letting T
y Quired in such a case, and step behind
tree, when Ranger rushes from the slas
\ ing, his nose close to the ground and
ring Of triumph in his voice. lie pass
X within reach of my hand, but pays no mo
heed TO me than TO the tree against viii,
/. I leaned. Coming to the deer he sat dow
~, with puzzled look that made me laugh.
y went to him, told him how nohly he HI
~ done and patted him in approval. Then
te licked the deer all over, a trick that son
A. hounds have, never offering to taste OF q
be tempting meat. II seemed the act OF &c
~ orous winner in a magnificent race.
ne The captain and Neswassoba were so,
IL with me, and both were full Of praise (
a. a new dog that could so quickly force hi
W strong deer 70 the water. The Indian cou
= not refrain from saying; "Me said so. Iii
le mighty dog" As We returned 10 the ca