The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-05-25
Col ]. c. l.. Harris in the New Yor
Tribune.)

Raleigh. n. c., May 23.-Here is a
true story showing that the fox can rea-
son and act accordingly:
Captain John r. Evans. chairman OF
the Republican State Committee: j. c.
l.. Harris, secretary of the committee;
Robert w. Logan, United States Com
missioner, and J. ID. Miller, all except
Harris, living in the town of Ruther-
fo; dton, n. c., were one spring morning
chasing n fox. 1t was cool crisp morn
ing and there was just enough dampness
Is leaves and grass to- enable tho
cs TO scent Reynard without making
a break. The chase had been going on
for two hours and more. and the forty
dogs in the pack had been making the
welkin ring The fox was running
around in q circle not more than three
miles across and the hunters at sunrise
had assembled on a knoll at about the
centre of the circle which overlooked tho
territory which Reynard appeared to
have circumscribed for himself in his
jaunt with the dogs. The music o. the
dogs was inspiring and the race was
perfect in almost every feature that
goes TO make this the most delightful
sport. The knoll overlooked rayine
about one hundred yards distant from
where the hunters had taken their stand.
Across this ravine giant and venerable
chestnut tree had fallen and the de-
VaStation of time and the elements had
caused the bark to drop from the tree.
Miller was the leader Of the hunters,
and while standing on the Knoll as
Napoleon did at Marengo, Austerlitz AMI
Waterloo he saw the fox come into
sight with The dogs four or five hun
dred yards behind him. The fox ran
straight to the chestnut tree and dis
appeared therein. Up to this time it
was not known that the log was hollow.
1IaERiznWYngth of the chestnut across the
was about sexenty-five feet. AS
'Nquick as the fox could have Travelled
through the log he came out on the OPP
posite side of the ravine and made off
through the forest. The dogs ran TO the
log and there lost the trail. The hun-
tiers watched them for a few minutes
and then Miller called them across the
ravine and put them upon the track. and
away they went in full cry after the
fox. In about thirty minutes the fox
/ came in sight again with his tail UP and
Asshowing no signs of WEAKNESS. The
Hogs were somewhat farther behind than
= before The hunters watched the fox
and again he ran into the log and out
on the opposite side. The Goo halted
as.s.sn and were put on the ira, by Mil
Aler. The fox was gone about thirty
M minutes again and came bao'- and again
: ran through the log. This was the third
= time the fox had gone through the log
and Miller remarked that every time he
1,a yo1 Ia h.,
had been rested and WIS fresh for the
race. The dogs We're becoming wearied.
The chase had been going on for nearly
five hours and after the fox made his
fourth entrance into and eXit from the
chestnut log. Miller went to the end of
l~ihe log where the fox came out each time
and securely stopped it up. In about
D thirty minutes the fox ran into the log
the fifth time. Miller then stopped up
the other end of the log and then cut
.siass~the log and extracted therefrom
three fullgrown foxes.
Here is another showing the ability of
the fox to hide himself most successfully
after he had played With the dogs until
} he began TO get tired. 1t was in Rocking
ham County and near Stones Store Eon.
Thomas Settle. the Associate Justice of
the Supreme Court: Gel. David Settle,
afterward Urited States Marshal for the
Western District: Robert NJ. Douglas,
now Associate Justice of the Supreme
Court: his brother Stephen A. Douglas
Joseph W. Holden. then Sneaker OF the
Mouse of Representatives; ]. {. J.. Har-
sis and Doctor Raines made up the hun
tiers with two packs of dogs of David
Settle and Doctor Raines. Around tic
store for four miles square was land
most Of which had been cultivated and
! had been lying out and had grown up
in broom sedge. About the centre of the
four mile space was high hill that over
looked the whole country for many miles
each way The view of the valley OF
the Dan river was very fine. The fox
had gotten up an hour before daylight
and had been traversing the field around
the hill for more than Two hours. The
music of the dogs had aroused tho neigh
borhood and probably fifty people-men
and women on rseback-were standing
on the hill watching and listening at tho
dogs. Col. David Malloy joined the
hunters at the store and told of a num-
Der of races that had recently been
made there and after running the fox
two OF three hours he had invariably
Slipped away from the dogs at Il certain
place. Col. Settle suggested the plan
that some person be sent TO this place
and to remain there and keep quiet and
watch the fox and find out what became
of him. This suggestion was carried
out The fox continued his run for two
hours or more and was finally lost by
the dogs at the same place as hereto
fore The whole company then. under
the lead of Col Malloy. rode to this
place The man told them that the fox
was there and to find him. Every per-
son exhausted his arts but did not
find him. Finally a low slanting tree