The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-04-25
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Scotch Terrier and Fox.

Ben Butte and the wild glen II overlooks
have never been glad with the cry Of the
hounds. as that phrase is understood OF
shires. yet the district is the home of the
hill fox. and OF one man and many dogs,
for whom fox hunting is the serious pur-
suit OF life. Ben Buie never saw scarlet
IL never knew a meet. True. IL has seen
the chase. but il has been the pursuit OF
Highland war or the following OF the red
deer I'm the old days with horn and hound; |;
yet more foxes are killed each year by
the hunter and his dogs than fall To the
busiest OF packs In the best OF "coun-
tries south OF the Tweed Up here on
the hill only sounds coming 70 the ear
are the faint murmuring OF the dwindled
river. and the yelping OF the terriers
somewhere down there where the stream
joins the sea. You are In a land OF wild,
dark frowning hills, dotted with the
cairns in which the fox loves TO make
his home--a land of sheer descents of cliff
and scaur, Of torrents that have cleft
deep WAYS, or precipices and barrier
rocks.
Fox hunting in the ordinary sense is
obviously impossible. Nor is IL attempted.
In the Highlands they have a short way
with dogs: they do not desire a run =;
their whole aim is a kill" The hill
foxes, be IL observed, are not as the foxes
OF the plain. They are larger stronger
and fiercer. more like a wolf than fox
as beast OF prey. In autumn. summer
and winter the foxes are hunters merely
OF such animals as are the spoil OF south
ern foxes. As destroyers OF game-often
as wanton among birds as an otter
among fish--there is war between Them
and the Keepers and to shoot fox is
not q sporting crime, but a good service
TO the whole "hill."
In spring other interests are involved.
The hill fox. from Eskdale on the borders
TO dark Toch Eriboll in the far north.
is the enemy OF the sheep farmer for he
preys on the young lambs, and grim and
great would be the slaughter II there
were no fox hunters TO follow him TO
his Businesses In the wild hills, and
there. with dogs OF high and low degree,
make him pay the penalty OF his mis-
deeds down to the last cub. In some
districts the tod hunter TO give him his
border name, IL a person OF considerable
Importance. Among the green pastoral
hills OF the southwest of Scotland the
professional killer of foxes is usually a
breeder OF those mustard and pepper"
tarriers TO which Dandle Dinmont gave
his name. Here I'm the Highlands other
terriers are employed. and each fox
hunter has his special breed. which is
superior to those OF all his rivals.
The fox hunter whose terriers are even
now waking the echoes of the glen with
their impatient yelping Is one OF the best
known i'm the North. His occupation Is
practically hereditary. for he is the
fourth OF his race 10 hold office on the
estate and TO serve the district in the
capacity OF a paid slayer OF foxes. In
a grant per head Of foxes killed: today
he has his fixed wage from the estate.
and fee from the farmers For nearly
two centuries. for an unbroken sequence
OF 200 Springs. he and his forbears have
hunted all the wild country that lies
between Glen Falloch and the pass OF
Brander the springs OF Shira and the
lone places of Appn. For all those years
they have waged war on the hill foxes,
Like the hunter the terriers are tho
hereditary foes OF the fox. Two hundred
wears ago their direct ancestors trotted
I'M the hill slopes. hunted the cairns, and
worried the progenitorS OF those very
foxes with whom they will Join issue
when the March winds OF the second year
OF the century are roaring down the Glens
The feud has descended from generation
TO generation OF dogs, from generation TO
generation OF foxes.
In the field near the sea you note the fox
hunter. but before he can answer your
call and come down 20 the road the whole
pack are upon you. Their greeting is
noisy but kindly. Every one OF the
twelve gives tongue as they come running
toward you. There Is nothing OF menace
in their barking II is merely the hearty
welcome Of the Highland terrier Each
dog is more "fussy than the other All
their bodies. all their tails all their
tongues are going at once, and each dog
is a rival OF the other for your notice.
one or two are n little shy OF the
strangers hand. but not one Is hostile.
They are mice" dogs. these hereditary
foemen OF the foX.-London Express.