New-York tribune., 1905-06-11
CHASING THE FOX.
Some Good Sport Enjoyed in North
Carolina.

fox in Robson County were improving. IL wae
4:3O o'clock when 1 called the boys. and inside
OF thirty minutes were In the Held. The
moon shone brightly, and the air wac crisp. On
leaving Colonel McRae's house. we passed
through the barnyard and went toward the
river The dogs were wild and eager. Ridley
and JEFF ranged far away. hunting for Rey-
nard's track But Brown Mollie sounded the
first significant note; her cold nose told her that
a fox had travelled the old log road. In the
woods. during the night She could smell MIN
on the rocks and logs AS the trail went our
way we encouraged the little dog. Harl, cold
nosed dog joined Mollie and helped her to carry
the track Jane and jeff and Ridley sot q
faint scent now and then. but not enough to
inspire more than whine 1t was fortunate
that the trail was cold, for. had 1t been not. the
dogs could not have followed 1t over the frozen
ground.
Every man was looking to his dogs for az
we had not had race no one knew what the
other fellows hounds could DO. Commodore
Hoyle was barking to Harl Blue. Speckieo
Mollie Lead and June, while Dr. henderson
was relying on Wise. Drum. Trump and Juose;
Badger Bryant had great faith in Brown Mol4ie
JEFF. Ridley, Jane. Sam. TwiE and Queen Whlie
Kirk Sturgeon and Joe Flenniken were setting
store by Black Rock, screamer and WADE.
waited for call from Red Rock or Drive
DO not believe that there eighteen better
running dogs to be found in this State than
could be picked from that pack. JEFF and Kid
ley belong to j. L. Dorsey. breeder OF the pesl
July hounds; his home is at Albertville, Ala
These dogs look like aristocrats. JEFF is nine
years old, and can throw dust in the face of any
dog in the bunch: he runs like a deer, ana
when you hear his unique cry. you may follow.
for he never sounds a note until he smells
fox. He and Ridley hunt for foxes and nothing
has no charms for that pair Of handsome
hounds. Twig and Sam and Brown Mollis are
three of the finest little fox dogs that ever lived;
they stick well. and move along. Black Rock
is the best all-around fox dog in the pack. He
Is always keen and determined; others may
quit, but Rock will go on to the end. Speckled
Mollie. rng-tailed and sharp-nosed. Is favor
lite In the Hoyle kennel; she runs fast, and Is
a good looking animal Wise and Trump trail
well. and have sweet tongues. Wade. big
dog of the Barnett stock. never drops his trail,
and is always ready for race He Is strong
and tough
By sunrise the dogs were trailing here and
there and everywhere; foxes had run the roads
and logs. Every dog seemed TO have trail OF
his own. but the pack was una BILE to get to-
gether At ono time 1t looked if jeff. Ridley.
Mollie, Jane Black Rock, Red Rock Trump.
Harl and Wise would start fox. for they came
down an old road in bunch. making great
noise But, much to the disappointment of the
hunters, they scattered again. jeff. the one on
whom most relied. had quit opening, and
gone to ranging. Ridley not enthused, and
Mollie at loss to know which way to go. The
trail grew colder the further UP the thicket we
went. A few OF the long cared hounds kept
nouthing on It, but we were discouraged, and
ready to go to a field when Ridley gave
call behind us. below where we had crossed the the
little stream. His short, choppy "yock-yocks
began to fall thick and fast when the welcome
"whiff- whiff' of old JEFF was heard. It was
a mark to jeff" Men and dogs turned. for
those who knew JEFF felt certain that IN ne was
aooet sbe stern To ea e Of the old hound The Struggling
dogs scrambled through the underbfush to get
to him.
At the very moment the frost was melting
and dripping from the tree limbs like rain, ana
beyond the woods the ground had commenced
to thaw. Everything was right for lively roS
chase Our good luck had begun when jeff
sounded his well known call AS went hurry
ing over the grass and vines wanted to yell
My sporting blood began to boil. 49,
''WhIff- -whiff- whiff!" jeff was off with Rid
ley Twig and Sam at his heels! The fox mao
slipped out and crossed the thcket- Jane f1a LHaa
and June soon Joined the lead dogs: and sWelIed
the volume Of music. Mollte. hurrying on to get
in, met the fox. 1t then the real race began
Old Reynard set out for the cotton fields ana
a long run In making good the double, Mollie
and the drove Of dogs that followed her ieft Jeir
Ridley. Twig' June and Jane rar oehlnd, no, As As
Hillside Church. He running for his life
and had fearful task before him, for the dogs
hot after him. and she sets pace that will kill
AS she showed the way we yelled a time or
two to get JEFF and the others from their own
racket 1t few minutes. however, until
Jeff discovered that the bulk Of the pack had
gone ahead of him. He closed his mouth and
rushed on. but like a wild wind. Mollie had
disappeared and almost out Of hearing
But the foolish fox turned in sharp circle and
came back as if he were trying to let Jeff. Jane,
Ridley and Twig. the fastest dogs, get in Within
fifteen minutes after the fox unkennelled
eighteen Of the twenty-five dogs were crying On
his track. Jeff had gone to the front and was
literally burning the wind, making very few
mistakes, and driving hard. with head up and
tail curled over his back Jeff is fast, but not
wild. His tongue never utters a false cry. and
If he makes loss he strikes ahead of where he
quit. If he is feeling we'll all the other dogs need
to do is run him. He can carry the trail and
keep out of the way. But that day he had fast
company. Black Rock. Twig, Jane and Ridley
Sam, Wade. June and Brown Mollie. there
For two hours that fox like the woods were
burning behind him. The dogs packed well and
made up the losses without much delay. Men
and hounds enjoying the race. and II was
evident from the way Reynard circled that he
! about ready to give up the ghost Joe
Flenniken. Badger and myself were keeping
close up with the hope of seeing the finish.
But, alas. were to be disappofnted-a new
fox crossed the road near US and somebody
called the dogs. Whoever II was thought of
course that 1t was the fox that
running. The dogs divided. and had
two foxes going. Black Rock and Lead stuck
five minutes. The fresh fox. not realizing that
the yelling his account, scurried away
and lay down in a reed patch. The dogs trailed
him up and got sight race. Hoyles Harl and
Joe F'enniken were pushing him when he went
to cover in a field Of small pines
We chased that fox until hunters and hounds
were SO tired that they could hardly go. We
made the mistake OF taking the dogs out before
they were fed. The last hour of the race was
The dogs made loss, and. thinking of the
to come. suggested that we call them off and