The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-10-03
MAN-HUNTING. HOUNDS.
Not Many Of Pure Strain Left in the
South.

hounds in the Southern part Of the
United States for catching criminals
is a common practice, says The New
York Commercial Advertiser. For
over fifty, years dogs have been
trained in the South for this purpose.
Before the civil war nearly all of the
larger plantations had one or more
pure bloodhounds, trained to pursue
runaway slaves. In some cases the
plantation owners would club to-
gether and purchase a pack, each
having the use of it when needed TO
catch the fleeing negro. In those
days white men in the South made
it a business to train dogs especially
for the purpose and accompanied
them when they were needed for a
| chase as it was termed. Very few
were ever used for bird or animal
hunting. as it affected their scent for
men. The planters fond Of hunting
kept other breeds of dogs almost en-
tirely for sport. Since the war the
value of the hound is so we'll known
in following the escaped criminals
that today the half breeds are almost
as numerous as the other were thirty
years ago, although many were killed
by the Union soldiers and the ne
groes themselves during the war.
Dog fanciers say that there are
probably not twenty-five pure-blood-
ed dogs of this breed in the United
States at present The first Of the
kind came from the north Of England
near the Scotch boundary line. When
not in service they are often kept
about the house, more as pets prob
ably because of their courage and de-
cility, for the real bloodhound is any
thing but the savage and vicious
brute depicted by artists and described
by novelists in his ordinary condition.
When not aroused he is as gentle and
as tractable as a lap dog. Let him be
provoked, however, and he will attack
man or beast with ferocity which is
equaled by no other breed Of CANNES.
He never gives up as long as life lasts
and is death to either himself or the
object of attack The savage side Of
the dog is aroused by resistance and
he will seldom bite anyone who does
not offer it unless Influenced by the
scent of blood. This trait is proved
by numerous illustrations where the
animal has been used in the Southern
States
The hounds of pure species have
an unusually long and narrow fore
head, with eyes very large and soft,
while in color they are dark, tan or
fawn. They stand about two feet
above the ground Their legs are
short but powerful, and they ere not
swift running dogs, although they
have as much endurance as any Of
the huntinr breed. Their scent. how
ever, is wonderful and probably sur
passes that Of any other variety. This
is shown after they are "broken in
to hunt criminals. The manner Of
breaking them in the Southern States
is to select a stretch Of country about
mile long, with one or two small
thickets on the course" as it is
termed. The ground may be pas
ture or perhaps an CID field where
the earth is loose. A negro boy who
is a good runner is hired or induced
in some other way TO take the part Of
the runaway. He puts o, pair Of
shoes or 'sbrogans," the soles Of
which are rubbed with blood from
some animal or chicken, and is given
start Of about twenty minutes. This
will enable him TO easily cover course
at tha end of which is a tree or some
other refuge into which he can climb
and thus avoid any possibility Of be-
ing injured by the dog. When the
animal is loosed the trainer puts his
nose to the spot where the runner
started and as rule he is "on the
scent in a second, going at full speed
across the stretch of country. In the
thicket he may. be puzzled few
moments, but generally he strikes
the trail again and in few mo-
ments is baying, which indicates that
he has found the place where the
fugitive is located. The scent is best
early in the morning before the sun
has dried the dew on the ground, as
the moisture seems to hold the odor.
Ever to this day the odor by
which the dog follows man is a sub
ject of discussion among the veteran
trainers. Some argue that it comes
from the sOleS of the feet and some