Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-08-26
OLD time FOX HUNT
Exciting Sport Enjoyed in OcOnGG
County.
WHEN PLEASURES WERE few
A. Zimmerman Describes Hunting
Reynard in the Sixties-Huntins
Was Then Principal Sport.
(I[coWcc Courier. J

(KeOWCc Courier)
The following account is taken from
a chapter of Memoirs of Ny Life"
written by Mr.. A. Zimmerman dec
ade or SO ago. 1t gives an interesting
picture of the chase as conducted in
the undcvclopcd regions of South
Carolina over half century ago:
Hunting Chief Sport.
Away back in the sixties, before l
was married, l was living alone
in a little log house on Coloner3 Fork
creek, he war just over and nowhere
to go for news and recreation. There
were no towns in the county at that
time except Walhalla, and it was
mostly German. If you went there you
could not understand haf that was
said TO you. To church on Sundays
or to some party now ard then were
the only places we had to go. Game
of all kinds was plentiful, having
been molested but little during the
| four years of the war 1t was quite
|
and during the winter time there was
scarcely a night but that you could
hear the sound Of the horn or the
barking of the dog2 in Gome direction.
procured two nice young hound
dogs. Their names were Jeff and Rock.
| enjoyed having these dogs at that
time more than | would "a good horse
and top buggy now. They were price
less-were not for salc--and when /
think about it now I am amazed how
fondled and pettcd these dogs. There
was no cotton, scarce'y, grown in the
county then, and our whole time was
not taken up in agriculture as at the
present. We had more leisure time
and spare days to dispose of than
some Of us have row.
These dogs were my associates; they
were by my side all the day long-my
protection and company by night. Is 1t
any wonder that | loved and petted
them? There were quite number of
! foxes in the county, and .he sport OF
hunting them was participated in by
quite a number knew. And as prom
! isod that I would at some future time
relate a few incidents connected with
4 fox race I was in, which race was
,rm in and around where the town
/ i Westminster now stands viii now
| Try TO do so. II may interest the boys
| ,u1 Gnn,. Of the Older mC1.
A Noted Fox Hunter.
One cf tho most noted fox Hunters
in this county At that time was War
rem w. Striking (now deccascd). lie
owned sCmc Of Tie best dogs. | think.
that ever saw-wcIl trained and fleet
If foot. never passed Ills house with
out stopping and having long talks
with him. He had shop on the side
# the road and was generally at work
in it. He was an industrious mnn and
wns never caught idle, nut he en-
loved a little sport now and then as
well as us boys. He Was. an ideal man
"A pattern for boys. Never in his
company did you hear an oath or an
unchastc word. He WIS generally the
director and advisor in all these
pay:imcs Temperate and always in q
good humor he was C"utcd and look
ID un to. My r2Cni,CCtions Of him and
lis life have caused me to include
him in these memoirs. As Il man am
.:lad That | knew him-a friend tha'
loved, ana whose memory ! now
cherish as onr OF the fund"St Of my
r,cullcCtinn.;. II" wa3 oder than l.
bat cnjo"cd the company of the young
and many time have sat in his
shop for~ hours and listened to him
tell of deer drives and fox races in
which he had participated before the
war. To me he was a grand man, and
enjoyed being in his company, and
never let a fox hunt pass that die
nat go if | knew he would be along.
also admired his dogs; they were
the best in the land, and it did me
good to hear them run. II my hclC
there waS large pcrSimmon tree
loaded down with Cruit. II was one
of the best varieties | ever s&,w--tht
fruit large and sweet. There is rs
much difference in pcrSimmOns as II
any ulhcr fruit. and this tree was
an exceptionally good one. The per
simmons tnst,d aS if they all hat
sugar in them. Maybe that was The
reason the foxes loved them so well
From observation found out there
was n big fox that came u this tree
almost every night. | could see hi
signs and tracks every day / wen
to see Mr.. Strhlng to arrange 70
a hunt i'm the near future. llc in
formed me that he would see s. X
D.ndy. Duff McDonald's boys ant
; others. and for me To sec 5. NJ. Pool
!. l.. Dickson ard others, and w
. would have trial race for speed ant
wind. This was to he Il big timc--al
the brag dogs in the country roun'
u about were expected to br there. Tn
time was fixed and it was known fa
: and near. 1t is remarkable how mucI
interest is shown on these occasion
: and with what delight the time
looked for.
The selected morning had come.
u .,..S cla1r and frosty the fresh morn