RURAL SPORTS.
THE following paragraph has appeared in the daily papers this week.
"On Monday sennight, a strange chase took place between Cantley and Ros-
sington Bridge. The servants of • • • * • • t sent a labourer out half an hour before letting the couple of blood-hounds, belonging to the above. named gentleman, slip in pursuit, for the purpose of exercise and training. After making every possible double, over stubbles, fellows, turnips, &c., he was joined for a short distance by two men amongst the wines or gorse, near Brockholes, when the men took a different route. Presently the dogs were seen well on the scent; and on cooling to where the men had separated, they were for a moment at fault; but the leading hound immediately hit upon the original scent, and both resumed their chase—running their game into corer at Rossington Bridge stables ' • where the poor fellow, being very much exhausted, had only just time to shut the gate to prevent himself from being seized by the hounds.'
This may well be called a strange chase. What can Squire * * * * * * * want with bloodhounds ? They are good for nothing but to hunt his fellow men like beasts of prey. Are not the lower classes in this country sufficiently exasperated as it is by the con- duct of the squirearchy ? Are the old feudal days returned, when the barons bold tortured and hunted the poor hinds?
It will be said that these hounds are kept only for the purpose of tracking incendiaries. For every incendiary they catch, they will call twenty new ones into existence. 'What madness it is in country gentlemen to think that brutality will check the bad spirit which in some parts of the island inflames the labouring pea- santry ! Suppose one of these hounds "let slip in pursuit," should happen to lay hold of the wrong man—suppose that man should turn out to be of gentle blood—what damages would not a jury give him in recompense for the mangling of his flesh ? Think of that, Mr. *******; and forbid your servants their horrid sport.
We withhold the name, because we have no means of verifying the statement.
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