as by the strong hand.

This feudal dog is frequently pictured by the poet in his ballads
and romances, and in "The Lady of the Lake" we find the breed again
mentioned as

"--dogs of black St. Hubert's breed,
Unmatched for courage, breath, and speed."

These famous black Bloodhounds, called St. Huberts, are supposed to
have been brought by pilgrims from the Holy Land. Another larger
breed, also known by the same name, were pure white, and another kind
were greyish-red. The dogs of the present day are probably a blend
of all these varieties.

[Illustration: BLOODHOUND CH. CHATLEY BEAUFORT. BY CH. CHATLEY
BLAZER--CHATLEY FRIVOL. BRED AND OWNED BY MRS. G. A. OLIPHANT,
SHREWTON, WILTS]

The Bloodhound, from the nobler pursuit of heroes and knights, came
in later years to perform the work of the more modern detective; but
in this also his services were in time superseded by the justice's
warrant and the police officer. We find it recorded about 1805,
however, that "the Thrapston Association for the Prevention of Felons
in Northamptonshire have provided and trained a Bloodhound for the
detection of sheep-stealers."

The reputation it obtained for sagacity and fierceness in the capture
of runaway slaves, and the cruelties attributed to it in connection
with the suppression of the various negro risings, especially that
of the Maroons, have given the animal an evil repute, which more
probably should attach to those who made the animal's courage and
sagacity a means for the gratification of their own revolting cruelty
of disposition. It has been justly remarked that if entire credence
be given to the description that was transmitted through the country
of this extraordinary animal, it might be supposed that the Spaniards
had obtained the ancient and genuine breed of Cerberus himself.

Coming again to this country, we find the Bloodhound used from time
to time in pursuit of poachers and criminals, and in many instances
the game recovered and the man arrested.

There is no doubt that the police in country districts, and at our
convict prisons, could use Bloodhounds to advantage; but public
sentiment is decidedly against the idea, and although one of His
Majesty's prisons has been offered a working hound for nothing, the
authorities have refused to consider the question or give the hound
a trial.

Half a century ago the Bloodhound was so little esteemed in this
country that the breed was confined to the kennels of