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Dogs and All about Them
·
Robert Leighton
115
Whatever
the
source
of
the
Highland
Deerhound,
and
at
whatever
period
it
became
distinct
from
its
now
larger
Irish
relative,
it
was
recognised
as
a
native
dog
in
Scotland
in
very
early
times,
and
it
was
distinguished
as
being
superior
in
strength
and
beauty
to
the
hounds
of
the
Picts.
From
remote
days
the
Scottish
nobles
cherished
their
strains
of
Deerhound,
seeking
glorious
sport
in
the
Highland
forests.
The
red
deer
belonged
by
inexorable
law
to
the
kings
of
Scotland,
and
great
drives,
which
often
lasted
for
several
days,
were
made
to
round
up
the
herds
into
given
neighbourhoods
for
the
pleasure
of
the
court,
as
in
the
reign
of
Queen
Mary.
But
the
organised
coursing
of
deer
by
courtiers
ceased
during
the
Stuart
troubles,
and
was
left
in
the
hands
of
retainers,
who
thus
replenished
their
chief's
larder.
The
revival
of
deerstalking
dates
back
hardly
further
than
a
hundred
years.
It
reached
its
greatest
popularity
in
the
Highlands
at
the
time
when
the
late
Queen
and
Prince
Albert
were
in
residence
at
Balmoral.
Solomon,
Hector,
and
Bran
were
among
the
Balmoral
hounds.
Bran
was
an
especially
fine
animal--one
of
the
best
of
his
time,
standing
over
thirty
inches
in
height.
Two
historic
feats
of
strength
and
endurance
illustrate
the
tenacity
of
the
Deerhound
at
work.
A
brace
of
half-bred
dogs,
named
Percy
and
Douglas,
the
property
of
Mr.
Scrope,
kept
a
stag
at
bay
from
Saturday
night
to
Monday
morning;
and
the
pure
bred
Bran
by
himself
pulled
down
two
unwounded
stags,
one
carrying
ten
and
the
other
eleven
tines.
These,
of
course,
are
record
performances,
but
they
demonstrate
the
possibilities
of
the
Deerhound
when
trained
to
his
natural
sport.
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