when she accidentally joined them in the forest. Her pace was mostly a trot, was seldom known to gallop, except when called to go out shooting; she would then come home off the forest at full stretch, for she was never shut up but to prevent her being out of the sound of the call or whistle when a party of gentlemen had appointed to see her out the next day, and which call she obeyed as regularly as a dog, and was as much elevated as a dog upon being shown the gun. She always expressed great pleasure when game, either dead or alive, was placed before her. She has frequently stood a single partridge at forty yards' distance, her nose in an exact line, and would continue in that position until the game moved: if it took wing, she would come up to the place, and put her nose down two or three times; but if a bird ran off, she would get up and go to the place, and draw slowly after it, and when the bird stopped she would stand it as before. The two Mr. Toomers lived about seven miles apart, at Rhinefield and Broomey lodges; Slut has many times gone by herself from one lodge to the other, as if to court the being taken out shooting. She was about five years old when her master died, and, at the auction of his pointers, &c., was bought in at ten guineas. Sir Henry Mildmay having expressed a wish to have her, she was sent to Dogmersfield Park, where she remained some years. She was last in the possession of Colonel Sykes, and was then ten years old, and had become fat and slothful, but could point game as well as ever. She was not often used, excepting to show her to strangers, as the pointers refused to act when out with her. When killed she weighed 700 lbs. Her death-warrant was signed in consequence of her having been accused of being instrumental to the disappearance of sundry missing lambs. (Daniel's Rural Sports.)
Colonel Thornton also had a sow which was regularly taught to hunt, quarter the ground, and back the other pointers. Some thirty years since, it was mentioned in the public papers, that a gentleman had trained swine to run in his carriage, and drove four-in-hand through London with these curious steeds. And not long since the market-place of St. Albans was completely crowded, in consequence of an eccentric old farmer, who resided a few miles off, having entered it in a small chaise-cart drawn by four hogs at a brisk trot, which pace they kept up a few times round the area of the market-place. They were then driven to the wool-pack yard, and after being unharnessed were regaled with a trough of beans and wash.
A gentleman present offered 50l.. for the whole concern as it stood, but his offer was indignantly declined. In about two hours the anmals were reharnessed, and the old farmer drove off with his extraordinary team. He stated that he had been six months in training them.
