an end. To the preserver of grouse the upshot of the chase is gratifying, but to
the student of animal life it is a matter for regret. The day is probably not far
distant when the Marten will no longer range in the haunts referred to, and the
largest and scarcest of the British Weasels will be extinct.’
‘ Hunting the Mart ’ was an ancient British field sport in considerable favour
in olden days, and Beckford,1 Scott,2 Daniell, and other writers all bear testimony
to the excellence of the sport, the Marten being a good beast at which to enter
young hounds. Scott says : ‘ The Marten, when hunted, will sometimes run miles
in large coverts, and will engage the hounds a considerable time, showing great
sport, and taking many opportunities to climb trees and recover his wind, the
hounds baying him until frightened or cudgelled down, when he shows an almost
miraculous agility; for although he frequently alights in the middle of the pack,
and each hound is mad to catch him, he is seldom so caught, and his escape
is greeted with a loud general halloo.’
Mr. W. Durnford has written the best account of Mart hunting in Cumberland,8
and it is so descriptive that it ought to be given in full.
‘ The meet,’ he says, ‘ was at Wastdale, one of the grandest and most secluded
valleys in the Lake district. Long before daybreak we were awakened at the little
inn by the voice of the huntsman, who had arrived with six couple of hounds,
varying in size from a beagle to a foxhound, together with three wire-haired
terriers. As the mist still hung like a wet blanket on the hills, and the day had
not yet broken, it was decided that we should begin by trying our luck on the
low ground at the head of the valley, and thither we accordingly bent our steps.
We proceeded thus for nearly an hour; and though an occasional whimper from
one of the hounds led us to think that something had passed that way during
the night, if it had done so we were quite unable to hit off its line. Being
particularly anxious to show some sport, the huntsman now resolved to take to
the hills, notwithstanding the mist; and, having received instructions to keep well
together, we commenced the ascent of Yewbarrow, a mountain rather over 2,000
feet in height. It soon became evident that something was on foot: the hounds
showed evident signs of excitement, eagerly examining every nook and crevice,
and stopping now and again to drink in, as it were, the scent from all the rocks.
Still they seemed at a loss, until an old dog, which had been steadily hunting at
a little distance from the rest, suddenly commenced to give tongue. The others
made a rush towards him, and the whole pack was quickly off full cry up the
1 Thoughts on Hunting. * Field Sports. 3 Field, December 6, 1879.