| The Persian Greyhound
The Persian Greyhound
is a beautiful animal. He is more delicately framed than the English
breed; the ears are also more pendulous, and feathered almost as much as
those of a King Charles's spaniel. Notwithstanding, however, his
apparent slenderness and delicacy, he yields not in courage, and
scarcely in strength, to the British dog. There are few kennels in which
he is found in which he is not the master.
In his native country, he is not only used for hunting the hare, but the
antelope, the wild ass, and even the boar. The antelope is speedier than
the greyhound: therefore the hawk is given to him as an ally. The
antelope is no sooner started than the hawk is cast off, who, fluttering
before the head of the deer, and sometimes darting his talons into his
head, disconcerts him, and enables the greyhound speedily to overtake
and master him. The chase, however, in which the Persians chiefly
delight, and for which these greyhounds are mostly valued, is that of
the ghoo-khan, or wild ass. This animal inhabits the mountainous
districts of Persia. He is swift, ferocious, and of great endurance,
which, together with the nature of the ground, renders this sport
exceedingly dangerous. The hunter scarcely gives the animal a fair
chance, for relays of greyhounds are placed at various distances in the
surrounding country; so that, when those by which the animal is first
started are tired, there are others to continue the chase. Such,
however, is the speed and endurance of the ghoo-khan, that it is seldom fairly
run down by the greyhounds, its death being usually achieved by the rifle
of some horseman. The Persians evince great skill and courage in this
dangerous sport, galloping at full speed, rifle in hand, up and down the
most precipitous hills, and across ravines and mountain streams, that
might well daunt the boldest rider.
The Persian greyhound, carried to Hindoostan, is not always to be
depended upon; but, it is said, is apt to console itself by hunting its
own master, or any one else, when the game proves too fleet or escapes
into the cover.
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