Winter Animals

dness,sothatnothingcoulddivertthemfromthepursuit.Thustheycircleuntiltheyfallupontherecenttrailofafox,forawisehoundwillforsakeeverythingelseforthis.OnedayamancametomyhutfromLexingtontoinquireafterhishoundthatmadealargetrack,andhadbeenhuntingforaweekbyhimself.ButIfearthathewasnotthewiserforallItoldhim,foreverytimeIattemptedtoanswerhisquestionsheinterruptedmebyasking,“Whatdoyoudohere?”Hehadlostadog,butfoundaman. Oneoldhunterwhohasadrytongue,whousedtocometobatheinWaldenonceeveryyearwhenthewaterwaswarmest,andatsuchtimeslookedinuponme,toldmethatmanyyearsagohetookhisgunoneafternoonandwentoutforacruiseinWaldenWoodandashewalkedtheWaylandroadheheardthecryofhoundsapproaching,anderelongafoxleapedthewallintotheroad,andasquickasthoughtleapedtheotherwalloutoftheroad,andhisswiftbullethadnottouchedhim.Somewaybehindcameanoldhoundandherthreepupsinfullpursuit,huntingontheirownaccount,anddisappearedagaininthewoods.Lateintheafternoon,ashewasrestinginthethickwoodssouthofWalden,heheardthevoiceofthehoundsfarovertowardFairHavenstillpursuingthefoxandontheycame,theirhoundingcrywhichmadeallthewoodsringsoundingnearerandnearer,nowfromWell-Meadow,nowfromtheBakerFarm.Foralongtimehestoodstillandlistenedtotheirmusic,sosweettoahunter’sear,whensuddenlythefoxappeared,threadingthesolemnaisleswithaneasycoursingpace,whosesoundwasconcealedbyasympatheticrustleoftheleaves,swiftandstill,keepingtheground,leavinghispursuersfarbehindand,leapinguponarockamidthewoods,hesaterectandlistening,withhisbacktothehunter.Foramomentcompassionrestrainedthelatter’sarmbutthatwasashort-livedmood,andasquickasthoughtcanfollowthoughthispiecewaslevelled,andwhang!—thefoxrollingovertherocklaydeadontheground.Thehunterstillkepthisplaceandlistenedtothehounds.Stillontheycame,andnowthenearwoodsresoundedthroughalltheiraisleswiththeirdemoniaccry.Atlengththeoldhoundburstintoviewwithmuzzletotheground,andsnappingtheairasifpossessed,andrandirectlytotherockbutspyingthedeadfoxshesuddenlyceasedherhoundingasifstruckdumbwithamazement,andwalkedroundandroundhiminsilenceandonebyoneherpupsarrived,and,liketheirmother,weresoberedintosilencebythemystery.Thenthehuntercameforwardandstoodintheirmidst,andthemysterywassolved.Theywaitedinsilencewhileheskinnedthefox,thenfollowedthebrushawhile,andatlengthturnedoffintothewoodsagain.ThateveningaWestonSquirecametotheConcordhunter’scottagetoinquireforhishounds,andtoldhowforaweektheyhadbeenhuntingontheirownaccountfromWestonwoods.TheConcordhuntertoldhimwhatheknewandofferedhimtheskinbuttheotherdeclineditanddeparted.Hedidnotfindhishoundsthatnight,butthenextdaylearnedthattheyhadcrossedtheriverandputupatafarm-houseforthenight,whence,havingbeenwellfed,theytooktheirdepartureearlyinthemorning. ThehunterwhotoldmethiscouldrememberoneSamNutting,whousedtohuntbearsonFairHavenLedges,andexchangetheirskinsforruminConcordvillagewhotoldhim,even,thathehadseenamoosethere.Nuttinghadafamousfox-houndnamedBurgoyne,—hepronounceditBugine,—whichmyinformantusedtoborrow.Inthe“WastBook”ofanoldtraderofthistown,whowasalsoacaptain,town-clerk,andrepresentative,Ifindthefollowingentry.Jan.18th,1742–3,“JohnMelvenCr.by1GreyFox0—2—3”theyarenotnowfoundhereandinhisledger,Feb.7th,1743,HezekiahStrattonhascredit“by?aCattskin0—1—4?”ofcourse,awild-cat,forStratto