SHOOTING OVER A BULLDOG.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 45, 6 July 1868, Page 3

SHOOTING OVER A BULLDOG.

m .,..~. I I^l Ono morning in April, 1 357, I loft ravin for PlaccnKiv in a Utto ono-horso carriage driven by ft dwarf called Ferdinand llorculos Qoodeonifort. Tho roads woro heavy from l'liin, and all tho Balnta in tho Italian calendar woro invokod to get tho old white animal In tho nhaf to along. When wo arrived at tho banks of tho Po, tha ferry boat wnn of courao on tho opposite flldo. Fordinnnd Horouics diverted lifmsolC of his groat Who cloak llnol with groon bnlzo, and commenced v nolao to attrnot tho ferrymen, a noioo like tho yelling of tho flrst-mt.to of ft Umber flhlp that Ih boing loaded with cargo, When porfeotly blaok in tlio face and speechless, ho mit down in despair, and I had to tako his placo, After threo quarters of an hour of this pleasant occupation, tho ferrymen c«mo slowly out of a small hut, and protending that tlioy had just heard v ., proceeded to bring tho boat over tho river. Evidently tho whito homo did not inspire thorn with muoh oonildonco na to a buoriamano. i'ordlnnnd Horculos having by thin time recovered tho use of his lungs, commenced cursing tho pooplo voryfreoly, and wont on doing ho until wo arrivod at St. Giovanni Gaslollo, whore wo stopped to halt tho whito horso and breakfast, Tho liouho waa half farmhouse half inn, of the sort common in Italy in out-of-tho-way placet*. In a largo vaulted lcltohou, whicli served for dining-room and drawing-room combined, wo got a very good moal of MllancHO cutlets, omolotta wollpowdorod with onions, strachlno chooso, and country wino, As I was finishing breakfast, I hoard an odd cracking nolso coming down tho stairs, tho cause of which shortly appoarod in tho uliapo of the landlord oi the placo, clad ln full sporting costume— -a volvctoon jaokot nnd waistcoat, thick gumbogo*oolourcd loathor brcochos and galtera (tho formor tho causo of tho noise), a carnasnlbto with mimic and dog whip attaohod to lt, two powdor horns, two shot bolts, a hluo cotton umbrella about tho sizo of thoso unod for carriages in ono hand and a singlo bnrrollod brass-mounted flint-looked huh iv the othor, Ho announced his departure for tho ohttHO, nnd invited mo to accompany him. On my stating that my tlmo was lfmltod, ho said that It was of no conflequonco. as tho game was In eloso proximity to tho houso, and his tlrst boat being by the highroad, my carriage could - pick mo up without low ot time. Having then loaded hl« gun with about two ounces of povrdor, a shoot of brown paper, and plenty of No i) nhot, ho omorged from tho kitchen, and, blowing a shrill whistle, desired ono of lilh mon to uiichaln Robbl. 1 remarked that ivt tlie first sound of tho whlstlo, a Borlua of fat pigs comfortably roposing in tho central mud of tho farmyard, got up und rotroatod to ft far cornor, forming thomsolvos into a hollow square, ready /or omorgonolcs, A, powerful bark in tho dlatunco .announced the arrival of a dog ',of somo sortt whon almost Immediately a flnHron oolourod bulldog, with brindled logo, nnd tho most repulsive sot of foaturon levormvw, canto hounding into tho placo, Ho had ou a collar well furnished with spikes and bollo. Tho landlord assured mo that ho was molto bravo, and that of puro brood used hy all Knglish lords when at the cliaso. Thoanhnaiatonce gavo ovldonco of his iiportlng qualities by chasing all the ducks and chickens into a pond, out of which tho latter had to be got with polos. Doing thon pacified hy a block of meat, ho consonted to accompany us to fulfil his duties, The giimo did Ho close to tho houso j for wo had hardly entered tho flrst field, when 1 Haw my frlond the landlord stand still and look about with a puzzled appearance, "I hear him," ho said, '* but 1 cannot see him," l'rosontly ho atnrtod, throw out his left leg, got his body woll fixed hi tho muddy ground, and HlowJy broupfht Ida gun to tho shouldor. After a moat dcilborato aim tho gun went off, witli a prolonged fizz, liko v dump squib, and tho gamo— a small hedgo sparrow distant twonty yards—fell to tho ground. Ilobbl at onco rushed ln nnd began to oat lilm •, nothing but incessant showers of stoiioa would induco him to relinquish his proy, which ho did ftt hist, growling ilurcely as ho retreated, Tho landlord then stopped In and recovered tho beak, tall, and one l«g of tho bird, which ho put carefully away In tho carnasslor), Ho then ould that Jiobbi'a conduct was quito infliipportablo, and sont in for more meat, with a viow to putting on the muzzle. Along plcoo of hulloek's plpo being furnished to lilm, he said to mo ■* Caro tjignoro, oblige mo by muzzling lilm whilo I load my gun," X did uot much fancy this job, hut getting

bohlnd tho dog, with the muzzle lv both bands, just as ho had finished tho last threo hushes of meat I slipped it over his head, nnd I believe ( from tho gurgling nolso) buckled tho meat in his throat. This mado him very sulky, and wo wero In full cry after a blackbird, whon two cows, yoked to a small cart, turned tho corner of tho road, a fat man asleop insldo tho vehicle. Bobbi at onco rushod tho cows, turned thorn short round, and tho wholo oonccrn wns upset into the ditch,- 1 Fordinand liorculea arriving with the carriage, we succeeded In getting the cart righted; the fat man gave Bobbi a tremondous crack on tho head with his gond which sent him yolplng homo, and abused us for owning such a vicious brute, Tho real owner was far away in the distance, having fired ten successive shots at the blackbird without effect. M ll 1