292 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



this kind in the dosr that will dio^ the earth for hours together 

 to secure a musk-rat which he knows to be there, far up in 

 his recess, or watch for a long time an article left in his charge, 

 and even long days and nights, the living cripple or the dead 

 remains of his cherished master or mistress. 



A reliable gentleman of my acquaintance, when at the age 

 of eight years, lived in the town of Chilmark. One day, 

 during a blinding snow-storm, having occasion to go some 

 rods from the house, on attempting to return, he could not see 

 it, and knew not which way to go ; but starting in the direc- 

 tion which he thought was right, the little Spanish house-dog 

 soon appeared and caught him by his clothes, and urged him 

 in the opposite direction, which proved to be the right one, 

 the dog ever and anon pressing down the snow, then quite 

 deep, to make him a path. The other course was a dangerous 

 one, and, but for the dog, he would in all probability have 

 perished. What, perhaps, is the most remarkable feature of 

 the story, was, that the animal, being in the house when the 

 little boy went out, seemed presently to become alarmed, 

 went to the door, jumped up to the latch, and made every 

 possible demonstration of his anxiety to get out, and on being 

 let out by one of the inmates, sprung away to the rescue of 

 his young friend. 



I refer, not to uncertain stories, but to authentic accounts. 

 And I presume every one present knows facts similar to those 

 I have given. But I must relate one more. A near relative 

 of mine recently lost a lovely daughter, who had wasted away 

 by consumption. He has a large dog. When, at the funeral, 

 the casket containing the remains was carried out to the hearse, 

 the dog followed out and went under the hearse, moaning; 

 and, accompanying the procession, when the box was let down 

 into the grave the animal went up to the open grave, pawing 

 the sand near it and making a mournful noise. Call that 

 "instinct" if you will, but how could an act be more expres- 

 sive of intelligence such as is in man, or how could human 

 grief be more reasonably shown ? Instances might be multi- 

 plied ; but my limits will not allow of this. It must be 

 apparent, that, with the exception of the moral and religious 

 faculties in man, such as hold him to a high accountability, 

 and any marked resemblance to which we do not claim for 



