86 FEAT OF A SHEEP-DOG. 



social intercourse. A very singular feat is related* of a 

 dog belonging to John Graham, late tenant in Ashes- 

 teel. A neighbour came to his house after it was 

 dark, and told him he had lost a sheep on his fann ; 

 and that, if not recovered before the morning, the case 

 would be hopeless. The night was pitch-dark, which 

 was the cause of the man's losing his ewe. John 

 went with him, accompanied by his dog Chieftain ; and 

 having made the man point out the very track that 

 the sheep had taken, he called the dog to his foot, and 

 pointing with his finger to the ground, said, "Fetch that, 

 I say, sir ; bring that back — away." The dog scented 

 slowly about on the ground for some seconds, but soon 

 began to mend his pace, and vanished in the darkness. 

 ''"Bring her back — away, you great calf," vociferated 

 John with a voice of exultation as the dog broke to the 

 hill ; and as all the best dogs perform their work in 

 silence, nothing more was seen or heard for a long time. 

 While the men were waiting, the conversation turned 

 on the small chance there was that the dog would 

 find the ewe, for it was agreed that she must long ago 

 have mixed with the rest of the sheep on the farm. How 

 that was, no man will ever be able to decide. At the 

 end of about half an hour, the trusty animal brought 

 the identical lost sheep to the expecting party ; which 



* Hogg's Shepherd's Calendar, p. 297 ; from which most — 

 indeed all the following- singular anecdotes are taken. 



