DOMESTICATION. 53 



to pass out, he would dash up abiiost like a flash to go out with 

 me. These visits to the Elk Park soon became disagreeable to 

 him, so that when he saw me approach the gate leading into it, 

 he would get before me, put his head against my legs and try to 

 push me back or retard my progress as much as possible, and 

 seemed to beg of me in every way in which he could convey his 

 wishes not to go in there. I would frequently yield to his re- 

 monstrances and turn away in another direction, when he would 

 manifest his satisfaction by gamboling about in the greatest de- 

 light. When he was allowed to follow me out of the park into 

 the fields and meadows, he would scour away as if to try his 

 speed, but in a few minutes would go to hunting about for some 

 choice tufts of grass, and would sometimes get two or three hun- 

 dred yards away, but he always kept a close eye upon me, and 

 when he saw me going towards the park gate, though it was far 

 away, would gradually lessen the distance, but so soon as I 

 reached the gate, he would rush up at full speed and perhaps 

 prance around as if very happy, or rub his head affectionately 

 against me. Who will blame me if I loved the little pet and en- 

 joyed his company in my walks, and really mourned his loss 

 when he died ? He was not singular in his traits of intelligence 

 and marks of affection. Before that, the female, already spoken 

 of, exhibited the same disposition, though I think in a less re- 

 markable degree, probably because I was not so well acquainted 

 with the habits of the animal, and did not so well know how to 

 develop these peculiar characteristics. 



They seem to be much more nearly allied to the antelope than 

 to the deer family. I never observed one to show the least fond- 

 ness for the society of a deer, but the young buck I have spoken 

 of and the female gazelle from Asia, showed some inclination to 

 associate together. Both showed the same disposition to follow 

 me in my walks, though the gazelle would follow no one else, 

 and was easily diverted from my companionship, b}^ any choice 

 spot for grazing she might meet with. If, for instance, she fol- 

 lowed me into the North or East Park, she would often desert me 

 before ray return, and I would be obliged to leave her behind : 

 and this at last cost the poor thing her life, for I once left her in 

 the East Park, when some dogs broke in and killed her. I found 

 her the next day in the corner by the gate, cruelly bitten and 

 quite dead. I had less fear of dogs in the Elk Park, for if ever 

 the elk see them there, they have no time to hunt anything but 

 the place at which they came in. If ever I allowed this gazelle 



