THE SHEPHERD S DOG 7 1 3 



at least I am satisfied that I never laid out one to so 

 good a purpose. He was scarcely a year old, and 

 knew so little of herding that he had never turned a 

 sheep in his life ; but as soon as he discovered that it 

 was his duty to do so, and that it obliged me, I can 

 never forget with what anxiety and eagerness he 

 learned his different evolutions. He would try every 

 way deliberately until he found out what I wanted 

 him to do, and when I once made him understand 

 a direction, he never forgot or mistook it again. 

 Well as I knew him, he often astonished me ; for, 

 when hard pressed in accomplishing the task that he 

 was put to, he had expedients of the moment that 

 bespoke a great share of the reasoning faculty." 



Amongst other remarkable exploits of Sirrah's as 

 illustrative of his sagacity, Mr Hogg relates that, 

 upon one occasion, about seven hundred lambs, which 

 were under his care at weaning-time, broke up at 

 midnight, and scampered off in three divisions, across 

 the neighbouring hills, in spite of all that he and an 

 assistant could do to keep them together. " Sirrah," 

 cried the shepherd, in great affliction, "my man, 

 they're a' awa'." The night was so dark that he 

 could not see Sirrah ; but the faithful animal heard 

 and knew the import of his master's words, words 

 such as, of all others, were sure to set him on the 

 alert ; and without more ado, he silently set off in 

 quest of the recreant flock. Meanwhile the shepherd 

 and his companion did not fail to do all in their 

 power to recover their lost charge ; they spent the 

 whole night in scouring the hills for miles round, 

 but of neither the lambs nor Sirrah could they obtain 

 the slightest trace. It was the most extraordinary 

 circumstance that had ever occurred in the annals of 

 pastoral life. They had nothing for it, day having 



