FERAL DOG OF ST. DOMINGO. 121 



resumed its original wild state, continuing for se- 

 veral ages to live independent, and occasionally 

 committing great depredations upon the stock of the 

 graziers. The individual was obtained from the 

 vicinity of Sam ana Bay, among others purchased 

 from the Spanish colonists, for the odious purpose 

 of hunting the French negro people, which at that 

 time refused to return to slavery, after, by a na- 

 tional decree of France, their liberty had been by 

 law established. The dog was of such an aspect, 

 as at first sight to strike the attention. In stature, 

 he was at least equal to the largest Scottish or Rus- 

 sian greyhound, or about twenty-eight inches high 

 at the shoulder, with the head shaped like the wire- 

 haired terrier ; large light brown eyes ; small ears, 

 pointed, and only slightly bent down at the tips ; 

 the neck long and full ; the chest very deep ; the 

 croup slightly arched; the limbs muscular, but 

 light, and the tail not reaching to the tarsus, scan- 

 tily furnished with long dark hair ; the muzzle was 

 black, as well as the eyelids, lips, and the whole 

 hide ; but his colour was an uniform pale blue-ash, 

 the hair being short, scanty, coarse, and apparently 

 without a woolly fur beneath. On the lips, inside 

 of the ears, and above the eyes, there was some 

 whitish-grey ; and the back of the ears was dark 

 slate colour. The look and motions of this animal 

 at once told consciousness of superiority. As he 

 passed down the streets all the house curs slunk 

 away; when within our lodging, the family dog 

 had disappeared, although he had neither growled 



