I 16 THE MASTIFF. 



cious in distressing such half-armed and irregular 

 combatants as the adversaries of the Gauls seem 

 generally to have been, before the Romans con- 

 quered them. 



Mastiffs are peculiar tq this country. They are 

 now principally of use as watch-dogs; and they 

 discharge their duty, not only with fidelity, but 

 oftentimes with considerable judgment. Some of 

 fhem will suffer a stranger to come into the in- 

 closure they are appointed to guard,, and will 

 accompany him peaceably through every part of it, 

 so long as he continues to touch nothing. But the 

 moment he attempts to lay hold of any of the 

 goods, or endeavours to leave the place, the animal 

 informs him, first by gentle growling, or, if that is 

 ineffectual, by harsher means, that he must nei- 

 ther do mischief nor go away. He seldom uses 

 violence, unless resisted ; and in this case he will 

 sometimes seize the person, throw him down, and 

 hold him there for hours, or until relieved, without 

 biting him. 



In proof of the great power ancUcourage of this 

 animal, we are informed, that, in the presence of 

 King James the First, three Mastiffs were suc- 

 cessively put to fight a Lion ; and that, after he 

 had killed two of them, the third came off vic- 

 torious. 



We have one instance recorded of a female 

 Mastiff having reared two animals of a tribe very 

 different from her own. A farmer, living at Hairi- 



ton, 



