io8 BANDA ORIENTAL, [CHAP, via 



not know what to understand from this story, but upon mentioning it 

 at the Cape of Good Hope to Dr. Andrew Smith, he told me that he 

 recollected rinding on the south-eastern coast of Africa, about one 

 hundred miles to the eastward of St. John's river, some quartz crystals 

 with their edges blunted from attrition, and mixed with gravel on the 

 sea-beach. Each crystal was about five lines in diameter, and from an 

 inch to an inch and a half in length. Many of them had a smajl canal 

 extending from one extremity to the other, perfectly cylindrical, and of 

 a size that readily admitted a coarse thread or a piece of fine catgut. 

 Their colour was red or dull white. The natives were acquainted- with 

 this structure in crystals. I have mentioned these circumstances because, 

 although no crystallized body is at present known to assume this form, 

 it may lead some future traveller to investigate the real nature of such 

 stones. 



While staying at this estancia, I was amused with what I saw and 

 heard of the shepherd-dogs of the country.* When riding, it is a 

 common thing to meet a large flock of sheep guarded by one or two 

 dogs, at the distance of some miles from any house or man. I often 

 wondered how so firm a friendship had been established. The method 

 of education consists in separating the puppy, while very young, from 

 the bitch, and in accustoming it to its future companions. An ewe is 

 held three or four times a day for the little thing to suck, and a nest of 

 wool is made for it in the sheep-pen; at no time is it allowed to 

 associate with other dogs, or with the children of the family. The 

 puppy is, moreover, generally castrated; so that, when grown up, it 

 can scarcely have any feelings in common with the rest of its kind. 

 From this education it has no wish to leave the flock, and just as 

 another dog will defend its master, man, so will these the sheep. It is 

 amusing to observe, when approaching a flock, how the dog immediately 

 advances barking, and the sheep all close in his rear, as if round the 

 oldest ram. These dogs are also easily taught to bring home the flock, 

 at a certain hour in the evening. Their most troublesome fault, when 

 young, is their desire of playing with the sheep ; for in their sport they 

 scmetimes gallop their poor subjects most unmercifully. 



The shepherd-dog comes to the house every day for some meat, and 

 as soon as it is given him, he skulks away as if ashamed of himself. On 

 these occasions the house-dogs are very tyrannical, and the least of 

 them will attack and pursue the stranger. The minute, however, the 

 latter has reached the flock, he turns round and begins to bark, and 

 then all the house-dogs take very quickly to their heels. In a similai 

 manner a whole pack of the hungry wild dogs will scarcely ever (and I 

 was told by some never) venture to attack a flock guarded by even one 

 of these faithful shepherds. The whole account appears to me a 

 curious instance of the pliability of the affections in the dog ; and yet, 

 whether wild or however educated, he has a feeling of respect or fear 

 for those that are fulfilling their instinct of association. For we can 



* M. A. d'Orbigny has given nearly a simi'ar account of these dogs, 

 torn. L, p. 175. 



