NEWFOUNDLAND DOC. 183 



a half. It was very fond of fish, and would eat it raw 

 out of the nets. It was web-footed, could swim and 

 dive extremely well, and bring up anything from the 

 bottom of the water. The extraordinary sagacity of 

 these dogs, joined to their attachment to their mas- 

 ters, renders them, in certain situations, highly valu- 

 'able, as will appear from the two following well au- 

 thenticated anecdotes: 



A ship belonging to Newcastle, being wrecked near 

 Yarmouth in a severe storm A. B. 1789, and all the 

 crew lost, a Newfoundland dog alone escaped to land, 

 bringing the captain's pocket-book in his mouth. He 

 landed amidst a crowd of people, many of whom, in 

 Tain, endeavoured to take it from him. The sagacious 

 animal, as if sensible of the importance of the charge, 

 which had probably been delivered to him by his pe- 

 rishing master, at length leaped fawningly against the 

 breast of a man who had attracted his notice among 

 the crowd, and delivered to him the book. The dog 

 immediately returned to the beach, and watched with 

 great attention for every thing that came a-shore from 

 the wrecked vessel, seizing every thing that came up, 

 and endeavouring to bring it safe to land. 



As another instance, of the docility and sagacity of 

 these animals, Mr. Bewick relates, that a gentleman 

 walking by the side of the river Tyne, and observing 

 on the opposite side a ckiid fall into the water, gave 

 notice to his dog, which immediately jumped in, 

 swam over, and catching hold of the child with his 

 inouth, brought it safe to land. 



In the country from whence these dogs originallj 

 were brought, and from which they derive their namtv, 

 they are extremely useful. Three or four of them 

 yoked to a sledge, will draw for several miles two or 

 three hundred weight of wood, without any driver or 

 conductor, and after delivering their loads, regularly 

 return. The Newfoundland dog is indeed a most va- 

 luable creature, and we cannot contemplate his asto- 

 nishing sagacity without admiring the wonderful 

 works of the Creator, displayed in the various rnodifr- 

 ations of animal instinct. 

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