THREE DOGS DIE OF COLD. 103 



surely round and round the same piece of shal- 

 low water, as most of the ducks alighted again 

 after a very short flight, and endeavoured to shelter 

 themselves from the wind in the rushes. How 

 long this might have continued I know not, for 

 the rising of the ducks appeared to be endless, and 

 as they flew scarcely any distance, they were put 

 up again after they had alighted. We were soon, 

 however, obliged to turn our attention to our dogs, 

 which appeared to be becoming paralyzed from 

 the wet and cold ; so, abandoning most unwil- 

 lingly our battue, we made the best of our way 

 to the driest ground that the country afforded. 



We had not proceeded half a mile, before the 

 dogs began to droop, and each endeavoured to 

 hide himself in a bush from the keen blast of the 

 wind. It was difficult to prevent losing them 

 in this way, but we coupled together as many 

 as possible, and carried others. In the mean- 

 time, three shivered a good deal, pined away, 

 became stiff", and died; others seemed disposed 

 to do the same, and good dogs, particularly span- 

 iels, being very scarce in the Ionian Islands, 

 great was their loss to their respective masters, 

 and vigorous were the exertions made to save 



