THE DOG. 81 



u after regarding it witli attention for some moments, 

 " turned his head deliberately away. A wild boar and 

 " a bear were successively admitted, each of which 

 " seemed too insignificant for the hero to engage ; but 

 " the moment he beheld a lion approaching, his dormant 

 " faculties seemed all aroused, and, darting forward with 

 " the rapidity of lightning, he caught the lion by the 

 " throat, and prevented him from making the least re- 

 " sistance. The Indian, still anxious to give Alexander 

 " a greater proof of the animal's fortitude than of its 

 " magnanimity and strength, ordered one of his attend- 

 " ants to cut off its tail. This cruel operation the crea- 

 " ture patiently submitted to, without even appearing 

 " sensible of the pain ; and the inhuman Indian then 

 " commanded each of its legs to be separately broke. 

 " This severe and exquisite torture the dog supported 

 " without quitting his hold ; and, even when his perse- 

 " cutor directed the head to be severed from the body, 

 " the jaws seemed unwilling to relinquish their grasp." 



At present the breed of dogs in India is very much 

 inferior to what that story seems to imply ; and in many 

 parts it is merely valued for contributing to the food 

 which the inhabitants require. In every part of China 

 there are dog-butchers, and shambles erected for dis- 

 posing of their meat ; and, along the coast of Guinea, 

 they are considered as a great delicacy, and thought of 

 as much value as a full-grown cat. 



The dog goes nine weeks with young, and brings forth 

 three or four at a time; it seldom lives more than 

 twelve years ; and, though capable of abstaining seve- 

 ral days from food, it requires a plentiful supply of 

 drink. We cannot conclude the account of this saga- 

 cious animal without inserting: two anecdotes related 



