niSTOET.][ 



THE DOG, AND ITS TARTETIES; 



[akecdotes. 



dogs, Colonel Sykes states, that the first in 

 size and strength is the Brinjaree dog, which 

 somewhat resembles the Persian greyhound, 

 but is much more powerful. 



The properties of the dog, however, will be 

 treated of further on in this work ; meanwhile 

 we will here instance the general intelligence, 

 lidelity, and sagacity of this animal, by a few 

 illustrative anecdotes, which place liira in h:s 

 relationship with man in a striking point of 

 view. There are few who, from their own 

 experience, cannot bear testimony to the good 

 qualities of the dog ! It has been somewhere 

 ^aid, " that man is the god of the dog," for to 

 man he looks up with reverence and affection, 

 and the praise of his master is his richest 

 reward. Is this instinctive attachment to the 

 human species acquired, or is it an original 

 impulse implanted in its nature, by the All- 

 wise Creator, for man's benefit, so that in the 

 primitive condition of society he might have a 

 friend and assistant, all-important in the chase, 

 and in the extirpation of wild beasts, which, 

 eve he can settle in a land or found a colony, 

 he must drive to a distance or destroy ? 



In reference to the domesticated races, we 

 iiave no animal so completely subservient to 

 all the purposes or the wants of man, in so far 

 as obedience, attachment, and alliance can be 

 rendered by an inferior to a superior. The 

 anecdotes which are recorded as illustrative of 

 these qualities, would form a canine library of 

 no mean pretensions. In Mr. Burchell's 

 Travels in Africa, we have the character of a 

 pack of dogs thus given: — 



" Our pack of dogs consisted of five-and- 

 twenty of various sorts and sizes. This variety, 

 though not altogether intentional, as I was 

 obhged to take any that could be procured, 

 was of the greatest service in such an expe- 

 dition, as I observed that some gave notice of 

 danger in one way, and others in another. 

 Some were more disposed to watch against 

 men, and others against wild boasts ; some 

 discovered an enemy by their quickness of 

 hearing, others by that of scent; some for 

 speed in pursuing game ; 5?ome were useful 

 only ibr their vigilance and barking; and 

 others for their courage in holding fero- 

 cious animals at bay. So large a pack was 

 not, indeed, maintained without adding greatly 

 to our care and trouble, in supplying them 

 382 



with meat and water, for it was sometimes 

 difficult to procure for them enough of the 

 latter ; but their services were invaluable, 

 often contributing to our safety, and always 

 to our ease, by their constant vigilance, as we 

 felt a confidence tliat no danger could approach 

 us at night without being announced by their 

 barking. IS'o circumstances could render the 

 value and fidelity of these animals so con- 

 spicuous and sensible as a journey through 

 regions which, abounding in wild beasts of 

 almost every class, gave continual opportuni- 

 ties of witnessing the strong contrast in their 

 habits, between the ferocious beasts of prey, 

 w^hich fly at the approach of man, and these 

 kind, but too often injured companions of the 

 human race. Many times, when we have 

 been travelling over the plains where those 

 have fled the moment we appeared in sight, 

 liave I turned my eyes towards my dogs to 

 admire their attachment, and have felt a grate- 

 ful affection towards them for preferring our 

 society to the liberty of other quadrupeds. 

 Olten, in the middle of the night, when all my 

 people have been fast asleep around the fire, 

 have I stood to contemplate these faithful 

 animals lying by their side, and have learnt 

 to esteem them for their social love of man- 

 kind. When wandering over pathless deserts, 

 oppressed with vexation and distress at the 

 conduct of my own men, I have turned to 

 these as my only friends, and felt how much 

 inferior to them was man when actuated only 

 by selfish views. 



"The familiarity which subsists between 

 this animal and our own race, is so common to 

 almost every country of the globe, that any 

 remark upon it must seem superfluous ; but I 

 cannot avoid believing that it is the univer- 

 sality of the iact which prevents the greater 

 part of mankind from reflecting duly on the 

 subject. AVhile almost every other quadruped 

 fears man as its most formidable enemy, here 

 is one which regards him as its companion, 

 and follows him as its friend. We must not 

 mistake the nature of the case; it is not 

 because we tiain him to our use; and have 

 made choice of him in preference to other 

 animals, but because this particular species 

 feels a natural desire to be useful to man, and 

 from spontaneous impulse attaches itself to 

 him. Were it not so, we should see, in various 



