100 SKETCHES OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 



of his own cottage, whither he arrived after nightfall. 

 Next morning, accompanied by a band of neighbours, 

 he renewed the search, but in vain. On returning home 

 at night, he learnt that the dog had been home, and on 

 receiving some food had set off again. These visits of 

 the dog, and the search of his neighbours, continued for 

 several days, when at last the shepherd determined to 

 wait for the dog and follow him. The animal led the 

 way to a cataract at some distance from the spot where 

 the shepherd had left his child. Down the nigged pre- 

 cipice near this cataract the dog plunged, and disap- 

 peared in a cave, almost on a level with the torrent. 

 The shepherd with great difficulty followed, and what 

 were his emotions on beholding his child eating, with 

 much satisfaction, the food which the dog had just 

 brought him, while the faithful animal stood eyeing his 

 young charge with the utmost complacency ! 



A gentleman sold a considerable flock of sheep to a 

 drover, which the man had not hands to drive. The 

 seller therefore told him that he had a very intelligent 

 dog, which he would send to assist him to a place thirty 

 miles off; and that when he reached the end of his 

 journey, he had only to feed the dog, and desire him to 

 go home. The dog set off with the drover, but did not 

 come back for many days, when, to the great surprise of 

 his master, he returned with the whole flock of sheep. 

 The fact was, that the drover, admiring the dog, in- 

 tended to steal him, and therefore locked him np until 

 the time when he was to leave the country. The dog 

 grew sulky and made many attempts to escape, and one 

 evening he succeeded. Whether the animal suspected 

 that the drover had stolen the sheep, it is difficult to 

 say ; but he immediately went to the field, collected the 

 sheep, and drove them all back to his master. 



A Scottish shepherd was in the habit of sending home, 

 in charge of the shepherd's dog, such ewes as had lost 

 their lambs. This animal always took them care- 

 fully home, and put them into a fold close to the house, 



