THE MASTIFF IN THE IQTH CENTURY. 145 



known of them is due to what his grandson, the late Mr. J. W. 

 Thompson, (also of St. Ann's) could ascertain from the old 

 servants of his grandfathers, his mother, and old people living 

 round, and especially from John Crabtree, of Kirklees. But 

 the stories of their courage, affection, and sagacity, although 

 exemplifying the generous nature of the breed, would only 

 occupy space to recount. 



Among the mastiffs owned by Mr. Thompson about 1800, 

 that left descendants were " Sail " a jet black bitch, with ears 

 cropped, and standing about 27 inches high : also " Trusty," 

 a black bitch with a streak of white up the face, and white 

 paws ; she had a remarkably fine coat, was very broad and 

 muscular, her head was very broad, short, and massive, and 

 she was of vast size ; a son of hers (sire unrecorded) went to 

 the Wynn's of Nostal Priory, Yorkshire ; he was a fawn, 

 named "Lion," and lived to a good old age, and was the sire 

 of Sir Geo. Armitage's Duchess, alias Venus, a daughter of 

 Venus, the property of Henry Crabtree, then gamekeeper to 

 Sir E. Dodsworth, Bart. Both Sail and Trusty were bred by 

 Mr. Thompson. Another of Mr. Thompson's mastiffs was 

 " Rose," she stood about 27 inches high, of a dark silver 

 brindle colour, with white blaze up the face ; she was purchased 

 about 1813 from some canal boatmen, their story being that 

 she ran after the boat along the towing path, with a long 

 broken chain trailing after her, and that they drew her into 

 the boat by the boat-hook, and had brought her out of 

 Cheshire. Mr. Thompson, although he suspected they had 

 stolen her for him, being aware of his liking for the breed, 

 purchased her with some misgivings. About 1815 or iSiGhe 

 mated her with a yellow fawn dog named " Bold," an animal 



