TIIK MASTIFF IX THE IQTII CEXTTRY. 155 



when the keepers had so often to contend against the nocturnal 

 visits of determined and desperate gangs of poachers, these 

 dogs proved themselves to be of the greatest service during 

 the hard struggles for master)*, being trained to depend more 

 upon their wrestling power and activity, than ferocity. Their 

 gentleness and forbearance were equally characteristic, as an 

 instance : The village children are often fond of rambling 

 through the woods and meadows in spring and early summer 

 for the purpose of gathering childhood's flowers, and the 

 keepers were sometimes under the necessity of putting a check 

 upon these youthful trespassers during the breeding season, 

 as they accidently disturbed and destroyed numbers of 

 pheasant and partridge nests. To give a more decided effect 

 the services of one of the dogs named Tiger have often been 

 required. Now one would suppose that a dog standing some 

 30 inches high, would be rather too formidable an antagonist 

 to be set upon children, but such was his gentleness and 

 sagacity, that Mr. Crabtree could send him alone at a distance 

 of even half a mile, and long ere he could arrive personally 

 on the spot, Tiger would have gathered the whole of these 

 young trespassers into the corner of a field without the 

 slightest injury to any, quietly squatting himself down in 

 front of his prisoners and waiting the arrival of Mr. Crabtree, 

 but should any attempt to escape, his watchful eye would 

 soon detect the breach, and by an admonitory growl and gentle 

 push with his fore paws bar the passage. This is not a 

 solitary instance of their instinctive acuteness, and I could 

 irive others. 



