INTRODUCTION. 59 



by peasants, who had been using the means so gene- 

 rally practised in that country for the recovery of 

 drowned persons. The account given by the peasants 

 was, that one of them, returning home from his labour, 

 observed, at a considerable distance, a large dog in the 

 water swimming and dragging, and sometimes pushing, 

 something that he seemed to have great difficulty in 

 supporting ; but which he, at length, succeeded in get- 

 ting into a small creek on the opposite side to that on 

 which the men were. 



When the animal had pulled what he had hitherto 

 supported as far out of the water as he was able, the 

 peasant discovered that it was the body of a man. The 

 dog, having shaken himself, began industriously to lick 

 the hands and face of his master, while the peasant has- 

 tened across ; and, having obtained assistance, the body 

 was conveyed to a neighbouring house, where the re- 

 suscitating means used soon restored him to sense and 

 recollection. Two very considerable bruises, with the 

 marks of teeth, appeared, one on his shoulder, the other 

 at the root of the poll of the head : from these circum- 

 stances his master seemed convinced that the faithful 

 beast first seized him by the shoulder, and swam with 

 him in this manner some time ; but that his sagacity. 

 had prompted him to let go this hold, and shift it to the 

 nape of the neck, by which he had been enabled to 

 support the head out of the water. I should, in justice 

 to the gratitude of this gentleman, who related the cir- 

 cumstances to me himself, state that, wherever he after- 

 wards boarded, he always voluntarily gave half as much 

 for the support of his dog as he agreed to give for 

 himself, by which extreme liberality he insured the 

 greatest care and kindness for his preserver. 



In relating the following, I shall possibly stagger the 

 faith of some: I can only remark, that I would not 



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