604 SHEEP HUSBANDRY, 



tura, and the retribution was awful ! It was upon a large, powerful mastiff we kept as a 

 night-guaril in the Bank. He then put forth his strength, which proved tremendous ! His 

 coat hung about him in thick, loose, matted folds, dirty and uncared-for, — so that 1 presume 

 a dog never got hold of anything about liim deeper than his thick, tough skin, which was 

 twice too large to fit him anywhere, and especially around the neck uud shoulders. The 

 only other evidence of his nnconnnon strength which I had observed, was the perfect ease 

 with which he threw hhnself over a high wall or paling, which often drew my attention, 

 because he seemed to me wanting in that particular physical development which we are 

 accustomed to consider as neces^^ary to muscular power. He was llat-chested, and flat- 

 skied, with a somewhat long back aud narrow loin. (My drawing foreshortens his length.) 

 His neck, forearm and thigh certainly indicated strength. If the Spanish wolf and the dog 

 ever cohabit, he most assuredly had in him such a cross ; the very efHuvi^ of the animal be- 

 trayed it. In all in which he differed from the beautifid Spanish shepherd-dog, he was 

 wolfish both in form and habits.* But, though no parlor beauty, AiTogante was nnnuestiou- 

 ably a dog of immense value to the mountain-shepherd. Several times, he had met the 

 large wolf of the Appenines, and without aid slain his antagonist. The shepherds who bred 

 him said it was an affair of no doubtful issue, when he encountered a wolf single-handed. 

 His liistory, after reaching England, you know." 



Some portions of that history I cannot resist the temptation of narrating, 

 as illustrative of the character of this interesting breed, and commemora- 

 tive of the virtues of the stern, but honest and dauntless Arrogante. If 

 his courage w^as tinctured with ferocity, and sometimes instigated by a 

 revenge, going a little beyond the canon which permits bad debts to be 

 paid in kind, he did everything openly ! He made no sneakish, cur-like 

 attacks, on the heels of his foe. By him, as by Robin Hood and his merry 

 men — cominemorated by Drayton — 



" Who struck below the knee [was] not counted then a man ;" 



and his spring was always at the throat of his quarry. But he made not 

 that deadly spring until he gave " warning fair and true," and never with- 

 ovtt provocation.! 



Soon after Arrogante's arrival in England, a ewe under his charge 

 chanced to get cast in a ditch, during the temporary absence of the Span- 

 ish shepherd who had accompanied the flock and dog at their importation. 

 An English shepherd, in a spirit of vaunting, insisted on relieving the fal- 

 len sheep, in preference to having the absent shepherd called, though 

 warned by his companions to desist. The stern stranger dog met him at 

 the gate and also warned him with sullen growls, growing more menacing 

 as he approached the sheep. The shepherd was a powerful and bold man, 

 and felt that it was too late now to retract with credit. On reaching the 

 sheep, he bent carefully forward, with his eyes on the dog, which instantly 

 made a spring at his throat. A quick forward movement of his arm saved 

 his throat, but the arm was so dreadfully lacerated that immediate am- 

 putation became necessary. To save the dog, which had but done his 

 duty, as he had heen taught it, from the popular excitement, he was ship- 

 ped in a vessel which sailed that very afternoon, from Bristol for America. 

 He was sent to Francis Rotch, Esq., then a resident of New-Bedford. 



For a lono- time Arrogante would not pay the least attention to his new 

 master ; the voice of the latter would scarcely arrest him for a moment. 

 After attempting in vain, for several weeks, to obtain some recognition of 

 mastership from him, Mr. Rotch chained him securely to a tree, punished 

 him severely, and then, with not a few misgivings, released him. But he 

 submitted, for he well knew that the punishment came ft'om his master, 

 and afterward gave a cold, haughty obedience to all required of him. 



* I never have supposeil, from the .several conversations which I have had with Mr. Rotch on thesub- 

 iect, that Arrogante was anythins less than a thorough-bred Spanish shepherd-doi;. Mr. Rotch hero means 

 that he was an ill-favorod individual of the familv— and ho thinks that this may he owing to a bar-sinister 

 on his escutcheon, left tliere by seme woltish gallant. His temper was even less ferocious than Mr. Powell 

 describes that of his Spanish dogs. 



t Was there anything wolf-likt in all of this? 

 (ll'.M) 



