THE DOG. 71 



The lost child discovered by a dog. 



search for his child ; and still, on returning at 

 evening disappointed to his cottage, he found 

 that the dog had been home, and, on receiving 

 liis usual allowance of cake, had instantly disap- 

 peared. Struck with this singular circumstance, 

 he remained at home one day; and when the 

 dog, as usual, departed with "his piece of cake, 

 he resolved to follow him, and find out the cause 

 of his strange procedure. The dog led the way 

 to a cataract, at some distance from the spot 

 where the shepherd had left his child. The banks 

 of the cataract, almost joined at the top, yet se- 

 parated by an abyss of immense depth, presented 

 that appearance which so often astonishes and 

 appals the travellers who frequent the Grampian 

 mountains; and indicates that these stupendous 

 chasms were not the silent work of time, but the 

 sudden effect of some violent convulsion of the 

 earth. Down one of these rugged and almost 

 perpendicular descents, the dog began, without 

 hesitation, to make his way, and at last disap- 

 peared into a cave, the mouth of which was 

 almost upon a level with the torrent. The shep- 

 herd with difficulty followed; but on entering 

 the cave, what were his emotions, when he be- 

 held his infant eating with much satisfaction the 

 cake which the dog had just brought him; while 

 the faithful animal stood by, eyeing his young 

 charge with the utmost complacence! 



From the situation in which the child was 

 found, it appears that he had wandered to the 



VOL. 11. NO. IX. K 



