TO ALERT BAY 79 



ally known as " Satan." " Dick," who be- 

 longed to Smith, was a most adorable dog and 

 celebrated throughout Vancouver for treeing 

 cougars; indeed, as Smith himself acknow- 

 ledged, he owed his reputation as a cougar 

 hunter to Dick, who did everything except 

 the actual shooting. It was difficult to say 

 what Dick's breed was. He looked like a 

 cross between a spaniel and a retriever. He 

 was one of the most fascinating dog characters 

 I have ever met. He adored his master, who 

 returned his worship, but ingratiated himself 

 with every one; soon discovering that I had 

 a warm corner in my heart for all dogs, we at 

 once became fast friends. 



" Nigger," the property of Thomson, was 

 a powerful, black, evil-looking bull terrier, 

 but like many of his kind his character belied 

 his looks, for he really was a soft-hearted, 

 affectionate beast with a special ability for 

 making himself comfortable under any circum- 

 stances. Thomson asserted that if there was 

 no food, " Nigger " subsisted on berries, and 

 he was an adept at catching fish for himself 

 in the river. He had had some trouble with 

 the authorities at Comox in a matter of sheep, 

 and so a temporary absence from his native 

 town was desirable, and he became, to his 

 great joy, one of our party. 



