64 SECOND DIVISION OF THE 



After traversing his pastures for a while, attended by his dog, he was 

 compelled to ascend a summit at some distance. As the ascent was too 

 great for the child, he left him at the bottom, with strict injunctions 

 not to move from the place. Scarcely, however, had he gained the 

 height, when one of the Scotch mists, of frequent occurrence, suddenly 

 came on, and almost changed the day to night. He returned to seek 

 his child, but was unable to find him, and concluded a long and fruitless 

 search by coming distracted to his cottage. His poor dog also was 

 missing in the general confusion. On the next morning by daylight 

 he renewed his search, but again he came back without his child. 

 He found, however, that during his absence his dog had been home, 

 and, on receiving his allowance of food, instantly departed. For four 

 successive days the shepherd continued his search with the same bad 

 fortune, the dog as readily coming for his meal and departing. Struck 

 by this singular circumstance, he determined to follow the dog, who de- 

 parted as usual with his piece of cake. The animal led the way to a ca- 

 taract at some distance from the spot where the child had been left. It 

 was a rugged and almost perpendicular descent which the dog took, and 

 he disappeared in a cave, the mouth of which was almost on a level with 

 the torrent. The shepherd with difficulty followed ; but, on entering the 

 cavern, what were his emotions when he beheld the infant eating the cake 

 which the dog had. just brought to him, while the faithful animal stood 

 by, eyeing his young charge with the utmost complacency. From the 

 situation in which the child was found, it appeared that he had wandered 

 to the brink of the precipice, and then either fallen or scrambled down, 

 the torrent preventing his re-ascent. The dog by means of his scent had 

 traced him to the spot, and afterwards prevented him from starving by 

 giving up a part, or, perhaps, the whole of his own daily allowance. He 

 appears never to have quitted the child night or day, except for food, as 

 he was seen running at full speed to and from the cottage. a 



Mr. Hogg says, and very truly, that a single shepherd and his dog will 

 accomplish more in gathering a flock of sheep from a Highland farm than 

 twenty shepherds could do without dogs ; in fact, that without this docile 

 animal, the pastoral life would be a mere blank. It would require more 

 hands to manage a flock of sheep, gather them from the hills, force them 

 into houses and folds, and drive them to markets, than the profits of the 

 whole flock would be capable of maintaining. Well may the shepherd 

 feel an interest in his dog ; he it is indeed that earns the family bread, of 

 which he is himself content with the smallest morsel : always grateful, 

 and always ready to exert his utmost abilities in his master's interests. 

 Neither hunger, fatigue, nor the worst of treatment will drive him from 

 his side, and he wiM follow him through every hardship without murmur 

 or repining. If one of them is obliged to change masters, it is sometimes 

 long before he will acknowledge the new owner, or condescend to work 

 for him with the willingness that he did for his former lord ; but, if he 

 once acknowledges him, he continues attached to him until death. b 



We will add another story of the colley, and proceed. It illustrates 

 the memory of the dog. A shepherd was employed in bringing up some 



a Annals of Sporting, vol. viii. p. 83. superhuman fidelity of this dog crowd so 



b " The Ettrick Shepherd has probably rapidly upon us that we are compelled to 



spoken somewhat too enthusiastically of his admire and to love him." Hogg's Shep- 



dog; but accounts of the sagacity and almost herd's Calendar, vol. ii. p. 308. 



