276 CAPTAIN CARTWRIGHT'S 



if any dog runs after, or even near it, and any 

 running of the people instantly affrights it; but 

 the moment all is quiet, it is so too. It will often 

 go up to a dog and smell to him: it is well ac- 

 quainted with all mine, and will lie down by the 

 fire amongst them. I believe they scarce ever 

 sleep, for as much as I have watched this, I never 

 could observe, that it was ever asleep, or kept its 

 eyes closed for more than two seconds at a time; 

 and if I moved ever so little, it would start up. 

 When I have lain down on the bed, at a time when 

 it was lying on the floor, it would start up every 

 five or six minutes, and come to see that I was not 

 gone; and having licked my face, or sucked my 

 neck handkerchief a little, it would quietly lie 

 down again. When at any time it lost me, it 

 would run about grunting somewhat like a hog, 

 and never rest until it had found me, when it 

 would run up to me in full speed. Sometimes I 

 have diverted myself, with stooping and running, 

 both after and from it, which pleased it much; 

 and it would do the same, and frisk about in the 

 same manner, as I have seen the wild calves one 

 among another: and I have likewise observed, 

 that whenever it is frightened, it erects its single ^ 

 which at all other times hangs down. It is a mis- 

 taken notion that they will not eat grass, or 

 scarcely anything but white moss; for they will 

 eat every kind of vegetable which this country 

 naturally produces; alexander, and some few 

 other things excepted: nor have I yet been a})le 



1 Tail. 



