54 SECOND DIVISION OF THE 



A native of Germany was travelling one evening on foot through Hol- 

 land, accompanied by a large dog. Walking on a high bank which formed 

 one side of a dyke, his foot slipped, and he was precipitated into the water ; 

 and, being unable to swim, soon became senseless. When he recovered 

 his recollection, he found himself in a cottage on the contrary side of the 

 dyke, surrounded by peasants, who had been using the means for the reco- 

 very of drowned persons. The account given by one of them was, that, 

 returning home from his labour, he observed at a considerable distance a 

 large dog in the water, swimming and dragging, and sometimes pushing 

 along something that he seemed to have great difficulty in supporting, 

 but which he at length succeeded in getting into a small creek on the oppo- 

 site side. When the animal had pulled what he had hitherto supported 

 as far out of the water as he was able, the peasant discovered that it was 

 the body of a man, whose face and hands the dog was industriously licking. 

 The peasant hastened to a bridge across the dyke, and, having obtained 

 assistance, the body was conveyed to a neighbouring house, where proper 

 means soon restored the drowned man to life. Two very considerable 

 bruises, with the marks of teeth, appeared, one on his shoulder and the 

 other on his poll ; hence it was presumed that the faithful beast had first 

 seized his master by the shoulder, and swam with him in this manner for 

 some time, but that his sagacity had prompted him to quit this hold, and 

 to shift it to the nape of the neck, by which he had been enabled to sup- 

 port the head out of water ; and in this way he had conveyed him nearly 

 a quarter of a mile before he had brought him to the creek, where the 

 banks were low and accessible. * 



Dr. Beattie relates an instance of a gentleman attempting to cross the 

 river Dee, then frozen over, near Aberdeen. The ice gave way about the 

 middle of the river; but, having a gun in his hand, he supported himself 

 by placing it across the opening. His dog then ran to a neighbouring 

 village, where, with the most significant gestures, he pulled a man by the 

 coat, and prevailed on him to follow him. They arrived at the spot just 

 in time to save the drowning man's life. 



Of the noble disposition of the Newfoundland dog, Dr. Abel, in one of 

 his lectures on Phrenology, relates a singular instance. " When this dog 

 left his master's house, he was often assailed by a number of little noisy 

 dogs in the street. He usually passed them with apparent unconcern, as 

 if they were beneath his notice ; but one little cur was particularly trou- 

 blesome, and at length carried his impudence so far as to bite the New- 

 foundland dog in the leg. This was a degree of wanton insult beyond 

 what he could patiently endure ; and he instantly turned round, ran after 

 the offender, and seized him by the skin of the back. In this way he car- 

 ried him in his mouth to the quay, and, holding him some time over the 

 water, at length dropped him into it. He did not, however, seem to 

 design that the culprit should be punished capitally. He waited a little 

 while, until the poor animal, who was unused to that element, was not 

 only well ducked, but nearly sinking, and then plunged in, and brought 

 him safe to land." 



" It would be difficult," says Dr. Hancock, in his Essay on Instinct. " to 

 conceive any punishment more aptly contrived, or more completely in 

 character. Indeed, if it were fully analyzed, an ample commentary might 

 be written in order to show what a variety of comparisons and motives 

 and generous feelings entered into the composition of this act." 



