THE DOG THE COMPANION OF MAN. 7 



these animals so conspicuous and sensible as a journey through regions which, abounding in wild beasts 

 of almost every class, gave continual opportunities of witnessing the strong contrast in their habits 

 between the ferocious beasts of prey, whicfi fly at the approach of man, and these kind, but too often 

 injured, companions of the human race. 



" Many times," says Mr. Burchell, " when we have been travelling over plains where beasts have 

 fled the moment, we appeared in sight, have I turned my eyes towards rny dogs to admire their 

 attachment, and have felt a grateful affection towards them for preferring our society to the wild 

 liberty of other quadrupeds. Often, in the middle of the night, when all my people have been fast 

 asleep around the fire, have I stood to contemplate these faithful animals lying by their side, and have 

 learned to esteem them for their social inclination to mankind. When wandering over pathless 

 deserts, oppressed with vexation and distress at the conduct of my own men, I have turned to these as 

 my only friends, and felt how much inferior to them was man, when actuated only by selfish 

 views. 



" The familiarity which subsists between this animal and our own race is so common to almost 

 every country on the globe, that any remark upon it must seem superfluous ; but I cannot avoid believing 

 that it is the universality of the fact that prevents the greater part of mankind from reflecting duly on 

 the subject. While almost every other quadruped fears man as its most formidable enemy, here is one 

 which regards him as his companion, and follows him as his friend. We must not mistake the nature 

 of the case : it is not because we train him to our use, and have made choice of him in preference to other 

 animals, but because this particular species feels a natural desire to be useful to man, and from spon- 

 taneous impulse attaches itself to him. Were it not so, we should see in various countries an equal 

 familiarity with various other quadrupeds, according to the habits, the taste, or the caprice of different 

 nations. But everywhere, it is t/te dag only which takes delight in associating with us, in sharing our abode, 

 and is even anxious that our attention should be bestowed upon him alone ; it is he who knows us 

 personally, or watches for us, and warns us of danger. It is impossible for the naturalist, when taking 

 a survey of the whole animal creation, not to fool a conviction, that this friendship between two 

 creatures so different from each other, must be the result of the laws of nature; nor can the humane 

 and feeling mind avoid the belief, that kindness to those animals from which he derives continued 

 and essential assistance is part of his moral duty," 



The dog often appears, in painting and poetry, as the companion of man. Cowper, for instance, 

 graphically describing a " Winter Morning Walk," says : 



" Forth goes the woodman, leaving unconcerned 

 The cheerful haunts of man, to wield the axe 

 And drive the wedge, in yonder forest drear, 

 From morn to eve his solitary task." 



But the poet could not say that he went forth alone. No ! 



"Shaggy, and lean, and shrewd, with pointed ears 

 And tail cropped short, half lurcher and half cur, 

 His dog attends him. Close behind his heel 

 Now creeps he slow ; and now, with many a frisk 

 Wide-?camp'ring, snatches up the drifted snow 

 With ivory teeth, or ploughs it with his snout ; 

 Then shakes his powdered coat, and barks for joy. 



Heedless of all hh pranks, the sturdy churl 

 Moves right towards the mark ; nor stops for aught, 

 But now and then, with pressure of his thumb, 

 T' adjust the fragrant charge of a short tube 

 That fumes beneath his nose : the trailing cloud 

 Streams far behind him, scenting all the air.'' 



The engraving we give, from a celebrated picture by Westall, represents the dog as the companion 



of man at a different season. Often may a rough sort of terrier be seen capering off most joyously in 



the morning with his master a field labourer as full of expectation as a pointer in September ; or a 



greyhound, when all is favourable for a good course. And yet the pleasure awaiting him is not 



. very high order: it merely consists in lying on his master's jacket, watching him, perhaps, 



oeing turnips, and then enjoying a few scraps of bread which are thrown to him at lunch-tin, 



bone which the labourer has already taken care to pick very clean with the sharp point of his 

 rOTgh-handled clasp-knife. The good dog-master, wherever found, -considers his four-footed follower 



