16 CASSELL'S POPULAR NATURAL BISTORT. 



party, for they observed him plying and apraping in the snow with great violence, and always looking 

 over his shoulder to them. 



On going to the spot they found he had marked just above a sheep. From that he flew to anot 

 and then another, as fast as they could dig out the sheep ; his speed, however, soon surpassed theirs 

 for he sometimes had twenty or thirty marked beforehand. They got out three hundred of that 

 division before night, and about half as many on the other parts of the farm ; and the greatest part of 

 them would have been lost but for Sparkle's voluntary exertions. 



The snow lay for eight days, but before it went away they had got out every sheep on the farm, 

 either dead or alive, except four ; and that these were not found was not Sparkle's fault, for though 

 they were buried beneath a mountain of snow at least fifty feet deep, he had repeatedly marked on the 

 top of it above them. Hogg remarks, in concluding his account : "The sheep were all living when we 

 found them ; but those that were buried in the snow to a certain depth, being, I suppose, in a warm, 

 half-suffocated state, though, on being taken out, they bounded away like roes, were instantly after 

 paralysed by the sudden change of atmosphere, and fell down, deprived of all power in their limbs. 

 We did not, however, lose above sixty in all ; but I am certain Sparkie saved us at least two 



hundred." 



Among the Grampian mountains there are glens chiefly inhabited by shepherds, and the pastures 

 over whichtheir flocks range extend in every direction for many miles. It is the daily business of 

 the shepherd to visit successively the different extremities of the pastures, and to turn back any of the 

 flock that may be straying to those of his neighbours. It is a common practice with the Highlanders 

 to accustom even their very young children to the rigours of the climate ; and, on one occasion, a 

 shepherd took with him an infant of about three years' old. To have a more extensive view, he 

 ascended a summit at some distance, and, as this was too fatiguing for the child, he left him at the foot 

 of the mountain, charging him not to stir until his return. Scarcely, however, had he reached the 

 top, when one of the mists which frequently fall on these mountains, came suddenly, and, in a few 

 minutes, almost changed day into night. Hastening back to find his child, he missed his way among 

 the morasses and cataracts around, and night actually came on while he was continuing his search m 

 vain. At length, in his wanderings, he reached the verge of the mist, and the moon having now risen, 

 he found he was not far from his own cottage. Further pursuit appeared very dangerous, and he 

 entered his home greatly distressed, for his child was lost, and a dog also, who had faithfully attended 



him for many years. 



At the break of day, accompanied by several of his neighbours, he went forth in quest of the 

 child, but the day was spent without success. Returning to his cottage, at night-fall, he found that 

 his dog had returned, but had immediately left home on receiving a piece of cake. As this was done 

 more than once, and the child could not be found, the shepherd determined to remain at home, and, 

 when the dog should next come and go, warily to follow him. As he did so he tracked the dog to a 

 cataract, the banks of which almost joined at the top, but were separated by a chasm of considerable 

 depth, and down one of these rugged descents it proceeded, and entered a cave, the mouth of which 

 was almost on a level with the torrent. It was with difficulty that the shepherd followed, but, on 

 entering, he beheld, with indescribable feelings, his child eating the cake the dog had just brought, 

 The chad, it afterwards appeared, had wandered from the spot where he was left to the brink of- the 

 precipice, and then had either fallen or scrambled down till he reached the cave, from which he had 

 not gone from fear of the torrent Hither he had been traced by the dog, who had not quitted him 

 night nor day, except to go home for food ; and he was observed to go thither and return at his 

 utmost speed. 



At Invergeldie, a large sheep-farm, on the estate 01 Lawers, near Comrie, Perthshire, the overseer 

 became severely indisposed, and, for the first ten days after their master had taken to his bed, his two 

 faithful collies were greatly distressed, declining all kinds of food, even milk warm from the cow, which 

 was at last pressed upon them by the domestics. At length their case became serious, and, as they were 

 valuable dogs, the overseer's mother was prevailed on to apprise her sick son, low as he was, of the 

 circumstances, begging of him, as the last resort, to try what effect his own voice would have on tl 

 mourners. By an effort, he mustered sufficient strength to name his favourites, pointing, at the same 

 time, to some' food. At once the dogs obeyed ; again and again the experiment was tried with 



