40 CASSELL'S POPULAR NATURAL HISTORY. 



injury. I ! could I ell as well as liis master, ami si >i ne times better, whether a liird was hit, and many 

 .m- the liirds he lias saved tor him and retrieved fields away from where IK; slioi them. If a bird 

 was hit, Don would watch him till he topped the hedge, and then, if he once started, his master 

 always rested satisfied he should bag his bird. He would never chase a hare when she got 

 up, unless he thought she was wounded, and then few greyhounds were fleeter. He has 

 been known to course a hare that had been hit nearly a mile, straight a-head, and bring her safely 

 to his master. 



Don was used for a variety of sport, such us pheasant, woodcock, snipe, hare, and any kind of 

 water-fowl shooting ; of the latter, especially, he was extremely fond. He has frequently stood at a 

 duck or a moorhen, with the water running over his back at the time. If a rat was to be killed, 

 Don was sure to be ready, and as good as any terrier at a rat's hole. lie was also a rare dog at an 

 otter, and played a good part at the taking of two or three. Nothing seemed to spoil lain, and, 

 though he would explore a wood with great energy, lie was perfectly steady again the next minute, out 

 of cover. He has been seen standing at game for nearly two hours without blenching, and at the 

 same time looking .as eagor as if he would dash in every moment. He would, as it is termed, point 

 single that is, if birds lay well ill potatoes or turnips, for instance, and got up one by one, he would 

 not leave his point till all were gone, unless, by a turn of the head or a step, to show where the next 

 bird lay. His master has, in this way, had seven shots without Don moving a leg. 



On one occasion, his master was hunting him with a puppy, which was then in the field for the 

 second or third time, that he mijjht be shown birds previous to the season. Don found some birds 

 very cleverly about the middle of the field, when the puppy, who had been gambolling about, with 

 but little disposition to hunt, on seeing him stand, ran playfully up to him. Don deliberately seized 

 him by the neck, gave him a good shaking, which sent him howling to his master, and then turned 

 round and steadied himself on his point, having moved scarcely a yard. His feelings at the moment 

 would doubtless have been, in dog-English : "Get away with you ! Don't you see I am busy? Idle 

 whelps should never interfere with active pointers !" 



M. Blaze had a hound called Triomphaux, and a pointer named Mcdor, and they were in the 

 habit of leaving home occasionally for several days together, but it was observed, that, on their return, 

 they were always in good condition, and only desirous of rest. On one occasion, when these two 

 canine friends started together, their master followed, and, at some distance, watched their movements. 

 He found that they carried on poaching for their mutual benefit. Medor crouched in a trench along 

 this Triomphaux, in full cry, drove the hare ; the former suddenly seized it on the way, and the two 

 then proceeded to banquet on their victim. 



M. de la Malle had a neighbour (Count de Fontenay), who was engaged in some experiments as 

 to the breeding of merino sheep, jointly with the Marquis des Feugercts, whose estate wa.s about two 

 leagues from his own. The count had a pointer, who almost Deemed to anticipate his wishes. One 

 day, wishing to send an urgent message to the marquis, and having no servant at hand, he determined 

 on trying, in a new capacity, the trustiness of his dog. Accordingly, he fastened the letter to 

 tollman's collar, and said to him, " Carry that to Feugerets." The pointer did as he was bid, and 

 allowed no one to touch the letter except the marquis, to whom it was addressed. M. de la Malle 

 says : " I have seen this dog acting as a messenger between the two chateaux, with remarkable 

 quickness and fidelity, for four or five years. "When the dog has delivered the letter, and never before, 

 he goes into the kitchen to be fed ; and, as soon as he has finished his meal, he sits down before the 

 window of the marquis's study, and looks up at intervals to show that he is ready to take back the 

 answer. On the letter being fastened to his collar, he immediately sels otl'to the count, his master." 



Lord Stowell related to .Mr. Jesse the following fact : "Mr. Edward ( 'ook, after having lived for 

 some time with his brother at Tugsten, in Northumberland, went to America, and took with him a 

 pointer dog, which he lost soon afterwards while shooting in the woods near Baltimore. Some time 

 after, his relations, Mr. and Mrs. Cook, who continued to reside at Tugsten, were alarmed at hearing 

 a dog in the night. They admitted it into the house, and found it was the very same their brother 

 had taken with him to America. The pointer lived with them until its master returned home, when 

 the recognition was mutual. Mr. Cook was never able to trace by what vessel the dog had left Ame- 

 rica, or in what part of Kngland it had landed on its return." 



