60 CASSELL'S POPULAR NATURAL HISTORY. 



it while lying on its chosen spot ; from which, indeed, it never stirred in nny direction more than a 

 hundred vank Many of its young friends tried to entice it to a greater distance, and it was some- 

 times allowed to he hungry, and then coaxed away with its most favourite food, hut all in vain. It 

 always turned hack and lay down where its master fell. It had spent seven years in this way 

 when it was seen by the writer to whom we are indebted for the story. 



A dog, known to many, was the property of Mr. Henderson, Postmaster, Fort- William. He was a 

 rough, thick-set, stout little creature, a cross between a cocker and a terrier. His master taught him 

 nothing, nor, indeed, seemed to take much noticf of him. Gilliemor was his name, and a sulky, surly 

 little dog he was, as all the urchins who used to play about the post-office could testify ; for he had a 

 mortal hatred to their noise, as he had also to beggars, at whom he would bark and snap 

 furiously. 



He seemed not to care about being caressed, nor to become particularly attached to any person, 

 neither did he associate with other dogs ; a>nd yet he had one strange predilection it was that of 

 attending funerals. Whenever one happened, though it were ten miles distant, and though he had to 

 cross ferries, and even arms of the sea, the moment the coffin appeared, there was Gilliemor ; nor did 

 he leave its side until it reached the burying-ground. There he would look anxiously in, and, as soon 

 as the interment was over, would trot away home, or set off to attend some other funeral. He was 

 known to attend many funerals in different parts of the coimtry in one day. When any person died 

 near his master's residence, the dog employed himself, as usual, on the day of the funeral, in driving 

 away the noisy children and beggars, till within a few minutes of the appointed time, when he would 

 shake himself, as if dressing, and trudge away to join in the procession. So well was his habit known 

 in the place, that it excited very Ijttje surprise, and scarcely any notice was taken of Gilliemor, unless 

 by the ignorant and superstitious, who always wished for the favour of his company to the place of 

 burial. 



The dog, called "Chance," first formed an acquaintance with Mr. Braidwood's Fire Brigade, in 

 London, by follow ing a fireman from a conflagration in Shoreditch to the central station in Watling 

 Street. Here, after he had beep petted for soine little time by the men, his master came for him, and 

 took him home ; but he escaped on the first opportunity, and returned to the station. After he had 

 been carried back for the third time, his master like a mother whose son will go to sea allowed 

 him to have his own way, and for years he invariably accompanied the engine, now upon the machine, 

 now under the horses' legs, and always, when going up-hill, running in advance, and announcing the 

 welcome advent of the extinguisher by his bark. At the fin; he used to amuse himself with pulling 

 burning logs qf wood out of the flames with his mouth. Although he had had his legs 1 n-oken half-a-do/en 

 times, he remained faithful to his pursuit ; till at last, having recen ed a severer hurt than usual, he 

 was nursed by the firemen beside the hearth, when "a call" came, and at the well-known sound of 

 the engine turning out, the poor brute made a last effort to climb upon it, and fell back dead in the 

 attempt. He was stuffed, and preserved at the station, and became, e\ en in death, the fireman's friend ; 

 for one of the engineers having committed suicide, the Brigade determined to raffle him for the benefit 

 of the widow ; and such was his renown, that he realised 123 10s. 9d. 



A little, active dog, a few years ago, in Ireland, tempted the appetite of a lasge animal of the 

 canine race, when a policeman, with a blow of his baton, levelled the assailant and rescued the assailed. 

 I'Yom that time he united his fortunes with those of the police; wherever they went he followed, 

 whether pacing, with measured tread, the tedious "beat," or energetically arresting some disturber of 

 the public peace. Hence the name " Peeler," which he bore. 



A self-constituted general superintendent of the force, he was accustomed to visit station after 

 station, and, after making his observations in one district, proceeding to the next. Often was lie seen 

 to enter a third-class carriage at Kingstown Railway, get out at the Black Bock, visit the police 

 station there, continue his tour of inspection to Booterstown, reach there in time for the train as 

 before, go on to Dublin, to take a peep at the metropolitans, and, having apparently satisfied himself 

 that "all was right," return by an early e\ening train to Kingstown. He sometimes look a dislike to 

 an individual, and shunned him as anxiously as he wagged his tail at the approach and frisked about 

 the feet of another for whom he felt a regard. To one man in the police he had this antipathy : and. 

 one day, seeing him in the train, " Peeler " left the carriage, and waited for the next, preferring a delay 



