8 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DOG. 



In his native country, the Newfoundland dog meets with 

 worse than indifferent treatment ; during winter, he is ill-fed, 

 and most severely worked ; his employment consisting of 

 drawing heavy loads of timber an employment so severe, 

 that many dogs are worn out, and perish from exhaustion, be- 

 fore winter is over. When summer approaches, and the oc- 

 cupation of the natives changes to fishing, the poor dogs are 

 turned adrift, to shift for themselves. 



The origin of this dog is questionable, but I am disposed to 

 trace him to a large European variety, still in use among th? 

 Norwegians, for the chase of the bear and wolf. It is now 

 well known that the original discovery of Newfoundland is to 

 be attributed to the Norwegians, who, before the year 1000, 

 sailed from Greenland on a voyage of discovery, and that the 

 same people discovered North America some time between 

 the tenth and eleventh centuries. Lond. Geogr. Jour. vol. 

 viii. At the same time, I have no wish to deny that this 

 breed of dogs may have been since modified, by crossing with 

 the Esquimaux and Labrador varieties. 



The Newfoundland dog has long been famed for his aquatic 

 powers, and many human lives have, from time to time, been 

 saved by him. It is not long since ten of the true breed were 

 imported into Paris, and employed in watching the banks of 

 the Seine experienced trainers being daily employed in 

 teaching them to draw, from the water, stuffed figures of men 

 and children : handsome kennels have been erected for them 

 on the bridges, and they have already proved their utility, in 

 saving a number of poor perishing human creatures from a 

 watery death. I recollect a noble dog of this breed, the proper- 

 ty of Professor Dunbar, of Edinburgh, which was accustomed 

 to go out with the young people, in the capacity of a protector, 

 and a most efficient one he proved himself, suffering neither 

 man nor brute to approach his charge. This dog, also, was 

 accustomed to apply to the bell at his master's gale, when it 

 happened to be shut, and he desired admittance. The true 

 Newfoundland dog has been frequently used as a retriever, 

 and is remarkable for his fearless manner of penetrating the 

 thickest cover. I shall close my account of the Newfound- 

 land, with the following lines from Lord Byron's beautiful 

 epitaph on his favorite " Boatswain :" 



" The poor dog ! in life the firmest friend, 

 The first to welcome, foremost to defend ; 

 Whose honest heart is still his master's own 

 Who labors, fights, lives, breathes for him alone." 



