120 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DOG. 



on both sides, lay motionless as they fell, apparently severely 

 maimed, if not entirely dead. When the effects of the ex- 

 plosion had died away, the proprietor advanced, and pulled 

 the performers about as dead dogs, to the no small horror 

 and amazement of the spectators ; but immediately on the 

 dropping of the curtain, the apparently wounded or dead 

 dogs sprang to their feet, and resumed their proper places. 



The next scene introduced one of the dogs a captive be- 

 tween two of his comrades, all attired in military costume. 

 The captive, being condemned as a deserter, was sentenced 

 to be shot, and the sentence carried forthwith into execution 

 by his canine comrades. On being fired at, he fell, struggled 

 convulsively^ for a few seconds, then 'apparently died ; in 

 this state he was dragged about the stage ; his comrades 

 then placed him in a barrow, and wheeled him away. He 

 subsequently appeared placed in a bier drawn by dogs, with 

 likewise a canine driver, who flourished a whip over his 

 companions, and with a procession of the whole company at- 

 tired as soldiers, moved slowly to the solemn dead march, 

 deposited their comrade in the grave, and thus concluded 

 their performance. These dogs were of various descrip- 

 tions pugs, poodles, mongrels. 



There was an interlude of young puppies, who tumbled 

 head over heels in various diverting attitudes, after which 

 he introduced a fine specimen of bull-dog, which the ex- 

 hibiter called his fire-king. This dog was trained to exhibit 

 in the midst of a brilliant display of fireworks, and nothing 

 could exceed the courage he preserved when wholly sur- 

 rounded by flames, or the resolution he manifested not to 

 quit his position until the fire was entirely extinguished. 



I adduce these interesting accounts, in order to impress 

 upon my readers' mind the grand fact, that gentleness, and 

 not cruelty, is the " modus operandi" likely to succeed with 

 an animal capable of so much intellectual culture as is the 

 dog ; and I hope that the above anecdotes may touch other 

 minds as deeply as they have mine, and save many a poor 

 dog from the ill-usage to which he might otherwise have been 

 subjected. 



