72 History of Nature. [BooK VIII. 



that have for their Leader and Captain some one Dog : him 

 they accompany when they hunt ; him they are directed by: 

 for they keep an Order among themselves of Mastership. It 

 is certain that the Dogs which live near the Nile lap of the 

 River 1 as they run, that they may not afford an Opportunity 

 to the Greediness of the Crocodiles. When Alexander the 

 Great made his Journey into India, the King of Albania 

 gave him a Dog of extraordinary Size ; and Alexander taking 

 great Delight in such an Example of a Dog, commanded 

 them to let loose on him Bears, and afterwards wild Boars ; 

 and last of all, fallow Deers ; but he lay still with silent 

 Contempt. This great Commander, a Man of high Mind, 

 offended at the Laziness of so great a Body, commanded 

 that he should be killed. News of this went presently to the 

 King ; and therefore he sent a second Dog, with this Mes- 

 sage : That he should not make trial of this too against 

 small Beasts, but set him against a Lion or an Elephant : 

 adding, that he had no more than those two ; and if this 

 were killed likewise, it was not likely he would have more of 

 that Race. Alexander made no delay, and presently saw a 

 Lion torn to Pieces. Afterwards he commanded them to 

 bring out an Elephant, and in no Sight did he take greater 

 Pleasure than in this. For the Dog's rough, shaggy Hair, 



gave him a hospitable reception in his hut. His guest made some remark 

 on the watchfulness and zeal of his dogs, and on the danger to which he 

 had been exposed on their attack. The old man replied that it was his 

 own fault for not taking the customary precaution in such an emergency, 

 that he ought to have stopped, and sat down, until some person whom the 

 animals knew came to protect him. As this expedient was new to the 

 traveller, he made some further inquiries, and was assured, that if any 

 person in such a predicament will simply seat himself on the ground, lay- 

 ing aside his weapons of defence, the dogs will also squat in a circle round 

 him ; that as long as he remains quiet, they will follow his example ; but 

 as soon as he rises, and moves forward, they will renew the assault." 

 Wern. Club. 



1 " I was very well pleased to see here, for the first time, two shepherd 

 dogs lapping up the water from the stream, then lying down in it with 

 great seeming leisure and satisfaction. It refuted the old fable that the 

 dogs living on the banks of the Nile run as they drink, for fear of the 

 crocodile." BRUCE'S Travels, vol. ii. p. 7. Wern. Club. 



