CHAPTER V. 



A DOG IN EXILE. 



AT the English estate up the river, where I made 

 so long a stay, there were several dogs, some of them 

 of the common dog of no breed found throughout 

 Argentina, a smooth-haired animal, varying greatly 

 in colour, but oftenest red or black ; also differing 

 much in size, but in a majority of cases about as big 

 as a Scotch colley. There were also a few others, 

 dogs of good breeds, and these were specially in- 

 teresting to me, because they were not restrained 

 nor directed in any way, nor any use made of them 

 in their special lines. Left to their own devices, 

 and to rough it with the others, the result was 

 rather curious. The only one among them that had 

 proved capable of accommodating himself to the new 

 circumstances was a Scotch colley a fine animal of 

 pure blood. 



The common dog of the country is a jack-of-all- 

 trades ; a great lover of the chase, but a bad hunter, 

 a splendid scavenger, a good watch-dog and vermin- 

 killer; an indifferent sheep-dog, but invaluable in 

 gathering up and driving cattle. Beyond these 

 things which he picks up, you can really teach him 

 nothing useful, although with considerable trouble 



