THE DOG TRIBE. 



and this wily animal must be pursued by him in a pack, over hill 

 and dale, through brooks and across quagmires, so long as he has a 

 leg to support him in the chase. Anything short of this would 

 expose his instructor to the opprobrium and reprimands of that 

 society of gentlemen, who in top boots and scarlet coats are now 

 known, as far as Rome itself, to be genuine English fox-hunters ; 

 although the dull rustics of Italy cannot yet clearly comprehend 

 why dogs should come so far, and foreigners be so eager, to kill a 

 few insignificant foxes. But these Italian peasants are a remarkably 

 dull race. Thus if you tell them that archbishops and bishops in 

 England, of the Church by law established, receive a retiring pension 

 of ,5000 per annum until their death, positively these boors will 

 not believe you. Now, this fox-hound here in Great Britain would 

 probably be a sledge dragger in the country round Hudson's Bay, 

 or it might possibly serve as a lap-dog for the knee of some Pata- 

 gonian giantess. Or, suppose this British fox-hound to have married 

 an Italian greyhoundess, their whelps might be prime lurchers, which 

 are a race of dogs somewhat injurious to us country squires, but in 

 high reputation amongst that very harmless and respectable class of 

 men, usually denominated poachers. These lurchers, in their turn, 

 might have puppies innumerable, all differing in size and shape 

 and disposition. Were these animals not under the control of man, 

 they would still all be dogs, but in nowise a benefit to him, neither 

 in the capacity of sheep-drivers, watch-dogs, turnspits, mastiffs, or 

 hounds. In a word, all untrained dogs maybe considered as worth- 

 less outcasts, possessing no good qualities whatever; whereas, on 

 the other hand, dogs which have been trained by man for certain 

 purposes are of vast utility to him, and with a few drawbacks, may 

 be considered in the light both of friends and companions. 



I cannot be persuaded that dogs existed in South America ere 

 that country was discovered by the Europeans. (See the " Wander- 

 ings.") Dogs and cattle must have been imported. Still, how has it 

 happened that the breed of cattle originally from Europe should 

 now positively swarm in America, whilst the dog, from the same 

 country, is but a solitary animal increasing certainly, as individuals, 

 in the civilised parts, but nowhere to be found in those where man 

 is not located ? The question is easily answered. Cattle are 



