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 
