44 HOME LIFE ON AN OSTRICH FARM. 



to the interior, travelling on foot and in native dress, 

 for the purpose of distributing Arabic Testaments — on 

 one occasion going as far as the city of Morocco. On 

 these trips Toto accompanied his master, and — ^far from 

 being the object of contempt and aversion, as a dog 

 usually is in Mohammedan lands — was universally 

 admired and coveted by the natives ; by some of whom 



— had T not eaten of their bread and salt, thus 



placing them on their honour— it is extremely likely 

 that he would have been stolen. It was something 

 quite new to them to see a dog actually fond of his 

 master, and treated by the latter as a friend ; full of 

 intelligence, too, and altogether different from their own 

 uninteresting dogs ; his clever tricks — which seemed to 

 them almost uncanny — earned him many a good feed ; 

 and among the variety of animals offered at different 

 times in exchange for him, were two donkeys, a horse, 

 and a young camel. 



Toto can boast, too, of having spent many nights in 

 quarters where probably never dog has slept before — ■ 

 i.e. in Mohammedan mosques. These were the usual 

 sleeping-places assigned to the travellers by the simple 

 village folk, whose toleration contrasts strongly with 

 the fanaticism of the towns. There the mosques are 

 held very sacred ; and for Europeans to look in at their 

 doors, even from across the street, gives great offence. 

 » « * » « 



And now, as I write, the old dog — faithful and 

 friendly as ever — sits up begging ; no lontrer con- 

 ceitedly and unsteadily as in his youth, but in the 



