Farming of Cumberland. 



269 



notMng to eat but what it could nibble from the prickly bush ; 

 and when liberated on a bright frosty day, it appeared nearly or 

 quite blind. 



The drifted sheep were mostly found in small companies of 

 two, four, six, &c., and those were nearly all got out alive ; but 

 when the gatherings amounted to ten, twelve, or more, the poor 

 animals had trampled and crowded one upon another till nearly 

 all died ; and the carcases of the dead were mostly flattened, as if 

 they had passed between heavy rollers. 



The loss on the farm was not confined to sheep alone. Four- 

 teen highland cattle were drifted over on the same occasion : three 

 of these were lost, and two or three more so crushed and lamed 

 as to be costly invalids for several m.onths after. 



Many Cumberland farmers were serious losers * in sheep by 

 that storm ; but where a dog was available, with the valuable gift 

 of " marking," much loss was averted. 



The dog above mentioned exhibited another trait of intelligence 

 and calculation of a remarkable kind. His master was a constant 

 church-goer, and the parish church was more than a mile distant. 

 By some singular process, the animal arrived at a true knowledge 

 of the day when his master attended church, and of the hour, and 

 almost minute of his leaving again ; and was as punctual in going 

 to meet his master about two-thirds of the way. 



Another instance, among many, of the sagacity of a Cumber- 

 land sheep-dog deserves to be put on record. A plot of low and 

 level ground near Muncaster Castle, called Hestholm Marsh, is 

 usually covered twice in the day by the tide, and sheep were con- 

 stantly depastured on it, with a field on a higher level to retire to 

 on the rising of the tide ; but the stupid animals, being fond of 

 the salted grass, were sometimes surprised and impounded by the 

 tide, and then the dog's services were requisite in the rescue. In 

 a little time he learned to go down and clear the marsh of his own 

 accord, as constantly as the tide flowed during daylight ; and thus 

 was the means of preventing all loss by the waters, so long as he 

 was able to attend to his self-imposed duty. 



There may be little remarkable in dogs executing duties oc- 

 curring daily and at the same hour. Many dogs have learned to 

 bring the cows home at the regular milking-hour, without special 

 directions; and onet well known by the writer performed this 



* Amongst others Mr, Mossop of Thornholm, whose dog marked some hun- 

 dreds of sheep, and also the bull which was buried at the great depth of 35 feet, 

 and could not be got out to be skinned before the 1st of May in the following 

 year. 



t Mr. Walker's of Gill, near Egremont. When the dog happeBjCd to be from 

 home with his master for a day, the bull could not be ventured out to water. And 

 so perfect an ascendancy had the dog gained over the bull, and knew it so well, 

 that he never permitted it to stray more than a few feet out of the direct road ; 



