NOTES ON THE DOG TRIBE. 



159 



have an animal, which will be the constant com- 

 panion of man, — his safeguard in danger, his 

 assistant in necessity, and his slave in obedience, 

 we must apply to the family of the dog in its 

 reclaimed state. In no other class of quadrupeds 

 can such a treasure be found. 



Take the mule, that is, half horse, half ass, and 

 try your best to mould him to your will. In nine 

 times out of ten, you will fail. Neither harshness 

 nor gentleness will enable you to break his stub- 

 born disposition ; and although you may now and 

 then succeed in overcoming his temper for a while, 

 he will set you at defiance in the long run. 



When I was on the west coast of Demerara, 

 I rode a mule in preference to a horse ; and I took 

 a kind of pride in my choice, because no other 

 person seemed inclined to engage him. He was 

 a cream-coloured and a beautiful animal ; and had 

 been imported from the Orinoco, to work in the 

 cattle-mills of the sugar plantations. I gave him 

 the name of Philip. At times, he went quietly 

 enough ; — but every now and then, he would shew 

 who had been his father; and you would fancy 

 that the devil of stubbornness had got entire pos- 

 session of him. He was never able to dislodge me 

 from the saddle except once ; and then, being ofl 

 my guard, he pitched me " neck and crop," as the 



