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meat and water, for it was sometimes difRciilt to procure for tliem enough of tlie latter ; but 
their services were invahiahle, often contributing to our safety, and always to our ease, by their 
constant vigilance, as we felt a confidence that no danger could approach us at night without 
being announced by their barking. 
" No circumstances could render the value and fidelity of these animals so conspicuous and 
sensible as a journey through regions which, abounding in wild beasts of almost every class, gave 
continual opportunities of witnessing the strong contrast in their habits, between the ferocious 
beasts of prey which fly at the approach of man, and these kind but too often injured companions 
of the human race. Many times, when we .have been traveling over plains where those have fled 
the moment we appeared in sight, have I turned my eyes toward my dogs to admire tbeir 
attachment, and have felt a grateful affection toward them for preferring our society to the liberty 
of other quadrupeds. Often, in the middle of the night, when all my people have been fast 
asleep around the fire, have I stood to contemplate these faithful animals lying by their side, and 
have learned to esteem them for their social esteem of mankind. When wandering over pathless 
deserts, oppressed with vexation and distress at the conduct of my own men, I have turned to 
these as my only fi-iends, and felt how much inferior to them was man when actuated only by 
selfish views. 
" The familiarit}^ which subsists between this animal and our own race is so common to almost 
every country of the globe, that any remark upon it must seem superfluous ; but I cannot avoid 
believing that it is the universality of the fact which prevents the greater part of mankind from 
reflecting duly on the subject. While almost every other quadruped fears man as its most 
formidable enemy, here is one which regards him as his companion and follows him as his 
friend. AVe must not mistake the nature of the case : it is not because we train him to our use, , 
and have made choice of him in preference to other animals, but because this particular ' 
species feels a natural desire to be useful to man, and, from spontaneous impulse, attaches itself to 
him. Were it not so, we should see in various countries an equal familiarity with various other 
quadrupeds, according to the habits, the taste, or the caprice of different nations. But everywhere 
it is the dog only that takes delight in associating with us in sharing our abode ; he is even jealous 
that our attention should be bestowed on him alone ; it is he who knows us personally, watches 
for us, and Avarns us of danger. It is impossible for the naturalist, when taking a survey of the 
Avhole animal creation, not to feel a conviction that this friendship between two creatures so 
different from each other must be the result of the laws of nature ; nor can the humane and 
feeling mind avoid the belief, that kindness to those animals from which he derives continued 
and essential assistance, is part of his moral duty." 
It may be truly said that the dog is the only animal capable of disinterested affection. The 
horse neighs that he may be fed ; he enjoys the chase and feels emulation, and thus shares in 
some of our pleasures : but the dog desires to follow us, and be useful to us as a friend. He freely 
sacrifices his appetite and his liberty for our benefit. Queen Mary's lap-dog followed her to the ; 
scaffold, caressed the body when the head was cut off, and when forcibly withdrawn, pined away 
and died. The dog is as true in his affections in the midst of poverty as in abundance. He 
dines as cheerfrilly and thankfully on a bone with his pauper master, as on the ruddy roast beef | 
of the lord of the manor. The instance of a cur that followed the body of his master, a poor 
tailor, to the churchyard of St. Olave, in London, and, refusing to be comforted, after a few weeks 
wasted away and perished, is familiar to all readers. There are innumerable instances of this 
sort. One of them, that of a young man who lost his life by falling from one of the precipices of 
the Helvellyn Mountains, and who for three months was guarded by his faithfiil dog— wasted at 
last to a skeleton — has been put into immortal verse by Scott: 
" I climb' d the dark brow of the mighty Helvellyn ; 
Lakes and mountains beneath me gleam'd misty and wide ; 
All was still, save by fits, where the eagle was yelling, 
And starting around me the echoes replied. 
On the right, Striden-edge round the Eed-tarn was bending, 
And Cachedicam its left verge was defending, 
One huge nameless rock iu the front was ascending, 
When I mark'd the sad spot where the wanderer died. 
