othing for
it, day having dawned, but to return to their master, and inform him,
that they had lost the whole flock of lambs, and knew not what was
become of one of them. On our way home, however, we discovered a lot of
lambs at the bottom of a deep ravine, and the indefatigable Sirrah
standing in front of them, looking round for some relief, but still true
to his charge. The sun was then up, and when we first came in view, we
concluded that it was one of the divisions which Sirrah had been unable
to manage until he came to that commanding situation. But what was our
astonishment, when we discovered that not one lamb of the whole flock
was wanting. How he had got all the divisions collected in the dark is
beyond my comprehension. The charge was left to himself from midnight
until the rising sun, and if all the shepherds in the forest had been
there to assist him they could not have effected it with greater
propriety."

An exceedingly good shepherd's dog appears to concentrate all his powers
in his own immediate vocation; and in this does he exert and exhaust his
whole capacity. If he be suddenly awoke, and hurriedly called, he rears
himself up to see what sheep are running away, and he is so honourable,
that he will lie among pails full of milk, and neither touch them
himself, or suffer cat, rat, or any other creature to molest the store.

The drovers' dogs are somewhat larger, and more rugged. They are as
sagacious as the shepherd's dog, but they are trained to act with more
cruelty to their charges.

The original St. Bernard dog, which has for years been the object of so
much interest, resembles the Newfoundland in form, hair, color and size.
Another race with close, short hair, is trained to the same services;
and one of the latter belonged to me for some time, establishing himself
in the good graces of every one by his good temper and fidelity. He
must, however, with all his good qualities yield to Bass, the property
of Sir Thomas Dick Lauder, who thus writes of him. "My St. Bernard was
brought home direct from the Great St. Bernard, when he was a puppy of
about four or five months. His bark is tremendous; so loud, indeed, that
I have often distinguished it nearly a mile off. He had been missing for
some time; when, to my great joy, one of the letter carriers brought
him back; and the man's account was, that in going along a certain
street, he heard his bark from the inside of a yard, and knew it
immediately. He