e lioness, who came toward him. But when she had come up to
him, she lay down at his feet, and looked very earnestly, first at him,
and then at a tree a short distance off. After doing this several times,
she arose and started toward the tree, looking back at the man several
times, as if trying to make him follow her. At length he went, and when
he reached the tree, he saw a huge baboon with two young cubs in her
arms. He supposed they must belong to the lioness, as she lay down like
a cat, and seemed to be watching them very anxiously. The man being
afraid to climb the tree, decided to cut it down, and having his axe
with him, he at once set to work, the lioness, meantime, watching to see
what he was doing. When the tree fell, she sprang upon the baboon, and
after tearing her in pieces, she turned round and fawned round the man,
rubbing her head against him in great fondness, and in token of her
gratitude for the service he had done her. After this she took the cubs
away, one at a time, and the man went back to the ship.

[Illustration]

LXXXVI

DOG SMUGGLERS

In the Netherlands, they use dogs of a very large and strong breed as
they would horses. They are harnessed like horses, and chiefly employed
in drawing little carts filled with fish, vegetables, and other produce.
Before the year 1795, such dogs were also employed in smuggling; which
was the easier, as they are exceedingly docile.

The dogs were trained to go back and forth between two places on the
frontiers, without any person to attend them. Being well loaded with
little parcels of goods, lace, and the like, they set out at midnight,
and went only when it was perfectly dark. An excellent, quick-scented
dog always went some paces before the others, stretched out his nose
toward all quarters, and when he scented custom house officers, turned
back, which was the signal for immediate flight.

Concealed behind bushes, or in ditches, the dogs waited till all was
safe, then continued their journey, and at last reached, beyond the
frontier, the dwelling-house of the receiver of the goods, who was in
the secret. But here, also, the leading dog only at first showed
himself. On a certain whistle, which was a signal that all was right,
they all hastened up. They were then unloaded, taken to a nearby
stable, where there was a good layer of hay and plenty of good food.
There they rested until midnight, and they then returned in the same
manner as they had co