The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1855-05-17

T Fl T DOG.

The dog, next to the human being, is
said to rank highest in the scale of in
telligence, and was evidently designed
to be the companion and friend of man.
From the earliest known history he was
the protector of the habitation of the
human being In every age, and almost
every part of the globe, he has played a
principal part in the labors, the dangers,
and the pleasures of the chase. The
OK and the sheep submit to our control,
but their affections are principally, if
not solely, confined to themselves. Not
so the dog; after receiving his daily
food, he still continues to follow his
master, loving him while living, and ex-
pressing at his death the most unequiv-
ocal tokens of sorrow. Did space and
time permit, could state facts to show
that friendship like his is seldom wit
messed, but his noble nature is known to
all. The pleasures OF the chase have
been sung by ancient and modern poets
They say that every true sportsman
must be lover of nature, be bis exterior
so ever rough, he must have within his
hear something of the "Pain.cr's spirit
stnd the Poets fire." Such pursuits as
bis ever awaken the feelings Of our better
nature, and you VIII. always observe that
the spot whore he rcci;aes to partake
of his noon day meal, will have some
thing about it to charm the Poets fancy,
or fix the Painters eye
The first number of series Of articles
on Sporting, propose to devote to
few hints about dogs, because no good
sport can be had without good dogs
and by good mean we'll bred and well
broke-as in the management of this
noble animal in the field, consists the
greater part of the true science of wood
craft. 1t is not be who makes the
largest bag in days hunt that has had
the most true sport, but he who goes out
accompanied by his well-trained Setter
or Pointer, whose eye is constantly on
his master, whose ear is ever true to the
slightest whistle, who obeys the slightest
signal Of his hand, and returns at night
with a moderate number of birds-he it
is who receives the most satisfaction for
his labor. Dogs who are always shot
over by one man soon learn to obey his
slightest will. 1t is really astonishing
how tractablc they are, how soon they
learn to cross and requarter their
ground, to turn at the least motion and
to consult the pleasure Of their master
in every respect. Never lend your dog,
even to yeur best friend, because no two
men hunt dogs exactly alike, and you do
not wish him to unlearn any Of bis points
of education which you consider good,
to say nothing of the danger of his learn
ing some bad trick that would try your
patience and make your hair stand on
end. You can hardly imagine the diff
ference in intelligence between two dogs
equally good by nature, one Of which has
never been lent, and the other who has
hunted with every man and boy be has
pleased to follow. The best dogs for
this locality is Settlers, because of their
ability to endure fatigue, the high order
OF their olfactory powers, their courage
IN facing briars or water, and their speed
in ranging. There are individual
Pointers whose qualities are unexcep-
tionable, and in dry barrens where
water is scarce, I should prefer them,
but in the close briary thicket, or the
cold bog, in an all-day hunt, rely upon it,
Setter is the dog. The best dogs for any
hunting Especially for us Yankees who
desire to rush through the worldly, are