Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1866-08-01
Captain SCOTS S Dog.

friend Of Gen. Marcy, who in his new
book. "Thirty Years Of Army Life,
gives many interesting anecdotes about
him.
Captain Scott was at one time, while
stationed at Prairie du Chien, in pos
session Of wonderfully sagacious dog
IA cross Of the setter and pointer.
The captain would for example.
while sitting in his quarters at the fort,
with his dog at his feet, say, g Mark,
want you to go over to the island and
ascertain if there are any woodcock
there, and come back and tell me -
The dog would Instantly go to the riv
err, swim TO the island, and if he had
found birds, run up to his master, then
to the gun, wag his tail, and make
other demonstrations OF JOY, which
made it perfectly apparent that he
| had been successtu;. Scott would then
tell the dog to get the canoe in readi-
ness, and strange as it may appear he
would take the cushion in his mouth,
/ carry it to the river bank where the
! boat was moored, place it upon the
seat, return for the paddle, carry that
| to the canoe, then go back to Scott,
and look up in his face with an eN-
preston which indicated that all WAS
| ready.
The captain had at the same time
another dog, which he called Turk, -
! These dogs, from their first acquaint-
ancc, had never been on friendly terms,
and they had many severely contested
encounters, which finally resulted in
Turks gaining and retaining the mas
terry. Mark was emphatically a van
quished dog, and by his meek and sub
missive dcmeanor in the presence Of
his adversary admitted as much.
Upon one occasion Turk had gained
pose ession of a bonne bouche, in the
form Of beef's bone, which he was
quietly enjoying by himself upon the
. parade ground, when Mark chanced
; to pass that way and scented the
choice morsel. The longing, anxious
look which he cast upon the bone told
how desirous he was to participate III
the feast, but his experience had taught
him that an attempt to contend with
his powerful adversary would only re-
suit in his own discontinue. He
therefore prudently resolved to resort
to strategy in order to accomplish his
ends. Accordingly he ran furiously
outside the stockade inclosure and set
up tremendous barking as if some
thing extraordinary had occurred, upon
r which. as usual, all the dogs in the fort
hurried out of the gates to see what
was the matter, and among them was
Turk, who in the excitement of the
moment, abandoned his bone As soon
as this was done Mark very quietly
slipped back, seized the prize, and car
ried it to hiding place, where he
could enjoy it at his leisure.
Mark was by no means Il dog OF reg
ular habits, and would often steal away
E from home and pass the night among
his canine companions For this he
was invariably punished, his master
compelling him to stand on his hind
feet, with his fore paws resting against
the wall while castigation was admin
istered by a cowhide. In one instance,
after having absented himself all night,
he returned home with detected and
ponitent air, and, seeing his master
looking very angry at him, he imme-
diately went to the wall, placed him
, self in the position he had been requir-
, ed to assume when he received his pre-
E vious punishments, and at the same
; time turned his head around and look
ed at Scott, as much as TO say, am
ready"
In the course of time Mark waxed
in years, and was no longer able to
endure the work required in hunting,
and Captain Scott took him home to
E Bennington to pass the remainder OF
his days in quiet retirement, and here
! he continued to make himself useful
even in his dotage by going to the pas
9 ture every night and driving home the
COWS. 1t certainly appeared as if this
! animal was endowed with something
! beyond mere brute instinct, as he seem
, ed TO comprehend ali the relations exc
, listing between cause and effect
Captain Scott was so very fond OF
! his dogs that have known him, upon
. the death of u favorite one, to walk
, his room in great apparent distress OF
+ mind during the entire night, and at
;, terward place the body in a coffin, and,
with his boy Jack leading his hunting
= horse draped in black, follow it to the
+ grave. and bury it with as much care
:. and ceremony as if it had been child
/. RE We sometimes bring hurt upon
r ourselves by trying to injure others
l g Il