Worcester daily spy., 1871-08-15


Eastern dogs are all of one class; uot subdi
vided into species, like the dog families of the
west. They are strictly exclusive, and will
neither associate with nor tolerate dogs of any
other persuasion. Like certain bodies of n
nobler sort, they show a wonderful uniformity.
but not much unity. A toy terrier running
about the streets of Cairo would be a preposter-
GUS suppoSition. One of those woolly-haired
poodleS so dear TO certain of our beloved conn
try.women might, | apprehend, feel about as
much at home there as an alderman would
dining in the desert, with select circle of adj
miring Arabs watching every mouthful But
with all this eXclusiveneSS-and it goes so far
that will be bound to say an English dor sci
down unprotected i'll the city of the faithful
would be mobbed by his fellows and killed in
ten mlnutes-they are the verieSt ours imagm-
able.
The Americans describe the city of Alexan-
dria as being powerful in dogs. Alexandria
however, is nothing to some of the villages up
the Nile. Stout, for example, beats it hollow;
and in the towns near Nubia, where, from in.
creased heat or other causes, human beings
lapse into an apathetic ease, and pass Il lotus
eating life, dog nature, on the contrary seems
most eXuberanty to quicken and thrive. In
the hametS by the river side of the Thebaid,
you cannot step on shore from your boat with
out being greeted by howl. The distant pros
pective furnishes always its quota of dogs, and
in the suburbs of villages, these canine yaga-
bonds gather thick as flies on a basket of sum
mer fruit. They 90 round about the city and
grin-that is the very word-grin at you with
cenched teeth and muzzle set all aiar. Grin
ming, however, is their most formidable effort
except detestable bark they have, which Is
neither deep-mouthed nor yappish, but rasping
to your nerves as cracked bell. EXpostulate
but mildly with dog, and he bolts with start.
ling agility, giyinga premOnitory yelp, in the
thought that you are going TO beat him-the
which, indeed, if you neglect to do, he will
think meanly of you, and accordingly return to
his grinning more hideOusly than before.
The profound aversion Of eastern dogs to
western travellers is remarkable. No sooner do
you round a corner into view than the whole frv
is in an uproar. While the vilest dressed or un-
dressed Arab, tattered or leprous may pass
within an inch of their noses without comment
the moment that you, an individual clad Won
hatter yourself rreproachably, loom out of the
obscure these dogs protest against you. No mad
bull in the matter of red cloth could show more
marked anupathy. That which eXasperates
them most, however, is the sight of a man in
full evening dress. They haven't Il shred of rev.
erence for it-proOf positive of degeneracy of
breed. A friend of mine, after some evening
s0lemnity on board neighbOring hospital boat
took it into his head to go ashore and study
moonlight effects among the palms. We ac-
cCmpanied him, but these canine Phistines
picked him out at once, and-we, seriously in
jured his ceremonial vestments. City dogs with
scarcely an exception, go about con their own
hook, !" without master, and live by scavenging
and mendicity. They are grateful for any fa-
vor. If they are kicked from one door they
pocket the atfront and try the next. Likely
enough this independence gave rise to the first
organization of common government. For
that there is doggish republic is a fact, as
sure you, and no fiction.
For instance, it is clear that the CITY is nor
toned out into districts, and no dog may stray
out of his own district into his neighbours on
any pretense. Policemen and sentinels are al
ways on the watch. At a particular bark of
alarm that they give, all the dogs in the yicini-
ty will muster in force, bristling up with all the
conceit and fussiness of dog nature, and enforce
the law. A stray dog caught foraying out of
hounds will sometimes hardly escape with his
lite 1t is against dog-law, too, as | have often
seen-a point of honor with them-not to rob
one another. A big dog dare not take a bone
from his weaker brother. | have seen a little
cur parade his bone before a dog big enough to
eat him, for the simple purpose of ,'eXciting
envy. Often, of summer afternoons, in the
gardens OF the Esbekieh, | used to watch the
ways of these lshmaelites. They take kindly to
the Esbekieh, which is a glorious oasis of tropic
greenery, shadowy and cool, cloistered amid a
golden light of encOmpassing minarets in the
city of the Faithful. You find these dogs there
by dozens on the tlower-beds lying asleep, mind
ing their puppies, or engaged in some prepos-
ferrous game of play. Well, the policeman's
bark will be heard, and in an instant all scuttle
off puppies tumbling along after the hindmost.
Once, when | followed, it was pig that had
caused all the uproar. Some people were driv-
ing pig-a rarer sight in Cairo than a camel in
heapside-through the streets. The dogs, |
suppose had never seen pig in their lives, and
their terror and madness at sight of it were
ludicrous. The barking of the sentinel had
brought up supports from every quarter, and |
will be bound to say there were at least forty
dogs batting that unhappy pig But night IS
the time when the strctest watch is kept. Po-
licemen are told off after dark all along the
bounds and night is made hideous with their
quarres with unprncipled dogs who roam out
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