The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1876-03-29

4
=. .... CANINE ,SAGACITX.. .,,.,. $50. -,
The first case is one which occur ed at .
fashi enable watering-p'ace on. the east
coast Of Ireland, some twenty years ago,
and exhibits the remarkable sagacity OF
dog in carrying out the dictates of the
animal passion for revenge. The icttv
which stretched along the small harbor
was Ct that time used as promenade by
the elite among the sojoirners of the coast.
which, after the heat of the long summer
days, they RECALLED themselves with the
fresh evening breezcs waited in from the
sea. Among the frr4uentors OF this FASH
lonable resort was gentleman Of some
position, who was the owner of a fine
Newfoundland dog, which inherited the
time honored possession Of that noble
breed-very great power and facility in
swimming; and at re period Of the even.
ing when the jetty was most crowded
with promenaders, his master delighted
to put this animal through series of
aquatic performances, for the entertain.
ment of the assembled spectators. Amuse-
ment being at premium on the coast,
these ightly performances grew into
some thing like an ''institution,"
and the brave "Captain'' such
was his name--.speedily be-
came 4 universal favorite on the jettv.
1t happened, however, that among the
new arrivals on the coast there came a
certain Major in her Majesty's army, &C.
companied by two bulldogs of unusual
size and strength. and of very great value:
but value in bulldog being universally
proportionate to its beauty, the appear.
ance Of the Major and his dogs excited
no very enthusiastic pleasure among the
aesthetic strollers of the jetty. On the
first night on which the major presented
himself, nothing unusual occurred and
the Captain Owed and swan as before.
But on the second evening, the brave
Old favorite was walking quietly behind
his master down the jetty, when, as thew
were passing by the Ma or and his dogs,
one Of these ugly brutes few at Captain,
and caugh bit him by the neck in such
way as to reader his great size utterly
useless for his defense. A violent strug-
gle ensued, but the bulldog came off the
victor, for he stuck to his foe like leech.
and could only be forced to release his
hold by the insertion of bar Of iron be.
tween his teeth. The indignation Of the
bystanders against the Major was of
course very great; and its fervor was
not little increased when they saw the
poor Captain vending his way homeward,
bleeding, and bearing oil the marks Of
defeat. Some two or three evenings Of.
ter this occurrence, when Captain again
made his appearance on the jetty, he
looked quite crestfallen, bore his tail be.
tween his legs, and stuck closely to his
masters heels. That evening passed
away quietly, and the next, and the next.
and so on for about week Captain
Still bearing the aspect of mourning. But
one evening, about eight or ten days after
the above encounter, as the Msjor was
marching in his usual Pompuous manner
along the jetty accompanied by his dogs,
something attracted his attention in the
water. and walking to the very edge of
the jetty, he stood for moment looking
down into the sea. Scarcely had the two
bulldogs taken up their stand beside
their master, when Captain, Selling
the opportunity for which he had SO
long looked rushed at, his former con-
queror, and catching him by the back Of
the neck, jumped off the jetty with his
foe IN his mouth, down some twenty feet
or more into the sea. Once in the water,
the power of his enemy was crippled,
while Captain was altogether in his own
element; and easily overcoming all efforts
at resistance, he succeeded in resolutely
keeping the bulldog head under water.
The excitement on the shore was intense.
the major shouted and called out ssMy dog.
my beautiful dog! Will nobody save
him?" But no one seemed at all inclined
to interfere, or to risk their lives for the
ugly dog. At length the Major called
out, 'l'll give fifty pounds to any one who
will save my dog!' and soon afterward q
boat which lay at some little distance
pulled up to the rescue. Even then, how.
ever, it was only by striking Captain on
the head with the oars that he could be
forced to release his victim, which was
taken into the boat quite senseless from
exhaustion and sufocation, and was with
brought to itself again. Cap.
tain, on the other hand, swan in triumph
to the shore, amid the plaudits of the
spectators, who shared, in sympathy, at
least, his well.earned honors of revenge.
More remarkable than the sagacity in
carrying out the desire for revenge dis
played by the Newfoundland dog in the
above case, is that which the following
narrative illustrates:
A gentleman of wealth and position in
London had some years ago country
house and farm about sixty miles from