The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-02-08
Interesting Anecdotes OF Dogs, Nerves,
Birds. de-, &C.

Sferstanfi human speech than IS t5encTany
supposed. The Eindoos invarianiy EA'k :.
their elephants. and IL ia amazing now AlucI
the latter comprehend. The ARABS govern
their camels with Few cries, ana my asso,
c;afns In the African desert were
siu,avs amused whenever i addressed
= rcrnark TO the big drornedTT- VINO
WOO mv property for Two months
w, a. The end OF that time Che beast cyl.
aensIy knew the meaning of nEnloer OF
sir,nIe sentences. Some years ago, seeing The
h;nponotamus in Barnum'S Museum look
;nr very stolid and detected, spoke to him
~ rnriish. but he did not even open his
eres Then went to the opposite corner
NJ the cage. and said, in Arabic, know
ron. come here to meo He inAtsasly turn
ID his read toward me. Iwpeated the
words. and thereupon he came TO the cor
ner where / was standing, pressed his huge,
uncainly head againet the bars CT the cage,
and booked in my face with teYching de-
light while ] Strofaed his muzxse. have
two or three times found lion who recog-
nized the same language, and 5he expires.
sion of his eyes, fex an instant, seemed posi-
lively human.
Know Of nothing more n,o1mg-indeed,
semi-tracic-thaH the yearning helplessness
in tine face OF a dog who understands what
IS said 10 him and & mot answer. We often
hear Il said that no animal caa endure the
steady gaze Of the human eye, but
THIS IS SUPERSTITION.
An intelligent dog or horse not only CT
dures, but loves it The eye OF beast %
restless from natural habit, but hardly more
so than that OF savage man. Cats, birds,
and many other animals seek rather than
avoid friendly human eye. tits possible
that tigers may have been aurned away
By an unflinching gaze, laIt / suspect
the secret lay in the surprise OF the
beast at go unusual an experience rather
are said to have the belief that dog, for
the same reason, will not attack nsbed
man; but l do not remember any account
OF, a burglar where they have tried theex-
pertinent. Cattle, however, are easily sur
prised. Once, in 1S49, on the Salinas plains
in California, I escaped exactly the same
onset OF vast herd of wild cattle as Mr..
Harte describes in his "Gabriei Conroy,"
by sitting down on the ground. Theywere
SO unaccustomed to seeing a man, except
on horseback, that the position was nh alb
solute bewilderment to them. The fore
most halted within one hundred feet, form
ed O line Rs regularly as file OF soldiers,
and stared stupidity until team, luckily
approaching at the right time, released me
from my hazardous situation.
Few persons are aware OF
THE GREAT EFFECT
which quiet speech exercises upon the most
savage dog. A distinguished English poet
told me that he was once walking in the
country with Canon Kingsley, when they
passed lodge where an immense and fierce
mastiff, confined by long chain, rushed
out upon them. They were just beyond his
reach, but the chain did not seem secure.
The poet would have hurried past, but
Kingsley, laying hand upon his arm,
said, "Wait moment, and see me
subdue himl" Thereupon~ he walked
up to the dog, who, erect upon his
hind feet, with open jaws and glaring eyes,
was the embodiment Of animal fury. Kings
ley lifted his hand, and quietly said, e. You
are wrong. You have made a mistake you
must 60 back to your KENNEL" The cog
sank down upon his fore feet, but still
growled angrily; the Canon repeated his
words in a firm voice, advancing step by
step as the dog gave way. BE continued
speaking grave reproof, as to human
being, until he had forced the mastiff back
into his kennel, where the latter silently,
End perhaps remorsefully, lay down.
] cannot now tell whether remembered
this story, or acted simply from sudden
instinct, in
VERY SIMILAR CASE.
Twas in San Francisco, and went to call
upon gentleman OF my acquaintance, who
lived upon Rincon Point. The house stood
a little distance back from the street, in u
beautiful garden. 1 walked up between
clumps OF myrtle and fuchsia to the door
and rang the bell. Instead Of answer there
was savage bay; a giant dog sprang
around the corner of the house and rushed
at me with every sign OF furious attack. I
faced him, stood still, and said: 81 am
friend Of Mr.. -, and have come to
visit him. You must not suppose that
mean any harm. I shall wait to see il
the bell is answered; you may stay
and watch me. I am not afraid OF you"
The animal paused, listened attentively, but
was evidently not entirely convinced; he
erowled and showed his teeth in rather an
alarming manner. Then said 81 shall
Ing once more, !: ,saere is no answer
shall go away" He followed me up the
steps to the door, glared tiercely while ]
rang. and would undoubtedly have dashed
at my throat had made suspicious ges-
ture. AS no one came to the door finally
i \
shall 60, as I told you would" His
growing ceased, side by side we went
down the walk, and when had closed the
gate he turned away with single dignifed
wave OF the tail, which understood as
COMBINED APOLOGY AND FAREWELL.
Brehm, the German naturalist, gives a
very curious account OF chimpanzee at
the Geological Garden in Hamburger. He
satisfied himself that the animal understood
us much human speech as an average child
of two and a half years old. For instance,
when he asked edo you see the ducks ;"
the chimpanzee would look about the
garden, passing over the geese and
dicated. At the command $50 and sit
downi'' uttered without any infection OF
voice or glance towards chair, he would
promptly obey; on being told, "You are
naughty, !" he would hang his head, with an
expression OF distress and he very soon
learned TO express his affection by kisses and
caresses, like the children whom he saw.
I presume it Is q very common observation
OF persons who own intelligent dogs that II
they happen to describe to visitor some
fault for which tho animal has been scolded
or punished, in the latter's presence, he will
exhibit an So -, 4 80.
UNEASY CONSCIOUSNESS OF WHAT is SAID,
even sometimes quietly stink away But
the extent to which a horse also may be
taught to understand speech is not so gene
rally known. The simple fact that he likes
to be talked to makes him attentive to the
sounds, and am convinced that in q great
many cases be has an impression OF the
meaning. have at present q horse
who served his country during the war,