Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-03-24
ABOUT DOGS.
The Reasoning Power of Animals Proved by
Some Cases on Record
4 NEWFOUNDLAND DOGS PUNISH
MENT OF 4 TROUBLESOME CUR.

ENFOt Midland Dogs ~ tNlSb-
MENT OF 4 TROUBLESOME CUR.
While it must be conceded that
animals possess most of mans good
qualities, it cannot be denied that
they share many of his faults. Ami
mails cherish ideas of revenge with
almost human tenacity, and appear
to believe thoroughly in the proverb
that declares it to be sweet. There
have been occasions when this long
cherished idea Of revenge has been
gratified in serious manner. The
Rev. John Selby Watson, in his high
ly suggestive work on the "Repson-
ing Power in Animals" alludes to
the following tragic occurrence, that
happened at st. Cloud, in the neigh
borhood of Paris. A large New
foundland dog was kept tied up dur
ing the hot weather, and every morn
ing a servant-maid, as she passed,
thinking to do it kindness, threw a
quantity of water over the animal.
The dog appeared to consider this
daily deluge as an insult, but being
tied up, it was unable to manifest its
resentment. One day, however, the
brute was released; and no sooner
aid this unfortunate servant present
herself than it sprang at her with in
tense ferocity, and before she could
be rescued killed her.
1t has already been seen that dogs
will try to avenge themselves upon
human beings as we'll as upon ami
mails; while the instances on record
where they have inflicted punish
ment upon other dogs are very num-
erous In his Encyclopedias of Rural
Sports" Blaine furnishes the follow
ing anecdote: II had in my Kitchen" :"
said certain Duke, two turnspits,
one of which went regularly every
other day into the wheel. One of
them, however, not liking his en-
ployment, hid himself on the day on
which he should have worked, so that
his companion was ordered to enter
the wheel in his stead But the dog
hung back, crying and wagging his
tail, and making signs for those pres
ent to follow him. Being curious
to see what he would do, they put
themselves under his guidance, when
he led them straight to a garret
where the idle dog was hid, immedi-
ately fell upon him and killed him on
the spot" In this case it can hardly
be considered that the dog was pru-
dent in the revenge he took -
although, for the matter of that, hu
man beings rarely areas he prob
ably had, for time at least, to take
the place at the wheel of his com
panion. In a somewhat similar an
ecdote by Jesse, the injured brute
acted with more forethought On one
occasion, so goes the story-when the
cook at the Jesuits' College at La
Fleche required the spit turned, the
dog that should have been on duty
was nowhere to be found, and when
the man would have employed an
other, it bit at him and ran away. In
little while, however, this latter ami
NAL reappeared, driving before him
the one that would have evaded his
duty, which he forced to enter the
wheel and go on with his work. An
ecdotes of the dignified and even
magnanimous way in which large
dogs avenge themselves for insults
upon smaller members of their
species are exceedingly numerous,
and generally too well known for
citation here. DR.. Hancock, in his
Essay on Instinct alluding to one
of these instances, in which New
foundland dog dropped trouble
some cur into the quay at Cork, and
then, when it was struggling for life
plunged in and saved it, romarks that
''it would be difficult to conceive any
punishment more aptly contrived OF
more complex in character;" adding,
that "if it were fully analyzed, an
ample commentary might be written
in order to show what variety OF
comparisons and motives of generous
feeling entered into the composition
of this act" A very interesting in
stance of the sagacity with which
these Newfoundland dogs act, and
the way in which they retain theil
resentment, is afforded by Mr.. Wat
son. He tells how gentleman or
arriving at his country house in the
neighbOrhood of London, discoveret
that he had brought with him key
that would be needed during his alb
sence. He had with him Newfound
land dog that was accustomed t.
carry things and to it he entrusted
the key. On it's way to the town will
the key the poor creature was at
tackled by a butchers dog, but at
tempted no resistance, and only uset
it's powers to get off with its charge
1t delivered the key safely and theI
on its way home stopped deliberatel.
before the butchers shop until tn
dog again came forth, when he at
tackled it furiously, and did not leav
off until he had killed it.