The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-07-25
POWER OF HUMAN EYE
SAVAGE DOCS PUT TO FLIGHT sY
STARE.
Man Relates Incidents Showing Re.
msrkable Effect Of Concentrated
Gaze on Infurlated Canlnes Bent
on Mischief

when the Forty-fourth Massachu-
sets regiment was besieged in Wash
lngton. y. c., writes Darius Coob, In
Our Dumb Animals. q was on one
occasion confronted by big wolfdog
that leaped from its kennel furiously
upon me. The situation was a des.
perate one and called for instant &C.
don.
~ subdued that animal by throwing
myself on all fours and springing to-
ward him with catlike snarls. He re-
treated into his kennel with piercing
bowls. and nothing could bring him
out am certain that dogs can be com.
! pletely cowed by the eye of man while
his body Is absolutely still. or by In.
tense and mysterious action with a
corresponding look OF the eye.
THE following incident relate as
an example OF this silent but effective
method: Several years ago was
sketching In an orchard which after
ward learned had been repeatedly rob
bed by roughs from a settlement of
denly a large Newfoundland dog
sprang out from a hedge that sur
mounted a series of terraces. With
threatening growls he bounded toward
me, his eyes glazing and foam running
from his mouth. | ceased sketching
and fixed my eyes on him as he de.
scended with all the intensity could
command.
when the dog had reached the mid
/ die terrace he stopped and. though he
b2rked furiously ana showed his shin.
/ Ing teeth. came no further I stood
motiouless and with eyes fixed as ad.
! amant All at once he turned and
running up the terraces. disappeared
behind the hedge. | resumed my
sketching. but 1t was with a sense of
weakness resulting from intense con-
centration of my will upon the dog.
Five minutes passed, when the New.
foundland again appeared. He did not
stop to bark this time, but down he
sprang. Why this unhalting charge?
All. there 1t Is! A huge mastiff is
]
wild beast Both dogs were growing
flercely and this with the foam that
listened on their teeth told too plain
ly what awaited me. The Newfound-
land had gone to get help and he
got It
81 saw that the mastiff had lost an
eye and so l had only three eyes to
magnetic. AS before. l stood fixed,
not even permitting my lids to wink.
The Newfoundland leaped first and
planted his great paws go heavily on
my breast as to nearly knock me over
backward. My eyes were riveted upon
him In all his fury. and In an instant
he dropped to the ground. Three times
he sprang at me, and each time NOV
ed not hair, keeping his eyes to
mine When he dropped the third time
the mastiff. who had been growing
with impatient fury, took his turn. His
massive paws struck my chest more
heavily even than had his leaders. and
It was with effort that l stood against
the blow.
HE, too, sprang at my throat and
like the Newfoundland dropped to the
ground. He repeated the attack three
times and seemed at the limit OF fran
tic rage when he made his last spring.
But my two eyes were too much for
his one eye. The moment the mastiff
1 dropped to the ground for the third
/ time both OF the dogs turned and ran
up the terraces as II l had charged
them with buckshot. They disappear
ed behind the hedge. and though l was
half an hour finishing the sketch they
did not appear again. l could have
robbed that orchard with impunity."