ic naturalist.
He was past the prime of life, and being a bachelor, was unencumbered
with a family. His first act on reaching the site of the new
settlement was to commence the erection of a block-house, to which the
people might retire in case of a general attack by the Indians.

In this block-house Major Hope took up his abode as the guardian of
the settlement. And here the dog Crusoe was born; here he sprawled in
the early morn of life; here he leaped, and yelped, and wagged his
shaggy tail in the excessive glee of puppyhood; and from the wooden
portals of this block-house he bounded forth to the chase in all the
fire, and strength, and majesty of full-grown doghood.

Crusoe's father and mother were magnificent Newfoundlanders. There was
no doubt as to their being of the genuine breed, for Major Hope had
received them as a parting gift from a brother officer, who had
brought them both from Newfoundland itself. The father's name was
Crusoe, the mother's name was Fan. Why the father had been so called
no one could tell. The man from whom Major Hope's friend had obtained
the pair was a poor, illiterate fisherman, who had never heard of the
celebrated "Robinson" in all his life. All he knew was that Fan had
been named after his own wife. As for Crusoe, he had got him from a
friend, who had got him from another friend, whose cousin had received
him as a marriage-gift from a friend of _his_; and that each had said
to the other that the dog's name was "Crusoe," without reasons being
asked or given on either side. On arriving at New York the major's
friend, as we have said, made him a present of the dogs. Not being
much of a dog fancier, he soon tired of old Crusoe, and gave him away
to a gentleman, who took him down to Florida, and that was the end of
him. He was never heard of more.

When Crusoe, junior, was born, he was born, of course, without a name.
That was given to him afterwards in honour of his father. He was also
born in company with a brother and two sisters, all of whom drowned
themselves accidentally, in the first month of their existence, by
falling into the river which flowed past the block-house--a calamity
which occurred, doubtless, in consequence of their having gone out
without their mother's leave. Little Crusoe was with his brother and
sisters at the time, and fell in along with them, but was saved from
sharing their fate by his mother, who, seeing what had happened,
dashed with an agonized howl into