wes, and put lambs
to them. As we were making the distribution, I requested of my master
to spare me a lamb for a hawked ewe which he knew, and which was
standing over a dead lamb in the head of the Hope, about four miles from
the house. He would not do it, but bid me let her stand over her lamb
for a day or two, and perhaps a twin would be forthcoming. I did so, and
faithfully she did stand to her charge; so faithfully, that I think the
like never was equalled by any of the woolly race. I visited her every
morning and evening, and for the first eight days never found her above
two or three yards from the lamb; and always, as I went my rounds, she
eyed me long ere I came near her, and kept tramping with her feet, and
whistling through her nose, to frighten away the dog; he got a regular
chase twice a day as I passed by: but, however excited and fierce a ewe
may be, she never offers any resistance to mankind, being perfectly and
meekly passive to them. The weather grew fine and warm, and the dead
lamb soon decayed, which the body of a dead lamb does particularly
soon: but still this affectionate and desolate creature kept hanging
over the poor remains with an attachment that seemed to be nourished by
hopelessness. It often drew the tears from my eyes to see her hanging
with such fondness over a few bones, mixed with a small portion of wool.
For the first fortnight she never quitted the spot, and for another week
she visited it every morning and evening, uttering a few kindly and
heart-piercing bleats each time; till at length every remnant of her
offspring vanished, mixing with the soil, or wafted away by the winds."

"Poor creature! Uncle Thomas, that was very affecting."

"So much for the Ettrick Shepherd. I will now tell you a story about a
remarkable instance of sagacity in a sheep, of which I myself was an
eye-witness.

"One evening, as I was enjoying a walk through some verdant pastures,
which were plentifully dotted with sheep, my attention was attracted by
the motions of one which repeatedly came close up to me, bleating in a
piteous manner, and after looking expressively in my face, ran off
towards a brook which meandered through the midst of the pastures. At
first I took little notice of the creature, but as her entreaties became
importunate, I followed her. Delighted at having at length attracted my
notice, she ran with all her speed, frequently looking back. When I
reached the spot, I discovered the cause o