of a
horse. He is docile, capable of strong attachment, and is easy to
please in the quality of his food, as he will live on scraps of boiled
fish, either salted or fresh, and on boiled potatoes and cabbage. The
natural colour of this dog is black, with the exception of a very few
white spots. Their sagacity is sometimes so extraordinary, as on many
occasions to show that they only want the faculty of speech to make
themselves fully understood.

The Rev. L. Anspach, in his history of the Island of Newfoundland,
mentions some instances of this intelligence.

One of the Magistrates of Harbour-Grace, the late Mr. Garland, had an
old dog, which was in the habit of carrying a lantern before his
master at night, as steadily as the most attentive servant could do;
stopping short when his master made a stop, and proceeding when he saw
him disposed to follow him. If his master was absent from home, on the
lantern being fixed to his mouth, and the command given, "Go, fetch
your master," he would immediately set off and proceed directly to the
town, which lay at the distance of more than a mile from the place of
his master's residence. He would then stop at the door of every house
which he knew his master was in the habit of frequenting, and, laying
down his lantern, would growl and strike the door, making all the
noise in his power until it was opened. If his master was not there,
he would proceed further until he had found him. If he accompanied him
only once into a house, it was sufficient to induce him to take that
house in his round.

The principal use of this animal in Newfoundland, in addition to his
qualities as a good watch-dog and a faithful companion, is to assist
in fetching from the woods the _lumber_ intended either for repairing
the fish stages, or for fuel; and this is done by dragging it on the
snow or ice, or else on sledges, the dog being tackled to it.

These animals bark only when strongly provoked. They are not
quarrelsome, but treat the smaller species with a great degree of
patience and forbearance. They will defend their masters on seeing the
least appearance of an attack on his person. The well-known partiality
of these dogs for the water, in which they appear as if in their
proper element, diving and keeping their heads under the surface for a
considerable time, seems to give them some connexion with the class of
amphibious animals. At the same time, the several instances of their
superior sagacity