CHAPTER 2

In no affairs of mere prejudice, pro or con, do we deduce

inferences with entire certainty, even from the most simple data.

It might be supposed that a catastrophe such as I have just

related would have effectually cooled my incipient passion for

the sea. On the contrary, I never experienced a more ardent

longing for the wild adventures incident to the life of a

navigator than within a week after our miraculous deliverance.

This short period proved amply long enough to erase from my

memory the shadows, and bring out in vivid light all the

pleasurably exciting points of color, all the picturesqueness, of

the late perilous accident. My conversations with Augustus grew

daily more frequent and more intensely full of interest. He had a

manner of relating his stories of the ocean (more than one half

of which I now suspect to have been sheer fabrications) well

adapted to have weight with one of my enthusiastic temperament

and somewhat gloomy although glowing imagination. It is strange,

too, that he most strongly enlisted my feelings in behalf of the

life of a seaman, when he depicted his more terrible moments of

suffering and despair. For the bright side of the painting I had

a limited sympathy. My visions were of shipwreck and famine; of

death or captivity among barbarian hordes; of a lifetime dragged

out in sorrow and tears, upon some gray and desolate rock, in an

ocean unapproachable and unknown. Such visions or desires—for

they amounted to desires—are common, I have since been assured,

to the whole numerous race of the melancholy among men—at the

time of which I speak I regarded them only as prophetic glimpses

of a destiny which I felt myself in a measure bound to fulfil.

Augustus thoroughly entered into my state of mind. It is

probable, indeed, that our intimate communion had resulted in a

partial interchange of character.

About eighteen months after the period of the Ariel’s disaster,

the firm of Lloyd and Vredenburgh (a house connected in some

manner with the Messieurs Enderby, I believe, of Liverpool) were

engaged in repairing and fitting out the brig Grampus for a

whaling voyage. She was an old hulk, and scarcely seaworthy when

all was done to her that could be done. I hardly know why she was

chosen in preference to other good vessels belonging to the same

owners—but so it was. Mr. Barnard was appointed to command her,

and Augustus was going with him. While the brig was getting

ready, he frequently urged upon me the excellency of the

opportunity now offered for indulging my desire of travel. He

found me by no means an unwilling listener—yet the matter could

not be so easily arranged. My father made no direct opposition;

but my mother went into hysterics at the bare mention of the

design; and, more than all, my grandfather, from whom I expected

much, vowed to cut me off with a shilling if I should ever broach

the subject to him again. These difficulties, however, so far

from abating my desire, only added fuel to the flame. I

determined to go at all hazards; and, having made known my

intentions to Augustus, we set about arranging a plan by which it

might be accomplished. In the meantime I forbore speaking to any

of my relations in regard to the voyage, and, as I busied myself

ostensibly with my usual studies, it was supposed that I had

abandoned the design. I have since frequently examined my conduct

on this occasion with sentiments of displeasure as well as of

surprise. The intense hypocrisy I made use of for the furtherance

of my project—an hypocrisy pervading every word and action of my

life for so long a period of time—could only have been rendered

tolerable to myself by the wild and burning expectation with

which I looked forward to the fulfilment of my long-cherished

visions of travel.

In pursuance of my scheme of deception, I was necessarily obliged

to leave much to the management of Augustus, who was employed for

the greater part of every day on board the Grampus, attending to

some arrangements for his father in the cabin and cabin hold. At

night, however, we were sure to have a conference and talk over

our hopes. After nearly a month passed in this manner, without

our hitting upon any plan we thought likely to succeed, he told

me at last that he had determined upon everything necessary. I

had a relation living in New Bedford, a Mr. Ross, at whose house

I was in the habit of spending occasionally two or three weeks at

a time. The brig was to sail about the middle of June (June,

1827), and it was agreed that, a day or two before her putting to

sea, my father was to receive a note, as usual, from Mr. Ross,

asking me to come over and spend a fortnight with Robert and

Emmet (his sons). Augustus charged himself with the inditing of

this note and getting it delivered. Having set out as supposed,

for New Bedford, I was then to report myself to my companion, who

would contrive a hiding-place for me in the Grampus. This

hiding-place, he assured me, would be rendered sufficiently

comfortable for a residence of many days, during which I was not

to make my appearance. When the brig had proceeded so far on her

course as to make any turning back a matter out of question, I

should then, he said, be formally installed in all the comforts

of the cabin; and as to his father, he would only laugh heartily

at the joke. Vessels enough would be met with by which a letter

might be sent home explaining the adventure to my parents.

The middle of June at length arrived, and every thing had been

matured. The note was written and delivered, and on a Monday

morning I left the house for the New Bedford packet, as supposed.

I went, however, straight to Augustus, who was waiting for me at

the corner of a street. It had been our original plan that I

should keep out of the way until dark, and then slip on board the

brig; but, as there was now a thick fog in our favor, it was

agreed to lose no time in secreting me. Augustus led the way to

the wharf, and I followed at a little distance, enveloped in a

thick seaman’s cloak, which he had brought with him, so that my

person might not be easily recognized. Just as we turned the

second corner, after passing Mr. Edmund’s well, who should

appear, standing right in front of me, and looking me full in the

face, but old Mr. Peterson, my grandfather. “Why, bless my soul,

Gordon,” said he, after a long pause, “why, why,—whose dirty

cloak is that you have on?” “Sir!” I replied, assuming, as well

as I could, in the exigency of the moment, an air of offended

surprise, and talking in the gruffest of all imaginable

tones—“sir! you are a sum’mat mistaken—my name, in the first

place, bee’nt nothing at all like Goddin, and I’d want you for to

know better, you blackguard, than to call my new obercoat a darty

one.” For my life I could hardly refrain from screaming with

laughter at the odd manner in which the old gentleman received

this handsome rebuke. He started back two or three steps, turned

first pale and then excessively red, threw up his spectacles,

then, putting them down, ran full tilt at me, with his umbrella

uplifted. He stopped short, however, in his career, as if struck

with a sudden recollection; and presently, turning round, hobbled

off down the street, shaking all the while with rage, and

muttering between his teeth: “Won’t do—new glasses—thought it was

Gordon—d—d good-for-nothing salt water Long Tom.”

After this narrow escape we proceeded with greater caution, and

arrived at our point of destination in safety. There were only

one or two of the hands on board, and these were busy forward,

doing something to the forecastle combings. Captain Barnard, we

knew very well, was engaged at Lloyd and Vredenburgh’s, and would

remain there until late in the evening, so we had little to

apprehend on his account. Augustus went first up the vessel’s

side, and in a short while I followed him, without being noticed

by the men at work. We proceeded at once into the cabin, and

found no person there. It was fitted up in the most comfortable

style—a thing somewhat unusual in a whaling-vessel. There were

four very excellent staterooms, with wide and convenient berths.

There was also a large stove, I took notice, and a remarkably

thick and valuable carpet covering the floor of both the cabin

and staterooms. The ceiling was full seven feet high, and, in

short, every thing appeared of a more roomy and agreeable nature

than I had anticipated. Augustus, however, would allow me but

little time for observation, insisting upon the necessity of my

concealing myself as soon as possible. He led the way into his

own stateroom, which was on the starboard side of the brig, and

next to the bulkheads. Upon entering, he closed the door and

bolted it. I thought I had never seen a nicer little room than

the one in which I now found myself. It was about ten feet long,

and had only one berth, which, as I said before, was wide and

convenient. In that portion of the closet nearest the bulkheads

there was a space of four feet square, containing a table, a

chair, and a set of hanging shelves full of books, chiefly books

of voyages and travels. There were many other little comforts in

the room, among which I ought not to forget a kind of safe or

refrigerator, in which Augustus pointed out to me a host of

delicacies, both in the eating and drinking department.

He now pressed with his knuckles upon a certain spot of the

carpet in one corner of the space just mentioned, letting me know

that a portion of the flooring, about sixteen inches square, had

been neatly cut out and again adjusted. As he pressed, this

portion rose up at one end sufficiently to allow the passage of

his finger beneath. In this manner he raised the mouth of the

trap (to which the carpet was still fastened by tacks), and I

found that it led into the after hold. He next lit a small taper

by means of a phosphorous match, and, placing the light in a dark

lantern, descended with it through the opening, bidding me

follow. I did so, and he then pulled the cover upon the hole, by

means of a nail driven into the under side—the carpet, of course,

resuming its original position on the floor of the stateroom, and

all traces of the aperture being concealed.

The taper gave out so feeble a ray that it was with the greatest

difficulty I could grope my way through the confused mass of

lumber among which I now found myself. By degrees, however, my

eyes became accustomed to the gloom, and I proceeded with less

trouble, holding on to the skirts of my friend’s coat. He brought

me, at length, after creeping and winding through innumerable

narrow passages, to an iron-bound box, such as is used sometimes

for packing fine earthenware. It was nearly four feet high, and

full six long, but very narrow. Two large empty oil-casks lay on

the top of it, and above these, again, a vast quantity of straw

matting, piled up as high as the floor of the cabin. In every

other direction around was wedged as closely as possible, even up

to the ceiling, a complete chaos of almost every species of

ship-furniture, together with a heterogeneous medley of crates,

hampers, barrels, and bales, so that it seemed a matter no less

than miraculous that we had discovered any passage at all to the

box. I afterward found that Augustus had purposely arranged the

stowage in this hold with a view to affording me a thorough

concealment, having had only one assistant in the labour, a man

not going out in the brig.

My companion now showed me that one of the ends of the box could

be removed at pleasure. He slipped it aside and displayed the

interior, at which I was excessively amused. A mattress from one

of the cabin berths covered the whole of its bottom, and it

contained almost every article of mere comfort which could be

crowded into so small a space, allowing me, at the same time,

sufficient room for my accommodation, either in a sitting

position or lying at full length. Among other things, there were

some books, pen, ink, and paper, three blankets, a large jug full

of water, a keg of sea-biscuit, three or four immense Bologna

sausages, an enormous ham, a cold leg of roast mutton, and half a

dozen bottles of cordials and liqueurs. I proceeded immediately

to take possession of my little apartment, and this with feelings

of higher satisfaction, I am sure, than any monarch ever

experienced upon entering a new palace. Augustus now pointed out

to me the method of fastening the open end of the box, and then,

holding the taper close to the deck, showed me a piece of dark

whipcord lying along it. This, he said, extended from my

hiding-place throughout all the necessary windings among the

lumber, to a nail which was driven into the deck of the hold,

immediately beneath the trap-door leading into his stateroom. By

means of this cord I should be enabled readily to trace my way

out without his guidance, provided any unlooked-for accident

should render such a step necessary. He now took his departure,

leaving with me the lantern, together with a copious supply of

tapers and phosphorous, and promising to pay me a visit as often

as he could contrive to do so without observation. This was on

the seventeenth of June.

I remained three days and nights (as nearly as I could guess) in

my hiding-place without getting out of it at all, except twice

for the purpose of stretching my limbs by standing erect between

two crates just opposite the opening. During the whole period I

saw nothing of Augustus; but this occasioned me little

uneasiness, as I knew the brig was expected to put to sea every

hour, and in the bustle he would not easily find opportunities of

coming down to me. At length I heard the trap open and shut, and

presently he called in a low voice, asking if all was well, and

if there was any thing I wanted. “Nothing,” I replied; “I am as

comfortable as can be; when will the brig sail?” “She will be

under weigh in less than half an hour,” he answered. “I came to

let you know, and for fear you should be uneasy at my absence. I

shall not have a chance of coming down again for some

time—perhaps for three or four days more. All is going on right

aboveboard. After I go up and close the trap, do you creep along

by the whipcord to where the nail is driven in. You will find my

watch there—it may be useful to you, as you have no daylight to

keep time by. I suppose you can’t tell how long you have been

buried—only three days—this is the twentieth. I would bring the

watch to your box, but am afraid of being missed.” With this he

went up.

In about an hour after he had gone I distinctly felt the brig in

motion, and congratulated myself upon having at length fairly

commenced a voyage. Satisfied with this idea, I determined to

make my mind as easy as possible, and await the course of events

until I should be permitted to exchange the box for the more

roomy, although hardly more comfortable, accommodations of the

cabin. My first care was to get the watch. Leaving the taper

burning, I groped along in the dark, following the cord through

windings innumerable, in some of which I discovered that, after

toiling a long distance, I was brought back within a foot or two

of a former position. At length I reached the nail, and securing

the object of my journey, returned with it in safety. I now

looked over the books which had been so thoughtfully provided,

and selected the expedition of Lewis and Clarke to the mouth of

the Columbia. With this I amused myself for some time, when,

growing sleepy, I extinguished the light with great care, and

soon fell into a sound slumber.

Upon awakening I felt strangely confused in mind, and some time

elapsed before I could bring to recollection all the various

circumstances of my situation. By degrees, however, I remembered

all. Striking a light, I looked at the watch; but it was run

down, and there were, consequently, no means of determining how

long I slept. My limbs were greatly cramped, and I was forced to

relieve them by standing between the crates. Presently feeling an

almost ravenous appetite, I bethought myself of the cold mutton,

some of which I had eaten just before going to sleep, and found

excellent. What was my astonishment in discovering it to be in a

state of absolute putrefaction! This circumstance occasioned me

great disquietude; for, connecting it with the disorder of mind I

experienced upon awakening, I began to suppose that I must have

slept for an inordinately long period of time. The close

atmosphere of the hold might have had something to do with this,

and might, in the end, be productive of the most serious results.

My head ached excessively; I fancied that I drew every breath

with difficulty; and, in short, I was oppressed with a multitude

of gloomy feelings. Still I could not venture to make any

disturbance by opening the trap or otherwise, and, having wound

up the watch, contented myself as well as possible.

Throughout the whole of the next tedious twenty-four hours no

person came to my relief, and I could not help accusing Augustus

of the grossest inattention. What alarmed me chiefly was, that

the water in my jug was reduced to about half a pint, and I was

suffering much from thirst, having eaten freely of the Bologna

sausages after the loss of my mutton. I became very uneasy, and

could no longer take any interest in my books. I was overpowered,

too, with a desire to sleep, yet trembled at the thought of

indulging it, lest there might exist some pernicious influence,

like that of burning charcoal, in the confined air of the hold.

In the meantime the roll of the brig told me that we were far in

the main ocean, and a dull humming sound, which reached my ears

as if from an immense distance, convinced me no ordinary gale was

blowing. I could not imagine a reason for the absence of

Augustus. We were surely far enough advanced on our voyage to

allow of my going up. Some accident might have happened to

him—but I could think of none which would account for his

suffering me to remain so long a prisoner, except, indeed, his

having suddenly died or fallen overboard, and upon this idea I

could not dwell with any degree of patience. It was possible that

we had been baffled by head winds, and were still in the near

vicinity of Nantucket. This notion, however, I was forced to

abandon; for such being the case, the brig must have frequently

gone about; and I was entirely satisfied, from her continual

inclination to the larboard, that she had been sailing all along

with a steady breeze on her starboard quarter. Besides, granting

that we were still in the neighborhood of the island, why should

not Augustus have visited me and informed me of the circumstance?

Pondering in this manner upon the difficulties of my solitary and

cheerless condition, I resolved to wait yet another twenty-four

hours, when, if no relief were obtained, I would make my way to

the trap, and endeavour either to hold a parley with my friend,

or get at least a little fresh air through the opening, and a

further supply of water from the stateroom. While occupied with

this thought, however, I fell in spite of every exertion to the

contrary, into a state of profound sleep, or rather stupor. My

dreams were of the most terrific description. Every species of

calamity and horror befell me. Among other miseries I was

smothered to death between huge pillows, by demons of the most

ghastly and ferocious aspect. Immense serpents held me in their

embrace, and looked earnestly in my face with their fearfully

shining eyes. Then deserts, limitless, and of the most forlorn

and awe-inspiring character, spread themselves out before me.

Immensely tall trunks of trees, gray and leafless, rose up in

endless succession as far as the eye could reach. Their roots

were concealed in wide-spreading morasses, whose dreary water lay

intensely black, still, and altogether terrible, beneath. And the

strange trees seemed endowed with a human vitality, and waving to

and fro their skeleton arms, were crying to the silent waters for

mercy, in the shrill and piercing accents of the most acute agony

and despair. The scene changed; and I stood, naked and alone,

amidst the burning sand-plains of Sahara. At my feet lay crouched

a fierce lion of the tropics. Suddenly his wild eyes opened and

fell upon me. With a conclusive bound he sprang to his feet, and

laid bare his horrible teeth. In another instant there burst from

his red throat a roar like the thunder of the firmament, and I

fell impetuously to the earth. Stifling in a paroxysm of terror,

I at last found myself partially awake. My dream, then, was not

all a dream. Now, at least, I was in possession of my senses. The

paws of some huge and real monster were pressing heavily upon my

bosom—his hot breath was in my ear—and his white and ghastly

fangs were gleaming upon me through the gloom.

Had a thousand lives hung upon the movement of a limb or the

utterance of a syllable, I could have neither stirred nor spoken.

The beast, whatever it was, retained his position without

attempting any immediate violence, while I lay in an utterly

helpless, and, I fancied, a dying condition beneath him. I felt

that my powers of body and mind were fast leaving me—in a word,

that I was perishing, and perishing of sheer fright. My brain

swam—I grew deadly sick—my vision failed—even the glaring

eyeballs above me grew dim. Making a last strong effort, I at

length breathed a faint ejaculation to God, and resigned myself

to die. The sound of my voice seemed to arouse all the latent

fury of the animal. He precipitated himself at full length upon

my body; but what was my astonishment, when, with a long and low

whine, he commenced licking my face and hands with the greatest

eagerness, and with the most extravagant demonstration of

affection and joy! I was bewildered, utterly lost in

amazement—but I could not forget the peculiar whine of my

Newfoundland dog Tiger, and the odd manner of his caresses I well

knew. It was he. I experienced a sudden rush of blood to my

temples—a giddy and overpowering sense of deliverance and

reanimation. I rose hurriedly from the mattress upon which I had

been lying, and, throwing myself upon the neck of my faithful

follower and friend, relieved the long oppression of my bosom in

a flood of the most passionate tears.

As upon a former occasion my conceptions were in a state of the

greatest indistinctness and confusion after leaving the mattress.

For a long time I found it nearly impossible to connect any

ideas; but, by very slow degrees, my thinking faculties returned,

and I again called to memory the several incidents of my

condition. For the presence of Tiger I tried in vain to account;

and after busying myself with a thousand different conjectures

respecting him, was forced to content myself with rejoicing that

he was with me to share my dreary solitude, and render me comfort

by his caresses. Most people love their dogs—but for Tiger I had

an affection far more ardent than common; and never, certainly,

did any creature more truly deserve it. For seven years he had

been my inseparable companion, and in a multitude of instances

had given evidence of all the noble qualities for which we value

the animal. I had rescued him, when a puppy, from the clutches of

a malignant little villain in Nantucket who was leading him, with

a rope around his neck, to the water; and the grown dog repaid

the obligation, about three years afterward, by saving me from

the bludgeon of a street robber.

Getting now hold of the watch, I found, upon applying it to my

ear, that it had again run down; but at this I was not at all

surprised, being convinced, from the peculiar state of my

feelings, that I had slept, as before, for a very long period of

time, how long, it was of course impossible to say. I was burning

up with fever, and my thirst was almost intolerable. I felt about

the box for my little remaining supply of water, for I had no

light, the taper having burnt to the socket of the lantern, and

the phosphorus-box not coming readily to hand. Upon finding the

jug, however, I discovered it to be empty—Tiger, no doubt, having

been tempted to drink it, as well as to devour the remnant of

mutton, the bone of which lay, well picked, by the opening of the

box. The spoiled meat I could well spare, but my heart sank as I

thought of the water. I was feeble in the extreme—so much so that

I shook all over, as with an ague, at the slightest movement or

exertion. To add to my troubles, the brig was pitching and

rolling with great violence, and the oil-casks which lay upon my

box were in momentary danger of falling down, so as to block up

the only way of ingress or egress. I felt, also, terrible

sufferings from sea-sickness. These considerations determined me

to make my way, at all hazards, to the trap, and obtain immediate

relief, before I should be incapacitated from doing so

altogether. Having come to this resolve, I again felt about for

the phosphorus-box and tapers. The former I found after some

little trouble; but, not discovering the tapers as soon as I had

expected (for I remembered very nearly the spot in which I had

placed them), I gave up the search for the present, and bidding

Tiger lie quiet, began at once my journey toward the trap.

In this attempt my great feebleness became more than ever

apparent. It was with the utmost difficulty I could crawl along

at all, and very frequently my limbs sank suddenly from beneath

me; when, falling prostrate on my face, I would remain for some

minutes in a state bordering on insensibility. Still I struggled

forward by slow degrees, dreading every moment that I should

swoon amid the narrow and intricate windings of the lumber, in

which event I had nothing but death to expect as the result. At

length, upon making a push forward with all the energy I could

command, I struck my forehead violently against the sharp corner

of an iron-bound crate. The accident only stunned me for a few

moments; but I found, to my inexpressible grief, that the quick

and violent roll of the vessel had thrown the crate entirely

across my path, so as effectually to block up the passage. With

my utmost exertions I could not move it a single inch from its

position, it being closely wedged in among the surrounding boxes

and ship-furniture. It became necessary, therefore, enfeebled as

I was, either to leave the guidance of the whipcord and seek out

a new passage, or to climb over the obstacle, and resume the path

on the other side. The former alternative presented too many

difficulties and dangers to be thought of without a shudder. In

my present weak state of both mind and body, I should infallibly

lose my way if I attempted it, and perish miserably amid the

dismal and disgusting labyrinths of the hold. I proceeded,

therefore, without hesitation, to summon up all my remaining

strength and fortitude, and endeavour, as I best might, to

clamber over the crate.

Upon standing erect, with this end in view, I found the

undertaking even a more serious task than my fears had led me to

imagine. On each side of the narrow passage arose a complete wall

of various heavy lumber, which the least blunder on my part might

be the means of bringing down upon my head; or, if this accident

did not occur, the path might be effectually blocked up against

my return by the descending mass, as it was in front by the

obstacle there. The crate itself was a long and unwieldy box,

upon which no foothold could be obtained. In vain I attempted, by

every means in my power, to reach the top, with the hope of being

thus enabled to draw myself up. Had I succeeded in reaching it,

it is certain that my strength would have proved utterly

inadequate to the task of getting over, and it was better in

every respect that I failed. At length, in a desperate effort to

force the crate from its ground, I felt a strong vibration in the

side next me. I thrust my hand eagerly to the edge of the planks,

and found that a very large one was loose. With my pocket-knife,

which, luckily, I had with me, I succeeded, after great labour,

in prying it entirely off; and getting it through the aperture,

discovered, to my exceeding joy, that there were no boards on the

opposite side—in other words, that the top was wanting, it being

the bottom through which I had forced my way. I now met with no

important difficulty in proceeding along the line until I finally

reached the nail. With a beating heart I stood erect, and with a

gentle touch pressed against the cover of the trap. It did not

rise as soon as I had expected, and I pressed it with somewhat

more determination, still dreading lest some other person than

Augustus might be in his state-room. The door, however, to my

astonishment, remained steady, and I became somewhat uneasy, for

I knew that it had formerly required but little or no effort to

remove it. I pushed it strongly—it was nevertheless firm: with

all my strength—it still did not give way: with rage, with fury,

with despair—it set at defiance my utmost efforts; and it was

evident, from the unyielding nature of the resistance, that the

hole had either been discovered and effectually nailed up, or

that some immense weight had been placed upon it, which it was

useless to think of removing.

My sensations were those of extreme horror and dismay. In vain I

attempted to reason on the probable cause of my being thus

entombed. I could summon up no connected chain of reflection,

and, sinking on the floor, gave way, unresistingly, to the most

gloomy imaginings, in which the dreadful deaths of thirst,

famine, suffocation, and premature interment crowded upon me as

the prominent disasters to be encountered. At length there

returned to me some portion of presence of mind. I arose, and

felt with my fingers for the seams or cracks of the aperture.

Having found them, I examined them closely to ascertain if they

emitted any light from the state-room; but none was visible. I

then forced the blade of my pen-knife through them, until I met

with some hard obstacle. Scraping against it, I discovered it to

be a solid mass of iron, which, from its peculiar wavy feel as I

passed the blade along it, I concluded to be a chain-cable. The

only course now left me was to retrace my way to the box, and

there either yield to my sad fate, or try so to tranquilize my

mind as to admit of my arranging some plan of escape. I

immediately set about the attempt, and succeeded, after

innumerable difficulties, in getting back. As I sank, utterly

exhausted, upon the mattress, Tiger threw himself at full length

by my side, and seemed as if desirous, by his caresses, of

consoling me in my troubles, and urging me to bear them with

fortitude.

The singularity of his behavior at length forcibly arrested my

attention. After licking my face and hands for some minutes, he

would suddenly cease doing so, and utter a low whine. Upon

reaching out my hand toward him, I then invariably found him

lying on his back, with his paws uplifted. This conduct, so

frequently repeated, appeared strange, and I could in no manner

account for it. As the dog seemed distressed, I concluded that he

had received some injury; and, taking his paws in my hands, I

examined them one by one, but found no sign of any hurt. I then

supposed him hungry, and gave him a large piece of ham, which he

devoured with avidity—afterward, however, resuming his

extraordinary manoeuvres. I now imagined that he was suffering,

like myself, the torments of thirst, and was about adopting this

conclusion as the true one, when the idea occurred to me that I

had as yet only examined his paws, and that there might possibly

be a wound upon some portion of his body or head. The latter I

felt carefully over, but found nothing. On passing my hand,

however, along his back, I perceived a slight erection of the

hair extending completely across it. Probing this with my finger,

I discovered a string, and tracing it up, found that it encircled

the whole body. Upon a closer scrutiny, I came across a small

slip of what had the feeling of letter paper, through which the

string had been fastened in such a manner as to bring it

immediately beneath the left shoulder of the animal.