Page:History of Duncan Campbell, and his dog, Oscar (1).pdf/12

 12 rate engagements. Oſcar came to our aſſiſtance, and, provided that none of the enemy make a lodgement in his lower defiles, he was always the laſt combatant of our party on the field I do not remember of ever be- ing so much diverted by any scene I ever witnessed, or laughing as immoderately as I have done, at ſeeing Oscar involved in a moving cloud of wild bees, wheel- ing, snaping on all sides, and ſhaking his ears inces- ſantly. The sagacity which this animal poſſeſſed is almoſt incredible, while his undaunted ſpirit and generoſity, it would do honour to every ſervant of our own species to copy. Twice did he ſave his maſter's life : at one time when attacked by a furious bull, and at another time when he fell from behind my father, off a horse into a flooded river. Oſear had juſt ſwimmed acroſs, but inſtantly plunged in a second time to his maſter's reſcue. He firſt got hold of his bonnet, but thak- ing off, he quitted it, and again catching him by the coat, brought him to the fide, where my father reach- ed him. He waked Duncan at a certain hour every morning, and would frequently turn the cows of his own will, when he observed them wrong. If Duncan dropped his knife, or any other ſmall article, he would 'fetch it along in his mouth; and if sent back for a lost thing, would infallibly find it. When ſixteen years of age, after being unwell for ſeveral dayſ, he died one night below his maſter's bed. On the evening before, when Duncan came in from the plough, he came from L.is hiding place, wagged his tail, licked Duncan's hand, and returned to his death-bed. Duncan and E lamented hum with unfeigned ſorrow, buried him be- low the old rowan tree at the back of my father's gar- den, placing a square ſtone at his head, which was ſtill ſtanding the laſt time I was there. With great labour, we composed an epitaph between us, which was once carved on that ſtone: the metre was good, but the stone was so hard, and the engraving ſo faint, that the