CAESAR, THE WONDERFUL DOG.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8331, 6 April 1889, Page 5

CAESAR, THE WONDERFUL DOG.

Before leaving New Zealand, Mr Eoisohek, thn eminent naturalist, had printed a little boolf, of which the fol- I lowing is the full litle : -" The Story of a Wonderful Dog, wiih some notes on the training of Dogs and Horses. A'so, hints on Camping, Bush and Mountain Exploration in New Zealand. By A. Reischek, P.L.S., Naturalist. Dedicated to the people of New Zealand." The first part is devoted to the story of how he trained his dog Cswar, and shows what it at length was mtde capable of doing. Camr was, no doubt-, a well-endowed dog to begin with and it had advantages which perhaps no other dog ever had. Mr Eeiaehek obtained it when a puppy ; he t:ained it entirely himself, and for many months at a time it was his sole companion in the solitudes of the West Coast Sonnds. It had therefore nothing to distract it from its master, and gradually it learned to know his every word and mood. SotJte of the anecdotes told of Ctesar's sagacity are worthy of a place in any collpotion of dog stories. We quote the following:— When we went out hunting he g>t so knowing (hat he knew whether I wantfcd him to set all the birds or only ground birds, or none at all. When I carried the gun he would set every bird we passed* whether flying or up in the trees or in holes. When I had no gun, but only a tomahawk he would only set the birds on the ground, and when I went out without a gun or tomahawk to study birds he "would simply walk by my side. Immediately I raised my hand he wonid lie down quietly while I watched the movements of the birds. Daring the eleven years I had Creiar he never set falsely for a single bird, and he would bring even the smallest bird without injuring a feather. Sometimes when shooting in a swamp, and I bad killed a few birds, I told Creaar to lot them lie till we came back. Often I could not find them, or I passed the place on purpose to see if he remembered, but he would invariably bring them witbont waibug to be told. He could remember how many birds I shot. As soon as I finished shooting, Bnd I said, " Cresar, we co home," he would smell all the birds I had carried. Often I would throw some away without letting him see them, but I never could deceive him, He would go back and bring every one. When following birds for the purpose of studying them, I very often laid my gun down, and when I came back could not find it, but I only had to say, " Ctnaar, I have lojfrny gun," when ho would hunt out the" place where I left it, and bark to draw my attention. When 1 had an assistant with me, and went out hunting alone, on coming back I would send dinar ahead to tell my friend I was coming, or if I was working away from the camp, cutting tracks or clearing bush, I generally left Csesar at home. When my companion had breakfast or lunch ready, he would send the dog to bring me. The first time he did tbj& I did not understand whafyhe dog mteint. He came running up to me, looked in my face, and turned to go to the hut. When he saw I did not follow him, he came agtin and pulled me by the shirt sleeves and then turned to go away. When I returned to the hut I said, " Cseaar wants me to go somewhere with him," and my companion said, " Ob, I sent him for yo to come to lunch." Afterwards 1 ! kn w what'the do? meant when he came to me in that manner. ' He wbb also useful at the camp to gather firewood. In the morning he would bring out my boots and hat, and Id the evening my alippora, and would watoli objects. Onc9 I told him to take oare of a few birds. The blow-flies, which are very numerous in this oountry, would settle on them to deposit their larvte. Cfesar endeavoured to drive them away, but they always returned so he picked the birds up, laid them together, and laid himself on top of them. When carryißg a heavy swag, Ccesar would never permit me to carry any, thing in my hand. He would take it from me and carry it (o the camp. Sometimes I would give him a bird to carry, and lay others down and say, " dffisar, you go with this to the camp, and" then come back and bring the otheri". He trotted c\i and pnt his bird in a safe place, atiß. returned for the others, dften several tniice distant. ' During the night, when I was asleep, and there was some danger approaching, he would warn me. On the wesl coast of the South ' Island {lie only place for camping #as a rifib alo'ngßi'd'e' a torrent, t wheie I put my tent. Being very tired I slept soundly, undisturbed by all the noise from the boulders coming thumping down in a frosh. Cremr came in and pulled my blanket, growling at me, and when I got up and went outside the tent I saw the torrent flooded, and the water nesrly up to thp tpnf. Fortunately, 'it had left off raining, otherwise I 'should have been 'swamped. If I pretended not fd'luar Ctemr he would pUH my hair. He knew all niy friends fa- town, ancl would sometimes pay them rf'pall' atene!' •' ' •' '' ' ' '