Mr Barlow happened to have a large Newfoundland dog, equally famous for
his good-nature and his love of the water. With this dog Tommy had been
long forming an acquaintance, and he used to divert himself with
throwing sticks into the water, which Cæsar would instantly bring out in
his mouth, however great might be the distance. Tommy had been fired
with the description of the Kamtschatkan dogs, and their method of
drawing sledges, and meditated an enterprise of this nature on Cæsar.
This very day, finding himself unusually at leisure, he chose for the
execution of his project. He therefore furnished himself with some rope
and a kitchen chair, which he destined for his vehicle instead of a
sledge. He then inveigled Cæsar into a large yard behind the house, and,
extending the chair flat upon the ground, fastened him to it with great
care and ingenuity. Cæsar, who did not understand the new purpose to
which he was going to be applied, suffered himself to be harnessed
without opposition, and Tommy mounted triumphantly his seat, with a whip
in his hand, and began his operations. A crowd of little boys, the sons
of the labourers within, now gathered round the young gentleman, and by
their admiration very much increased his ardour to distinguish himself.
Tommy began to use the common expressions which he had heard coachmen
practise to their horses, and smacked his whip with all the confidence
of an experienced charioteer. Cæsar, meanwhile, who did not comprehend
this language, began to be a little impatient, and expressed his
uneasiness by making several bounds and rearing up like a restive horse.
This added very much to the diversion of the spectators, and Tommy, who
considered his honour as materially concerned in achieving the
adventure, began to be a little more warm; and proceeding from one
experiment to another, at length applied a pretty severe lash to the
hinderpart of his steed. This Cæsar resented so much that he instantly
set off at three-quarters speed, and dragged the chair with the driver
upon it at a prodigious rate. Tommy now looked round with an infinite
air of triumph, and kept his seat with surprising address and firmness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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