CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL
OF
POPULAR
LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.
CONTENTS
TOBY.
HELENA, LADY HARROGATE.
CURIOUS RESEARCHES INTO HUMAN CHARACTER.
MONSIEUR HOULOT.
A MOORLAND WEDDING.
EGG-CULTURE.
LINES TO A YOUNG LADY ON HER BIRTHDAY.
No. 743.
Price 1½d.
SATURDAY, MARCH 23, 1878.
TOBY.
Toby was a sheep of middling size, lightly built,finely limbed, as agile as a deer, with darkintelligent gazelle-like eyes, and a small pair ofneatly curled horns, with the points protrudingabout an inch from his forehead. His colourwas white except on the face, which was slightlydarker.
As an old sailor I wish to say something ofToby’s history. I was on board the good brigReliance of Arbroath, bound from Cork to Galatz,on the left bank of the Danube. All went wellwith the little ship until she reached the GrecianArchipelago, and here she was detained by adversewinds and contrary currents, making the passagethrough the islands both a dangerous and a difficultone. When the mariners at length reachedTenedos, it was found that the current fromthe Dardanelles was running out like a mill-stream,which made it impossible to proceed; andaccordingly the anchor was cast, the jolly-boat waslowered, and the captain took the opportunity ofgoing on shore for fresh water, of which theywere scarce. Having filled his casks, it was onlynatural for a sailor to long to treat himself to amess of fresh meat as well as water. He accordinglystrolled away through the little town; butsoon found that butchers were as yet unknownin Tenedos. Presently, however, a man came upwith a sheep, which the captain at once purchasedfor five shillings. This was Toby, with whom, hiscasks of water, and a large basket of ripe fruit, theskipper returned to his vessel. There happenedto be on board this ship a large and rather uselesshalf-bred Newfoundland. This dog was the veryfirst to receive the attentions of Master Toby, forno sooner had he placed foot on the deck, than heran full tilt at the poor Newfoundland, hittinghim square on the ribs and banishing almostevery bit of breath from his body. ‘Only a sheep,’thought the dog, and flew at Toby at once. ButToby was too nimble to be caught, and he plantedhis blows with such force and precision, that at lastthe poor dog was fain to take to his heels, howlingwith pain, and closely pursued by Toby. The dogonly escaped by getting out on to the bowsprit,where of course Toby could not follow, but quietlylay down in a safe place to wait and watch forhim.
This first adventure shewed that Toby was noordinary sheep. How he had been traine