Uncle Dick and Lisa's Old Time Animal Tales

On Saturday night, a boy of 13 or 14 years of age, who was climbing on the face of a rock, in the Grange quarry, Edinburgh, in search of a bird’s nest, fell into the deep pool below. His companions ran away calling for help and a crowd soon collected. A house carpenter who was present, ran off to Grange house, and procured a Newfoundland dog. The animal immediately sprang into the pool and made for the place, where the body though under water was still visible. He dived once or twice, and seized the boy’s head, which chanced to be uppermost: he in vain attempted to bring the body ashore, as for if aware of the necessity of using the most gentle treatment to so vulnerable a part, he took so gentle a hold, that the head slipped from him, and the body sunk deeper and deeper at every successive attempt. Again he dived, and appeared on the surface raising the head gently between his fore paws, but again it slipped from his grasp, and sunk deeper than ever. The dog now seemed to take council with himself, he made one or two circles over the place where the body had disappeared, and then dived. He remained under water so long, that the by-standers entertained considerable fears of his safety. At length to the great satisfaction of those present, he appeared holding the corpse by the arm, with his head thrown aside, so as to keep the head of his burden clear above the water, and in this way he bore in to the bank. The body was immediately taken to a house and all exertions and means were used to restore the same animation, but in vain.
The dog would not leave the body, but staid by it, licking the face, and exhibiting his full share of sympathy excited by this melancholy catastrophe. There was not the slightest scratch on the boy’s head or face.
Scotsman.